“Miss Price.” He states my name as if the taste of it is something he doesn’t want in his mouth.
“Hello, Dr. Baxter.” I greet him with a polite tone, but I think it’s pretty obvious I don’t like him either. “What can I do for you?”
He gives me a harsh look. “You can explain to me what is going on between you and Victoria Waldorf.”
“I figured this was what this is all about,” I say, sitting in one of the chairs in front of him. “You saw the page?”
“And you really have nothing to say about it?”
My confidence fades and a pit forms in my stomach. “Sorry,” I say. “Am I missing something? I thought the page was bullying me. I don’t see how this is my fault.”
Dr. Baxter frowns sharply, and turns the monitor on his computer to face me so I can read all the comments. I really didn’t plan on getting into this, in fact, I prefer not to … but now, as I read the contents of the page, I realize that was a mistake.
“As you can see,” Dr. Baxter says, sitting back in his seat and glaring at me across the desk, “Victoria has made some pretty hefty accusations here. She claims you’ve been bullying her ever since you arrived. Is that true?”
I am truly, utterly lost for words.
I just sit there and gape, open mouthed at him, until he sighs and deflates a little.
“I spoke to Victoria already. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have any proof, but I promise you this miss Price.” Here
, he leans forward, one fat finger jammed between my eyes. “If there’s any truth to these accusations, I’ll have you out of here before you know what hit you.”
When I finally do find my words, I have to speak them through gritted teeth. “Then I guess I have nothing to worry about. There won’t be any proof, because none of it ever happened.”
This answer doesn’t satisfy him, but there’s nothing else to be done. I’m not going to admit to something I didn’t do, and he’s certainly not going to listen if I try to tell him the truth.
I leave Dr. Baxter’s office with nothing more than a warning, but I know this is far from over.
Chapter 14
I was too quick to think I’d defeated Victoria. I should have remembered that unlike normal, actual, humans she has no limits. If she has to kill me to wind up on top, I have no doubt she’d do just that.
I head outside to get some fresh air, and I don’t get too far when I notice Victoria in the quad. Miraculously, she is by herself; sans minions. This is a real rarity. I know I shouldn’t confront her, but I can’t help it. Everything bad that’s happening to me at the school is because of her. It all boils down to her stupid, infectious, hatred. I go straight for her and I don’t stop until we’re face to face, eye to eye, and that hatred burns equally between us.
“I just left Dr. Baxter’s office, and I think you know why,” I shoot at her.
She shrugs and the corner of her mouth rises slightly in what might almost be a smile. “Is all this about that stupid little Facebook page I set up?”
“It’s about the lies you posted there,” I say. “Do you really think anyone is going to believe you?”
“I think they already did,” she says. “At least, the only people who matter, or else you wouldn’t be here.”
Anything I say to her isn’t going to make a difference. For one second, I thought I might be able to appeal to her logical side. Only problem is, she doesn’t have one.
“You need to find a new hobby, Victoria. Seriously.”
I leave her on the quad, but she isn’t finished.
“I’m not going to stop, you know!” she calls after me. “Not until you get expelled. This is my school, and I want you out of it.”
I just keep walking away from her, knowing that nothing I say is going to pierce her monstrous ego and give her the reality check that she needs.
I head up to the room and I’m not there long when there’s a knock at the door. Wills is standing there with a huge white box with a big pink bow in his arms. He is grinning from ear to ear and I laugh and invite him in. I decide not to tell him about my run-in with Victoria, since there’s nothing either of us can do about it … and anyway, I don’t want to ruin the moment.
My curiosity overwhelms all prior emotion.
“What are you up to?”