Ms. Shepherd sent out several people to bring Garren in.
Since the search party had scattered, Archie's breathing had grown heavy and his acne was glistening from the sweat exuding.
He had only just realised what he'd been thoroughly played by Adler.
I sat in a similar horrifying position. My composure outside was as still as a statute, merely from shock. My body shivered morbidly when Archie revealed the source that had given him the story of Michael being a paraplegic fraud.
The exact suspicion I'd been fighting off since my visit home and I saw a boy walking down the street who had an uncanny resemblance to the captain.
My brain had long since looked over every inch of it theoretically. If someone that smart could pull off faking it so well, why risk it in broad daylight? Because in a low class place like that, why would the well-off students of St. Sinclair ever be hanging around there?
However, the mistake was only by unawareness. After all, my address in my records was uncle Louie's hotel. The bakery was mentioned, but not the location. No outsider would know.
They certainly wouldn't have calculated me being there. So they certainly wouldn't have calculated in even a hundred years one of the richest in the academy, to be caught even dead in that vicinity either.
My memory hadn't returned but I just knew at that moment Garren found out Michael's darkest secret all because of me.
My stomach turned severely and I believed that was the closest thing I'd experienced to an ulcer.
I'd heard notions people said their deepest darkest worries or thoughts when intoxicated and I could very likely be one to fall under that category. Then what were the chances I'd let it out to the worst possible set of ears to hear?
It was a crazy scenario I could've thought only happened in my mother's soap operas. This wasn't a soap opera. This was real life were there were real consequences and now I would see the results of handing a knife blindly into the dark to a reaching hand.
Archie looked close to having a heart attack when there was a knock at the door. Ms. Shepherd issued entrance and as expected, it was her scavengers but there was no Garren standing with them.
"You couldn't find him?" questioned Ms. Shepherd.
One spoke on behalf of the others and look petrified but answered through the urging glances of his peers. "N-No, we did, miss."
"Why the hell didn't you bring him then?"
Right then, the scavengers gazes strayed on an advancing figure by the corner. I realised why the group looked so jittery as opposed to the stern headmaster but in fact the young man wheeling forward. It was the slick wheelchair owned by Michael Howard, Ben stood manoeuvering the handles. Except perched on the seat was Garren.
A broad grin on his lips. "You wanted to see me?"
Archie was as pale as a ghost as he stared at the daring boy, sure to faint at any moment.
"He refused to come unless we let him ride on that, miss,” informed that same scavenger.
"You'd honestly do the same." chirped Garren. "Using one of these babies really clears those crowded halls. It's fascinating how people speed up when fast objects with wheels are threatening to ram into them— oh, Stevie's here too!" He beamed when he noticed me, dumbly gazing with my mouth agape.
"Hi Stevie!" waved Ben.
Words were forming in my mind but none leaving my lips. They made room for Ben to calmly push his leader forward to my way, smile never breaking. Garren's lips brushed my cheek in a chaste peck. "Beautiful morning, isn't?"
I blinked.
Ms. Shepherd was the only person in the room not slack jawed or in perspiration. She was visibly angry, that much I could tell from her glower. "What in god's name do you think you're doing, boy?"
Garren didn't seem to regard her, neither was he fazed by the tone as he wrapped a lock of my hair around his fingers. "You know, I've been meaning to ask if all this is purely natural or contrived by some kind of chemicals. It’s just so… puffy.” Ben nodded in agreement.
"What, what have you done to Michael?" I asked in just above a whisper.
He rose a brow. "If you're asking if I laid a hand on him, no. I got an attendant to nick this while the phony was in bed last night. Not like he needs it."
"Stevie, I've told you this is not your jurisdiction to ask questions," said Ms. Shepherd. "Garren you will answer and speak to me alone."
"Hayley K. Tan." Garren started, tenderly rubbing my curly tips. "She's a very impressive hair stylist. Fancy swinging by her place later? She'd be honoured to put her hands to work on this— you'll be blown away at her skills.”
"And she's fit," added Ben.
"Garren."
"Oh, but wait, she's back in the states...Though, the summer holidays is only two months away. We could start early and just fly out there. You've got a passport, right?"
"Garren Adler! You do not ignore me!" Ms. Shepherd practically screeched. "If you don't start explaining whatever game you're playing at here, I won't hesitate to serve you a punishment right now with a phone call to your father."
Garren's grin twitched at that. He swivelled to the fuming woman and blinked. "Well, somebody's in a hissy mood. Does this have to do with missing your senior aerobics class? Don't worry, there's plenty of ways to try to prove your youth isn't behind you, nan."
I blinked again, beyond baffled by how one person could be so atrociously audacious in this situation.
"Wait, d-d-did you just say nan?" stuttered Archie.
I had registered the term too but everything else was overshadowing that newfound information. Frankly, hearing these two were related wasn't surprising. Neither seemed human or sane.
