Chapter 27
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SEVEN
EMERSON
“How bad is it?” I asked, stumbling into the kitchen. My eyes were heavy with sleep, and it took all my effort not to stay curled up in Colter’s bed and pull the covers over my head.
Colter turned at the sound of my voice and smiled. He walked to me, rubbing my shoulders in greeting. “Good morning, Merbear.” He bent down to kiss my cheek and whispered in my ear. “If you’re trying to test if I’ll fuck you in front of your friend, we’re about to find out. Fuck, you look hot in my shirt.” He stepped back, a smug expression covering his face as he crossed the kitchen. “Coffee?”
Cheeks pinked, I tried to find my voice after that pussy annihilation. “Um, huh?”
Cody chuckled. “She’ll only drink it if it’s super sweet,” he told Colter for me.
“Yeah. That.” I waved off their laughter and took a seat at the minibar. There were two barstools, so I took the one closest to the end.
“Here you go.” Colter kissed my cheek again and placed a warm mug in my hand. He returned to where he’d been, and I drank my coffee, willing my brain to wake up while I watched him stir something in a bowl.
“It’s a mixed bag,” Cody said, answering my question. “There are a lot of students deeming you a hero for taking down the mean girl.”
“But that wasn’t the point.” Taking down Hope was what I wanted, but not so people would think I was a hero. I just wanted the bullying to stop.
“We know, Mer.” Colter’s eyes were soft.
“And the other half?” They looked at each other, telling me everything I needed to know. “They blame me for the accident.” I sighed, rubbing my temple. “Any word on Hope?” I cringed. I should have asked that first.
“Nothing from Holden. You might try your dad,” Colter offered, not denying my claim.
Downing the last of my coffee, I slid off the stool and went to my pile of stuff near the couch. Thankfully, I remembered to charge my phone last night. Waking it, my eyes widened at the number of calls, texts, and notifications I now had.
“Um, guys…” My heart sped up, and my hands grew clammy. I handed my phone to Cody and sat on the couch, pulling my legs under me.
“Shit. The Dean wants to see her,” he relayed.
“It doesn’t mean it’s bad,” Colter said. “Let’s eat, and then I’ll go to campus with you.”
The idea sounded nice, but then I remembered it was Sunday. “Don’t you have to work today?”
“I’ll call off.” He waved off my concern and placed a plate of pancakes on the small table in the kitchen.
“No. Your job is important. I don’t want you to miss it because of me.”
“It’s not a big deal, Mer. Sandy loves me.”
“I can go with her. I need a ride back to campus, anyway,” Cody said, shoving a bite of pancakes into his mouth. Colter assessed me, his eyes searching me for something. I nodded I was okay with that, and he sighed, agreeing.
“Fine. Promise me you’ll text me after?”
“Of course.”
“You can stay here tonight if you want.”
I grinned. “Thanks.”
It felt nice to know I had a place to go, to escape things at home. I stood and joined them at the table to eat my pancakes. I casually scrolled through the rest of the notifications on my phone. There were several texts from my dad asking if I was okay and to call him. Once I finished eating, I took my phone and changed clothes in the bathroom. I didn’t know why I wanted to call him alone, but I did. The phone rang, and I worried he wouldn’t pick up.
“Pumpkin, are you okay?”
“Yeah, Dad.” I cleared my throat. “How’s Hope? I heard about the accident.” I left out that Holden had accused me. I couldn’t take it if my dad agreed.
“She made it through surgery. She has a broken leg and wrist, several cuts and bruises. Her body took most of the impact, saving her head. Not sure if that’s positive, but it means she’s awake and alert.”
I thought I’d feel relieved to hear that, but I didn’t. Not that I wanted her dead or unconscious, but if she was cognizant, it meant she’d keep making my life hell. If Holden blamed me, she’d jump on that bandwagon, and soon, I’d be right back?—
NO.
The purpose of airing my truth was so Hope could no longer bully me. If I ducked and hid now, it would all have been for nothing.
