Page 98 of The Equation of Us
“Nora,” he interrupts gently. “Breathe.”
I close my eyes, forcing air into my lungs. “She was so hurt. So angry. She kicked us out.”
“Us?”
“Me and Sadie. She figured out Sadie knew too.”
Another brief silence. “Where are you now?”
“Back at the dorm.”
“Stay there. I’m coming over.”
“No,” I say quickly. “No, that’ll just make things worse if she decides to come here to confront you or something.”
“Nora, you’re upset. I want to be there.”
“I’m fine,” I insist, though the tremor in my voice betrays me. “I just needed to warn you. She might call you. Or text. I don’t know what she’s going to do.”
“I don’t care about that,” Dean says firmly. “I care about you.”
The simple statement makes tears well up again. “It’s my fault. I should have told her months ago.”
“We both should have,” he corrects. “This isn’t all on you.”
“You don’t understand,” I whisper. “She thinks I betrayed her. That I was using her to get information about you. That I—”
My phone buzzes against my ear—another call coming in. I pull the phone away just enough to check the screen.
Professor Wexler.
At 11:42 PM.
My blood turns to ice.
“Dean, I have to go. Wexler’s calling me.”
“Now? Why would he—”
“I don’t know. I’ll call you back.”
I switch to the incoming call before he can protest.
“Professor?” I answer, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Nora.” Wexler’s tone is clipped, formal in a way I’ve never heard before. “I need to see you in my office. First thing tomorrow morning. Eight o’clock.”
My heart sinks. “Is everything okay? Did something happen with the assay?”
“This isn’t about the lab work.” A pause. “The department has received a… complaint. Of a serious nature. Regarding your conduct as a peer tutor.”
The room tilts sideways, nausea rising in my throat. “My conduct?”
“I’d rather not discuss the details over the phone. But I’m obligated to inform you that it involves allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student you’ve been tutoring.”
Daphne. It has to be. But how could she have moved so quickly?
“Professor, I—”
