The principal agrees to do his best to obtain that footage but remains adamant that his hands are tied and unless my innocence is proven, he has no choice but to expel me.
“You can of course appeal this decision, Miss Richmond and appear in front of the school board but as of right now, the evidence against you is pretty compelling.”
His tone of voice has softened up a little and he looks genuinely sorry to have to ask me to surrender my school ID.
The guys walk out with me under the eyes of a small crowd that’s been observing the last part of this showdown after the bell rang announcing the end of first period.
22.
Family Reunion
Aubrey
I’M SO WRAPPED UP IN my own thoughts that I don’t say much during the ride home in Landon’s car.
The guys have all decided to stick with me, and while I appreciate it, I wanna talk to them about not going through with their threat to skip tomorrow’s game.
I know I’ve got absolutely nothing to do with the drugs and have no idea how those pills got into my locker, but I’m confident that we’ll be able to find proof to exonerate me and it would be easier to do that with boots on the ground, so to speak, since I’m no longer allowed on campus.
Of course I’m worried about the consequences of an expulsion: could my daddy or Devon’s father really help me to get into Harvard or not?
I know that the competition to be admitted to any of the Ivy League colleges is incredibly fierce and I’m sure that an expulsion would be a huge stain on my record.
I should be distraught about what happened today but the only reason why I’m not, is that the guys defended me tooth and nail.
When I caught wind of what the principal wanted, I got really worried that they would doubt me again like they did a few weeks ago.
The fact that they were on my side, so much so that they stormed out of school with me and threatened to miss a final game I know is very important to each of them, makes my heart feel warm and full and gives me the certainty that this horrible incident will be solved and the truth uncovered.
It also wasn't lost on me how they acted like good friends, not turning against each other like they did in the past.
This fills me with hope about the future, despite the fact that today so far was utterly shit.
And I haven't talked to Daddy yet, which I'm not looking forward to because I'm still mad about the whole Tyler situation.
But I need to man up and ask for his help: he’ll rain on BHPA with an onslaught of lawyers and threats to withdraw any financial help he offers the academy.
I'm lost in these thoughts the whole time of the ride home and don't say much to Landon, who’s driving quietly, with his jaw uncharacteristically tight and a very serious expression on his normally smiley face.
When we pull into Chaz's driveway, I’m surprised to see his Rolls Royce parked out front but there's also another car: Alex's SUV.
I'm excited to see my siblings but at the same time I wasn't planning on having them meet the guys all at once, so I take a deep breath when I unlock the door.
I hear laughter coming from the living room where Tuna, Max, and Pryce are having some kind of video game tournament and Abi and Ayla are playing Uno with Alex, Sam, Chaz and Reece.
Chaz is the first one to see me and he puts his cards down, ready for me to fly into his open arms.
“Aubrey! Baby girl! I missed you so much!”
He hugs me tight and I can't help my heart from making happy leaps in my chest: of course nothing sexual could ever happen between me and Chaz but I had a huge crush on him during his popstar years and I can't help but notice how fucking hot he looks.
The next one to hug me is Reece, which provokes Alex's protests.
“Hey, assholes! I get it that you love my baby sis, but I'm the actual brother, do you fucking mind?”
I giggle at his fake stern expression and leave Reece’s embrace to find myself in my brother’s arms.
I hate that my siblings are away at college but since we first met a year ago, we've been keeping in touch constantly and Abi and I spent spring break and part of the summer with Alex.
I adore his girlfriend Ayla, who's become a good friend to both me and Abi; and Sam and Tuna are super hot, funny, and kind.
After I hug Abi and Ayla and all the guys, everyone’s attention shifts towards my boys who are standing a few steps behind me.
Reece is the first one to notice them and addresses them through narrowed eyes, with his usual smart ass smirk firmly in place.
“Well, well. If this isn't Campbell, Colton, and Marks! And you must be Max’s QB replacement. Devon Archer, right?”
Devon shakes Reece's hand and Reece tells him that they watched all the games that are uploaded on the academy's website.
“You might be a better fucking QB than Max! Are you ready for tomorrow night’s final?”
Devon makes a comment on having really big shoes to fill and about how awe inspiring it is to meet the four guys that led BHPA to victory last year.
Obviously Teague, Knox, and Landon have played football with Abi’s guys, so the guys know each other despite my boys being one year younger.
I’m glad that football represents a common ground among the guys, making things less awkward but I don't even finish the thought when Alex asks:
“So sis, which one of these clowns are you actually dating?”
I clear my voice: Abi and Ayla are the only ones who know about my relationship with the guys and they obviously completely understand.
I look at my boys for help but they're all standing behind me with matching amused smirks, enjoying the show of me squirming under my brother’s intense gaze.
“Uhm ... all of them?”
Alex's eyebrows lift in a surprised gasp and after an appraising look at my boys, he grabs Chaz in one of his friendly headlocks and asks:
“Come here, Atwood! You went to school with these clowns, are they decent human beings or do I have to kick their asses until they have a very legitimate fear of the gruesome consequences they’ll face if they hurt my baby sister? I knew you and your friends but this lot was all finishing middle school the year I graduated.”
