Page 122 of Deceptive Games

“Aurora—”

“Rory didn’t even start the fight,” Jensen bit out. “Lukas and I did. So, what’s our punishment?”

“You boys know better,” he huffed, shaking his head slightly. “You’re lucky I don’t expel you.”

That made Caden scoff, amusement all over his face. “You won’t, and we know it. You wouldn’t risk Mom pulling the funding for the arts program or the upgrades to the science lab.”

“Miss Donovan?—”

“Didn’t you say he touched you?” Jensen asked, eyeing Rory. “Maybe we should talk to my dad. He’dhateto know there's a predator running the school.”

The headmaster sputtered, and I could tell this conversation was making Rory uncomfortable. She wasn’t the type to lie about something like that to manipulate a situation, but this was the way our world worked.

It was all lies and manipulation if you wanted to be at the top.

I’d do everything in my power to make sure I was the one tainting my soul instead of her though.

“I didn’t know he liked high school girls. I thought you said freshman year that I was special, sir?” I asked, the headmaster’s face paling.

“What? I never?—”

“Wait, you too? I thought I was his one and only,” Tyler gasped, acting offended.

“No, I?—”

The door swung open and Josie strolled in, Caden trying to hide his smile. It seemed he’d already messaged her before the headmaster could.

“Good morning, Bruce. I hear there’s been a problem?” she asked, scanning all of us to see what she was working with.

We kept staring at the headmaster, and he cleared his throat. “Mrs. Holloway, what a pleasant?—”

“It’s never pleasant when I have to come down here, don’t kiss my ass,” she said dryly, her eyes landing on Rory. “Who was it?”

Confusion washed over Rory’s face. “Who was what?”

“Who gave you trouble? I know the bullying here has been ignored, so I’m not surprised if the boys stepped in. I want names,” she said firmly, reaching out to take Rory’s chin in her hand to inspect her face. Rory didn’t have much damage, but there was definitely a red mark on her cheek.

Rory looked at Caden for guidance, not used to someone defending her like this, and I sighed. “I started the fight. One of the girls was filming Rory. I smashed her phone, then one of the guys started shit with me, so I punched him.”

She spun around to face me with a frown. “Filming her doing what?”

“Kissing Ty. Half the girls in this school are flashing their tits on the internet, so I don’t understand why they think Rory’s?—”

“Okay, enough,” Josie muttered, and I could see this conversation wasn’t over. She was going to continue this at home, wanting to know why the hell Rory was kissing a bunch of us. “Lukas can replace the phone, and a short suspension should teach them some manners.”

“With all due respect, Mrs. Holloway—” the headmaster began, but she whirled on him and cut him off.

“It’s Miss, I’m separated and my husband has now passed,” she said tightly. “You do nothing about the bullies here, so youcan’t be surprised when students start defending themselves. The boys and Rory will return to school on Monday. Make sure the other kids involved receive the same punishment.”

And then the worst thing in the world happened.

My fucking mother arrived.

“What is the meaning of this?” Mom snapped, waving a finger in my direction. “Who was fighting my son? I want them expelled! We have a very important dinner this week, and look at him!”

I had zero idea what dinner she was referring to. Whatever it was, I wasn’t going anyway.

“Miss James, your son started the altercation,” the headmaster replied dryly, very used to Mom’s hysterics.