Chapter 103
Abby let out a loud laugh. “This should be good. Let’s hear it then; how can you prove I’m part of this great conspiracy?”
Vivian turned her phone so the others could see the screen. “Any time someone inputs the wrong passcode into my phone, the camera takes a photo. Once the security lock is gone I’ll be able to see who tried to break into my phone.”
“That doesn’t prove anything!” The blond snapped, crossing her arms. “Adriana came to me and asked if I could try unlocking a phone this morning, saying she wanted to know how much I knew about her and if I could guess the passcode. I tried and failed, okay. God.”
“What the fuck,” Adriana screamed, reaching over and grabbing Abby’s hair, giving it a yank.
“Ladies!” The principal yelled but Tyrell had already pulled them apart. He purposefully stood between them so they wouldn’t be able to continue. “Enough of this. Honestly, I’m ashamed of you both.”
“I didn’t do anything!” Abby shouted, fists clenched as she stomped her foot. “Why am I being punished for being framed? Punish Emma! She’s obviously a part of this!”
“I said that’s enough!” Mrs Lewis commanded in a voice like steel. “Both of you, sit down and be quiet.”
It took a while, but both girls grudgingly returned to their seats. Tyrell continued to stand between them, as though he didn’t trust they’d keep their hands to themselves if he moved.
“Who is this guy, anyway?” Adriana demanded, glaring at Tyrell. When their eyes met, she was the first to look away.
“That’s not important. The fact he needed to be here to stop the physical altercation between the two of you is worrisome enough. For that alone you will both be serving after school detention today.”
“What?!” They shouted in unison.
“You heard me.”
“Mrs Lewis, I have cheer. I’m the team captain. I can’t just not go!”
“You should have thought of that beforehand.”
“I didn’t even start the fight! I was defending myself!”
“Mrs Lewis,” Vivian interrupted. “She’s not wrong. Adriana did start the fight and everything after should be considered self defense on Abby’s part. As for this morning’s incident, the fact that there’s no evidence to tie Abby to anything is what it is. Emma and Adriana will have to pay the price for what was done to me.”
“See?” Abby laughed. “Vivian even knows I didn’t do it. She just admitted she was wrong.”
Vivian shook her head at this. “I never said that; only that that’s what the evidence suggests. You’re right, that without evidence against you we have no right to punish you for something that can’t be proven. I just hope the people the evidence points to will be happy to take the punishment in your place.”
Scoffing, Abby swiped her hand through the air, as if pushing the entire situation to the side. “Whatever. Can I go now?”
Mrs Lewis let out a sigh. “You may go. And you don’t have to serve detention.”
“Great.” With one last glare at Vivian, Abby left. Everyone watched her go in silence that was broken only when the office door clicked shut.
“This isn’t fair,” Adriana complained. “None of this was my idea!”
“It doesn’t matter whose idea it was, Miss Johnson; you participated in pulling it off which makes you complicit. You should be thankful Miss St Peters was insistent on not involving the police.”
“The police?!”
“Yes,” the principal nodded. “Her father was very insistent on pressing charges against those responsible, but Miss St Peters was adamant that wasn’t necessary. Consider yourself lucky she was so forgiving. Now, get back to class. You will serve detention after school today and tomorrow we will meet first thing, with your parents, and discuss what your punishment will be.”
“Isn’t detention my punishment?”
“The detention is for starting a physical altercation with Miss Demoine; what happened with Miss St Peters is another matter entirely. She and I will discuss the best course of action needed to make sure this type of behaviour isn’t repeated. You’re dismissed.”
“But—“
“You’re dismissed, Miss Johnson. Don’t make me add another detention to the growing list.”
Adriana let out a huff before stomping out of the office, slamming the door in her wake.
“Well, that went better than I expected,” Mrs Lewis sighed, massaging her temples. “I’m sorry we couldn’t pin anything on Miss Demoine…”
“Don’t be,” Vivian replied with a shake of her head. “It’s not your fault she covered her tracks.”
The principal eyed her for a moment before saying, “You really are an odd one.”
“So I’ve been told,” Vivian murmured, pursing her lips. She wasn’t sure if it was suppose to be a compliment or not and didn’t want to know the answer.
“How do you think Mr Devreaux will take the news?” The principal wondered out loud.
Vivian glanced at Tyrell, but his face was unreadable as he stood, hands clasped behind his back before looking back at Mrs Lewis. “Who’s to say. He probably won’t be thrilled, but that’s his problem to deal with.”
“He can make it everyone’s problem; you know that, don’t you?”
Would he though? Vivian was certain Samuel was going to be angry Abby had evaded punishment, but without the entire track team coming forward as witnesses there was nothing anyone could do.
It had been a tough decision for Vivian to make; whether to rat out the entire team for being complicit. She chose to say nothing for a single reason: she didn’t want to deal with the fallout. If anyone learned all the girls from the track team had played a passive part chances were good they wouldn’t be allowed to compete at the meet on Saturday. Everyone knew that athletes had a way of avoiding harsh punishments, for the most part; she couldn’t imagine the principal being thrilled at the prospect of Samuel forcing her to punish half the team. It would be a disaster.
What interested Vivian the most was how quick Abby was to throw her supposed ‘best friends’ under the bus. Adriana had been caught by surprise by the blond’s ruthlessness, too, and Emma was about to get a very rude surprise. There was more to Abby than met the eye, it seems.
Now I just need to figure out where she hid my other phone, Vivian told herself as she waited for Tyrell to fetch those who’d been waiting in the vice principal’s office. I’ll bet it was also in Emma’s locker, but now that she threw her under the bus getting it back might be a problem. You’d think Emma wouldn’t willingly give it back to either of us; me because I’m me, and Abby because of the bus… Would she keep it for herself? What if Abby kept it in her own locker, knowing I’d never ask about it? If that’s the case, I just proved to her that I don’t want anyone knowing about it. Dammit.