Grace gripped the edges of the cold sink in the girls; restroom, staring down at the running water that swirled around the drain. Her breathing was shaky and unsteady. She looked like a stranger when she saw herself in the mirror.
Her eyes were wide with shock, her skin was pale with a sheen of sweat across her brow while the vibration of her phone still echoed in her hand. 'How did it get this far? When did I lose control of everything? I was so careful'
She gripped the sink tighter. But she didn't even register the ache in her arms. 'I was supposed to be the perfect daughter. The perfect student. I was supposed to win. I did everything they asked of me, the late nights of studying and the perfect scores. What are they going to think of me now.'
She breathed heavily but it didn't do anything to ease the weight that sat on her chest. A cold pit in her stomach twisted harder, "My parents... God. My mother is surely going to shatter the glass at the next charity gala when she finds out. My father, he'll remind me why he chose me to carry the family name instead of older my brothers. He'll say I humiliated us. That I'm weak. That I'm ungrateful. And he'll be right. Because I slipped. Just Once. And look where it got me.'
She clenched her jaw as she fought the sting behind her eyes as she blinked furiously as her eyes started to tear, 'What will they say about me? The girl who stole the exam answers. The girl who thought she could get away with it. Ms. Monroe the disciplined one. The golden child, is now a fucking hypocrite.'
The sound of laughter echoed faintly outside the bathroom door. It sounded harsh and cruel.
Then she finally loosened her grip on the sink, her fingers numb, 'And who did this? Who the hell sent those videos? Who was watching us? Who knew where to look...when to look and who to ruin?'
She closed her eyes for a moment breathing in slowly as the scent of the cold tile and soap washroom soap filled her nose. She then straightened herself and reopened her eyes. 'I'm fucked.'
---
10 MINUTES EARLIER
The campus quad was thick with tension as whispers swirled around like a storm cloud. Phones lit up in every hand, fingers scrolling and swiping and people were momentarily gasping.
Grace ran towards the school building very fast as she ignored Amber's desperate calls and while also ignoring Maya's frantic reach for her. Her long, dark-brown hair streamed behind her as she disappeared through the doors.
Jax watched her go, as he was frozen in place. He felt like his lungs had forgotten to breathe. His hand ached, he realized he was clutching his phone so hard. The video was still there. On the screen. His screen.
The worst version of himself was now on full display.
Theo said something as Rowan clapped him hard on the back, as if he was trying to snap him out of it.
But Jax wasn't listening. His eyes were still on the school building and Grace who was now gone.
Then he abruptly turned on his heel without a word.
His boots scraped the pavement as he approached his bike. His bike had thick tires and there was the gleaming chrome indicating that he hadn't washed it for days. He swung his leg over with practiced ease, they key already in his hand and the engine roared to life dangerously just like him.
And without a glance back, he peeled out of the lot.
The wind slammed into him as he accelerated, fast enough that the world blurred, "What the fuck did you do Jax? You couldn't just leave it alone. You had to fuck Ms. Harper. You had to prove something to yourself right? That you could get away with anything. These are the consequences.'
The engine growled under him as he shifted the gears without thinking, 'Now everyone knows, it's all out there, not that I care. But Grace. God, Grace. She's never gonna look at me the same. Not after seeing that. Not after knowing what kind of bastard I really am.'
He took a corner too fast, as his tires screeched, like he didn't care. Maybe he was hoping to crash or maybe not. 'And who the hell sent those videos?' It wasn't me, it sure as hell wasn't Grace. So who was the dumb mutherfucker? And why did they wait until now?'
The traffic lights turned red ahead, but Jax didn't stop and he blew right through it, 'I don't give a shit about my reputation. I never did. But Grace...she didn't deserve this. And now I can't fucking fix it.'
He gritted his teeth, slamming his fist into the handle bars and the bike wobbled for a second, but he regained control of it, 'I wanted to protect her. Even when I was messing with her, I thought...Hell, I don't know what I thought but I didn't think I'd be the reason she was humiliated right now.'
Then a horn blared and Jax ignored it, 'And I sure as shit didn't think I'd care this much. About her. But I do.'
Then slowly and finally, he pulled over to the side of an empty road and as the bike roared he killed the engine.
Jax sat there for a long moment helplessly and he was very pissed as regret clung in his throat, 'I really fucked up this time.'
---
At the far side of the quad, away from the chaos and away from the frantic gasps and whispers, Derrick stood under the shadow of an old tree, his phone also on his hand with the screen still glowing.
And he was smiling.
Not the awkward, bashful smile Grace was used to and also not the quiet, considerate smile that earned him trust, But it was a slow, intentional smile, one that looked wicked and cold and furthermore calculated.
His gaze swept the crowd like he was admiring the painting he just finished. The chaos, panic and disbelief.
"You know, you didn't have to release the videos that early."
Derrick didn't flinch. He already heard the footsteps approaching and he turned his head slightly, the smile still playing at the corner of his lips.
Mr. Callahan stood beside him, his hands shoved into the pockets of his tailored slacks. His expression was calm and measured. But his eyes shifted to Derrick with something like a warning.
Derrick tilted his head and then he said, "Stop nagging, Dad."
Mr. Callahan exhaled slowly, as if Derrick had said that a thousand times before, and it never stopped being annoying.
But his lips quirked faintly, the only sign of their twisted understanding.
"You're reckless and it's sloppy." said Mr. Callahan.
"And look at them, they are right where we want them," Derrick said as he glanced back at the mess.
Mr. Callahan's gaze followed his son's. In that moment Jax's bike was already gone and Grace had already vanished into the building, their so-called friends were left stunned, searching for answers.
"Just remember who's steering this Derrick," said Mr. Callahan.
Then Derrick said quietly in amusement, "Of course, I'm just the loyal son."
Mr. Callahan gave him a side eye and Derrick smirked wider, "But you have to admit, I played the long game better than you thought."
Mr. Callahan considered his words in thought and he nodded once, "Don't get sentimental about her."
Derrick's expression shifted for a second and then his eyes were replaced by something dark, a feeling perhaps, "Grace made her choice, now she gets to live with it."
They stood their like two predators watching their trap snap shut.
"She'll never see you coming," said Mr. Callahan.
"She never did," Derrick replied lowly.
Derrick pocketed his phone and then he turned away from the unfolding disaster without a second glance and his father followed.