"Garren, you told this imbecile," Ms. Shepherd threw a heated glare at the sweating runt before lifting the news article up. “That I permitted this? Are you insane? Do you know what hell the board will give me if they think I affiliated this?"
Garren crossed his legs. "Of course I didn't say you permitted it. What do you take me for? All I said to this kid is that I'd be more likely to persuade you when he begged to cover the story. He clearly got impatient. Or maybe he thought I'd fail so decided to cash his chips in now for the little limelight of glory he's been wanting so badly. He ranted to me how he blamed the incompetent head for being the cause of not getting first place in the literary award contest because the wrong day of the deadline was handed out."
"What? No!" Archie exclaimed. "That's not...! He's lying, miss! He's twisting my words and lying!"
Garren leaned his elbows on the desk, a gentle countenance in place. "And I know that screw up was entirely on the contest department, not you. You already had so much on your plate at the time. It's why I didn't want to stress you out with the dodgy stuff I was getting on Michael. So I approached the newspaper club instead to help me make sure I wasn't starting fires over nothing.
I'd never thought they'd uncover something at this scale. It broke my heart a bit, honestly." He placed a hand to where that supposed organ should be located or whatever pumped blood through this diabolical trickster.
"That's not true!" Archie insisted. "He promised me he had your permission. H-He, he—!
"I've heard quite enough out of you,” snapped Ms. Shepherd.
From where I stood, it was crystal clear who appeared more likely to be making false claims and who was more sincere. Archie was dreadfully panicked and on the verge of tears, Garren was cool and reserved with no sign of nervousness like he had anything to hide or be ashamed of.
"Archie, I'll deal with you later," She said. "As of now, you are to have no involvement in the newspaper club."
"What?!"
"Whether or not you will be transferred to the regular grade of your year will be decided at a later hour. Now leave my office."
"But Ms. Shepherd I didn't do anything wrong...!"
"Gents, get him out of my sight."
Immediately, the scavengers at the doors apprehended Archie who was practically clinging to his chair, bawling and frantically shaking his head. The sight was unbearable and cowardly, I turned away to the sound of his wails until it abruptly fell mute once the door was shut.
Ms. Shepherd released a breath, running a hand through her greying bangs. Either she was too exhausted to chuck me out since I had no reason to be present or forgot me entirely. I could've easily gotten up to leave, at least tried to vouch for Archie, but I stayed bounded to my seat, wordless and motionless in disbelief at what was unfolding before me.
"Glad we got that moron out— "
Garren's comment was cut short when Ms. Shepherd's talons whipped across his cheek, pivoting his head west. Even the laid back Ben had jolted with me at the hit. I see where the Adler slap bore its roots from.
I knew that had to hurt but Garren faced front unflinchingly to meet the scowling headmaster. "I may be old but don't think for a second I don't know when someone's pulling something right out of their arse. I'm only punishing Norton because his snivelling was a disgrace and to blow off some steam. This is my school—not your playground, Garren. Never cross me like this again."
Garren traced his hand down his jaw, eyes fathomless and dark as coals. His lips tuned to a sneer. "Duly noted."
Ms. Shepherd broke the chilling stare match, slumping back on her chair. "God, this is why I warned that woman not to reproduce! The board is going to be at me for this til New Years..." She groaned.
"Would you like some tea, miss?" offered Ben.
"Oh yes, dear. Some tea would be lovely. Thank you.” She nodded and he bobbed off to somewhere to make this said-tea. "And maybe some Cuban cigars too," she muttered under her breath.
"Relax," Garren told her. "Just tell them it was all that leprechaun with warts’ fault and you hadn’t the faintest idea. Simple. It's not like there's anything to use against you to say you did."
"That's not the problem here! This damn story is probably already being spread outside the academy walls as we speak. The students tell their parents, their parents tell their friends and it'll be all over! A scandal! The school's reputation on the grill with the media lighting the flame. I'll be the one the board makes face the heat."
Although I was appalled that the rep of the school and her profit was the only thing she cared about, she wasn't wrong. Michael Howard was an icon not just to St. Sinclair, but for several organisations nationwide, usually connected by the paralytic community and sponsors. The story would leave a missile sized hole in the academy's infrastructure.
"He was even meant to lead that eco campaign today,” she recalled.
"Ah, no worries," said Garren. "We've got others to cover that boring campaign and any loss that fraud costs the academy, Stevie and I will get it back."
Ms. Shepherd shifted her eyes to me. "Oh, you were still here?"
"Yes. She's awfully quiet today but anyway, she'll be much more of an asset. In fact, delegate the campaign to her. Feminism has gone way further up the appeal ratings than the handicaps."
My stomach lurched.
"Oh yes, you do have a point there,” agreed the headmaster, passing me a sickeningly sweet smile. "What do you say, Stevie?"
Somewhere, my voice surfaced. Though, it was strained. "I... I can't. I can't take over the campaign."
