“Hello, Zoe.” He smiles kindly, but he also looks exhausted. Then I remember that he’s Reed’s uncle, and I tense.
“Hi, Mr.Pearson,” I say, and then don’t know how to continue. My heart pounds against my ribs. What is he doing here?
“I’m sorry for turning up unannounced. I should have called,” he says. “I’d love to talk to you, if that’s okay.”
I stand there frozen and can’t make a sound. I don’t know if it’s okay. I don’t know anything anymore. What does he want?
“Zoe? Who’s there?” Mom comes to the door, and I feel a little better with her standing at my back. “Mr.Pearson. What can we do for you?”
“I’d like to talk to Zoe,” he says again. He’s talking to my mom, but he’s looking at me. His gaze is serious, but unexpectedly warm. “But if it’s not the right time—”
“No,” I say quickly. “It’s okay. Come in.” If he leaves, I won’t be able to think about anything but the fact that he came here, and I need to know what he wants from me.
Mom and I step aside and let him in. She looks at me carefully, making sure it’s really okay with me that my school principal is suddenly here in our house.
“Would you like a drink?” Mom asks politely, inviting Pearson to sit down at our dining table. But he shakes his head.
“No, thank you. This won’t take long.”
“What’s this about?” Mom asks, because my voice still isn’t working.
I’m so tense that my shoulders hurt.
“First of all, I want to apologize for what Reed did to you. It’s unforgivable, and I know that no apology in the world can make up for it. Still, I’m sorry that you have to go through all of this.”
“Thank you,” I mumble. My shoulders relax a little. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this.
“I want you to know that you can take all the time you need. Your place with us is safe. In case you were worried about that.” He gives me a tiny, encouraging smile.
“I... I don’t know if I can go back yet. Charlotte...” I break off; my throat is constricted.
Pearson nods as if he had expected this answer.
“As for Charlotte, we also heard about what she did. She was expelled from school. We do not tolerate such behavior. The school is your second home, and we want all our students to feel safe there.”
“Charlotte had to leave?” I stare at him in disbelief. I’m sure I misheard him.
But he nods. “I don’t know what other consequences her behavior will have, but she is no longer a part of our student body.”
I want to say something, say thank you. Anything. But I can’t speak. Charlotte is no longer at the same school as me. I don’t have to see her in class. I can go back, and she’ll be gone. And then I burst into tears again. Tears of relief.
Chapter 56
Zoe
You’ll probably never read this note, but I have to write it anyway: When you asked me if I had ever been in love, and I answered with yes, I meant I was in love with you.
—Zoe
I go back to bed and am reading when Jase comes in and throws his duffel bag into the corner of my room. It’s late, and he looks exhausted.
“Is everything all right?” Worried, I sit up in bed and put my book aside.
He collapses onto my bed with a groan and lies his head on my chest. His arm is heavy across my body. “My parents came today. To talk.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
