I narrowed my eyes at him. I might have been about to pee my pants, but he wasn’t going to see me sweat. “Move.” I couldn’t believe that one word came out steady.
A slow and wolfish grin emerged. “She does talk.” He moved a stray hair of mine that was stuck to my cheek behind my ear, slowly dragging his finger as though he were getting off on the act alone. “I’ll see you around, wild one.”
One of my eyebrows went up, like way up. I felt as though I needed to sprint home and take a shower. “You have me mistaken for someone else.”
He leaned down and whispered, “Not in the least.” Then he gave me a wide berth.
Shivering, I hurried into the principal’s office like a mouse being chased by a cat.
I could hear Sloane speaking in a low voice. “Don’t mess with her.”
I let out a nervous laugh as I sat down in a chair in front of the principal’s desk. Normally, I would wait for permission and practice manners, but to hell with that. My legs were trembling.
Calm down. He’s only trying to scare you.I just didn’t know why.
I blew out a breath, puffing out my cheeks. It was official. This might be the worst school year of my life.
Principal Sanders finished scribbling notes and set her pen down. “The reason I called you in this afternoon is because I have an opportunity for you.”
“Wait. Have you found out who’s responsible for the senior prank?”
She clasped her hands on her desk. “We haven’t, and unfortunately, the one camera we have outside the cafeteria door isn’t working.”
“Someone had to have seen the pigs on campus before they came into the school.”
“We’re checking with students and faculty.”
No student would tattle on another student. It would be social suicide.
“We’ll get to the bottom of it.” She sounded confident.
I didn’t. “My dad wants to know.” I stabbed my thumb behind me. “So Sloane and Trevor didn’t have anything to do with it?”
“Sloane’s stepbrother just enrolled.” Principal Sanders always made a point of having a sit-down with new students.
“I guess she isn’t moving, then,” I mumbled to myself, clenching my fists. Maiken wasn’t going to be happy about that. But at least Marcus was at the academy now, and Sloane was in Ashford, which meant Sloane might not cause trouble without Marcus around. Her stepbrother, on the other hand, might.
I stood. “I’ll let my dad know.”
She held up a hand. “We’re not finished.”
Oh yeah, opportunity.
I resumed my seat.
“I understand you’re on track to make valedictorian. Normally, the guidance counselor would be having this conversation with you. But Mrs. Flowers is out for the next month on personal leave. Until I find a temporary replacement, I’m handling some of her workload. I would like you to tutor this year. It will help your college applications.”
I did need an extracurricular activity other than being on the math team. I wasn’t sure if I had time to tutor, but with Maiken gone, my afternoons were free other than my own studying and chores on the farm.
“Do you have someone in mind?”
“Trevor Thames.”
No way on this planet.I cocked my head. “The boy who just left your office?”
She nodded. “He’s behind in some subjects since he missed the last two months of school in his sophomore year. If he can catch up on his math and English, then he can finish as a junior this year.”
“Does he know you want me to tutor him?”
