Coldhearted (9781311888433) (13 page)

Her blissful thoughts were interrupted when
the intercom in the classroom came to life, and a feminine voice
said, “Miss St. John to the principal’s office, please.”

Edie’s happy bubble just popped.

Most of the class performed a collective
“ooh” sound, as if she were in trouble. Am I in trouble? Edie
stayed glued to her seat until Mrs. Featherstone laid a gentle hand
atop hers.

“
I’m sure it’s nothing. Go
on, now.” Mrs. Featherstone patted Edie’s hand, and then withdrew
her own. “You won’t miss anything.”

Edie gave Mrs. Featherstone a small smile of
gratitude, and then stepped away from her desk. To Mason, Edie
smiled crookedly, embarrassed, but he gave her a warm smile back,
as if there were nothing to be worried about. It was a sweet
gesture on his part, but she still left the classroom with
butterflies in her stomach. Even though she’d done nothing wrong,
she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was in trouble.

Her heart was racing as she approached the
main office door. A hand shot out and grabbed the knob before she
could.

“
Edie?” a familiar voice
called out.

She turned, and said, “Russ—I mean, Mr. B.
I’ve been called to the principal’s office.”

Russell frowned. “Me too.”

Uh-oh. They were both in trouble.

Edie and Russell started out walking side by
side, but as they approached the narrow hallway that led to
Principal Jennings’s office, he allowed her to go first, and then
followed. Principal Jennings’s door was open and Russell closed it
after he and Edie had entered. The principal was seated at her
desk. A woman was standing beside her with platinum blonde hair
styled into a pixie cut.

A girl with dirty blonde hair was seated as
well, her back to Edie. Edie recognized her immediately. It was
Rochelle Lafayette. She turned around and gave Edie an I’ve-got-you
kind of smile. Edie noticed that the bruises on her neck had almost
disappeared.

Apparently she was feeling much better.

“
Edie, Russell, please sit,”
Principal Jennings said, gesturing at two vacant chairs.

Edie did with Russell next to her.

“
What’s going on?” he asked,
not the principal, but the woman who was standing.

She didn’t answer him and turned toward Edie
instead. “Edie, I’m Abigail Winters, the superintendent. Something
disturbing has been brought to our attention.”

Principal Jennings leaned forward. “Rochelle
has come to us with a very serious matter.” She swiveled her eyes
between Edie and Russell as she spoke. “She’s accused you, Edie,
and you, Mr. Ballantine, of an inappropriate relationship.”

Edie’s heart was racing and she was
speechless.

“
That’s preposterous,”
Russell denied, in full use of his vocal cords.

He was so calm, but then again, he’d been
accused of acting inappropriately before.

Rochelle jumped up. “He was at her house. For
hours,” she added dramatically.

Now Edie jumped up. “What’re you doing,
sneaking around my house?”

Then Russell jumped up, standing between Edie
and Rochelle, his back to Edie, protective. He turned toward the
principal and superintendent, while still maintaining a protective
stance. “I was at Edie’s house yesterday, but only to discuss the
tragedy in her life. Her parents are dead, as you know, and during
class yesterday, she was disengaged, upset. I offered to come by
her house, talk with her. I admit, it probably wasn’t the best
course of action to take, but I can assure you, we weren’t alone.
Her uncle was there the entire time.”

He was leaving a lot out. He wasn’t exactly
lying, but he wasn’t exactly telling the whole truth, either.

Superintendent Winters addressed Edie. “Edie,
is this true?”

Edie nodded, and let out a weak, “Yes.”

“
They’re lying,” Rochelle
accused. “You should’ve seen them yesterday after I’d been nearly
strangled to death by Edwina. Mr. B jumped to her defense! He was
practically all over her.” She glared at Edie. “I just happened to
be driving by your house when I saw Mr. B’s car there.”

“
And you stayed for hours?”
Principal Jennings asked in a disbelieving tone. “Why?”

“
I…I had car trouble. The
engine wouldn’t start.”

Liar, liar, pants on fire. Edie mentally
shook her head at Rochelle’s audacity.

Although Rochelle had yet to present any
visual evidence, so maybe her car had died, along with her cell
phone.

