Page 55 of Alive and Kicking
He walks up the stairs without another word, and my brows lower. What’s going on with him? Hands hold my shoulders from behind and I lean back into Zane’s chest. I can always tell it’s him by the strong, piney scent of turpentine that always follows him. His arms wrap around my shoulders. “Sloane’s just weird about stuff like this. He’ll be back to normal tomorrow.” His lips press into the hair at the top of my head. “He was right though, it is late. Go get in bed. I’m going to take these phones to Nox.”
I nod, turning my head and pressing a kiss to his lips. Walking up the stairs, I can’t help but wonder what set Sloane off. He’d been fine staying up with me waiting for Zane to get back. I hadn’t explained to him what Zane was up to, though I knew the gist of it. Not what they learned tonight, but I knew the rest. Should I have given him a warning about what they were doing before they came back?
The next day, Sloane acts like nothing happened. He doesn’t bring up last night, but neither do I.
The three of us are walking to lunch together when my phone rings. Looking down at it, I feel dread pitch in my stomach. It’s a call from the dean’s office. The only reason for me to get a call from the dean’s office would be if I’d done something really great or really bad. I haven’t done anything really great, unless you count castrating that football player last year, but I doubt I’m getting a call to thank me for that.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Hello. I’m calling to speak to Viv Russo,” a woman says with a clipped tone.
She doesn’t sound mean or mad. Just like she’s a very ‘down to business’ type of woman. “This is her,” I reply.
The woman hums. “The dean would like to speak with you. There have been some serious accusations made. Are you able to come in now? I see on your schedule that you don’t have any classes at this time.”
“Umm, yeah. I can be there in a few minutes.”
“Good. We will see you soon then.”
The call disconnects before I can ask for clarification on what is going on and my mind immediately goes to blackmailing the criminology department chair. Am I going to be expelled for this. I should have found some dirt on the dean just in case this happened. I look between Zane and Sloane. “I have to go see the dean.”
Sloane frowns. “Why?”
I shake my head. “No idea. I’ll catch up with you guys later. Go ahead without me.” Zane opens his mouth, but I cut him off, “I’ll be fine, go on.”
He closes his mouth and, after a moment, follows Sloane as I head to the dean’s office alone. Walking through the door, I find his secretary waiting for me behind her desk. “Are you Viv Russo?” she asks.
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Okay. Go on in. He’s waiting for you.” She gives me a soft smile, at odds with how she was over the phone.
The door is heavy as I push it open to find a man sitting behind a desk in the center of the room. Dean Callahan is an older man, in his early sixties at least, and has a serious air about him that makes me feel like a child again. His brown eyes find mine and I’m relieved to find that he looks kind. “Miss Russo, please have a seat,” he says as he gestures at the plush leather armchairs across from him.
I sit down in one, crossing my legs and placing my hands on my thighs. But I don’t say anything. This feels an awful lot like an interrogation, and Enzo always taught me to never speak first. “There have been some accusations made against you by another student.”
I frown at that. This had never even crossed my mind as a possibility for this meeting. When I don’t say anything, he continues, “There have been serious accusations that you’ve somehow broken into another student’s records and changed their name to something… Inappropriate. According to this student, you’re the only one who has referred to her as such.”
I sit back in my chair. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. I don’t even know where the records are kept. How would I have gotten into them and changed a student’s name without being caught on some kind of security footage. This just doesn’t make sense.”
He folds his hands on the desk. “It’s more likely that the culprit got into the schools online records and changed the name that way.”
My brows lower over my eyes. “Honestly sir, I don’t know the first thing about computers. I’m not even taking any computer classes. You’ve got my transcripts, and I’ve only ever taken the required class for computer use. I don’t think learning how to use a spreadsheet on word would have helped me become some kind of evil computer hacking mastermind.” His lips tilt up, and I push it by speaking again before he can say something. “I believe I know who made this accusation. And If I’m right then she has ulterior motives. Carol used to see Sloane McKenna. He broke things off with her last year and began seeing me. It’s been a sore spot for her since it happened. She hasn’t been able to take no for an answer. Last year she instigated a fight with me over him, and I admit I broke her hand when she tried to attack me. I feel like this is no more than her trying to get revenge. Also, if I remember correctly, Carol is minoring in computer science. I hate to suggest such a thing, but maybe she changed her own name and is trying to frame me for it.”
I frown, shaking my head like I’m so disappointed in pitiful little Chlamydia, and the dean seems to take the bait even though I feel like I laid it on just a bit too thick. “That is a fair point. Either way there is no evidence to show who the perpetrator could be. However, there was more than one accusation brought to my attention. And this oneisbacked up with evidence.” He pushes a manilla envelope across the desk to me.
I pick it up, but before I manage to open it he speaks again. “I’m sure you’re aware that our school has a strict code of conduct. This behavior is unbecoming of a student at this school. So I’m sure you understand I have no choice but to place you under an academic disciplinary action.”
I open the folder, blinking at the pages. Inside is not proof of me blackmailing a department head or castrating a football player. Inside are candid photos of me with Sloane, Zane, and Nox. In some of them we’re all together holding hands or even kissing, and in others it’s just me one on one with them. None of them are inappropriate. Just proof that I’ve been in a relationship with three men. I’m just glad there aren’t any photos of me and Cain at least.
I look up at the dean. “I don’t understand, actually.”
He blinks and gestures to the folder. “Students at this school are expected to behave with integrity, and this is far from integral behavior Miss Russo.”
I can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of me. It’s dark and dangerous. Viviana Rossi has entered the chat. My head tilts to the side as I sit up straighter. “Dean Callahan, I would be more than willing to accept a disciplinary action.” He smiles smugly, but I continue, “If you plan to also hand out the same disciplinary actions to anyone casually dating multiple partners, or those that have been caught cheating on their partners. I know for a fact several players on the football and hockey teams are currently cheating on their girlfriends. Let’s not forget the swim team and track teams. It’s not a secret that the triathlon team really gets around either. If I’m the only one being disciplined for something many other students are doing, I’ll consider that personal harassment and you should expect to hear from my family’s lawyer.” His smile falls.
I was wrong, this man is not kind. He’s an asshole. Simple as that. The backpedaling starts and I want to smile at his sudden worry. “There’s no need for that. You’re absolutely right, Miss Russo. This has all just been one big misunderstanding. There’s no need for any further action from these baseless accusations.”
He reaches to take the folder from me, but I pull it away. “I’ll be keeping this. In case I decide to contact my lawyer after all.It’s nice to have proof that I’ve been both stalked and harassed at your school. And that I was the one who you attempted to discipline rather than the person that has been taking photos of me for months without my knowledge.”
