Page 94 of The Ruthless Note

Miller smiles.

I want to bash his face in with my fist.

“No, no, of course not.” Principal Harris shoots Miller a quick look as if checking that he’s still on script. “We would not want to strip any of you from your education.”

“Although if wedid, as the student who entered Redwood last, you would be the first to go, Miss Cooper,” Miller says.

My skin gets tight suddenly, like it shrunk in the laundromat dryer and now it’s too hard for me to live inside it.

“But,” Principal Harris cuts in, “what we’ve decided to do is remove one of you from the music program.”

“Why us?” Serena spits. “Why not the other music students who barely attend classes and don’t give a damn about their grades?”

“Aren’t you the one with allegations of setting fires in the bathroom, Miss Parker?”

Serena turns red.

“And you,” Miller tilts his head to pin Sol with his frosty stare next, “you were missing for the beginning of the school year. Before that, you were expelled for destruction of school property. Youbarelymanaged to squeak back in, but it wouldn’t be far-fetched to hear that you were unable to complete your major.”

Sol’s expression is carefully blank, but his lips are a hard slash across his face. He still hasn’t relaxed his fists.

“And you,” Miller’s bold stare lands on me next, “your grades were what resulted in you losing your place here at Redwood Prep, Miss Cooper. Although the issue has been rectified, you are still a candidate for this readjustment.”

I almost snort. His daughter was the one who helped Dutch and his brothers to fudge my grades and land me in trouble in the first place.

Those rules that Miller finds so precious don’t apply to everyone.

“Of course, had you not crawled your way back into Redwood, we wouldn’t have this problem.” His smile is cruel. “But Jarod Cross is your benefactor and we won’t touch someone he personally vouched for. This doesn’t change our dilemma. As you can see, there are reasons for why each of you are sitting here.”

Principal Harris smoothly adds, “You three have a choice. Discuss among yourselves and suggest someone who’d be willing to drop out voluntarily. That’s the easy way.”

“What’s the hard way?” I ask.

“If administration makes the choice, we’ll do so in the spirit of fairness. You’ll all be forced to repeat another year.”

A whole new year at Redwood Prep sounds worse than a death sentence.

“And if one of us voluntarily leaves the music program?” Serena asks.

“That person can continue the rest of the year as a regular student,” Principal Harris promises. “Of course, dropping out of the music program means your music scholarship will be revoked and you’ll have to pay for the rest of your tuition. But we’ll make accommodations for your budget.”

“You’re nicely kicking one of us out of Redwood Prep then. How benevolent of you,” Serena mumbles.

Sol’s eyes burn a hole into the center of the table.

“We will give you ten days to make your choice.”

The school melody chimes.

Principal Harris checks his watch. “You should head to your next class now.”

“Miss Cooper.” Miller’s eyes spear me. “I would like a word.”

Through the entire conversation, Sol’s been cold and aloof, but in that moment, he sits straight up and glares a hole through Miller’s face. “Why do you need to be alone with her?”

“It’s okay,” I whisper.

Sol takes a long look at me. Then he nods and leaves.