Detoxified

Chapter 5: Episode 4 - Part 2

Type knew it was inevitable, given how high-profile his scandal on the campus had become--he'd woken up that morning to an email from the Dean himself, requesting Type's attendance at some conduct meeting. Type would have expected himself to be enraged, betrayed, destroyed even, over an email like this, knowing what it would likely mean for his future at the university. Instead, he just felt... Resigned. Like the fight wasn't worth the limited energy he had left to spare.

When Type had told Tharn about the meeting, Tharn hadn't hesitated to offer to go with him. But Type had refused, stupidly . He'd told Tharn he didn't want him to be seen associating with the object of the university's biggest scandal in decades, and he'd done so in order to protect Tharn's image on campus.

But sitting here now, being met with the scathing, disapproving eyes of the University Dean, Type knew he shouldn't have told Tharn not to come. He couldn't stand being here alone, in front of a man who didn't even know his name until the week prior, passing judgement on him for crimes he did not commit.

And to make things worse, he hadn't even known that the meeting would include the two Facebook admins that had started this mess in the first place. They sat to his right, hardened glares fixed on him, unmoving and unrelenting.

Type was outnumbered. He felt like the universe was shining a spotlight down on him and laughing at the comically immeasurable misfortune of his life.

He'd originally expected that he'd be able to, by some miracle, make his case to the Dean in a meeting he'd thought would be private. Now, there was no chance of making any case. Not with the two offenders in his case sitting a mere three feet away from him.

"Mr. Phawattakun, do you understand what I've just explained to you?" asked the Dean.

And Type was just silent. Frankly, he hadn't been paying attention to anything going on around him. The second he'd sat down, he immediately retreated to the safety of his mind. Because he hardly at all felt safe in reality at the moment. It was all so uncontrollable and chaotic and messed-up, and Type couldn't handle it.

Type shook his head jerkily, doing his best to pretend the admins weren't in the room with him. "I'm sorry, sir, can you repeat what you said?"

The Dean frowned deeply, heavy with disappointment and scrutiny. "As you should know, Mr. Phawattakun, our university holds a very strict policy on intolerant behavior in regards to gender and sexual orientation. The general proceeding in your case would be to move for immediate unenrollment from all classes and dismissal from the university's roster. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

No, Type didn't understand. He didn't understand why any of this was happening. Why any of it was allowed to happen. The presence of the two other people involved in the scandal in a meeting discussing the conduct of their target is blatantly coercive and manipulative. Type had no choice but to stay quiet. Sit pretty while his life and future were being stripped away from him right before his eyes for something he didn't even do !

No. Type didn't understand...

But as he opened his mouth to reluctantly say he understood, a couple of muffled voices sounded from outside the office, distracting the conversation at hand. As the voices grew closer, Type recognized a woman's--the secretary that sat at the desk outside of the Dean's office--and... No . It couldn't be.

What the hell was he doing here?

The door abruptly swung open, and in staggered a very out-of-breath Tharn, who then keeled over as he attempted to regain control of his breathing. The secretary quickly followed, letting the Dean know that she had tried to stop him from coming in.