✅ A Dose of Humiliation

26. Uncovering the Truth

I sobered up slowly; and I was right in predicting that I'd have nothing but loathing for myself as it happened. I couldn't believe that I had been so careless, or so reckless. I'd gone through pretty much all of high school with a perfect record. Showing up to class, doing my homework, doing reasonably well in every test. That I would throw that all away to go and drink on the roof was unthinkable. I couldn't believe it, and I'd been there. What had happened to me? Was I losing my mind in response to stress, or had my parents really chosen to give me drugs that would take away my self-control?

Elspeth had gone to take Marcie home, to make sure that she got back in time and didn't give her mother any more excuses for punishment. Nikki was in the back of the car with me, while Jodie and Clint were in Serena's car right in front of us. Dad wasn't happy; in his mind, my friends were just lying in an attempt to keep me from punishment. But Mum had got into the driver's seat first, and there was nothing more shameful to a man like Dad than a public argument with his wife. He had spent years climbing the career ladder, working every possible hour, with the hope of somehow earning respect. It was his biggest goal, and a shouting match in front of the school would have made him every working-class stereotype he hated.

"You went to see another lawyer?" he demanded, before we arrived. "We don't have that kind of money to throw around."

"Serena paid him," I answered, doing my best to keep my voice level.

"Why would she do that? She–"

"John?" Mum interrupted. "I see a girl of eighteen driving a car that's worth more than our house. The school has a wing with her name on it, paid for by some local philanthropist, and I don't think it's a coincidence. I doubt she even considers the cost of a quick chat with a lawyer."

"And this lawyer thinks there's a problem with us giving you a boost for the things we agreed on?"

"Any boost." I said, and did my best to get the thoughts straight in my head. "To get me this Punishment Pill, you signed a thing to say that I broke the law. You have proof I'm guilty. And that you can prove it's part of a... a..."

"Ongoing pattern of destructive behaviour," Nikki offered.

"Yeah, that. And I've not been punished by the adult system for this pattern."

"Exactly. So we can keep you out of court."

"And how would she end up in court?" Nikki could answer this one. "If she didn't pay the damages, Mrs Yuan could sue her. But that's a breach of contract, not a crime."

"She smashed a window!" Dad was practically yelling now. "Vandalism is a crime."

"She agreed to pay for a broken window. Not the same thing."

"Yeah, that's... to get me the shot, you signed saying you had proof that I was the one that broke it, and it was deliberate, and I refused to pay for the damage."

"Which you can't prove, because none of those things are true. Which you would have known right away if you tried asking anyone who was actually there."

Somehow, despite my intoxication, I managed to explain that I was entitled to demand an antidote now. They had insisted I take the Punishment Pill as a way to avoid the adult legal system; so once the adult system had dealt with the issue, there was no legal justification for allowing the punishment to continue. And that once the original reason for the punishment invalid, they could be automatically jailed for using, threatening, or even retaining possession of the booster shots.

"Have you been to court then? Has the legal system resolved anything?"

"I think it's called a settlement," Nikki answered for me again. "She signed a certificate saying she'd pay for the damage. As far as the courts are concerned, that's resolved. And I know you've seen that, because it's the only proof you've got that the incident even happened. We had a party on Sunday, remember? To celebrate that she finished paying it off."