"Oh, nobody's saying that dear. The rest of the group will handle everything. That's what they're meant to do, we just need a face. All you need to do is smile and look pretty for the cameras. So take Garren's advice about the hair, alright? Guess I'll be making some calls to PR—"
"No!" I shouted. “Nobody is touching my hair and I don't want to take Michael's spot. He did more than be a figure head to earn it too. And I don't think it's right to just kick him aside without hearing his side of this."
The room fell so silent with all that I could hear being my own erratic breathing and heart.
Ms. Shepherd scoffed. "Hear what side? The ill bred child is nothing but a lawsuit and media magnet. Which reminds me, I'll need to make some calls upstairs too to have them secure a couple lawyers just in case."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Ben strode back in, tea set stationed on a tray in hand. "Ah, finally." Ms. Shepherd beamed at the sight.
"You're, you're not even going to let him talk? Come clean about this himself?" I questioned.
"He's had plenty of time to come clean, Stevie," replied Garren. "I've got Will waiting outside his room and set to call me if he makes any moves. No buzz all day. Just sitting in there and hiding. To think after taking us for fools for so long, he wouldn't have the balls to come forth. Pathetic, isn't it?"
My legs finally found strength, much like volcanic lava reaching altitude and I shot up from the chair. Garren, Ben and the headmaster merely regarded it with a glance.
"Would you like some tea too, Stevie?" asked Ben. "You're looking kinda tense."
I clenched my hands. "You people are...!" I bit back the foulness and surging rage threatening to burst, realising that it wasn't worth it. "Forget it." I stormed out.
If no one was going to exact standard moral procedure, then I would do it myself. A lot of people seemed to be being letdowns in my life. It was depressing.
"Stevie stop."
Despite everything I felt, my legs came to a standstill at his call. Or did he words hold some spell to have them heed at his command? I turned my head to the suspected sorcerer manually rolling forward by the hand rims. "Would you get out of that chair already?" I snapped.
Creases formed along Garren's brows. "Are you upset?"
I eyed him incredulous. "No, I just have a habit to screaming at people for no particular reason—yes I'm bloody upset, Garren."
His lips pursed and he studied me momently. "Oh, this is about the campaign thing isn't it? Look, don't take what I said to heart. You're not just a pretty face to appeal to the feminist masses. I only said that to calm my nan. You know, her minds always focused on profit before anything else. You're perfectly capable of running— "
"That's not what I'm upset about! You just destroyed an entire name and reputation that took years of hard work to build! Do you even realise that?"
"What I did was expose a liar who was exploiting the system for his own personal gain,” he stated.
I scoffed. "Personal gain? Michael?" A humourless chuckle left my lips. "No Garren, you're the only one who made this personal. You didn't like being bossed around so you were looking for a way to get rid of Michael. Then you found one. And you could've gone about it discreetly, you could've told him you knew his secret and convinced him to quietly resign from being captain or fess up. But that wasn't enough to satisfy you. You wanted to crush his soul.
That's what you said you like to do to opponents, don't you? That's why you planted the story to Archie, he was the perfect pawn. Highest efficiency rate in the newspaper club but also naïvely young and eager to pitch the piece with no sense to ration. Any other member would've thought twice about taking your word Ms. Shepherd approved. Never in a million years would she allow a thing like this be brought out through a dingy school newsletter! It's comical. Everything you did Garren, was to flaunt your skills and to bury Michael under the ground as deep as possible."
I was met with a very calm stare, contrary to the indignation I was sure were reverberating in me. I couldn't remember ever losing my temper to that extent but Garren Adler was bringing out things in me I didn't know existed.
Finally, that classic prideful smirk spread on his lips. He lifted his hands and softly applauded, echoing in the empty corridor we stood in.
Garren rose to his feet. "Right you are. Spot on, Stevie Powell. I couldn't have said it better myself— well, actually, no of course I could but well done nonetheless. I'd been digging around like mad for something on that handicap promotion piece but it was a hell lot harder than finding dirt on a politician. I was close to admitting he was squeaky clean... until you came in."
I gritted my teeth. "Stop talking, Garren."
The esteem in his voice towards me did nothing but stir the pit in my stomach at reminding me how I was the cause of this mess.
When his fingers grasped my shoulders, I felt his touch through the layers of my clothes and it made my skin feel like it was on fire. "But don’t you get it? I was right to have you be at my side. This is clearly fate—"
"Garren shut up!" I pushed his hands away. A glimmer of alarm flashed in his eyes. "You know, I'm the idiot here for thinking you actually had a good side to you but you don't. And you don't care that you don't. You're just a power hungry, egotistical heartless spoilt brat and I'm done."
Garren blinked several times, at each one a series of obscure emotions flickering by. "Done? What do you mean done?"
"I'm done with being an Ace if it means sticking with a monster like you."
Garren was unresponsive at that. Eyes saucer wide and raw with undeniable bewilderment as he stared at me. Like the enchantment shattered, my legs obeyed me and I was moving as fast as possible to get away from the boy I'd greatly misjudged.