They rose to their feet in a standing ovation. The press surged forward. Camera flashes lit the air like lightning. Harper didn’t flinch.
“Goddamn,” I whispered, clapping until my hands ached.
Someone stepped beside me. “Don’t hurt those precious instruments,” Ezra Wolfe said. “You’ve got a performance tomorrow.”
I smiled, my throat thick. “Yes, I do.”
Chapter 38Harper
I thought I could go home after the award ceremony, but two policeofficers were waiting for me with Dr. Sterling as I stepped off the stage.
Fear shot an icy dagger into my heart as the image of my mother, dead on the couch, filled my head.
“What is it?”
“Langford,” Dr. Sterling said. He looked like he had a headache. “He’s making this worse for himself. If you would come down to the station to answer some questions? Miss Hart is already there.”
Before the ceremony, Sierra had told me that Langford had tried to assault her under the guise of comforting her over Dean’s death. He’d found her weeping in the room where our Math & Physics Club met. She’d only escaped because Kevin Huang, our president, had walked in. He was willing to corroborate her story too.
I went to the Castle Hill Police Department to make a statement with Sierra, the two of us holding hands tightly in the public lobby, waiting for our turn to be taken to separate interview rooms. There, I told my story again, they took photos of my injured finger, and then Iwas free to go. In the parking lot, I hugged Sierra tight.
“I’m so sorry about Dean.”
“Thank you,” she said, still crying. I bet she hadn’t stopped since the night of the party. “I never should have tried to hide us because,God, it’s all so stupid. Meaningless. It’s like, he’s gone, and now it’s all so clear what really matters, you know? And it wasn’t any of that stupid shit that I used to care about.”
“I know,” I said. “But he was happy. You made him so happy.”
Sierra lifted her tearstained face. “I did?”
“Yeah,” I said, my own voice cracking. “I saw it, every time he looked at you. It was amazing to see.”
“But I...kept us hidden. Like I was ashamed.”
“I know, but I think that was Dean’s superpower: He saw us all for who we are and what we could give. He didn’t ask for anything more.”
“I know,” she said miserably. “That’s why I loved him.” She wiped her eyes. “My parents are waiting for me. Thank you, Harper. What you said helped a lot. More than anything.”
She hugged me and went to her waiting parents. I had Dr. Sterling waiting for me.
“Miss Bennett.” He cleared his throat. “That was quite the speech you gave at the ceremony.”
I crossed my arms. “The public needed to know he’s a threat.”
“Yes, of course, that is our priority as well.”
“Is it? Because it seems like protecting the Academy’s reputation is your number one.”
“The two matters are not mutually exclusive,” he said, shifting his weight. “Going forward, perhaps a different approach would be in order?”
This was new, having the Academy’s proverbial balls in a sling.
“I’m listening.”
“We are prepared to offer you a settlement. Obviously the $25,000 Novus Prize is yours, but I feel a substantial financial offer would not be inappropriate given your pain and suffering. Especially if you’rewilling to make a statement to the effect that we handled this situation expediently.”
I tapped my foot, thinking of my mother and Dash. Dash, especially.
“I’m willing, Dr. Sterling,” I said. “But only if Langford faces real justice for what he’s done to me, to Sierra, and anyone else he’s harmed. If he gets off on some bullshit technicality because you didn’t do everything you could to support us, I’m going to go apeshit on social media.”
