The Class Reject: A Martyr in Maelstrom (Book III)

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"Jesus fucking Christ, can't you knock?" he spat, like literally spat, before motioning her inside. "Get in. And close the goddamn door."

Miren just blinked at him, but somehow found the will to move. With two slow steps she was inside the room. With a push of the door, it firmly shut behind her. Still, her eyes didn't leave her apparently devastated headmaster. He met her gaze, now more manic than animalistic, before retreating to the lower portion of his desk and pulling out an empty glass that was a twin to the one he appeared to be nursing. He also brought out a glass container of Glenfiddich from the same hideaway and filled the glass half-way. With a thud he placed it on the edge of his desk, near the seat she was commanded to sit in.

"Sit," he said, his voice passive, his body agitated. "Drink."

"No," Miren finally choked out. However, she did move toward the chair, her fingers squeezing the back of it, her body as tense as it had ever been. "You're drunk and clearly worked up about something. I'm leaving--"

"I said sit down and drink. Or I'll find a way to ruin your life like you've attempted to ruin mine."

Miren's trepidation evaporated and a venomous look landed on her face. She narrowed her eyes before taking the glass and throwing it against the wall. It shattered into a million pieces on impact, the foul alcoholic liquid filling the air. And yet the headmaster appeared unfazed. "You sent the football team to beat me within an inch of life and you're playing victim? You're a fucking disgrace."

"And you're the one responsible for all of this hell, you dragged Jeno down with you. And now he's gone." He took another sip from his scotch before setting the glass down with a thud. "I always knew something was off about you, and I was right. You and that Olive girl and even Wallace are part of some sort of conspiracy. While you were at my house this week she turned in her withdrawal, did you know that? Or are you two independent agents of destruction?"

"I didn't do anything."

"Don't come into my office and lie to me." He snarled, shaking his head. "My baby brother is missing because of you. He is broken because of you. I don't know why he would ever fall for someone like you--"

"And why not? Why wouldn't someone like Jeno love me? Did you ever think it's people like you--people who order hate crimes and target those that can't possibly defend themselves--that are the problem? Admit it, you're homophobic and racist and you are responsible for your own downfall, not me."

"I'm not homophobic or racist," he hissed, rising from his chair. " I accepted your transfer to Rinzen because you were bright and promising and frankly, better than most of the other students. I wanted the world for you the same way I want the world for Jeno and Jemma. But as all of these incidents started happening, the school board naturally pointed fingers at the new kid--you. I sent them off your trail, but I started my own investigation to make sure I was covering all of the bases, and then I noticed things about you were...off.

"For example, although there's record of you attending another high school in Massachusetts, the principal reported never meeting you, which I brushed off as him just being an ignorant asshole. And I've never been able to contact your parents overseas," he said matter-of-factly. "And you know what the funny thing is? I was willing to simply ignore all of these red flags. I figured worse case scenario, you're just a savvy poor kid who hacked your way into an elite school most idiots get into because of nepotism. You were performing at the top of the class second only to Wallace Harisson, participating in school activities--I thought you knew what you wanted and would ensure that the school would look great as you did it. But you don't," he said with a sigh, before taking another sip. "And you decided to drag Jeno down with you.

"And what kind of a person let's their baby brother get seduced and used by someone? I had Levi keep an eye on you, but obviously you're a fucking enigma, so I had to be more direct and ordered the confrontation. I didn't want you to get hurt--it was never supposed to come to that," he went on, his voice actually staining, borderline apologetic. "But I guess Klondike and the rest of his steroid abusing degenerates were really desperate to get off of their respective deferred lists. Still, I don't feel bad for what I did. It might have cost me the love of my life, but I will never feel bad for trying to protect my family from a psychopath."

"What's psychotic is how far you went to challenge a seventeen year old," Miren scoffed. But tears were already swelling in her eyes, threatening to fall as much as Dr. Edsel was trying to appear intimidating and sober. "You said you were trying to protect Jeno, but I'm not the reason he left. You are. So why don't you be an adult and hold yourself accountable?"

Dr. Edsel clicked his jaw. He had a murderous look in his eyes, but Miren know the only thing that would kill her would be backing down, showing fear. However, when he left his desk and stood in front of her, it took everything to hold her ground.

"I know what happened to you was fucked up, but at least I know why I did it," he said in a hiss, his voice barely above a whisper. "You brought an entire institution to its knees, but what have you gained through all of this? What the hell is your endgame?"

Miren stared him curtly in the eyes, the corner of her lip twitching as she felt the tears finally fall from her eyes. But she didn't dare wipe them, didn't dare let the dam of emotions burst right in front of him. She shook her head, her eyes briefly landing on the window, the darkened sky peeking behind the shutters. "All I wanted was to be somewhere where I could learn and be accepted. And Jeno helped me to do that. I didn't force him to do anything. I didn't force him to love me. He just did. He's a good person and he didn't deserve to be in that accident or to have a horrible brother like you."

"Take that back."

"You said you wanted the truth, we'll that's the truth." Miren shrugged, but her shoulders were rigid, her voice robotic. "Your step-mom already knows what you did, and I had to beg her not to go forward. Not to mention, I also have audio confirmation of your admission courtesy of both Jeno and Levi." She was smiling too widely now, too maniacally. Maybe she was a psychopath. "So if I go down, then you go down. Which is great, because it means I can finally tell you the very thing you've been dying to hear."

"And what is that?" Dr. Edsel said carefully. But it was obvious he was fuming, pissed beyond reason. "Spit it out."

"Jeno and I had a lot of fantastic, gay sex before he left." She was almost giddy now. "So wherever he is, no matter how hurt or lost he feels, he will never hate me as much as he hates you."

"GET OUT."

"With pleasure." She offered a small bow before stepping over the glass. "Great chat. See you at the graduation week breakfast tomorrow."

"Fucking faggot," the headmaster mumbled as she left the room, but she grinned even wider. It was amazing how undisturbed the rest of the world was. The boys in the lobby were now rolling up the thirty-foot banner into a container as she slipped out of the administration. And in the cover of a starless night, she let her tears fall and fall until she was sure she'd never cry again.