“I have Simmons coming over afterwards. I can drop you off, though?” Thrilled to be meeting an actual friend for a fun time, I nod in agreement, but Arnie’s expression makes me a bit uneasy for reasons I can’t pinpoint. Maybe since I’m not taking the meeting with the Dean as serious as I should instead of making plans to go out after it.
“Let’s get up for breakfast and get ready. I’m sure the Dean won’t want to be kept waiting,” he says before rolling away and getting off the bed. The realisation that I might not keep my place at uni finally hits me and I panic in silence over what the outcome will be.
“Sure,” I say as I watch him shut the ensuite door opposite the bed. I shuffle out from under the comfy sheets and head to my room to get ready too. I finally see Christian has messaged me about Mom, and I listen to his voice note as I get ready.
After the initial hello, I’m stopped in my tracks as he tells me that Mom and Jed separated a year ago and that he sent an article for me to check out below. Mom wants to have contact again and has been hounding him for my details, but he hasn’t given in to her, thankfully.
My stomach curdles when I click on the link he sent. I sink from the edge of the bed to the floor with a thump; the words blurring on the screen.
Jed, a minor, battery. Bail skipped.
They can’t find him. He ran, and now he could be anywhere.
Fucking great.
Chapter 24
Arnie
Fucking Martin.
Heads would roll if I were the Dean of this university. After giving out Jamie’s full contact information, the staff member involved could stay on with no repercussions.
How can it be Jamie’s fault for not wanting to talk about his trauma? Therefore, not telling the institution about Jed so that his name was on file for no access.
My blood boils as Martin gives Jamie another one of those fake sympathetic smiles while Jamie pleads his case.
"But...I..." Jamie tries to defend his place there, but the Dean’s obvious ignorance of individual cases cut him off. Regurgitating some handbook of rules, he carries on with the farce.
“Jamie, like I said, there was no file to tell us about your stepdad. A guardian provided proof of ID, and the staff allowed them to withdraw you, citing mental health as the reason. We thought you couldn’t consent and had sent a guardian in your place.”
Jamie looks exasperated as he sits in front of the glass desk in Martin’s office. His face is flushed red with frustration. If I could fight for him, I would. The whole incident is completely unjust, and it seems there is no way for Jamie to win his case here.
“Look, you can retake the year next year and pay the fees. We obviously can’t give you a scholarship to finish the 6 months you originally had left before graduation. But you would be mostwelcome back in August,” Martin states with a smile, as if any of what he is saying is good news.
With a look of defeat, Jamie bowed his head and nodded. I hate this for him. I hate Jed gets to decide that Jamie’s life is a game to be played with.
“Jamie, I know it’s not the answers you wanted today, but look on the bright side. You were failing classes and needed a tutor. You can retake the year, and our brilliant TA Arnie here can help get you up to spec on time,” he says as he points over to the filing cabinet that I’m leaning against.
“I can’t afford it alone,” Jamie says in the quietest voice I have ever heard from him. My heart aches. I remember that feeling of failure because of financial poverty.
Jamie will be homeless and lack a degree to pursue a well-paying career without the scholarship. His attempts to better his life after running away from home, quashed by an angry man and a ridiculous university faculty.
Anger rushes through me again, and I hide my tight fists behind me. I vow to help my blondie any which way I can. If I could bulldoze this place or at the very least have the staff involved sacked, I would. But I can only watch as his future is stolen.
“According to my secretary, you’re still out of the dorms, so at least you don’t have the burden of moving your things out in front of your classmates. Professor Simmons has told me you were a fine addition to his classes and that he will give you a recommendation should you choose not to return until the autumn.”
Is this white-haired fuck for real?
“Jamie, time to go,” I say, my tone cold, but not towards him. I stalk across the Dean's office and pull him from the expensive leather armchair he was sitting in. Jamie doesn’t look at me but lets me lead him towards the door.
“Good luck,” Martin calls out as we leave, and it takes every professional cell in me not to flip him off or bruise his face.
Once down the spiral staircase and onto the green outside, where the high sun greets us. I pull Jamie into a hug as soon as we near some secluded trees.
“Jamie, I am going to take care of this. You trust me, don’t you?”
“Sure,” he shrugs, still not looking up.
