He must notice the change in my mood because he clears his throat, turning on some classical music.
“Thank you for doing this.” I say, biting my bottom lip as he pulls up to the administrative building.
He nods his head, “No problem.”
I jump out of the car and head up to meet with the headmaster. I’m about five minutes late, but with the fucking night I had, I’m glad that I made it here at all.
I take the stairs two at a time and knock on the imposing French doors.
“Come in.” The headmaster calls out, and I can already tell from his tone that he’s annoyed.
“I’m so sorry-”
“Save it.” He says, cutting me off.
A girl with short black hair pops up from the ground, her knees bright red and her lips looking puffed up.
My mouth drops, seeing her fix her school skirt hurriedly. “I just dropped my pencil down here.” She says, running out the door, no pencil in sight. She closes the door behind her, leaving the headmaster and I alone.
I hear the unmistakable sound of a zipper closing at the headmaster sits behind his desk, motioning for me to have a seat.
I drop down into the chair, waiting to hear what it is that he wants, while my mind whirls at what I just witnessed. He was definitely getting sucked off before I came in here.
“I wanted to offer my condolences. Your family has a long history here, they were some of our biggest supporters.”
I lean back in the chair, crossing my arms. “So, you want money.” This guy has the audacity to act like nothing just happened, and to ask for money right off the bat?
The headmaster sputters for a second. “I could see how you might perceive it as such, but I’m just stating how helpful the Knox family has always been. As you know, the winter formal is coming up, and your grandmother had pledged $10,000 to the event.”
“And you’re telling me this why?”
He clears his throat, pulling at his tie.
“Oh, I see. You’re wondering if that offer is still good.”
He slaps his hands down on his desk. “Yes, well, these unpleasant conversations have to happen now and again.”
“If I give you the money, will you leave Walker alone?”
His expression darkens. “What happens between me, and my son is none of your business.”
“Actually, Walker is my business, and what you do to him affects us both. I don’t particularly care for people who try to force their ideals onto others.” I flick my eyes up and down him, so he knows just how hard I’m judging him. “He’s smart, and capable, and a brilliant musician. What you’re trying to do to him is disgusting.”
“Miss Knox, what do you know about the history of this island?” He asks, throwing me off.
“What about it?” I’m in no mood to be jerked around by a man on a power trip.
“You see about twenty-three years ago I came here with five other fathers.” He stands coming around to the front of his desk. He sits, perching on the edge while he mirrors my body language by crossing his arms. “It was a dark night. There was a blood moon in the sky, and we met with the former headmaster.”
“Okay?” I say, unsure why he’s telling me all this.
“That night, Leighton was getting lippy. He was always shooting his mouth off. Well, the headmaster didn’t really have a lot of patience for his shit, so he started hurting him with this thick black smoke that came pouring out of him. I never forgot that night or forgot what that power looks like.”
I shift uneasily in the chair.
“So, imagine my surprise when I call you into my office and I recognize the shift of your eyes.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I say, trying to keep my composure. “But if I did, I think it would be pretty stupid for someone to fuck around with a person with that kind of power.”
