“Is it truly necessary to take her out of school this close to graduation?” I jump a little because I didn’t even hear Headmaster Aldridge come in after me.
Coming from him, that’s enough to nearly knock me off my feet. Hasn’t he spent all year pointing out how I’m not wanted here?
Carley pins him with a cold stare. “She’s not safe here. That much has become obvious to me. You’re lucky I don’t sue this fucking place for everything she’s been through.”
Oh, damn. She’s really, really mad. Carley rarely drops the F-bomb.
“Carley, can we talk about this please?” I beg. “Somewhere in private?”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she states firmly. “This isn’t up for discussion, Mallory. We’re leaving, and you’ll never step foot on this campus again.”
I know this is all coming from a place of love and concern, but I feel frustration well up within me all the same.
“You can’t just make this decision for me,” I insist. “This is my life we’re talking about, here. I should have a say.”
I can see she wants to disagree and tell me no, but I also know that she’s reasonable enough to let me speak now that we’re face-to-face.
She lets out an exasperated sigh. “Fine. Let’s go back to your dorm and talk, but don’t get your hopes up that I’ll change my mind.”
“Thank you.” Turning to Headmaster Aldridge, I add, “Give us a little bit of time, okay? I’ll talk her down.”
“Don’t bet on it,” Carley mumbles.
I thank him, then lead Carley from his office. We don’t say a word as we make our way out of the administration building and across campus to my dorm. The tension between us is so thick by the time we reach my room, though, that I swear I could cut it with a knife.
I let Carley enter my room first and then I follow and shut the door.
She whirls on me immediately. “What the hell have you been thinking, Mallory? Why wouldn’t you tell me everything that’s been happening here?”
I’ve always hated disappointing her, and I bow my head as shame pummels me. “I didn’t want you to worry. I thought it would be better if you thought everything was fine.”
“Well, it’s not!” she hisses. “I’m so disappointed in you, Mallory, and I’m so … angry that you would keep so much from me for so long.”
That’s like a punch to my gut. I could handle her anger, but her disappointment is almost too brutal to take.
“Carley, I’m sorry, okay? I really, really am. I can explain, though, if you just give me a chance.”
She folds her arms and cocks her hip, giving me an impatient expression.
“Go on, Mallory. I’d love to hear you try to justify yourself.”
Before I can launch into my defense, however, there’s a forceful knock on my door. Shit. What now?
“Hold on,” I grumble, turning to answer the door to tell whoever it is to come back later.
To my dismay, it’s Saint. His timing is the absolute worse.
“Hey, are you okay?” he asks, trying to force his way inside, but I keep my body blocking the entrance. “What did your guardian say?”
“You should probably go—”
“And just who the fuck are you?” I yelp when Carley’s voice sounds right next to my ear. I glance over my shoulder, surprised to find her right there, glaring at Saint.
“Who am I? Who are you?” Saint snaps back, as usual adding gasoline to an already blazing flame.
Carley’s big blue eyes go impossibly wider, and she hisses out a sharp breath. “I’m Mallory’s guardian,” she roars. “You know, the person who decides if she gets to be here or not? You’re not helping this place’s case, you little asswipe.”
Saint’s eyes narrow. Great. Now they’re both pissed off.
“I think she’s capable of making her own fucking decision. You can’t just walk in here and yank her out of school without warning.”
“Who even are you?” Carley cries, throwing her hands in the air.
“Saint. I’m Mallory’s … friend.”
Carley mouths his name a few times, her brow creasing, until she eventually freezes, her jaw going slack. “Saint? Saint Angelle?” She jabs a finger at him, accusation wrinkling the corners of her blue eyes. “You’re that little prick who bullied Mallory all last semester, aren’t you?” She whirls on me. “What the hell is he doing here?”
“You don’t know a goddamn thing about me,” he hisses. “Mallory doesn’t have to explain shit to you.”
This is getting out of control. I step between the two and give my back to Saint so I’m facing her, but she flinches when I touch her shoulders.
I deserve that, but I straighten my spine and plaster on a smile that hurts my mouth.
“I have to stay and graduate. I want to, for Jenn’s sake. Nora will hurt her if I don’t.”
Blond hair tumbles over one shoulder when she tilts her head to the side to blink at me.
“I think you’ve lost your mind, Mallory. I really do.” Now she sounds resigned. She pulls out her phone and says, “I’m calling the police. This shit is ending, now.”
“Carley, no!” I lunge forward and grab her phone from her hand.
“What the hell, Mallory?” she shouts. “What has this fucker done to you?”
“He hasn’t done anything,” I assure her. “You can’t call the cops, Carley. You’ll put us all at risk.”
She narrows her eyes. “What does that even mean?”
Releasing a deep breath, I tell her the one thing I kept out of my previous confession.
“You know that missing kid? Jon Eric?”
Carley slowly nods. “Yes, what about him?”
“He’s sort of … dead.”
She gasps, her eyes flying to Saint. “You didn’t!”
I quickly shake my head. “No, no. He didn’t kill him. Nora did. I found his body in the school’s pool, and Saint and another friend … they took care of it. To help me.”
She looks thoroughly horrified now. “What the hell have you gotten yourself into, baby girl?”
“A lot,” I concede. “But I’m handling it. You just have to trust me.”
She stares at me for a long time before slowly shaking her head.
“I don’t even know who you are anymore,” she murmurs. Moving past us, she opens the door. Pausing, she glances back over her shoulder at me and says, “This isn’t over.”
Then, she walks out, slamming the door shut behind her.
I stare at the door for long, silent moments. My heart feels like it’s shattering into pieces and heat pricks my eyes, but I fight the tears. I don’t want to cry because if I start now, I won’t be able to stop.
“You all right?” Saint’s deep voice wraps around me like a blanket. He’s standing right behind me, not touching me, but I can still feel his warmth radiating off his body.
“I’ll be okay.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll get over it.”
My shoulders tensing, I shake my head. “I’m not so sure this time.”