“
Really?” Principal Jennings
said, sounding skeptical.

“
Yeah, and so I had to stay
there, and that’s how I know Mr. B had been there for hours.” She
shot him a cruel smile. “We all know how attentive you are to the
girls at this school.”

“
That’s enough,” Russell
snapped, losing his cool. “Yesterday you admitted before the
principal you’d lied about me at the beginning of the year. Now
admit you’re lying again. I wasn’t at Edie’s for hours.” He turned
toward Principal Jennings and gestured at her desk phone. “Call her
uncle.” It was a suggestion but sounded more like an order. He was
really upset.

“
We plan to,” Superintendent
Winters assured him in a calmer voice. She turned toward Rochelle.
“You may go back to class now.”

“
B-but, I—”

“
No buts,” Principal
Jennings said. “Go, now, and we’ll deal with you later.”

“
Deal with me?” She sounded
scared and angry at the same time.

“
Go to class,
Rochelle.”

Rochelle gave Edie and Russell one last
vengeful look, then left, slamming the door behind her.

Superintendent Winters gestured at Edie and
Russell. “Please sit.”

They did, and Edie was anxious to look at
him, but stifled the urge, not wanting to give something away in
her eyes. Edie watched as Principal Jennings called her uncle. She
was wringing her hands in her lap during the conversation, hearing
only one side. Finally, the principal ended the call. She gestured
for Superintendent Winters to bend down and whispered something in
her ear. The superintendent stood and gave Edie and Russell a
smile.

“
Well,” she said, looking at
Edie, “your uncle confirms Mr. Ballantine’s story. He said he was
within eyeshot of you two the entire time, and nothing
inappropriate took place at all.”

Edie stifled a shout of joy.

Russell stood. “I’m glad we’ve resolved this.
I have lessons to plan. Oh, Principal Jennings, Superintendent
Winters, we should do something about Rochelle Lafayette’s
behavior. She’s accused me twice of initiating inappropriate
advances, and”—he gestured at Edie—“she’s accused Edie of murder.”
He shook his head. “Are we really going to let her continue here at
Grimsby High?”

“
Your concern is noted,”
Superintendent Winters said, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with
Russell. “Sorry for all of this. You two may leave.” As Edie stood,
Superintendent Winters said to her, “Oh, Edie, I came by yesterday
to introduce myself, give you a tour of Grimsby High. We’re very
glad you’re here, and I’m sorry we had to meet under these
circumstances. I’m sorry for all that you’ve been through,
dear.”

Edie nodded and said, “Thanks,” wishing she
could run out of the office, and never have to come back.

When her hand went around the knob, Principal
Jennings said, “If you ever need to talk, Edie, my door is always
open.”

Edie issued another thanks, and then left
with Russell following behind her. They traveled in silence down
the narrow hall, until it branched out into the main office, where
they walked side by side like before. He opened the main door for
her, and then once they were in the student lobby, he let out a
loud sigh.

“
I hope they expel her,” he
said through clenched teeth. “She’s nothing but a living
nightmare.”

Edie made sure no one was around. They were
alone. “Russell, my uncle lied.”

Russell raked his fingers through his hair.
“I know. Why’d he do that? I mean, I’m glad, but why?”

Edie shook her head. “I’ll have to ask him
when I get home.” She stomped her foot against the floor. “I can’t
believe Rochelle was lurking outside my house! What’d Mason ever
see in her?”

Russell furrowed his brow. “Mason?” he
repeated, not understanding.

“
Mason Fenwick,” she
clarified, adding his last name. “We’re…uh…he’s...”

“
Your boyfriend?” Russell
supplied.

“
No, not yet, I mean, I
don’t know. I like him and I think he likes me.” She couldn’t help
smiling. “We’re going to the Halloween dance together.”

“
Oh, yeah, that.” Russell
gave Edie a small smile. “I’ll be chaperoning, making sure bodies
aren’t grinding against each other, and any other inappropriate
behavior.”

“
If Rochelle’s there, you’ll
have your work cut out for you,” Edie said dryly, and then let out
a humorless chuckle.