“That’s good, Dad.”
“Pumpkin…” he hesitated, “why didn’t you ever say anything? ”
“I didn’t want to burden you with it. You were already dealing with so much.”
“Oh, Emmy. I would’ve been there for you. I would’ve…”
“You never would have met Rose if you knew the history, Dad. I might not like Hope, but I can see how good Rose is for you.”
“Maybe. But I still would have liked to have known. To be a better parent.”
“I’m sorry, Dad.”
“Don’t apologize; just, let’s do better, Pumpkin.”
“I’d like that.” Tears pricked my eyes, and I wiped it away before it could fall.
“Are you coming home?”
“I’m not sure. I have to meet with the Dean and…”
“Emmy, hold on.”
I heard rustling, and I bit my lip. Muffled voices met my ears, and my gut sank.
“Hope’s asking for you,” he said when he returned.
“Oh. Um. I… I’m not sure I want to talk to her.”
“Please think about it, Emmy. I think it could be good.”
I blew out a breath. “I’ll think about it.”
“Okay, Pumpkin. I’ll talk to you later.” He hung up before I could say more, and I withdrew the phone, staring at it like it had betrayed me. One second, my father had been contrite, and the next, it seemed like he had better things to do.
He’s already choosing them.
Shaking away the lie, I brushed my teeth. I didn’t look professional, but driving home right now did not sound appealing, so I’d have to pray the Dean wasn’t pretentious.
“Stop fidgeting, Peanut. You’re making me nervous,” Cody scolded. He grabbed my hands and clasped them between his. The door to the Dean’s office opened, and I jumped up, smoothing down my shirt.
“Miss Adams, thank you for making time to meet with me. Please, come in.”
I gave Cody one more glance before following the Dean into her office. He gave me a reassuring smile, and I took a deep breath before closing the door. Dean Adroit sat behind her mahogany desk, her hands clasped as she watched me. I took the seat before her and crossed my ankles over one another.
“That was quite an article you published yesterday, Miss Adams.”
“Um, thanks.”
“You brought to light several claims I would like further information on.” I nodded, swallowing. My body heated, and I tried to rid myself of the ‘getting in trouble’ anxiety currently riding me just from merely being in this office.
Dean Adroit picked up a piece of paper and glanced at it. “You claim that ‘the mean girl of Hayward’ has been bullying you since high school, yet you didn’t name them.”
When she didn’t ask anything else, just bore her eyes into me, I nodded. “Yes.”
“Is there a reason you didn’t?”
“I didn’t want to be accused of slander or bullying myself.”
“Why write it, then?” She tilted her head, studying me.
“In my anthropology class, I got the idea and felt it was time to tell my story.” It was mostly true.
“Hmm. I see. So, it had nothing to do with a video being released from where said bullying took place?”
I flushed. “That had nothing to do with the assignment, no.”
She studied me more, her eyes zeroing in on me like a microscope. “Do you know who sent out the video, Miss Adams?” I nodded. “At Hayward, we take bullying seriously. So, while you didn’t name someone, I’m afraid these claims cannot go without repercussions. We have a zero-tolerance policy. So, if you’d be so kind as to write down the student’s name, I’ll have them expelled by the end of the day.”
She slid a pad of paper and a pencil over, then sat back, eyeing me intently.
“Excuse me?” I whispered, daring a glance at the paper. “Expelled?”
“Yes, that is what zero tolerance means, Miss Adams.”
I opened my mouth, then closed it, at a loss for words. I wanted Hope to fall from her ivory tower, but I hadn’t expected her to be expelled. When I didn’t speak up, Dean Adroit continued.
“Then, there’s, of course, the matter of how you published your article in the Hayward Chronicle. I checked with the editor, and he claims to never have heard of you. Nor was your story part of their final mockup. So, do you know how this occurred, Miss Adams? How your article came to be part of the final product?” Again, I didn’t answer. “If illegal activity occurred on school property, I’d be forced to inform the police, and that student would also be expelled. Along with anyone who helped them. Wasn’t your partner for your project Cody Rivers? He’s projected to be the next Peyton Manning. That is, if he gets to play out his college career.”
