"He was drunk," Alanis said as casually as someone might say he had a cold." It didn't sound bad at all when it came from her lips. "So?"
"So? SO?" Mrs. Browne sat forward. "I imagine that you might see so many people in that condition that it means little to you anymore. However, driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious, very serious, crime. He will probably lose his license for a considerable period of time, and his father depends on him to help with their company's gas deliveries."
"I still don't get why you called our parents about it, and why did you call us to your office? We didn't do anvthing," Alanis pursued. undaunted.
I didn't know whether to admire her courage or criticize her stupidity.
"Oh, you don't?" She panned all of us slowly and returned her gaze to Alanis. "Young Mr. Gavin has told the police that he drank all this alcohol at a party you girls had at Jordan March's great-aunt's home," Mrs. Browne responded and turned toward me. I pressed my lips together quickly. He has named each and every one of vou."
"He's a liar," Alanis said without hesitation. "He came to Jordan's great-aunt's house, but he was already drunk and we told him to go home. He nearly threw up in the driveway. He had those sweet alcopops that can make you sick to your stomach," she added. "He wanted us to drink them, but we wouldn't." She turned to Nikki and Raspberrv. "Right?"
They both nodded. but Nikki looked surprised.
Mrs. Browne sat back again, then slowly turned her gaze on me.
"As I understand it, you haven't been living with your great-aunt very long, have you. Jordan?"
"No." I said. My throat threatened to close and smother any other words.
"In this case adults can be held responsible. She could be in very big trouble. You're all underage. I'm sure you don't want to get her in any trouble, too, do you?"
"Oh, no," I said. The tears were building under my eyelids so fast that I was positive now that I wouldn't be able to keep them from spilling out and down my cheeks.
The softness she pretended evaporated as she leaned toward me sharply.
"Then you had better tell the truth, young lady. Did you have a party at your great-aunt's house and give young Mr. Gavin alcohol to drink?" she questioned. With her gaze firmly on me, I felt like I was in a spotlight.
I glanced at Alanis. What would Ian do? I wondered. He would answer correctly, but also exactly to how the question was asked. I hadn't given Stuart any alcopops and I hadn't had the paid'. Nikki. Raspberry and Alanis had had the party.
"Well?"
"No." I said.
She stared at me. I wasn't lying, but I wasn't sure I didn't look like a liar.
She smiled coldly. "Why would he tell this to the police?" she calmly asked all of us.
"Simple," Alanis said, shrugging and sitting back in her seat. "To get himself out of trouble," Then she sat forward quickly. "We ain't getting into trouble because of him," she added more forcefully. "He got no right telling that story and causing you to call our parents. He's stupid. There's going to be hell to pay. Maybe we should sue him or something." she told Nikki and Raspberry, who both sat wide-eyed.
"Sue him? You haven't exactly been an angel here. Alanis King," Mrs. Browne countered. "I wouldn't press my luck.'
"It's not luck. It's the truth. You can't put the blame on us just because we done something bad once."
"Once?"
"It ain't right to blame us for his stupidity," Alanis insisted. "My mother ain't going to like this. You just taking his side right away. None of our mothers will," she added, nodding at Nikki and Raspberry, who still looked frozen. "I bet Jordan's family really won't like it, and they could afford big lawyers. We all probably have the right to a lawyer or something, don't we? I know my mother's going to call a lawyer and I bet yours does, too. Nikki. Her sister works for a lawyer, don't she?"
Nikki nodded, and Alanis smiled and turned back to Mrs. Browne, "Maybe she'll get him to do it for nothing or part of the money we'll win against the school and the Gavins."
Mrs. Browne thought a moment. Her firm demeanor seemed to crack a little. I could see it in the way her eyes shifted. She nodded softly.
"Yes, you all might very well need to have lawyers." She cleared her throat with a low growl, "This matter will continue under investigation. If it results in proof that you're lying, you will be in even more serious trouble. I will turn the matter over to the police to handle and it won't be a school issue. You'll all go to court. Is that understood?"
Alanis shrugged again. "What's to understand? He's lying. We didn't do it. I ain't afraid of going to court."
How could she be so strong and unafraid? I wondered.
"We'll see," Mrs. Browne said, but her voice didn't have the same confidence and authority it had when we first entered. I could see she wasn't sure who was telling the truth now and she had gone as far as she could.