He returned her chuckle. “That’s an
understatement.” He shook his head. “I hope to God she’s not. She
needs to be in a reform school. There’s one the next city over. I
just hope the principal and superintendent expel her as soon as
possible. I don’t think I can take another day here, seeing her
face, knowing she’s always plotting, scheming to ruin someone.” He
sighed, and then continued, “How are you, Edie, with
everything?”

“
I’m fine,” she
lied.

“
Edie,” he said softly,
knowing that she was lying. He reached out to touch her, but she
backed away. He realized the fault of his action and quickly
lowered his hand. “Sorry,” he apologized. “I just want to comfort
you. I know I should stay away from you, but I want to protect you.
It’s this feeling I always have like you’re always in danger.” He
shook his head. “Crazy, huh?”

Edie smiled. “Stranger things have happened.
Well, I’d better get back to class. I have those lecture notes for
you. I’ll give them to you after lunch.”

“
Where do you go during
lunch? You know the seniors get to leave?”

Edie nodded. “Yesterday Mason took me to
Jack’s. I guess we’ll go there again today.”

Russell gave her a smile. “I’m glad you have
someone good in your life. I know Mason Fenwick well. He’s lucky to
have you. I hope things work out between you two.”

Russell sounded sincere, yet she noticed his
voice was sad.

“
Thanks,” she said. “Well,
I’ll, uh, get going now.”

“
Okay, take
care.”

“
You too,” she
returned.

They gave each other a departing smile, and
then Edie left, heading back to English class. When she opened the
door, everyone turned and stared at her with judgmental eyes,
except Mason, Mrs. Featherstone, and for some reason, Quinn.

As she was about to take her seat, the bell
rang for the next class. She hoisted her backpack on, and then
turned toward Mason. “Why is everyone giving me the evil eye?”

Mason noticed Quinn and Candie were listening
in, so he took her arm and led her out into the hallway, then down
a narrower corridor where they were alone.

“
It was Rochelle,” he
finally said. “While you were gone, she came to the classroom,
swung open the door, and yelled, ‘Edie and Mr. B are having sex,’
then slammed the door, and kept doing the same thing down the hall.
That’s how loud she was.”

Edie gasped. “I can’t believe it!”

“
Believe it,” Mason said,
“but why you and Mr. B? Is that why you were called to the
office?”

“
Oh, yeah, she was lurking
around my house last night, and saw Russ—Mr. B there.”

Mason furrowed his brow. “What was he doing
at your house? You told me you couldn’t go out because you wanted
to stay at home, rest.”

Edie’s heart was racing, pumping blood to her
brain, so she could make up a lie. It was working overtime. “Um,
well, yeah, Mr. B came by to talk to me and my uncle, about my
studies, how I was adapting to a new school, dealing with the death
of my parents...”

Mason’s face relaxed. “Oh, I see, well,
that’s understandable, but Edie, maybe you shouldn’t be so close to
Mr. B. From what I hear, just about every girl is in love with him,
and well, they could get jealous like Rochelle did. I don’t want
you to be part of a bunch of malicious lies.”

“
I already am,” she said,
resigned to her fate.

Mason cupped her cheek. She noticed that the
bandage from his finger was gone but a scar still remained. “I’m
sorry for what she’s been putting you through. If the principal
didn’t expel her before, I’m sure she will now. Running around like
that, yelling, I mean, what more does she have to do to be given
the boot? Why can’t she just leave you alone?” He sighed. “But
don’t worry. I’ll always be here for you.”

Edie wrapped her arms around Mason and held
him tight. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Mason.”

His heart was pounding against hers as they
embraced. “I feel the same way about you, Edie.” He let her go and
kissed her forehead. “We’re still on for lunch at Jack’s today,
right?”

Edie smiled. “Yes, of course. And I have
money today because I don’t think the manager will let us have
another meal on the house. He’s got to make a living, right?”

“
Oh, don’t you worry about
that, I’ll pay.”

“
No, no, it’s okay. My
uncle’s rich, remember?”

Mason kissed Edie’s forehead again. “Well,
you pay for your meal, and I’ll pay for mine.”

“
No, I can pay for you,” she
insisted.