David cleared his throat and tugged his shirt out an inch. "I—uh—a decision's been made." His eyes found Mason's and they hardened.

Mason lifted his chin, but that was his only reaction.

David narrowed his. "When Adam woke up, he wouldn't tell us what the fight was about." His eyes skirted to me with a dark question in them. "But he admitted that he was the initial aggressor. He said you were trying to leave, but he wouldn't let you. Then when you got out of your vehicle, he harassed you and threatened you. Fallen Crest Academy does not take Adam's actions lightly, but since you charged him and knocked him out, we've decided on a punishment. Adam's parents do not wish to pursue criminal charges against you. Instead, they have agreed with the following discipline in three parts."

Mason's mouth hardened, but he was stone face otherwise.

David glanced at me again. An unreadable emotion flashed in them, but he slipped back into his professional mode. "Since you are not a student at Fallen Crest Academy, they are unable to seek expulsion or suspension in any form. However, we've already sent word to your school's officials and we highly recommend that you be suspended from them—"

Logan surged forward. "No way, he'd be out of the game on Friday. We need him against Roussou."

"Son." James clasped a hand on his shoulder. "Let Coach Strattan finish."

Logan quieted, but glared at my dad.

David continued, "As I was saying, we are seeking a suspension for you, but it will be up to your school if they follow through with that recommendation. Now, after four hours of deliberations we've decided that you will volunteer at our school's alumni festival this Saturday."

"What does that mean?" Mason had leaned back against the table where I sat, but he stood now. His arm brushed against my leg.

I glanced down at the contact. A shiver went through me, but my heart pounded. He had said three parts, those were only two…

"You will help with the set up, you will do whatever I tell you to do throughout the day to help out, and you will help with the clean up. There is a dinner that night for the volunteer and staff. I will determine if you will be invited to that or not."

"Oh." Mason leaned back beside me again. His arm was loose again. "That's fair."

David frowned at him.

"You said three parts," I spoke up. David turned towards me and pinned me with his gaze. He was trying to search inside of me. His eyes narrowed and they glanced back and forth from Mason and me.

"Sam," my mom hissed.

David held a hand up. "No, that's fine, Analise. I did say three parts and the third part's already been taken care of. Your father has made a generous donation to the school."

Logan snorted. "Dad, you bought his way out—"

James turned on him. "You will keep your mouth shut, Logan."

His eyes widened and his mouth jerked in reaction, but Logan shrunk against the counter he sat on. His eyes took on an angry leer.

James' eyes were lidded, but he turned towards my father and jerked his head down in a nod. "As you were saying, David…"

My dad cleared his throat once more.

Malinda moved forward a step and touched the small of his back.

My heart snapped and I jumped to my feet. "What are you doing in here?"

"Samantha!"

I ignored my dad and walked to her. "You're Mark's mother. You have no connection to anyone in here. Why are you here?"

Her mouth formed a small oval, but she looked to David.

He stepped between us and spoke in a quiet voice, "She is here for me. She's become a good friend to me, Samantha."

I fell back, reeling, and looked at my mother. She had grown pale with a hand pressed against her chest. Her other hand clung to one of James'. It was hidden from eyesight, but I still saw it. When she realized that I saw it, she gasped and retracted her hand to her side.

Why was she pale? And why did she need comfort from James…then I understood. My heart sank and my stomach had dropped to the floor. It was really over with them. My mom had moved on with James, David was starting to move on as well… My head fell forward and I hugged myself.

A hand touched my side gently. Mason tugged me back by the belt loop on my jeans. He tucked me behind him and moved forward a step. "I heard that festival is for two days?"

David was still looking between us. "Uh—yes—yes, it is." He frowned. "Why?"

"I could volunteer both days."

"You could?"

"Man," Logan hissed softly.

Mason nodded. He held his gaze steadily. "It's the least I could do."

David gave him a sad smile. "Your school won't suspend you. We both know that, they need you for their football game."

The corner of Mason's mouth twitched. "What time should I be here on Saturday?"

"Seven sharp. Come to my office."

Mason's head jerked in a nod. "Will do."

David looked at me. "Would you come to my office later today?"

I stared at Malinda behind him. "No."

"Sam."

He waved a hand in the air. "It's fine, Analise. I can talk to her next week."

My mom trembled, but she nodded at him and tried to muster a smile.

For a moment, David looked around the room and then he gave out a soft sigh. "I guess I'll be in touch then…"

James strode forward and held out a hand. "Thank you, David."

They clasped their hands in a firm handshake and studied each other for a beat. Then David nodded again and turned for the door. He held it open as Malinda swept out before him. Pain sliced through me when I saw his hand touch the small of her back and remain there, even after they went in the hallway.

When the door closed, I was barely aware of Mason. He stood and I heard his voice at a distance, "Mom's coming to town. We'd like to stay with her at the hotel."

