14 days

seventeen

"So, Zara, whether or not you're really dating Ashton, which if you really are, it'd be against the rules, we suggest you tell us the truth." Sydney suddenly says.

"Excuse me?" I say, flustered.

"You heard me. There's no use in lying anymore, sweetie. We know you're doing the program. Frankly, you telling us the truth would've been a lot better than lying to try and cover it up."

"How'd you find out?"

"Jessa never uses Chrome on her phone, it's always Safari, but she says you're always signed in to your email on her Chrome, because during the year you ended up using it a lot, so she just kept it there. I always use Chrome, so when I used her phone today, it opened up to your email. I saw Mr. Brass was asking about the program and about 'Mr. Irwin'. Give it up, Zara."

I didn't have anything to say, and I avoid looking at Ashton right now.

"Nothing to say, huh?"

"Well, it's true." I mumble.

"Of course it is."

"I don't appreciate you snooping through my email, though." I snap.

"Well, I could easily see Mr. Brass's name, it was already suspicious. It's not like I prank emailed him or changed your password." She hisses back.

I sigh.

"What's the big deal of the program anyway? Doesn't matter if you're not really a deliquent. We all know teachers take things too seriously." Calum cuts in, trying to calm the two of us down before a fight broke out.

"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Sydney turns around to look at me, and everyone stops their paddling.

I want to dive into the water. I don't have anything to say. What was the big deal?

"Leave her alone." Ashton speaks up.

I don't dare look at him.

"You're not part of this." Sydney snaps.

"Actually, yes I am." Ashton laughs.

"Well, now that we know you're doing the program, there's no need to hide anything anymore. I don't care if you're breaking the rules, it's not like anyone will tell the principal. I swear, I may seem like the kind of person who would, but there isn't any point in doing so. So, Zara, are you dating Ashton or not?"

I bite the inside of my cheek, about to answer, when Ashton cuts me off.

"Yes, she is."

"Well then, that wasn't too bad, was it? Spilling the truth? Zara, no one was going to graduate high school and move on to college or whatever remembering that you were a deliquent. Maybe remember you did the program- only maybe, but a deliquent? Nah. But now everyone will remember you as a liar." Sydney says softly.

Her sudden tone change and her words stab me repeatedly in the chest. She was right. I was a liar. I am a liar. And why did Ashton say we were? Wasn't this the time to spill the truth, the whole truth?

"Let it go, now, then, yeah?" Ashton mutters.

"Why do you care so much, Ashton?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you're just the person who has to do shit with her and put up with her crazy attitude. Why do you care?"

"Well, in the span of a just a short ten days, I can tell you Zara is more beautiful than anyone else I've ever met."

"How so?"

"That's just between me and her, Sydney."

"Are you saying you fucked her?" Calum asks, in almost an amused tone.