Chaz tries to reassure Alex that my boys are all right but I decide it's my job to step in to avoid anymore embarrassment for the guys after what happened in the principal’s office earlier on.
“Alex, they're fucking great. You should've seen how they protected me earlier on, when I got expelled.”
For a second the room goes eerily quiet: you could hear the proverbial pin drop from miles away.
Then Alex is the first to react:
“Expelled? Aubrey, what the fuck’s going on? You better start talking!”
Alex's tone is hard but I know that's his normal way to react to problems, however the boys don't and Landon and Knox immediately flank me.
“Dude, she didn't do anything wrong! She's upset enough without you interrogating her—”
I put a calming hand on Landon's chest and sit down on one of the black leather couches with a deep sigh.
“I suppose I better start from the beginning of this mess ...”
And I tell them everything, from the first positive drug test to the pills found in my locker earlier on.
Alex reacts with a string of cusses and informs me that Daddy’s out of town for business until tomorrow afternoon and that my mom has gone with him.
“But there's no time to waste. I’ll call our family lawyers and get them to contact the school on your behalf. I'm sure Dad will be able to persuade the principal not to press charges but maybe our lawyers will be able to find out some details that at least will shed some light on this fucking mess. It sure sounds like you're being framed. Sis, think long and hard: is there anyone at school who doesn't like you? At the beginning, when only your guys tested positive, it could have been a coincidence if the facts pointed to you, but pills in your locker and an anonymous tip? Someone wants to hur
t the team but also you.”
I say that I don't have any enemies that the only people who’ve been cross with me have been a few girls on the cheer squad, because they were the guys’ rally girls and wanted to date them, so they were jealous when they realised that they were dating me.
Devon steps forward and after a side glance towards Knox, he speaks up.
“I think Margaux’s behind all this. She’s tried to date me since the first day of school, she’s my rally girl and she blackmailed me about telling everyone at school that my mom is a house maid that got knocked up by her married boss if I didn't date her. Plus, she was the one that handed you the roofied sports drinks when this whole shit show began.”
I protest that while it’d make sense that Margaux could be mad at Devon for rejecting her, I doubt that she’d go as far as putting stuff in my locker.
“Look, she isn't the nicest girl in the world but she’s always been pretty nice to me, in her own ‘Queen Bee’ kinda way. She even let me cry on her shoulder when I thought that Knox was ghosting me after sleeping with me.”
Alex snaps at Knox.
“You fucked my sister and then you ghosted her? I—”
Knox ignores Alex, his problem seems to be with Devon.
“Dude! She's my sister! Ok, she might be slutty at times—”
Teague and Landon chuckle sarcastically and Knox gives them a withering look before continuing:
“Ok, fuck it! My sister is slutty most of the time but don't you think it's a bit extreme to accuse her of something as serious as drugging you three first and then the whole team? She's not a psycho bitch. People don't look beyond the first impression. If you bothered to get to know her better, you’d know that deep down, she's sweet and only wants people to give her a fucking chance!”
Knox’s cheeks are red, his fists are clenched and he's so mad at Devon's accusation that he's shaking.
It's such an unusual demeanour for cool and collected Knox and I'm about to speak up in his defence, when Devon apologises.
“Bro, I’m sorry. I know she's your sister and you're close, but consider that she tried to blackmail me. It's nothing personal against you, man. I’m not trying to make trouble between you and Aubrey either, I fucking swear. I'm only saying what I think, because—”
Knox interrupts him again.
“I told you that she didn't do it! You have no fucking proof!”
Devon shrugs and produces a piece of paper from his pocket.
“Or maybe I do ...”
I gasp when I realise what he's showing us: he's got the piece of paper that Mr McArthur showed us earlier on.
The anonymous tip that instructed the faculty to look in my locker.
“How the fuck did you get this?”
I ask in total shock and Devon actually blushes: I think this is the first time I’ve seen him blush and I’d totally love to tease him on how cute he looks when he's embarrassed but he answers my question.
“When your mom’s a piece of white trash that sends you to shoplift at Walmart when she doesn't have money for groceries because you're a minor and the consequences for you won't be as bad if you get caught, and the difference between eating and going hungry is your ability to steal, you learn. You learn to be quick and not to get caught.”
Earlier in the principal's office, we didn't have a chance to examine that note properly but when Knox takes it from Devon, his gaze darkens when he recognises his sister’s monogram ‘MM’ on the top right corner of the sheet.
Margaux is totally obsessed with monogrammed items: she has her initials printed or engraved on literally everything she owns.
Knox still won't believe that Margaux could be the one to blame.
“Ok, this is from her fucking notebook but someone else must've torn it off. This isn't Margaux’s handwriting for starters.”
Devon speaks calmly, a touch of pity colouring his tone.
“Dude, I’m sorry. I know how you feel. I’ve been in denial for years about what a nasty piece of work my mom is. I know it sucks. I swear, this isn't a personal attack to you. I’m not trying to drive a wedge between you and Aubrey. I know how much she cares about you.”
