Principle Anderson steps forward and hands me a box of tissues from the Dean’s desk. “Miss Valdez, we have no choice but to report this and it will go on his permanent record. Talon was in a position of authority, and he knew the consequences of his actions and yet he consciously broke the rules anyway. It’s a shame too, because he was an esteemed Professor with a very bright future ahead of him. We’re truly saddened and disappointed that he took advantage of not only our trust but the position he was granted by having inappropriate relations with his student.”
My shoulders sink, I stare up at them both, tears spilling down my already soaked cheeks. “It wasn’t his fault, it was mine!”
“Miss Valdez,” Principal Anderson sighs, “It’s clear to anyone with eyeballs that you mean a great deal to Talon. The entire time, the boy sat there, looked us both dead in the eyes and took full responsibility without a moment’s hesitancy. He didn’t even try to defend himself; his only concern was what would become of you.” I bury my head in my hands and cry. “Had he come clean about your relationship before any of this came to light so publicly, we could have maybe found some way to help him, but as it stands now, Oakhill as you’re very well aware has a prestigious reputation and will not have any affiliation with such scandals.”
“This is bullshit!” I retort. “We’re both adults. I’m not some teenager that’s been taken advantage of, we weren’t hurting anyone.”
“Miss Valdez—”
“No, Talon never gave me any preferential treatment throughout our relationship, not once! He always maintained his professionalism and when on school grounds treated me the same as every other student. I earned every grade I got otherwise I wouldn’t have been accepted into this school.” I add, shifting to the edge of my seat. “Talon isn’t the cause of the scandal, the person who plastered all of those posters around the school is the one you should be reprimanding, not him!” The office door opens, and two security guards walk in. I turn my head and look at them.
“We’re terribly sorry. Gentlemen, please escort Miss Valdez off the premises.” I close my eyes and wipe the tears that stream down my face with the balled-up tissue in my hand before I turn my gaze to the two men sitting opposite me.
“I don’t need to be escorted out,” I spit hastily as I stand. “I can see myself out.”
“All the best to you, Miss Valdez.” The Dean says as I walk toward the door.
“Fuck you.” I snap, not bothering to look back while I barge past the security guards. “Condescending pricks.”
“Rein.” Paris springs up from her seat and rushes over to me the moment I step out of the Dean’s office. “Are you okay? What did they say?”
I couldn’t stop my entire body from shaking. “Oh babe, you’re trembling, come here.” Paris wraps her arms around me, and I weep into her shoulder. “Shh, it’s going to be okay.” She assures me while rubbing my back comfortingly.
“Get me out of here,” I whimper between hoarse sobs. “Please, P, get me out of here.”
“Okay,” Paris draws away from the hug and cups my face, her thumbs brushing away the tears. The pity and sadness radiating in her eyes when she looks at me, breaks me even more. “I’ve got you babe, I got you. Come on, let’s go.”
I allow her to lead me out into the corridor. The sneering eyes of all the students burn right through me, piercingly, each one more painful than the last. And those hushed whispers as I walk through the corridors reverberate around me and hangs in the air.
The bitter taste of censure leaves me hanging my head in shame as I weave through the throng of students snickering at my idiocy. I can’t even be angry or defend myself. I have no right. I’ve got no one else to blame but myself.
When I raise my gaze, I see Sydney standing at the end of the corridor looking very pleased with herself. The evil cow is practically glowing with mirth.
The rage I have brewing inside of me boils over when she smirks smugly as I near her. “Well, well, little Miss Valdez, I underestimated you. You turned out to be a bigger slut than I could have ever imagined, I’m impressed. Though, I should have known you didn’t have the acumen to qualify for a school like Oakhill on your own merit. It’s amazing how far spreading your legs to right people can you get you, isn’t it?”
“Shut the fuck up Sydney! You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” Paris retorts vehemently and pulls me through the crowd of students gathered around us.
Sydney smirks, and crosses her arms over her chest, “I think it’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? It’s all here in HD quality and pictures don’t lie, hon.” She adds plucking one of the photos off the wall nearby and holding it up smugly. “I must applaud you though Valdez, screwing the most prised and sought after Professor at the school is a hell of an accomplishment even if it was a pity fuck.” She adds with a chuckle.
“Rein, let’s go babe.” Paris tries to pull me away, but I tug my arm out of her hold and slowly walk over to Sydney.
It was her, of course it was her. No one else detests me enough to want to hurt me like this and considering she’s been trying to get me kicked out of the school since I got here it makes sense that she would sabotage me by taking pictures of what was a private and intimate moment and plaster them all over the school to have me kicked out.
I stare her right in the eyes as I move toward her. Sydney keeps the smirk on her face, but I can see the apprehension in her eyes while she tries to anticipate my next move. I lift my hand and slap her hard across the cheek, fuelling every bit of anger and resentment I’m feeling into that blow. Her head snaps to the left from the force behind the slap and her surprised yet agony filled whimper hangs in the air for a second. Her hand comes up and she holds her cheek, her eyes brimming with tears when she turns to look at me.
Through the blood pumping in my ears, I hear the gasps and muttering of the students around us. “I knew you were an evil bitch but to stoop to such disgusting extremes to hurt someone is truly vile, even for you Sydney—especially when I did absolutely nothing to you to warrant this. For some reason you’ve been gunning for me since the day I started at this school. I know you’re the one that destroyed my painting and you’re the one responsible for all this.” I take the photo from her hand and hold it up. “I should punch your fake horse teeth right down your fucking throat, but I won’t because I’m better than that. I’m going to let karma deal with you because actions and consequences are a package deal and you’re going to get served yours.” I hiss venomously and turn to leave but stop and turn to look back at her once more.
“Oh, and just in case you think you’ve won, you haven’t. You’re nothing but a pebble in my path and you sure as shit don’t get to decide whether I’m worthy or not. You see, I was raised by three strong and independent women who taught me the values of being a woman. I got here by working myself down to the bone day and night. My daddy didn’t make a discreet yet sizable donation to the school to get me in, unlike you and sixty percent of the students at this school, whose parents on the board are screwing each other behind their spouses’ backs. You see none of your lives are as perfect as you make them out to be now, are they?” The corridor goes quiet, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. “Before you pass judgement on someone else’s life take a closer look at your own and be better.”
I shove my way past Sydney and the other students toward the exit and push the door open leaving my aspirations and a trail of broken promises in my wake.
And then I see him, the object of my destruction waiting at the bottom of the stairs, leant against a column looking like he has the burden of the world weighing on his shoulders.
A beautiful yet defeated mess.
* * *
I spentthree days in bed, cocooned under the covers, unable to face the world. After I lost my mum, I didn’t think anything could ever break me again.