Three's a crowd

33

Air freshener and furniture polish, the smell that was only found in one room of the entire school. The room you never wanted to go to. Principal Donovan's office.

I sat with my my dad outside the little box room opposite Riley and Spencer as Carl and his distraught mother were inside. Her voice was elevated and honestly she was acting a little dramatic in my opinion.

His mother practically dragged him out of the room, and down the hall away from us as he held his head down, probably to hide the mark on his eye caused by Riley. Even Carl wouldn't be so stupid to say anything in front of all our parents.

Riley was called next as he and Spencer went in. I couldn't hear what they said because Riley wasn't yelling. But Spencer didn't look mad when they exited fifteen minutes later. Riley gave me a brief hug before he left with his dad as we were finally called into the office.

"Zac it's good to see you!" Principal Donovan smiled.
"Likewise Stan!" Dad replied. Of course he was friends with the principal.

"So Britt, you obviously know we are here to talk about the fight that occurred at lunch today." Donovan said.
"Sure." I shrugged.
"So why don't you tell me what happened."  He sat down behind his desk.

"Well, I was talking to Riley when Ava and Kyle said that Carl was looking for us, he was mad about something that happened in biology class.."
"And what was that?" He asked as I blushed.

I looked at my dad as he nodded for me to continue. I really didn't want to tell him this way either but I wasn't going to get out of it, not this time.

I let out a deep breath "he was mad because he found out I'm not a virgin, not that it's any of his business."

Dad went rigid beside me for a brief moment before I continued. "Anyway, while I was talking to Riley, Carl charged at us and tried to grab me. Then he started pushing Riley hitting him in the side of his head. Riley hit him back but only because Carl wouldn't stop. Kyle and several other people tried to stop it before Mr Hall came out and broke it up."

"I see, was there anything else before this?" He asked.

"Carl had charged at me in class after he found out and Mr Hall had to restrain him." I said.

"Okay and do you happen to know why Carl is so invested in your love life?"

I turned my face away on instinct. I wasn't ready to admit what had happened, Dad had already had enough news for today.

"There was an incident in the past but that's all I'm going to say." I played with my hands not making eye contact.

"Alright well Zac, since Britt wasn't involved in the altercation she's not looking at any punishments. It appears that everyone is saying the same thing so Riley is off the hook too."

"What about the other kid?" Dad asked.

"Well. It's his first offense so he's got a month of detention and he is to leave both Britt and Riley alone from now on."

I didn't speak, even though I wanted to scream at the lack of action on the schools part. Mr Hall had even witnessed how unstable he was and yet he was still going to be able to sit in class with a slap on the wrist.

Dad didn't speak until we got to the car. I was prepared for him to yell, or be upset about me having sex, but I wasn't prepared for what came next.

"It was him wasn't it? That kid was the one Riley was talking about in Hawaii? The one that assaulted you?" He spoke softly as he pulled me into a hug when I started crying.

He didn't say anything else until we got home. I had made it very clear I didn't want to talk about it and instead locked myself in my room. Of course my parents were smarter than I am, calling Riley and his parents over to coax me out of my room.

Riley didn't speak much when I first let him in, even when I locked the door behind him. He held me close and distracted me with how his dad had told Principal Donovan that Riley was defending himself and me, and that if the school was going to punish him for standing up for a female that he would contact every media outlet in the area and tell them the school condoned male students fighting female students.

I have to admit it did help a little, but not enough to noticeably tell. When he let out a sigh and sat me down on the bed beside him, holding my hand and I knew he was about to breach an undesired topic.

"Britt we need to tell them."
"I know"
"Our dads already know about the mountains but I think our mothers would be more accepting if it came from us."

I felt relieved that this was the topic he wanted to talk about. I hated the idea of talking about our private life, but the alternative conversation isn't any more appealing.

"I also think," He took a deep breath before letting it out slowly, "I think we need to tell them what happened with Carl."
"Riley I can't" I protested.
"You can, and they need to know. I'll be right there with you, but Britt he's not going to stop and today proved that he isn't afraid of the consequences. If something happened to you I would never..."

He choked up on the last part and I felt a gut wrenching flash of guilt. I knew it wasn't fair to expect him to keep holding onto this secret. It was fine before, when Carl was gone, but now he was back and Riley was right. No matter how much I didn't want to explain and relive that day, Carl was more determined this time, and I couldn't expect Riley to be around all the time.

"Fine, but promise you won't leave?" I pleaded as he pulled me into his arms again.
"I'm not going anywhere Britt."

I relaxed into him before I finally worked up the courage and stood up, pulling him behind me as I unlocked the door and walked to the living room to sit with our parents. Of course they all turned to look at me, only increasing the nausea I felt as I tried to fight the bile trying to rise in my throat.

"So before I say anything, I have one condition. If I'm completely honest about everything I need you guys to promise me that Riley can stay tonight. I'm serious." I said as my hands began to shake.

My mom looked shocked but dad's eyes softened. He already knew the general idea of everything from school, so at least he was on my side.

"That's fine with me sweetie." Dad smiled reassuringly as I sat on the couch beside Riley.

"So there is actually two things we need to tell you, so I'll go with the least awkward one first. Me and Riley had sex." I blurted without holding back. That was the easy part, even if it was awkward.

I didn't look up from my hand in Riley's, too afraid to see everyone's reaction when I started explaining the next topic, the most terrifying experience of my life which was only closely followed by the mall shooting.

"The next thing is that the guy that Riley was talking about in Hawaii, the guy that attacked me, He goes to school with us. I had gone to study with him for a group project and when we were done I went to leave. He pinned me against the door and tried to grope me. If I hadn't have decided to fight back he probably would have done more."

I took a minute and glanced at Riley who was also watching our hands. "When I left his house I went to the park and saw Riley when he was coming out of practice. Carl moved after that so I didn't think it would be a big deal, until he came back this year. The fight today was because he found out we had slept together and he is still obsessed with me."

I took a deep breath as my Averleigh spoke up, "Is there anything else sweetie?" She asked.

"He has made the threat that he always gets what he wants and he won't stop until he has me." I sighed as she nodded.

The silence that followed was un-nerving. I was too afraid to look up when I felt my mothers arms around me.
"Britt, I wish you would have told us sooner. Why don't you and Riley head upstairs, we can figure this all out later. It's a lot to process right now, but we will figure it out together, okay?" She spoke sympathetically.

"Okay," I nodded before standing up without looking at anyone, and ran to my room.

At least the worst was over, right?