“You know there are cameras all over the school, right?”
“So?” Bella scoffed.
“Principal Duncan knows who you talked to before pulling the alarm. The same girls that were vaping in the bathroom yesterday. Did they tell Sophia to do it?”
“No. We did it because we wanted to.” She fell back onto the bed, her legs dangling off.
The water bottle crackled in Sam’s squeezed hand. “You’re not doing yourself any favors with this. Sophia and these girls aren’t your friends. They’re only using you.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Are they blackmailing you?” Sam’s gut tightened. “Because whatever it is, we can deal with it.”
Bella sat up straight. “What are you even talking about?”
“If they have incriminating photos or details about you and are threatening to release them, we can figure it out.”
Bella huffed. “That’s not it.”
“Then what is it?”
Bella opened her mouth, closed it, then hugged her pillow tighter. “I have nothing else to say.”
Sam sighed and held out her hand. “Well, until you decide you want to tell me the truth, you’re grounded. Hand over your phone and laptop.”
Bella groaned. She pulled her phone from her pocket and then retrieved her laptop from the small desk in the corner.
“You’re grounded to your room. You can only go to school and back.Whenyou can go back to school.” Sam went to the door. “Tonight, you can have your computer back. For homeworkonly.”
Bella remained silent.
If she could just get her sister back on track, things would be fine. Sam wished there was an instruction book on raising teenagers, but she knew one thing: Bella was done hanging out with that bad influence.
“Sit on the couch. We’re going to talk.” Liam opened the door, and Sophia stomped inside.
The teen flung herself down onto the couch. Blossom came running into the room and jumped up into Sophia’s lap.
Liam lowered himself to the coffee table in front of Sophia, leaned forward, and rested his forearms on his thighs. “I know what you told Principal Duncan and what Principal Duncan told me. Nowyoutell me what happened.”
Sophia’s face hardened as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I wanted to see what would happen, so I pulled the alarm.”
Liam clenched his jaw. “You and I both know that’s not the truth.”
“The truth is subjective.”
Liam took a deep breath. “Why are you protecting these people?”
“I’m not protecting anyone.”
“It’s on video, Soph. You talked to a group of students, then you and your friend Isabella pulled the alarm.”
“They asked for directions to science class.”
Liam closed his eyes and counted to ten. “From the new girl, who’s been at school less than a week?” This was not going as planned. “I can’t help you if you won’t help yourself.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“You think you’re grown, but you’re not. You’re fourteen, Sophia. If you keep going like this, you’re going to end up like your mother. Is that what you want?”