Holy. Shit.
I gaped at her, convinced I’d misheard. How had everything gone so wrong? I wanted to exercise my voice and stand up for myself, but instead, Hope got plowed by a car, and now we both faced expulsion.
No good deed goes unpunished.
Not that I could ascertain my deed was purely selfless. I wanted her to be held accountable, but I never expected any of this.
“Of course, dealing with one scandal at a time is a lot for a school, and after the viral sensation your story has become, it would be remiss of me to penalize you for a lapse of judgment… That is, if I had a person to use as an example. Checks and balances, that sort of thing.”
I white-knuckled the chair, my heart slowing at her words. Could I sacrifice Hope for myself? Hope wouldn’t bat an eyelash before throwing me under the bus, then backing up and running me over again for good measure.
But I wasn’t Hope, and I didn’t want to be.
“I’ll give you twenty-four hours to consider which name you put on that pad, Miss Adams. That’s all for now. Please shut the door on your way out.”
She picked up her phone and punched in a number. When I didn’t move, she flicked her eyes to me and motioned with her fingers for me to move.
Jumping up, I ran out of the office and shut the door behind me. Cody bolted up and kept step with me as I exited the building.
“What is it, Emerson?”
“She wants me to name my bully so she can expel her. If I don’t name someone, she threatened to expel me and you for supposedly hacking into the paper. It’s either her or us. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Cody, what am I going to do?” I paced back and forth, waving my hands constantly in front of me. Cody grabbed them, stopping my movements.
“First, you’re going to breathe.”
I did as he said, following his movements. Once my breathing was under control, he led me to a bench.
“What did she say, exactly?”
I reiterated it to him, and he sat quietly after thinking. “They can’t prove you did anything to the paper. She’s using a scare tactic. As for what you should do about Hope, that’s a tough one. She did send out the video on the first day of school.” He shrugged.
“Part of me wants to do it, but then I remember that she’s in the hospital, and I feel bad. ”
“Babe, I can’t tell you what to do, but it’s not your fault what happened to her.”
“I know.”
“But Holden?” he guessed.
“And Rose. Ugh. Why do I care?”
“Because you’re a good person.”
“Well, sometimes I wish I wasn’t.” I pouted.
“No, you don’t.” He chuckled, knocking my shoulder with his. “When do you have to decide?”
“She said twenty-four hours.”
“Then take the day. I’ll look into the policy and see what rights you have.”
I threw my arms around his shoulders. “You’re seriously the best, Cody Rivers.”
“I know.” We laughed together and then separated. “Now, if I could only find a man,” he whispered.
I squeezed his leg, wishing the same for him. Cody hugged me again before heading to his dorm for a meeting. Walking to my car, I debated my choice. Neither option had a winner. If Hope was expelled, I’d lose Rose and Holden for good. If I was expelled, it would hurt my chances of getting into any other college.
My future or my heart.
Hitting my key fob, I jolted to a stop when I spotted something sitting on top of my car. I knew what it was, but seeing it here threw me for a loop. Glancing around, I didn’t spot any other students, so I covered my hands with my shirtsleeve and grabbed it off my car hood.
“Shit, shit, shit, shit,” I cursed, running around to the trunk. I popped it open and flung the mascot’s head into the empty space. Wolfie’s eyes stared up at me accusingly, and I shuddered. I pulled the trunk down, but stopped when I spotted a white piece of paper sticking out of the head. With shaking hands, I pulled it free .
You’re welcome, Princess. It’s your time to shine.
Alarm bells blared in my head, and I stumbled into the driver’s seat. My hands shook so badly that it took a concentrated effort to calm down enough to turn on the car.
I wanted to run back into the school and write Hope’s name on that pad of paper, but something in me said to wait. So, instead, I pulled out of the school parking lot and headed to the last place I thought I’d go today.