Page 194 of For the Fans

My pulse is immediately thumping like crazy. “Okay… Then I guess I’ll be right there.”

“Perfect. I’ll let her know you’re on your way.”

The call disconnects, and I’m left standing, frozen, with my phone clutched in my fist.

Whatever this is… I’m sure it can’t be good.

Sitting in the dean’s office, I can’t stop fidgeting.

As it stands, I don’t do well with authority figures. They make me very itchy, and the longer I sit in this prim and proper office,walls adorned with degrees and fancy plaques, the less I feel like I belong here.

Maybe it’s just the dread I’m feeling from whatever urgent matter has called me in here on a Saturday, but my insecurities are taking over. I don’t think I’veeverfelt like I belong in this school.

Sure, I’ve made friends, and connections I might otherwise never have come across. I’ve had fun, and I’ve learned about myself. But I feel like all of that relies heavily on the relationships I’ve made here. Not the school itself.

Basically, I’m sitting in front of the dean feeling like a big fat phony for even being here wasting her time.

Dean Perkins takes a seat at her desk, folding her hands on top of it. “Good afternoon, Mr. Vega.”

I nod, my palms sweating all over my jeans. “Your… Dean-ness.”

She squints at me. “I’ll just cut right to the chase…” She picks up her cell phone and taps a few times, turning it around to show me the screen. “Is this you?”

It’s a screengrab from my OnlyFans account. One of my more modest posts, but still a pretty scandalous thing for the dean of Boston College to be presenting you with.

I swallow hard, shaking in my boots. “I… don’t think so?”

“Is that an answer? Or are you asking me?” She’s very stern. Quite frankly, it’s scaring the shit out of me.

“Can I ask what this is about?” I struggle to regain some of my confidence.

Setting the phone down, she sits back in her seat. “I’ve received a few anonymous tips from concerned students and faculty that a student fitting your description has been engaging in… online sex work on campus. Now, either you have a twin brother I don’t know about, or this account is being run by you, Mr. Vega.”

I simply blink at her. I don’t think my vocal cords want to work at the moment.

“Avi…” she sighs. “We both know this is you. Do us both a favor and—”

“But can you prove that it’s me?” I grunt.

“Yes,” she says firmly. “Because it’s your face.”

“Maybe it’s just someone who looks like me…”

“Avi. This is a very serious matter. I’m sure you understand that we can’t have things like this occurring on campus.”

“How do you know it occurred on campus?” I keep going, standing my ground.

I don’t think she has any actual evidence. Andyea, it’s obviously me in that picture. But if she knew for afact, she’d be expelling me on the spot instead of expecting me to confess.

See? All those true crime documentaries and court case shows have paid off.

“Well, unfortunately, I have no choice but to suspend you while we investigate this matter.” She straightens, shuffling papers on her desk like it’s no big deal.

“Suspendme?? You have no proof!”

“That’s what we’ll be looking for, Mr. Vega.” Her lips quirk. “And if we find out that thisisyou… and that you’ve been producing pornographic videos on school property, you’ll be expelled permanently. Along with anyone else who participated.”

My jaw clenches together so hard it’s aching.