William stood frozen for three seconds. Then he laughed.
"Do you think we're toddlers?"
Delia's confidence surged back in an instant. "Exactly! That ID badge is obviously a fake!"
William sneered, looking me up and down. "Deputy Director of the City Board of Education? How old are you, even? You're clearly some teenager. Who are you trying to fool?"
Delia leaned in close to examine my badge, clicking her tongue and shaking her head. "The counterfeiting technology these days is really something. Almost looks real! If I hadn't seen the genuine article, you might've actually had me fooled!"
William shouted toward the crowd below the stage. "Academic Affairs! Look up which class this 'Judy Fox' belongs to!"
The head of Academic Affairs pulled out the student roster and flipped through it. He looked up. "Principal, I've checked. There's no one by that name."
Delia jabbed a finger at my face, her voice shrill enough to cut glass.
"I knew it! You're some delinquent who snuck in from off campus!"
She was on a roll now, her voice climbing higher with every word.
"Probably from one of those vocational schools nearby! Sneaking into our academy to seduce boys! I've seen plenty of street trash like you!"