5. Chapter 5
Chapter five
Jinx
The downfall of hiring a new dean is that he doesn’t want the secretary’s help settling in. Instead, he has called me more times than I can count. I don’t want to step foot into Dad’s old office. I can still picture Dad’s slumped body on the desk and the pool of blood on the floor. I’ll never be able to sleep at night wondering where his heart is and why someone took it.
I take a few deep inhales before pushing open the door for the school office. Florence is typing away on her computer, too busy to notice. Like always. I walk into the light, casting a shadow over her.
She lifts her gaze, hesitating. “Odette, so glad you made it in.” She turns to look down the hall. “Allan has been antsy all morning. It’s good you came in.”
“In a way, I need the distraction, but I don’t want to be here.” I rub my chest, trying to calm the nerves.
She swivels out of her seat, moving swiftly to my side. “Sweetheart, it’ll be alright. No one is asking you to move mountains.” Taking my hands into hers, she squeezes them. “But I do want to warn you, that office doesn’t look anything as it did. It was a shock. Prepare yourself.”
“Thanks, Florence, but I don’t think I’ll ever be prepared to go into that office again,” I tell her, blinking back tears as memories try to break through.
She wipes away a tear. “I’ll be out here if you need me. There’s also one more thing I need to tell you.” She bites her lip, squeezing my hand tighter.
“What is it, Florence?”
“It’s about Maddox.” She backs away, rounding her desk, and grabs a piece of paper. “Here, this is all I know.”
My hand shakes as I take the paper; what’s happening with Maddox? I read over Florence's handwritten notes—no doubt from her eavesdropping. I can’t believe what I’m reading; there is no way Maddox would do any of this.
Malicious mischief, breaking and entering a car, not reporting an accident. What was he thinking? This doesn’t sound like him at all.
I’m going to hate asking this. “Who’s car?”
“Professor Vons.”
Fuck. Maddox, what the fuck were you thinking. I read the last words on the paper—criminal charges.
“Von wants to press charges?”
She nods. “Seems so. What are you going to do?”
“Where is he now?”
“Last I heard resting at home, his face is beaten up. He doesn’t want to be seen at school.”
It's more like he doesn’t want Lula to see his mangled face. Let’s add one more thing to my growing pile of shit to get through this year.
“I’ll handle it, don’t worry. Thanks.” The pounding in my head intensifies the more I think about the situation. And I still have to help Allan. I’m not going to make it through the day at this rate.
I don’t know much about Allan except he would be the perfect person to take over for Dad. I’m glad the meeting is over because I never want to hire another dean again.
If you look hard enough around this school, ravens are hidden everywhere. That’s one reason I think Edgar was meant to be mine; this school works mysteriously. I pause on the raven handle when I reach the black office doors. Am I prepared to walk into this room? Absolutely not.
With a quick knock, I push open the doors. Allan is standing before the window with his hands on his hips. I clear my throat.
“Allan? It’s Odette.”
“I’m aware.” His tone was stern, ensuring he knew who was in charge of this room.
Allan is also a cocky asshole. But I’m the one who holds all the power in this room, and I can fire him at the drop of a hat.
“Can we get this shit over with? I don’t wanna be here.”
He spins around, the sun casting a dark shadow over him. “Must I remind you that you are a student in this school, and you shall show me respect. Don’t think you are above anyone, Miss Hawthorne.”
“And I’ll remind you, Allan.” I walk closer to him, getting a clear view of his face. “You could’ve easily had Florence help you with anything that involves the school, but you chose to bring in a student.”
His lip curls, pulling his mustache higher. “Are you going to be causing problems for me?”
“I’ll make a deal with you, Allan. Don’t cause issues for my friends or me. And I won’t cause issues for you.”
This is my next best thing if I can’t pursue Von not to press charges. Getting Allan to be my new best bud is my saving grace. And if that involves putting him in his place, that would be even better. I’m in a fighting mood.
“Is that a threat?” He creeps forward, towering over me.
“If push comes to shove, Allan.” Every time I mention his name, I watch his left eye twitch.
He snaps his fingers, pointing to his desk. “Move. I need a rundown of this school and how it functions, and then we can discuss other things.”
