Page 36 of Mr. Principal

“Yes, it was,” I said combatively. “Until I ruined things.”

“Ruined things? Being with you that night didn’t ruin anything for me. Sorry if you feel differently.” His words weren’t angry, just matter of fact.

“I don’t know how I feel. I just know what we did… back then… was wrong.”

He didn’t look convinced. “Is it wrong to be with the person you love?”

My heart skipped a beat and I could no longer meet his eyes. I knew. I always knew. But our timing had always been off. I would never forget when I met Carter. I’d instantly said to myself that he was the type of guy that I wanted to marry.

But he hadn’t seemed interested in me and he had had plenty of girls vying for his attention. I’d settled with just being his friend. And he had been a great friend and I’d made myself not want anything with him more than friendship. And then I’d met Tom and figured my infatuation with Carter would just disappear if I dated Tom more, until eventually Tom and I were an item.

I’d just stuck with the script I thought my life had written me. Up until that night… that night that I’d found a pair of panties that weren’t mine in Tom’s car.

I could remember that night as if it were yesterday. I’d borrowed Tom’s car to pick up something to eat. I’d dropped my wallet on the passenger seat and of course, since I was a reckless driver back then, I’d taken a corner too fast and my wallet had disappeared under the seat.

While looking for it, my hand had closed over something that felt like paper, but it was cold. Upon further investigation, I found out that it was an empty condom wrapper and lying right next to it had been a pair of panties.

And they were definitely not mine.

I’d been so upset that I’d driven like a mad woman out of the drive-thru line and headed straight to the campus.

I’d marched up the stairs of my dorm, threw open my door, and proceeded to scream at the top of my lungs at Tom who had been sleeping in my bed. He had sat up, totally unaware of what was going on.

But I had the evidence. I pulled the panties and condom wrapper out of my pocket and tossed them at him.

He easily dodged them and then picked them up.

“You’re a fucking cheater! How could you do this to me?” I’d yelled, slamming the door behind me. I’d heard murmurs in the hall, but I wasn’t done yet. If I was going to get kicked out of the dorm for going crazy on my boyfriend, so be it.

He hadn’t responded immediately. Instead, he had had the audacity to yawn and stretch, taking his time to answer me.

I’d been livid. Livid.

“Answer me,” I shouted, slamming my hand down on my dresser so hard that pain radiated up my arm.

“Calm down,” he said with a sigh as if I was some disobedient child that he just happened to tolerate. “I let Jeff borrow my car and apparently he had a wild night. That’s not a crime.”

“You’re a liar,” I said hotly, crossing my arms.

“Stop the name calling,” he said, “I told you what happened, so you can either accept the truth or continue acting like a petulant child. Your choice.”

And then like that he had tossed the two items on the floor and laid back down in my bed, facing away from me.

“That’s it… that’s all you have to say?” I said, my voice cracking.

“You’re being emotional and childish right now,” he said, finally flipping over and arrogantly placing his arms behind his head.

“Emotional and childish?” I sobbed, my anger disappearing and easily replaced by hurt. “Look what I found in your car!” I yelled, pointing at where he’d discarded the items.

“I’m done discussing this,” he said, yet again flipping over. “Wake me up when you grow up.”

At that moment a knock sounded on my room door. I snatched the door open and my resident advisor stood there looking concerned. There was a crowd of onlookers around, openly gawking, not even bothering to look discreet.

“Are you okay?” The resident advisor asked me. Her name was Susan and she was a sweetheart.

I looked behind me toward Tom who hadn’t even bothered to face us and tried to keep additional tears from falling as I turned back to Susan.

“I’m fine. I just… I just need some air.”