Parker

Chapter 84

Zane's dad had arrived a few minutes after he had finished speaking with Dean LaMee. He had called him and his mom to let them know what was going on. A action which the Dean seemed a little put out by. Not that Zane cared. He was being accused of sexually taking advantage of his best friend and who knows what other accusations were coming so of course he told his parents. This was not something that he was going to keep a secret from them nor was he going to wait for LaMee to give him permission to do.

His father was not happy that happy that he had spoken to LaMee without them present which he apologized for both to his dad and his mom when she arrived a couple minutes later.

Their meeting with Dean LaMee went as expected. They found the accusations against him utterly ridiculous and slanderous. His mother assured LaMee that Zane was incapable of doing such a thing. His father wanted who was ever behind these rumors expelled and whoever was sending the texts expelled and arrested for harassment.

LaMee assured him that he was working on finding out who was behind the rumors and that will be dealt with.

Zane's parents had about as much confidence in his assurances that Rodger had.

It was after he made his promises that he dropped the bomb.

Zane's mom then informed him that they were keeping him home until this got resolved. He tried to protest but Dean LaMee cut him off telling him that they were going to have to suspend him anyway until the investigation was over.

Zane felt his stomach drop at the news. Not fair he thought. I'm being treated like a criminal.

His father told him that he was fine but once he was proven innocent he wanted no mention of a suspension on his record which the dean agreed to.

No Zane thought. How can I prove my innocence if I am suspended. I can't depend on him to get to the truth. He is too easily manipulated by Forest and Arla. They will have him believing they are the victims before he ever gets a confession out of either of them.

He tried to protest again only for his mom to gently take his hand and in a soothing voice tell him its going to be okay. All he could do was look in her loving eyes and say yes ma'am.

His father rubbed his back.

They soon walked into the parking lot where his cell phone was confiscated. Not because he was being punished but because the texts calling him a pervert had started again.

"Damn kids." His father said with gritted teeth.

No dad not kids Zane thought. This wasn't a group of kids sending me harassing messages. This was one kid he thought. One evil kid sending me a group of anonymous messages to make me think the entire school has turned against me.

This is Arla or Forest he thought. Or both. But how can I prove it he asked himself.

Before he had a chance to figure it out his father said his name. He gave him a hug telling him that everything was going to be okay and then told him to get in his mom's car.  He nodded and walked to the car while his parents conversed for a few moments.

His mother got in her car and he was then dropped off at his grandmother's instead of their house. They did not want to leave him alone especially after receiving texts calling for suicide.

Like I would give them the satisfaction Zane mused.

He had spaghetti and meatballs for lunch and then laid down on the couch in the living room. He was in the middle of watching a  second episode of Jimmy Neutron when he realized that there was a phone call he had to make. Instinctively he grabbed his phone to find it not there.