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“Maybe? I can’t remember. It doesn’t matter.” She rises to her feet and starts spinning around, her skirt swirling about her legs. “I feel free and in love and it’s the best feeling ever!”
“I’m happy for you.” I try to infuse joy in my voice but … it’s difficult when I’m feeling so melancholy.
Iris stops spinning, staring at me. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look sad.”
I promptly burst into tears at her questioning and she wraps me up in her arms, consoling me with soft murmurs while running her fingers through my hair. When I’ve composed myself somewhat, she pulls away slightly, her hands gripping my upper arms while she studies my face. “What happened? Tell me everything. Did Rhett do something?”
“N-no.” I shake my head, a fresh set of tears flowing. “He’s pp-perfect.”
“Then, what is it? I don’t understand.” Her confusion is evident on her face and I want to tell her so badly what’s going on, but I can’t have her marching over to Westscott’s office to scream at him. I just can’t.
“If I tell you, you have to promise not to do anything but listen.” I stare into her eyes. “Can you promise?”
Her expression turns wary. “I don’t know. Can I?”
“Probably not.” I sigh and shake my head. “Then I can’t tell you.”
“Come on, Willow. You need to get it off your chest. Something is clearly bothering you. Just tell me.”
I consider my options. Keep this secret inside of me until I burst and possibly tell the wrong person? Go to my parents? That won’t make me feel any better.
Grabbing Iris’s hands, I squeeze them in mine, putting on my most menacing face, which isn’t that menacing at all. “Swear on Brooks’s body that you won’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you.
Iris seems alarmed by my demand. “Swear on his body?”
I nod. “You have to, or I’m keeping my mouth shut.”
“Oh, come on, Willow.”
“Nope.” I shake my head. “Swear on it.”
“Fine.” She sighs. “I swear on it.”
“Say it.”
“I swear on Brooks’s sexy body, especially his massive penis.” Iris throws her hands into the air. “You happy now?”
“Yes.” Though I didn’t need to hear about his massive penis, my God.
I launch into the story, telling her every single thing Westscott said to me that morning. How I am a potential distraction and he can’t take the risk. How he threatened me to stay away or he’d make my life miserable. As if I’m not as important as the athletic program at the school. The more I say, the angrier Iris gets, and now she’s the one who looks like she’s going to burst when I’m finished with my tale.
“I cannot BELIEVE you’ve kept this from me.” Iris’s hands are curled into fists as she paces back and forth in my room, her face red, her mouth curled into a snarl. “Westscott is a fucking snake!”
“You’re shouting,” I tell her, my voice calm. “And there’s nothing we can do about it.”
Iris comes to a stop, glaring at me in disbelief. “You’re kidding me. There is definitely something we can do about it. Does he know who he’s messing with? We’re Lancasters!”
“Right, and he’s the headmaster who’s trying to turn this school around. Do you know that before he started, it was on the verge of becoming a financial drain? They were losing money every year for the last five years.” I did a little research on my own and discovered that interesting tidbit. “They were even contemplating shutting down the school.”
Iris’s mouth drops open. “This place is legendary. An institution!”
“It had become a financial burden. Westscott turned it around, specifically by bringing Rhett into the football program. Other families are now lining up to have their children go to the school and be a part of the program. Admissions are up. Tuition is up. Westscott is the reason for that. He’s untouchable,” I stress.
“He is not,” Iris retorts. “Fuck that guy. I don’t care if he’s turned the school around and is making our family millions of dollars. He has no right to threaten you or tell you what to do.”
“I don’t want to hurt Rhett’s potential career.” I shake my head. “I could put it at risk. He needs to focus on football and nothing else.”
“After what happened between the two of you over the weekend, do you really believe he’s going to let you go so easily?” At the doubt that crosses my face, Iris snorts. “No, he’s not. He’s so gone for you, Willow. I saw the way he looked at you, especially today. Nothing is going to stop that boy from wanting to spend time with you. Not even you.”
