Page 117 of Redeeming the Villain
The headline reads,A Congressman’s Daughter Assaulted on School Grounds by a Faculty Member.
Pictured beneath the ridiculously long title is a photo of me … being cornered in the practice room by Rupert. Eerie shivers straighten my back and twist my stomach.
How? There aren’t even cameras in those rooms. Where did the photo even come from?
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you … that it was you.”
The girl starts to pull her phone away, but I grab it and quickly scroll, skimming the article as shock rolls through me.
My dad knew about it, told me to stay quiet, and then spoke about it in an exclusive interview? How could he use my fucking trauma for his own benefit? And without even telling me?
Are you kidding me?
My mother’s kind face flashes in my mind. She would be so disappointed in who he ended up becoming. I might not have known her for a lot of my life, but I knew her enough to know that she would hate who he is now.
My dad spills in his interview about how hard this has been for me and how I wanted to keep everything private. But apparently, I changed my mind and wanted to use this to advocate for campus security.
Laughing angrily, I hand her phone back to her and grab my stuff. “Thank you.” Without another word, I grab Sunny’s leash, who looks up at me concerningly.
Dogs are perceptive, but especially my Sunny girl. I swear she’s the biggest empath I’ve ever met.
“Come on, baby.”
We walk out of class, which was seconds from ending anyway, and stride out of Hubert Hall to head back to our room.
Taking my phone out, I call Phillip, someone who understands politically manipulative parents. But I find that he’s already calling me.
“Hello?” I answer, realizing my voice was sharp and quick.
He sighs. “I imagine you’ve seen it?”
My blood boils. “Oh, yeah. Definitely saw it! What the hell, Phillip?! I mean, I feel like I’m dreaming, and this is a crazy-vivid one that feels so real. But then I’m going to wake up because there’s no way in hell that my dad is using my assault to win over voters.”
Sunny and I turn the corner, passing Happily Ever After Floral, then Cogsworth Coffee, and then the biggest quad on campus. Of course, I had to find this out when I was in one of the farthest lecture halls from my dorm.
“I’m sorry, Lore. It’s a dirty fucking move. Did he even tell you about it?”
“No!” I shout, realizing it was more like a scream as students’ heads whip my way. “He didn’t even know it was me.”
“He found out somehow,” he mutters.
“What the hell?” My voice is quiet as I squint at the buzzing group three hundred feet in front of me. But by the time I recognize the threat, it’s too late; they’re already striking.
“Alora! Alora Briarwood! Tell us …”
“Alora! How do you feel, being on campus after the attack?”
“Miss Briarwood! How does it feel, having such a caring father?”
“Alora, with your father running for senator, are you hoping for change to be implemented on campus for student safety?”
Phillip’s voice cuts through the overbearing questions. “Where are you?”
“Main quad!” I nearly shout into the phone because I’m stuck in a circle of human vultures, moving slowly as I take small steps forward, Sunny tucked tightly against my side.
“Please, move!” I shout, the polite response to the media flowing from me with muscle memory. And then I remember that I don’t give a fuck anymore when it comes to appeasing my dad. “Get the hell out of my way!”
“Has the attack made you bitter?” a guy asks, shoving his phone in my face.
