Sociopath #2
The flatness of her tone is masterful. She keeps it steady when Rockland is radiating murder, and it makes me want to drag her out of here for ice cream and lots of personal attention that can’t be given in public.
Rockland shoves a folder off her keyboard, revealing a legal pad with a list in blue marker.
The top line is underlined three times; I catch the words ‘Disciplinary Precedent’, but not the rest before her hand covers it.
“It’s not your existence that’s the problem, Drew.
It’s your ongoing campaign to undermine the authority of every professor on campus, but for your pets.
Every time you pull one of your stunts, you make your ‘victim’ position harder to defend.
I’m waiting for when the general population finally realizes that the problem is you in every situation thus far, you thieving little brat! ”
Oh, this isn’t good at all.
“You know what else is subverting the rules, Carina? Requiring me to spend five hours a week in counseling sessions and ‘proactive behavioral check-ins’ when I could be in rehearsal, class, or literally anywhere else. I have no idea what bullshit you used to convince the people who approved that decision that I was such a horrible, broken being that I need this. What I know is that my attorney is gathering all the information he can for when we launch a very winnable lawsuit about your lies. There’s nothing you can hide from us, and it will all come out.
So perhaps you should mind your own business, not mine. ”
That stings her visibly, and it’s not subtle.
Rockland’s hand clamps down on the desk and her knuckles go white.
She draws a breath so sharp it whistles in her nose, then leans forward, dropping her voice to a threat.
“You think your life here is hard now? Your classes are going to get worse, your workload is going to get worse, and when the first Pred Games match is held, you will be decimated. You have no idea what’s coming, you rich, egotistical little cunt. ”
The word sits in the air for a half-second too long to be a slip of the tongue.
Dolly blinks once and then looks at me. We both understand immediately that the counselor has given away a detail she’s hoping the insult will distract us from.
The Pred Games Halloween weekend match—the first big public event this year—isn’t until a couple of weeks from now, but Rockland’s already promising a bloodbath.
I catch a faint smile at the corner of Dolly’s mouth, and I know exactly what she’s thinking.
If they’re planning this bullshit this early, it’s because they have something nasty lined up.
It’s probably not for my mate, but Rockland wants her to stew about it for weeks so she’s easier to manipulate.
I don’t let my expression change, but something about this situation feels wrong.
We’ve survived worse, but the thought of her getting mauled in front of a thousand preds—by design—puts a block of ice in my gut.
I have to send this info to the others, including the prey staff and Farley, so we can figure out what our response will be if the Society is truly striking out.
Rockland shifts tactics while I’m thinking, and it’s almost impressive how quickly she drops the professional mask for raw personal venom.
“Now, let’s talk about your relationships since we have time left,” she says smugly.
“You’re intimately entangled with no fewer than five men on staff, which is inappropriate on every conceivable level, and yet you parade it around as if you want to be seen.
Why? Is it a need for validation, or is it part of your calculated strategy to draw attention? ”
Dolly’s face doesn’t move, but she gives a slow blink that is remarkably calm. “Fate doesn’t care about rules like that. When you find your true mates, you don’t let that get away. If you’re uncomfortable, maybe you should take a hard look in the mirror to figure out why.”
“It’s not the relationships themselves; it’s the fact that you use them as a shield. You can’t go a single hour without calling for backup or running to a man for help. Is that part of your prey heritage, or did your mother teach you to be so… dependent?”
That lands, and for a second I feel my own claws flex inside my skin.
But Dolly’s been through worse, and she just looks the vulture in the eye as she says, “My mother taught me never to let abusers stay in charge. That’s why I make certain to let people know when I’m coming for them in the clearest possible way.”
Rockland looks flustered for a moment, her head bobbing on her spindly neck.
“Do you think you’re the only one who had a tough mother?
Do you think it makes you special? That’s not an excuse for attention-seeking or for using your…
assets to manipulate the people around you.
You’re not a victim, Drew; you’re just a whiny loser who needs people to pay attention to her. ”
The silence in the room is so dense I can hear the air conditioner cycle. Dolly’s hands are folded in her lap, her anger just barely visible. She’s not breathing fast; if anything, she’s so still I worry she’s holding her breath.
“Any other observations about yourself you’d like to accuse me of?” she asks. “Because I’m tiring of this and I have places to be.”
The counselor leans all the way across the desk, as if she’s trying to physically dominate the space.
“You are an anchor around the neck of this institution. Every time I think I’ve seen the worst of you, you find a way to drag us lower.
If you keep it up, you’re going to end up dead and you’ll deserve it. ”
Dolly shrugs. “See a professional about your paranoia. It’s obviously way out of hand and you sound like you’re having an episode.”
I can’t help it—I smile. Only for a second, but enough to get Rockland’s attention back to me.
“You think this is funny, unwanted, adopted Khan? Your presence here is against every rule of decorum. If you want to act as her bodyguard, maybe you should transfer to Security. Oh, wait, that would require you to be as fierce as your true Khan buddies.”
I let my smile widen, not letting her see that she hit a button. “I’m happy exactly where I am, thanks. I appreciate your concern, though.”
Huffing, Rockland glances at the clock on her wall, sees that there’s still time left in the session, and tries for one last cut-down.
“If you really want to help your girlfriend, you’d encourage her to stop acting like she’s the center of the universe and focus on making it through the semester.
Because I promise, the next time she screws up, there won’t be anyone left to save her. ”
Dolly looks her in the eye as she bats her lashes.
“You’ll never get rid of me. I’m like mold—you can scrub and bleach and pretend you’ve fixed the problem, but I’ll always come back.
Ask Lucille; it’s not as if she hasn’t tried a million times during my brief life.
And she’s much more determined and skilled than you, Carina. ”
Rockland slams the file on her desk shut. “We’re done.”
I rise, sling the dance bag back on my shoulder, and wait for Dolly to stand. She doesn’t hurry; she stands, arranges her hoodie, and gives Rockland a smile that has every one of her teeth showing. “See you tomorrow,” she says.
We exit, and I hold the door for her, letting Rockland watch us leave together. Dolly says nothing until the outer office door closes behind us. Then she lets out a long, slow breath through her nose and tilts her head back against the wall, eyes closed.
I want to say something clever, but there’s nothing clever to be said. All I can do is reach over and nudge her shoulder with a gesture of camaraderie. At least that fucking cluster told us a few things we needed to know, even if sucked ass.
The Halloween match is a bomb that’s already ticking, and Rockland is really far over the edge—both of which are bad things.