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All of these people have seen me naked. Whatever they could see on film...it was enough to identify me. Enough for someone to alert my father.
Kappy's arm wraps around me, as if she's realizing it too.
“What you did is actually a crime,” Zoe hisses, pushing past them to stand by my side, with Lauren and Alex in her wake.
“I hope your parents have good lawyers,” says Alex. “You'll need them.”
“It was an eye for an eye,” replies Kendall. “We talked to Leila over break, and she told us what your dad did to her. You’re lucky this is all that happened.”
Most of the stuff at school had stopped. I thought they'd gotten it out of their systems. Instead, they'd simply decided to raise the stakes.
“Leila got in trouble and she got punished for it,” I gasp. “Even if you think that was too harsh, how could you take it this far with me?”
“Is that what you think happened?” scoffs Larabeth. “Not even close. Your dad popped Leila's cherry, so Leila's brother popped yours. Mission accomplished.”
My eyes jerk toward them. Even with what I know, or suspect, about my dad, this is a step too far. It's certain that he cheated on my mom, it's possible that he assaulted a teacher, but...but...a student? A girl my precise age?
“That's crazy.” My shocked laugh is tinged with hysteria. That's why they did it? Some nonsense story one of the Kendalls dreamed up? “My dad barely knew Leila.”
“He barely knew her until she got caught with her boyfriend and was sent to his office,” Larabeth corrects. “Then he knew her real well.”
Ford flings open the door, wearing only a T-shirt and his pants, my heels hanging off his index finger. “Tell her, Ford,” Kendall says. “Tell her how her dad made your sister sleep with him to keep her scholarship and yours.”
“That's fucking crazy,” I spit. “That never happened.”
My head jerks toward Ford. Why isn't he backing me up?
He runs a hand over his face.
He...isn't saying anything.
“It's true,” says Kendall. “He flicked her nipple and asked what she was willing to do to stay.”
My heart stops beating. My breath stops coming.
A car is rumbling over the gravel drive. Kappy curses and twines her fingers through mine, looking frantically around us. “Shit. We need to—”
“Aww, look at heartbroken Prairie Girl,” coos Kendall. “You actually thought he liked you all this time? He told Leila the plan months ago.”
Ford's mouth opens, then closes. He's not denying it. Why isn't he denying it?
Your sister brought it on herself.
Say that again.
Ford's hand on my breast that first time. He never could explain why he did it.
My knees weaken just as my dad's van pulls up in front of us.
“Grace,” my father says, marching in our direction, “get in the car.”
Ford isn't denying it. It couldn't have been a game. It couldn't have been.
But...he isn't denying it.
“Come with me, Grace,” Kappy begs. “We'll figure this out.”
I look at her with tears in my eyes. I'm so confused, and shocked, and I can't think clearly, but I already know there's no way to figure this out.
