I’ve got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I’m ready to get this over with. If they reported me, I’ll survive.
Somehow.37Violet“I’m sorry, Violet. This expulsion is not coming from me. I fought for you. If there was any way around the committee’s decision, I’d fight for you. You can appeal the decision…”
Mr. D’s voice echoes in my ears as I walk out of the office. I see the women in the office staring at me. I ignore them. I’m mostly numb. I saw the pity on Mr. D’s face and that was enough.
“This is bullshit, Violet,” Mike growls. He’s angry as hell and he doesn’t truly know what Mr. D. said to me. I guess he can read it on my face, but he wasn’t allowed into the office. He wraps me up in his arms and I lean against him. It doesn’t make me feel weak. If anything, it comforts me because Mike is here, supporting me, loving me and he doesn’t care that everyone here pities me. He doesn’t care that they think I’m immoral or something because I strip for money. He doesn’t care about shit, other than he’s afraid I’m hurt.
“It’s okay, Mike,” I whisper, and it is. If this had happened before Mike and I hashed things out, I’d be a mess. The truth is that now that Mike is with me and we’re kind of living our lives together, I don’t feel this burning fire inside of me that says I have to prove myself. I don’t have to show the world that I’m better than my mother anymore. I finally have someone in my life who thinks I am everything. That’s a gift that I will never take for granted. We’re young, I can’t tell you what might happen in the future, but I know that I will fight tooth and nail to keep what Mike and I have. We’re important. I’ll go to college wherever and I’ll work my ass off to get to the top.
“It’s not okay. We’ll sue. They don’t have any right to do this to you,” Mike growls and I grin up at him.
“I don’t think I can sue. I did sign a morality clause in the school contract and if I pursue it and they find out my “parents” signature was also me then, I’m thinking that would negate any lawsuit anyways,” I laugh as we make it out of the office and stand in the hallway.
“How can you be so happy? All you’ve ever wanted is to attend here so that you could get your shot in the Ivy League. Damn it. This is my fault. Davis would have never been at that damn club if I didn’t make it possible for him. Hell, that fucking bitch Lindy wouldn’t have even bothered with you if it wasn’t for me. I’m screwing up your life Violet and I swore that was one thing I’d never do. I wanted to be good for you, not cause you—”
I press my fingers against his lips, not letting him finish.
“You are good for me. Me having to leave this school doesn’t change that. I knew what I was doing was against the rules and there was a chance I could get caught. That’s all on me, not you,” I tell him shaking my head.
“Bullshit. You know they learned about it because of me,” he growls. He takes his fist and hits the lockers, denting the red metal and caving one in. I don’t know who that locker belongs to, but opening it is not going to be easy.
Then I see the blood on his hand, and all thoughts of the locker are gone. I grab his hand, pulling it toward me for closer inspection.
“Mike! You’ve hurt yourself,” I chastise, using my finger, to inspect the scrape.
He pulls his hand back, and I jerk my head up to look at him. “It’s fine,” he growls. “You shouldn’t be worried about my hand. You should be pissed as hell that I’m ruining your future, Angel,” he mutters, sounding so disgusted with himself that I hate it.
I wrap my arms around his waist and hold onto him. He remains tense and solid, but I don’t let that bother me. Instead, I kiss his chest and hold him tighter, trying to show him how much he matters.
“You aren’t ruining my future, Mike. You are my future,” I assure him, stretching my neck back so I can look up at him, wanting him to read the truth in my eyes.
“So sweet to me, even when I don’t deserve it,” he murmurs. “Give me those lips, Angel.”
We kiss, right there outside of the office and everyone around us and I didn’t care. They already kicked me out. What else could they possibly do to me?