Aria #2
The shuffle of movement filled the air as the girls returned to their seats. I didn’t bother with Madison. At least not yet. I had to make sure Evie was alright first.
I kept my focus on her. "Can you tell me your full name?"
"Evie Dubois." Her voice was barely audible.
"Good. And do you know where you are?"
"I’m in the classroom."
"Excellent. Any dizziness? Nausea?"
She shook her head, then let out a little wince. "It hurts."
"I know. I'm sorry. We're going to get you taken care of.
" I adjusted my grip on the handkerchief, checking the bleeding.
Already slowing. The cut was superficial, maybe an inch long, right at her hairline.
She'd need it cleaned and bandaged. The physical damage was manageable.
The other kind would take longer to heal.
"Miss Kealoha?" Evie's voice dropped even lower. "Please don't tell my dad."
I paused. Was he the cause of her pain? "Sweetheart, the school has to notify your parents. That's policy."
"I know. I mean…" She swallowed. "Please don't tell him what really happened. Just say I fell. Please."
I frowned. What was she so afraid of? Was her father some sort of mean man, or an emotionally unavailable parent? And what about her mom? Wouldn’t she want to tell her the truth?
"What really happened?" I asked quietly, hoping she’d tell me the truth, even though I’d seen it all.
Evie's eyes darted toward Madison's table. They were staring at us. Madison had an infuriating smirk on her face. Later, Aria. We’ll deal with that later.
Evie turned back to me. "I fell."
So, that’s what she was going with.
The nurse arrived then. Her white-blonde hair and wrinkled eyes were just as unfamiliar as the other girls in the room. She bustled in, taking over from me instantly. She helped Evie to her feet, murmuring reassurances as she guided her toward the door.
Then she was gone, and I was standing in a classroom full of girls who suddenly wouldn't meet my gaze.
Except Madison. She sat at her table with her arms crossed, the faintest smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. I bit the inside of my cheek. I had no idea what to do. I didn’t want to let this go. Madison needed to learn that there were consequences to every action. But how?
I walked toward her table. The other girls scattered like pigeons, suddenly very interested in the diagrams across the room.
Madison held her ground. I’d give her credit for that. I stopped in front of her. Said nothing. Just held her gaze and waited. The smirk faltered. Flickered. Died.
"It was an accident," Madison said.
"I didn’t say anything. Why do you feel the need to explain the situation to me?"
She shrugged. "She wasn't looking where she was going. It wasn’t my fault."
"Mmm."
"My parents donate a lot of money to this school."
Aha! There it was. The leading motivation.
I leaned down slightly, just enough to put us at eye level. "Madison. Let me tell you something about money. It can buy a lot of things."
I let the pause stretch.
"But it can't buy a personality and actual friends.” I let my gaze drift to the girls by her side. “One day, you’re going to become someone you're ashamed of. And that moment always comes. For everyone."
Madison's face went pale. Then red. Her mouth opened to respond, but she shut it quickly.
I straightened. "The bell is about to ring. You should pack up."
I returned to the front of the room without looking back. The remaining minutes passed in tense silence. When the bell finally rang, the girls filed out with unusual speed, avoiding my eyes, eager to escape the strange energy that had settled over the classroom.
Madison left last, her designer backpack slung over one shoulder, her expression carefully blank.
What a mess, I thought as I began cleaning up. It had taken everything in me not to show Madison a thing or two about being an actual bully. I was worried about Evie. Maybe before leaving, I’ll stop by the nurse’s office to check on her.
I would love to have a sit-down with her parents, too. I was terribly curious about the dynamic in their home. Something was clearly wrong at home. And hopefully, if I could talk to her parents, I could help Evie be the best version of herself.
I shoved the last of the pamphlets into my bag and lifted the strap to my shoulder.
“Miss Kealoha?” I looked up to see Frank, the teaching assistant, standing in the doorway, clutching a tablet tightly in his hand. His eyes darted around the room instead of meeting mine. “Dr. Warren needs to see you in his office. Immediately."
“Good. I wanted to see him myself.” I started moving, but Frank was still by the doorway. “Frank? I need you to move so I can get to the principal’s office.”
“Oh, I…” he cleared his throat and stepped to the side. “Well, um… there’s a bit of a situation.”
I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Um… the girl's father, he… he’s here, and he’s not happy.”
“You mean Evie?”
He nodded. “Yes. He’s threatening to sue the school, and Dr. Warren is…” he swallowed. “He’s really upset. The father, I mean. Not Dr. Warren. Well, Dr. Warren too, but…”
“Who’s the father?” I cut in.
Frank checked his tablet, though I suspected he already knew. "Sebastian Dubois."
My mouth hit the tiled floor. “Sebastian Dubois?” He nodded. That wasn’t possible. I asked Evie her full name, and she told me… Evie Dubois.
I smacked my forehead.
Well, damn. I’d been fully focused on making sure she was okay, so I hadn’t even let the name register. That made a lot of sense now. Sebastian was the most emotionally unavailable man I’d ever met. Cold to the very bone. The man practically had no heart.
It’s a wonder his ex-wife, Caroline, agreed to marry him in the first place. I was one of the people who’d cheered when the divorce hit the news. A man like that deserved to be alone forever.
I’d tried to remedy that a long time ago. Well, not really, I was barely even a teenager at the time. But the man had the gall to laugh at me. To laugh at me! Safe to say he was the recipient of endless glares and sarcastic statements after that.
And now he was dragging a sweet child like Evie into his unfeeling life? No wonder she seemed shocked when I held her.
Well, I couldn’t care less about him. The girl needed me. Whatever ancient history existed between her father and me was in the past. I’ll go into that office, be the bigger person, and put Evie first. She mattered more than a decade-old grudge.
Yes, that was the right thing to do.
"Miss Kealoha?" Frank was watching me with poorly concealed curiosity. "Are you okay?"
"Fine." I tightened my grip around my bag. "Let's not keep Dr. Warren waiting."
The walk to the administrative wing took three minutes. I used every second to reinforce my walls and repeat my calming mantra. I’ll be kind, I’ll be patient, I won’t let anyone get under my skin.
Sebastian Dubois was just a man. A cold, arrogant, insufferable, intolerable, despicable man who'd made my teenage years miserable with his constant presence at every society event, every summer party, every unavoidable gathering of New York's wealthiest families.
I’ll be kind, I’ll be patient, I won’t let anyone get under my skin.
Sebastian Dubois was just another face. When I looked at him, I wouldn’t see the condescending, pompous, obnoxious, vicious man I knew all those years ago.
I’ll be kind, I’ll be patient, I won’t let anyone get under my skin.
I stopped in front of the office. Through the frosted glass, I could see shapes moving. I saw the back of his head, dark hair teasing the nape of his neck. I felt the familiar anger begin to rise within me.
I’ll be kind, I’ll be patient, I won’t let anyone get under my skin.
I paused with my hand on the handle. Took one breath. Then another.
Then I opened the door and stepped inside.