“I’m afraid the damage is already done.” Luka’s lips pressed together in outrage. “It was up for at least five minutes, and it collected a staggering amount of hits before it was taken down.”
I dropped my bag to the floor. I slumped onto the closest chair.
“That’s it, then,” I said, barely registering there were others in the room, watching me.
Riot rose his voice, the first time I’d heard him speak louder than a raspy murmur.
“Get back to work!” he barked.
Everyone went back to what they were doing, or at least pretended to. I didn’t care. Everyone knew now, and that was the end of all of it. I had fought so hard, but I was done.
“Sweetie,” came a soft voice. It was familiar, but I don’t think I’d ever heard it that gentle before. Vanessa came to kneel next to me.
“I’m so sorry, Aubrey,” she said. “I don’t know who did this, but I am so sorry you’re dealing with this right now.”
My heart cracked open. Tears began to flow down my cheeks, heating up and stinging my eyes. Vanessa wrapped me up in a hug. The dam burst even further as I cried into her shoulder, soaking the fabric of her sweater with my tears. I couldn’t believe she was the one trying to console me right now, but I needed it desperately.
Vanessa helped me to my feet, patting my back.
“Let’s go to my office, Aubrey,” Luka said.
“You aren’t kicking her out for this, are you?” Vanessa demanded. “If you do, I swear I’ll—”
“Of course not,” Luka said. “Please try not to worry. The three of us and Aubrey all need to discuss what happened and what comes next.”
Luka took me by the shoulders gently, walking me to his office. Once we were inside, he closed the door, and I sat down in one of the chairs. The other two were already there.
Before any of us could say anything, my phone buzzed.
“Don’t bother,” Jaeson said, shaking his head in disgust.
“I have to,” I said, swiping at the phone.
It wasn’t the blackmailer, but it might have been worse. It was an email from the Dean. Of course. I read it silently.
“What happened? Who is it?” Riot asked.
“It’s the Dean,” I said. “He wants to speak with me. He’s concerned about the reputation of the school, and says that there may be an issue with my unbecoming conduct.”
“I’ll speak to the Dean,” Luka said. “This is preposterous and I won’t have it.”
“We can all have a word with that sanctimonious prick,” Jaeson said.
“Count me in,” Riot growled.
While they talked, I was too busy running the options through my head. I could stay and lie to the Dean, denying every last thing, and that might be a solution, but it would mean the worst.
“I’d have to break up with you all,” I said aloud.
All three of them stopped talking and looked at me.
“If I deny it, I’d have to maintain the fiction,” I said. “We won’t be able to see each other anymore after this.”
The boys began to talk all at once, but I lifted my hand and shook my head.
“I need to go to my room,” I said. “I can’t deal with this, and I can’t make a decision right now, not in in this state of mind.”
“I’ll take you,” Riot said.
“No,” I said firmly. “If anyone sees us together today, it’ll just make my walk of shame even more horrific. I’ll see you all soon, but I have to go.”
I left before they could stop me, striding to the door and picking up my bookbag before exiting. I ignored every stare, every face, every whispered and not-so-whispered word as I made my way back across campus to my dorm. Once I was in the room with the door safely shut and locked, I slumped down and held my knees close to my chest.
I had no idea what to do. The boys couldn’t help me out of this one.
No one could.