"I think that'd be for the best this week…"

"Fine."

"Fine."

And then there was silence. David and Analise were actually done… The realization settled on my chest and a wave of tears threatened me. I rushed from the room and shoved through the hallway. When I found an empty backroom, I locked the door, kept the lights off, and slid to the ground. My forehead touched my knees and I sobbed.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

I went to my last two classes, though I didn't learn a thing. My body had gone numb again. I missed that feeling and I was itching for another three hour run. My body ached for it.

Becky chatted to me after school. I had no idea what she said, but I nodded my head at random moments and she kept chatting away. When I looked for my keys in my bag, I cursed and hit my head against my locker.

"What?"

I mumbled, "Mason drove me today."

"He did?" She straightened from a locker. "Oh, right. That makes sense, why he was here…wait…is he coming back to give you a ride home?"

Then my phone beeped and I pulled it out. He had sent me four text messages and the last one read, 'two practices tonight, then with mom and logan. Can you get a ride home? Need me to send someone?'

I cursed again. "Can I get a ride home with you?"

Becky's eyes got wide and her lips clamped together. A strange gurgle escaped her lips.

"What does that mean?"

She whispered, "Adam gave me a ride." She jumped back and pressed a hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry."

"No, that's fine. I'll think of something."

She edged closer a step. "He can't come and get you?"

I shook my head. My throat was so closed up, had been all day. "No, they have two practices tonight and their mom's in town." And that meant I wouldn't see either of them all week…probably… I swallowed over a lump.

"Hey, I bet Adam would give you a ride!" Her head bounced up and down. "Yeah, yeah. I bet he would. I think he feels real bad. He called me last night and said that he wanted to make things better with you. He wanted all three of us to be friends again."

"He did?"

"Uh, yeah. I mean, why would he make that up if he didn't mean it?" Her grin turned sloppy and a glaze drifted over her eyes.

Oh boy. I recognized that look.

She sighed dreamily, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if all three of us hung out again? And then maybe he'd realize he needed me in his life?"

I gave her a blank stare. "What do you mean? You are in his life; he gave you a ride to school."

"Yeah, I know." Her eyes drifted downwards and she bit the corner of her lip. "I was just meaning that if us three were better friends. It felt like we were going to be before, but then he got all weird and mad at you. It changed when he found out about the Kades, now that I think about it."

"Becky."

She turned to me. Her eyes clicked into focus. "Uh?"

"What's going on with you?"

Her eyeballs went from side to side. "What do you mean?"

"You're weird, weirder than normal." Then it clicked in place. "What have people been saying about me?"

As soon as I said that, she sucked in her breath dramatically and scooted away from me.

"Becky." I clamped onto her arm so she couldn't go any further. "What's going on?"

She patted her chest and it rose higher and higher. It looked like she was hyperventilating or having a panic attack. I hoped not, I needed answers.

"Becky!"

"Okay, okay." She dragged me down the hallway and into the empty theatre. It was dark where we were, but the lights were bright on the stage where a group of people stood in a small circle. I didn't care what they were doing up there.

"Spill. Now."

She looked in pain as she rushed out, "MirandaStewarthatesyouandnow everyoneelsedoestoo." She took a deep breath. "And everyone thinks Adam and Mason fought over you. Everybody knows something happened at the Elite dinner Miranda had and that you guys went there, but no one will say what happened…so…people are figuring out their own guesses."

"People think Mason and Adam fought over me?" A blast of cold air rocked me again. My stomach dropped out again and a surreal feeling of terror started to settle in. Was I ready for this? The knot had doubled in size. I forcibly swallowed one more time. I knew what would happen if people found out…

"No, yes, I mean—I don't know. We don't really know. Some people think it's about Logan. I'm not sure why, because of Tanya or something. I have no idea. Everyone knows Logan took Tanya away from Adam and we all saw that Cassandra and Adam were flirting. Now they don't even talk to each other. Something happened."

"Oh." Relief washed over me. Adam's fight with Logan over Tanya made more sense, didn't it? "Yeah, I mean, Logan wasn't nice at the dinner. He rubbed it in Adam's face."

"Rubbed it in?" A hollow laugh came from behind me. Jessica gripped her books tight and glared at me. "We heard he was practically having sex with Tanya at the dinner. No wonder Adam popped his cherry and went after Mason today." She eyed me up and down and curled her lip in a sneer. "We also heard that Emily Connsway laughed in your face. Way to go, Sam."

The theatre door was open and a small group had congregated behind us.

"Give it a rest, Jess." Lydia sidled up beside her and leveled her with a piercing look. "Stop making up lies, stop being a bitch, and apologize to Sam for what you did."

Jessica's back straightened. "Me? Apologize? What did I do to her? She stood there and let Logan Kade humiliate me. He used to like me and she ruined that. You ruined my life, Sam. Thanks a lot."