Knox snatches the note from Devon’s hand and examines it more closely.
He sighs, closing his eyes as if that piece of paper could disappear once he opens them again.
“Fuck! I know that you don't mean to fuck with me, dude! But I can't believe that my sister could do something this disgusting. And to Aubrey! Of course she might be pissed because you chose Aubrey over her, but she also knows how much I love Aubrey and she promised me that she'd be nice to her and leave you alone when I had a talk with her a few weeks ago. After we decided to give this relationship a chance, when we spoke in the locker room, remember?”
Devon nods and Knox takes my hand, with an intense look in his grey eyes.
“Pretty girl, I really don't think that my sister did this. But I’d do anything for you, so I’ll go and talk to her and see what she has to say.”
The troubled look in his eyes makes me feel bad for him but the way he's going against his gut feeling to help me, makes me love him more than I already did.
“Let me come with you, honey.”
I offer.
Knox is about to protest but then he sees in my eyes that I'm not suspicious of him and I understand how he feels.
I know how it feels to have a member of your family, someone you trust, scheme behind your back to get their way.
God knows how much it hurt to discover that my daddy isn't afraid to use me or my siblings for his personal gain with complete disregard for our happiness.
Knox looks unsure.
“Aubrey, I’m not trying to shut you out but I don't know how Margaux will react to me asking her questions about this. And if she sees you and Devon's right, I doubt that she'll confess in front of you.”
I insist because if Margaux did all this, I know how much it’ll hurt him and I wanna be there for him, I don't want him to even have the chance to shut me out.
I take his hand and squeeze it lightly and even this small contact makes my heart beat faster, his grey eyes locked onto mine for a long, intense moment.
“Ok. Just stay out of her sight and within earshot. But you’ll see that she didn't do it. Let's go.”
He puts on his letterman jacket, that he shed when we arrived and wraps his arm around my shoulders.
Sam’s voice stops us when we’re about to leave the living room.
“Marks? You're Knox Marks?”
He turns to look at Ayla’s boyfriend and nods.
“I sure am.”
Sam’s blue eyes assess Knox before he drawls:
“This fucking changes everything! You're Michelle's little brother!”
I gasp in surprise.
“Michelle? Your ex-girlfriend? The one that made Ayla's life miserable your senior year?”
Alex intervenes.
“Yeah. The one we got expelled for cheating, after she almost succeeded in splitting us and Ayla up. Aubrey, you're dating Michelle’s little brother? What the fuck?”
I react, defending my boyfriend.
“Knox is fucking awesome and I love him. He's never treated me with anything but respect, so don't get all weird. I’m not dating his sister. And by the way how didn't you guys recognise him straight away? If Sam was dating his sister?”
Sam’s gaze isn't leaving Knox and he explains that he met Michelle's siblings only a couple of times.
“The last time I saw you, you were in junior high. You grew about a foot and put on a hundred pounds since then.”
Knox reacts with a smirk.
“Yeah, that's called growing up, dude! I was thirteen back then.”
Sam continues:
“Fuck, I didn't realise that the Margaux you guys kept talking about was Michelle's sister. You called her Go-Go or something.”
“Yeah, Gaux-Gaux is our pet name for her. So what? How does this change anything?”
“I don't know, dude! Your older sister would be right at the top of my suspect list, so maybe Margaux isn't that different from Michelle?”
Knox scoffs and I don't miss the annoyance in his voice.
“Whatever, dude! Michelle goes to college in Arizona. I haven't seen her since Labor Day.”
Sam doesn't relent.
“I’m just saying that if Margaux is anything like my ex—”
I see the look on Knox's face and I interrupt him.
“Ok look, I heard all the tales about Michelle. Margaux isn't that bad, I swear. Come on, let’s go talk to her.”
Sam and Alex are adamant that they're coming with us, and so are my boys.
I know Landon and Teague want to support Knox, and Devon too: and I can see that Devon feels guilty about upsetting his friend by voicing his suspicions.
Chaz, Reece, Pryce, and Max are concerned about me and don't wanna be left out.
So in the end we all decide to go to Knox's house and have dinner there since his parents won't be home until very late.
“Just wait until I talk to her. It's actually a good way to approach her if I tell her that I’ve invited friends over because Aubrey is upset about what happened today. If I don't look like I’m accusing her, she’ll tell me what she knows, and then we’ll all hang out and you'll see that she isn't the big, bad bitch you all make her out to be.”
23.
Retribution
Knox
I HOLD ONTO AUBREY's hand during the short ride to my house: Landon is driving and Teague is sharing the back seat with us, while Devon’s riding shotgun.
The others are following us in two different cars.
I'm grateful for Aubrey’s support, for her giving me the benefit of the doubt about my sister.
I know that Margaux is a very acquired taste and she doesn't make it easy for people to like her.
She's a spoiled brat and wants to be the centre of attention all the time, this is why she's always fought with Michelle and gotten along with me, because I'm happy to get on with my life and just fly under the radar.
Beverly Hills Prep Academy The Complete Boxset : A Light Bully Romance Page 90