Page 44 of The Perfect Catch

“You’ll get a truancy, Miss Adams,” he called down the hall behind me.

At that point, I didn’t care. I didn’t need a perfect record for citizenship if I could save Dax from being expelled altogether from our school.

My footsteps echoed through the halls, and I ran around to the side of the office, pushing open the door and trying to catch my breath.

“Is he in there?” I asked the secretary, pointing to the principal’s office.

“Yes, but I wouldn’t go in there just now. He’s in a disciplinary meeting.”

Probably with Dax.

I stepped forward and opened the door, and the surprise on Dax’s face was priceless.

“Is there something you need, Miss Adams?” Mr. McKee asked, his lips pursed and eyes flashing. “We’re in the middle of a disciplinary meeting.”

“That’s what I came to talk to you about, sir,” I said, glancing between him and Dax a couple of times as I shut the door behind me. Dax’s eyebrows drew together like he couldn’t believe I was doing this.

“Go on,” Mr. McKee said, waving his hand in my direction.

I blew out a breath, now avoiding looking in Dax’s direction as nerves crept into my stomach and chest. “I’ve gotten to know Dax over the past few weeks. He’s been working so hard toward graduation, trying to stay out of trouble and doing everything he can to graduate from Rosemont. If there is someone you should blame for the fight today, it’s Trent Jacobs.”

Mr. McKee’s face showed curiosity, and I continued on, the words tumbling out in the process.

“Trent said some derogatory things about me, and Dax was only trying to defend me.” I turned to look at Dax, giving him a grateful smile.

“How did you know that?” Dax asked, the corner of his mouth turned up a few centimeters.

“Several people in my eighth-period class confirmed it. I got in late because I was grabbing some supplies for Ms. Shiels, and when I got back, it was all my class could talk about.”

“So there were more witnesses?” Mr. McKee asked, his fingers interlocked and his elbows resting on the desk.

“Yes, sir,” I said, nodding.

Mr. McKee nodded. “Okay, Miss Adams. Wait outside.”

I glanced back in Dax’s direction, hoping my intervention had helped somewhat. He gave me a small smile, his eyes boring into mine as I closed the door.

“Kate, what are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in class?”

I turned to face my mother, taking a moment to breathe as the courage I’d had upon leaving my class built again.

“I’m here to defend Dax,” I said, straightening my shoulders, trying to look a little more confident than I felt.

“Why?”

“Because I like him and he’s a really good guy. After all I’ve been through this year, he defended me when Trent was spreading lies today. I would think that deserves some praise.” My mouth clamped shut as anger took over. Why was she so hard on people with their imperfections?

She rested her hand on her hip and moved toward me. “Trent did that to you?”

I nodded. “I’m pretty sure if you found out the truth from Dax’s previous fight with Trent, you’d see he was the start of that problem as well.”

My mother glanced toward the closed door and then back at me before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around me. “I’m so sorry, Katie Bug. I didn’t know.”

The use of my childhood nickname brought tears to my eyes. It had been so long since she’d called me that, and the tender way she’d said it made me want to curl up and hide away for a few days after this was all over. It had been scary to challenge the authority of my teacher and then charge into the principal’s office, but I’d risk the fallout. As long as Dax was given a chance to stay, it would all be worth it.

“I’m sorry I pushed you to date him. And I’m sorry I didn’t give Dax a chance.”

I pulled away, wiping at a few stray tears, and nodded. “I try not to lie to you, Mother, but I wish you’d let me make my own decisions. I need to be able to have room to breathe, have time to decide what is best for myself.”

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