Page 86 of Mercy & Malice

About five minutes later, LeBlanc hurries in. “Sorry I kept you waiting, Brooke.” He notices me in the back of the classroom and stills. “I don’t have you on the list for any makeup work.”

No shit. “I’m with her.”

He takes a look at Brooke, then rushes to her. “Your eye? What happened?”

When he reaches for her, I’m on my feet and in between them. “Keep your hands to yourself.”

LeBlanc takes a step back before he asks, “Is there something either of you want to tell me?”

“Not a fucking thing,” I answer bluntly.

Brooke gets out of her seat and shifts in front of me. “It’s okay. I took an elbow last night while cheering at the game. No biggie. Can I take the quiz now?”

LeBlanc turns his attention to me. “I need to speak with Brooke alone. Step out into the hallway.”

“No.” I’m not imagining the way he looks at Brooke, and I’ve also noticed how he’s taken a liking to particular female students.

“Micah, it’s okay,” Brooke states as there’s a knock on the door.

Tara peeks her head in the door. “Good morni⁠—”

She goes straight up to Brooke, her hand clasping Brooke’s chin as she examines her injury. “What’s this?”

Brooke takes a step back as she explains, “Elbow to the eye during the game last night as I just told Mr. LeBlanc. Makeup can only cover up so much. Can I take my quiz now, please?”

Tara looks between us then stops on me. “Did you do this?”

I try to keep a lid on my frustration but don’t do a very good job at it. “Are you fucking kidding me? You think I hit her?”

“Mom, seriously. That’s not at all what happened.”

Tara tells LeBlanc, “Can you excuse us for a minute? This is a private family matter.” He only moves to the side of the classroom but doesn’t leave.

“I was at the game last night, Brooke. I would’ve noticed you getting hit in the face at some point.”

“You weren’t there the entire game, Mom. Just give it a rest. I need to get the quiz done before first period.”

“Is that why you scurried out of the house so early? I recognize that things have been tense around the house, but what I really need from both of you is honesty.”

She actually believes I’d lift my hand to Brooke. The woman evidently doesn’t know a goddamn thing about me or how I feel about her daughter. “I would never lay a hand on her. I also wouldn’t stand by and let someone else do so without giving them severe consequences, Mrs. Guidry.”

Her flinch tells me my point was taken exactly as it was meant. She’s got some nerve to accuse me when she failed to protect her own child from the man she married. And kept her under the same roof with the motherfucker considering what he was doing to her.

“Stop it.” Brooke grabs her bag and heads for the door. “I have to go. Just leave my grade the same.”

I follow behind her. But I take the moment to tell Tara one more time in case she didn’t get the point already. “I would never fucking hit her.”

When I get out into the hallway, I see Troy tailing Brooke down the corridor. We’re in the parking lot before I finally catch up with her.

“Just go away, Micah,” she shouts. “I don’t want to be the girl who was taken or the girl who was beat by her father or the girl who needs a guardian to follow her around because she constantly needs rescuing.”

“We’re only trying to keep you safe,” I say.

“From what? My AP Calculus quiz? That’s got to be an overly complicated ordeal too? I don’t need you constantly swooping in where it really is none of your business.”

“You are my business. And you should’ve come to me about Julian. And the fact that you went to my brother just proves you know that you’ll never be able to depend on me.”

“Micah, I⁠—”