When they reached the principal’s office, Mrs Coyne spoke first. “Mr Greene, I found these two, in the girl’s toilets, engaging in sexual activity. When caught, Ms Beckinsale saw fit to launch a foul-mouthed tirade at me.”
“You’re damned right I did. You were taking pictures of us!”
“If you’d kindly hand over your phone,” Mrs Coyne said, “it will show you rather enjoy being filmed, or rather, filming your own deviant behaviour.”
“That’s none of your business!”
“As it so happens, Ms Beckinsale,” Mr Greene said, “what you do on school grounds and on school time is my business and the business of every member of staff. You are our responsibility while here. You were supposed to be in class, and for all anyone knew, you could’ve left school grounds or been in danger.”
“Look, I know we should’ve been in class. I get that and I’m sorry. Punish us for that. But this,” she said, pointing to Mrs Coyne, “is wrong. It’s sick. I’m serious. I want the cops here. If you don’t call them, I’ll call them myself.”
“Let’s just all calm down. Mrs Coyne, could you step out, please? I’d like to talk to the girls by myself.”
Mrs Coyne shot Ava a look of utter disgust as she calmly made her way out.
“If calling the Police is what you want, we will have to call your parents. You are both minors, and this is a serious request to put forward. All of your phones would be used as evidence. Given what Mrs Coyne says she witnessed, I imagine that would involve embarrassing content. I would rather not involve anyone. What’s done is done. I don’t know if what went on in the bathroom today is a regular occurrence for the two of you, but it stops now. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir,” Jasmine uttered.
Ava shot her a look of shock, thinking she had to be saying that just to appease him. They were dismissed, and finally, Ava could talk privately with her. “It’ll be ok, baby.”
“How is any of this ok? We got caught! I knew this would happen.”
“Babe, we didn’t do anything wrong! Cuntface Coyne is an old homophobe and depressed because even her dildo doesn’t want a bar of her and withers at playtime. We just got caught up in the moment, that’s all. Hey,” She clicked her fingers as realisation struck. “She didn’t delete anything off her phone.”
“What?”
“Coyne. She walked out and never deleted anything. She’s still got us on there.”
“Oh, shit.”
Ava went back inside Mr Greene’s office and found him on the phone. As she approached, he hung up.
“Sir, Mrs Coyne never deleted that content off her phone.”
He sighed in reply. “Yes, I know. I remembered that too. I just got off the phone with her.”
“I need her to delete it... please.” She offered the last word in replace of ‘now’ yet with the same tone.
“I’m afraid that won’t do much good,” he replied. “She just got off the phone with your mother.”
Ava’s heart sank.
“She’s on her way here.” he finished.
An hour later, Ava wished she was in prison. Or hell. Anywhere would be better than back in the principal’s office. She sat next to Jasmine who hadn’t stopped crying since their parents arrived. All Ava wanted was to hug her. Hold her hand. Comfort her in some way. Mrs Coyne hadn’t taken pictures of them. She’d taken a video. And all their parents did wasthank herfor bringing this to light. All three phones had been viewed. Their parents had seen everything. Now the situation could be ‘dealt with’. They were so ‘sorry’ and didn’t know where they went ‘wrong’.Theywere ‘absolutely disgusted’ and ‘humiliated’.
Ava couldn’t find the words to speak. This was a nightmare, enhanced by Coyne’s loathsome smugness at being praised by the parents of the two people whose privacy she had violated. The worst part was Jasmine’s parents letting all in the room know, not so subtly, it was clearly Ava’s influence that had corrupted their daughter. At this point, she shouldn’t have been surprised her parents didn’t disagree.
“So, this is my fault?” Ava asked the room. “You’re telling me I’m wrong because I’m being who I am? I’ve loved her since we were kids.”
“Oh, dear lord...” Patricia sighed, placing her fingers on her forehead.
“I’ve heard enough,” Frederick said. “Jasmine, we’re leaving.”
“No,” Jasmine squeaked, taking Ava’s hand and holding it. “Eric has had six girlfriends in one school term. He’s slept with at least two, that you know of, under your roof. You never said anything to him. Why am I being treated differently? Because he’s a boy?” She jumped as her father’s hand slapped down on her shoulder and scrunched her school jacket in his fist, pulling her up so fast her hand was ripped out of Ava’s.
“Because he isn’t abnormal!”