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CADE
I paced out front of the school, waiting for Sal’s truck to come into view. I scrubbed my hand down my face and through my hair for what felt like the thousandth time. The school was buzzing with talk, but it didn’t matter what anyone else was saying. A teacher had seen what Aria had done. She’d watched her knock Jasmine out, so there was no way of getting past this.
Willow’s screeching voice was still batting around in my head, threatening to press charges, and there were only two people who I could call that I knew would help. The office had tried to call Jan, but her cell had gone to voicemail. Which left Sal and—
My dad’s Mustang followed Sal’s truck into the lot, both of them parking right in front of the steps, not caring one bit about the fact they weren’t parking spaces. They all filed out, and I was hyperaware of Ford pushing out of Dad’s car.
“What the hell is going on?” Sal asked, his face a mask of anger. His protective instincts were at full height, but so were mine. This was my fault. She was lashing out because I’d…
No, I couldn’t think about that right now. I couldn’t remember the way her voice sounded the last time I spoke to her.
“Aria got into a fight,” I told Sal, and put my hands on my hips. “She knocked another student out.”
“Holy shit,” I heard Ford whisper, and I narrowed my eyes on him. I wanted to blame him too, but the fact was he’d been looking out for me. “I didn’t think she was the scrappy type.”
“She’s not,” Dad ground out. “Where is she?”
“Principal’s office.” I spun around and jogged up the stairs, knowing they’d all follow me inside. “The other girl’s sister is threatening charges. She’s a teacher at the school.” I met Dad’s stare, a silent conversation happening between us. There was no way he’d let her get charged for this, or at least, I hoped.
I pulled the door to the office open and kept my gaze focused forward. The principal had told me to call Aria’s parent or guardian, and he had no idea my dad would be walking through that door with Sal. They protected their family, and I was doing my best to protect mine too. Aria may think I didn’t care, but that was furthest from the truth. I cared—way too much.
Aria’s dark-red hair was a matted mess on one side, and it took all my strength not to go to her to make sure she was okay. Jasmine was taking up the nurse’s office, which meant Aria was stuck in here.
The principal stood and frowned as all four of us filed in. “Who—”
“This is Sal,” I said, waving my hand to him and spotting the way Aria’s back straightened at the sound of my voice. “He’s Aria’s guardian.”
The principal—Mr. Smegly—held his hand out to Sal who shook it. “And these two gentlemen?”
“Special Agent Easton,” Dad said, offering his hand next.
“Special Agent Ford,” Ford said, shaking the principal’s hand too.
“Oh,” Mr. Smegly blinked and stepped back to sit in his seat. “I wasn’t aware someone had called the authorities yet.”
“I’m Aria’s uncle,” Dad said and crossed his arms over his chest. Technically he wasn’t, but Mr. Smegly didn’t need to know that.
I stepped back and leaned against the wall, not prepared to leave this office. I kept my gaze fixed on Aria, wishing she’d look my way, but she didn’t. She didn’t turn to look at anyone else in the room, keeping her gaze fixated to Mr. Smegly.
Mr. Smegly cleared his throat and steepled his hands on his desk. “As you may be aware, Miss Sayer assaulted another student.”
“That right?” Sal asked, gripping on to the edge of the empty seat next to Aria. I wasn’t sure whether he was talking to Aria or the principal.
“Ye-es,” Mr. Smegly replied. “Aria knocked the other student out, which I’m afraid means an automatic suspension. We don’t condone bullying in this—”
Aria’s laugh cut him off. She laughed so hard she bent over in her seat and gripped her stomach. My eyes narrowed at the movement, and I wondered what the hell was going on. Why was she laughing when she was in trouble? Now wasn’t the time or place for her to lose her shit.
“Miss Sayer!” Mr. Smegly shouted, his voice rattling around the room.
“Watch your tone, teach,” Sal growled out. “You don’t raise your voice at her.” He pointed at Mr. Smegly. “Got it?”
“I—”
Aria lifted her head, and I stared at her as she gripped the sides of her chair and stood. “That girl has been flinging insults at me since the first day I started here.” She stepped forward but kept her hand attached to her rib
s. “Not once have I bitten back. I’ve never said a word to her, not when she stole my gym clothes, not when she called me names, but a girl can only take so much.” Aria’s head turned, and she looked straight at me. “I can only take so much before it becomes too much.”