It’s the other things that I’m worried about. What if Allan doesn’t want to help Maddox? I’ll be doubled screwed. Allan has no idea who Maddox is. This isn’t Maddox. What the hell got into him to act out? I don’t understand how Dad always got the guys out of hot water. How am I going to do this? I need to channel my inner Prescott. He must’ve pulled so many strings, or everyone loved him to bend over backward. I don’t have that kind of pull.
Allan is too cocky to let a woman tell him what to do, even if said woman is his boss. My gut is telling me he won’t be helping me any. And I would rather spend my morning anywhere but in this office.
It’s been three hours, and I’m elbow deep in paperwork. At this rate, Allan will never figure anything out. He keeps interrupting me while I try to explain the most straightforward thing, but he blows his top when I tell him he can’t change how the school is run. We have policies in place for a reason. The only thing he is here for is to enforce the rules and keep the students in line. The board members take care of the rest. But he doesn’t like my answers and throws a tantrum like a toddler. I’m half tempted to leave.
“Will you shut the fuck up, Allan. I’m not going to explain this again.” My skin grows hot the more I yell at him.
“Don’t you raise your voice at me, girl. I’m in charge here.”
My head snaps in his direction. “I’m sorry. Whose name is on your fucking paycheck? Sit the fuck down. Jesus fucking Christ.” I thread my fingers in my hair, pulling at my roots. My head pounds even worse now. “I’ll explain it once more. The swim team is invaluable. You can’t cut their budget. You have no authority. If you bring it up once more, I’ll fire you. This school loves their Odin’s Raven's swimmers.”
He fixes his eyes on me, gritting his teeth. “Fine. This doesn’t mean you win. I’ll find something in this school to cut.”
“Doubt it. You realize it’s for the elites, right? You know what that means, correct?”
We’re gifted, you dumbass.
“Make the call and help Maddox. Tell Von to pull his head out of his ass and stop sleeping with students, or that goes on his record. I’m not playing anymore. He smartens up, or he’s fuckin’ fired.”
Allan hovers over the phone, fingers twitching. What the hell is he waiting for?
“Who is this Maddox guy to you?”
A fluttery feeling slams into my stomach when I think of Maddox. Once you overcome his walls, a beautiful soul is there waiting. He needs reminders that he’s loved and not a broken child anymore. No one can hurt him.
“Maddox is someone you should be afraid of, now make the fuckin call.”
Maddox will also ruin your entire life if you fuck with what’s his.
Allan picks up the receiver, rolling his eyes. “You pray this works.”
You have no idea how much I’m praying to fuckin Lucy right now. Because if Maddox goes to jail, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. Or what Ashton or Atticus will do. I’m more worried about what they have planned. Because if I know Atticus, he’s already cooking up a scheme, and it will go south.
I should’ve just made a house call to Von and made a face-to-face conversation, but knowing Von, he would’ve charged me with trespassing or some stupid bullshit.
“No answer. I’ll have to try later,” Allan says, hanging up the phone.
“You better. I’m leaving. I have better shit to do than hang out here with you.”
I leave before he says something stupid. I wave goodbye to Florence as I walk past her; I need to leave this office.
“Jinx the fucking minx.”
Those words, that voice. He can’t be here. He’s supposed to be gone for weeks. How the hell did he get back in?
“Speechless? Did you miss me that much?” Cam asked with a curl to his lip.
I try to swallow the lump forming in my throat, but it’s thick. It’s choking me. I need air. Where’s my inhaler? I shakily pat my fanny pack down, never taking my eyes off Cameron.
“Oh, come on, Jinx. Don’t be like that.” He moves closer, pushing me closer to the wall. “I missed the way you feel.”
I finally get my pack unzipped, wrapping my hands around my inhaler. I shove it in Cam’s face, pressing the canister until it sprays him. He stumbles away from me, grabbing his face.
“You bitch, that burns!” He screams.
I hastily take a puff, reliving my screaming lungs. “Yeah, I know, asshole,” I gasp. “Touch me again, and it’ll be worse.”
I back away, watching him until I reach the main doors. When I feel the sun on my back, I take off and go down the path to the dorm.
What the fuck is going on at this school?