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“Honey, she was treating sisters and pledges like garbage. That wasn't why the sorority was set up and if that started getting out, we'd be in huge danger of falling into a similar scandal to those folks at Southern Collegiate.” I looked over at Tanner, knowing all too well that he was friends with the girl that was hazed in that, and his smile flattened a little.
“We sent a few alumni around unannounced and found her yelling at a couple of the sisters over their inability to make her bed just right, which prompted the sisters to interview the rest of the sorority.”
“What happened?”
“Let's just say Rachel's time at Alpha Delta Theta is up.”
“You kicked her out?”
“Just because sororities exist doesn't mean they're antiquated in the way they think about treatment of others. Ours was founded on doing good work and respecting the people around you. Not clawing your way to the top and then abusing the power. We aren't like Tri Beta here. We want to see girls thrive. That’s why I take such an active role in it. It’s my way of giving back.”
“So, Rachel's out of the sorority?”
“And she's been given a disciplinary,” Tanner piped up. “Ralph gave evidence to the Dean that she was bribing him to tutor athletes and some of those athletes went on record about her admitting that she got other people to do her homework and suggesting that’s what they do, too.”
“But why would Ralph confess to taking the money? Wouldn't that get him in trouble?”
“He claimed he gave it back, and to be honest, I think people were more concerned about the conduct of the Alpha Delta Theta Sorority than him. They were making a name for themselves throughout campus., and like your mom said, no one wants a repeat of the bullying that happened in Southern Collegiate. Granted, that was next level, but it was trending in that direction.”
Maybe I needed to give Ralph a little more credit. He was always in my face about tutoring, but apparently, when I needed him, he was there for me. Damn. I was going to have to start being nice to him.
With my legs crossed, I sat and contemplated everything that Tanner and my mom had confessed. There was almost too much to make sense of. “Do you understand what that means for you?” Tanner asked.
“No? I haven't heard from the Dean yet. I was expecting his call in the next day or so since they originally told me the suspension would be two weeks while they looked into the matter. I was kind of expecting the worst.”
“Why would you think that?” My mother rested her hand on my knee, rubbing her thumb across it supportively. “We’ve been through this. If you don’t get an apology, then we’re going to take it up legally.”
“But I deserved it. I helped a guy cheat.”
“Not really.” Tanner gave me a look of warning. “He cheated, you marked his work, and only found out after that he was cheating.”
“But when I figured it out, I didn't report it.”
“You didn't. And the way the guy thanked you was to create false rumors about you and a professor. Not only fucking up your life but screwing up Professor Murphy’s too.”
I bit down on my bottom lip, because hearing it all played out made it feel like this whole thing was unjust, but I was the type of person who would always listen to authority and expect them to get things right after a thorough investigation.
“Has anything happened with Connor?”
That was when Tanner's smile grew wide. “Did you really think I'd come all the way here if it hadn't? You've got Alex to thank for this one.”
“Alex McDonnell? My tutoring client?" He nodded. “What did he have to do with it?”
“He spoke to Coach about Connor's conduct off the ice, and about how you were the best tutor he'd ever had, and the only cheating going on was coming from his son.”
“Alex put himself on the line for me?”
“Helps that he's one of the stars of the team right behind Scotty Hendricks. Alex is quiet. He doesn't talk much unless he has something important to say. Everyone knows that, and he knows you. He’s not going to let you take the flack for some second-rate wannabe hockey star.”
I scrunched my eyes closed, trying to comprehend everything. “But why would he do that?”
Tanner chuckled. “You may not think it, but you've got a group of people who see you at Covey U, Aster, and they want to help you.”
“Now, I know you haven't had a call from the Dean yet, but I've got it under very good authority that he's planning on calling you today at some point.”
“How do you know that?”
“My coach told me that my tutor would be reinstated in the next few days, and since you’re the only one he knows I get results from. I can only assume it’s you.”
