Coldhearted (9781311888433) Read online

  “Really?” Principal Jennings said, sounding skeptical.

  “Yeah, and so I had to stay there, and that’s how I know Mr. B had been there for hours.” She shot him a cruel smile. “We all know how attentive you are to the girls at this school.”

  “That’s enough,” Russell snapped, losing his cool. “Yesterday you admitted before the principal you’d lied about me at the beginning of the year. Now admit you’re lying again. I wasn’t at Edie’s for hours.” He turned toward Principal Jennings and gestured at her desk phone. “Call her uncle.” It was a suggestion but sounded more like an order. He was really upset.

  “We plan to,” Superintendent Winters assured him in a calmer voice. She turned toward Rochelle. “You may go back to class now.”

  “B-but, I—”

  “No buts,” Principal Jennings said. “Go, now, and we’ll deal with you later.”

  “Deal with me?” She sounded scared and angry at the same time.

  “Go to class, Rochelle.”

  Rochelle gave Edie and Russell one last vengeful look, then left, slamming the door behind her.

  Superintendent Winters gestured at Edie and Russell. “Please sit.”

  They did, and Edie was anxious to look at him, but stifled the urge, not wanting to give something away in her eyes. Edie watched as Principal Jennings called her uncle. She was wringing her hands in her lap during the conversation, hearing only one side. Finally, the principal ended the call. She gestured for Superintendent Winters to bend down and whispered something in her ear. The superintendent stood and gave Edie and Russell a smile.

  “Well,” she said, looking at Edie, “your uncle confirms Mr. Ballantine’s story. He said he was within eyeshot of you two the entire time, and nothing inappropriate took place at all.”

  Edie stifled a shout of joy.

  Russell stood. “I’m glad we’ve resolved this. I have lessons to plan. Oh, Principal Jennings, Superintendent Winters, we should do something about Rochelle Lafayette’s behavior. She’s accused me twice of initiating inappropriate advances, and”—he gestured at Edie—“she’s accused Edie of murder.” He shook his head. “Are we really going to let her continue here at Grimsby High?”

  “Your concern is noted,” Superintendent Winters said, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Russell. “Sorry for all of this. You two may leave.” As Edie stood, Superintendent Winters said to her, “Oh, Edie, I came by yesterday to introduce myself, give you a tour of Grimsby High. We’re very glad you’re here, and I’m sorry we had to meet under these circumstances. I’m sorry for all that you’ve been through, dear.”

  Edie nodded and said, “Thanks,” wishing she could run out of the office, and never have to come back.

  When her hand went around the knob, Principal Jennings said, “If you ever need to talk, Edie, my door is always open.”

  Edie issued another thanks, and then left with Russell following behind her. They traveled in silence down the narrow hall, until it branched out into the main office, where they walked side by side like before. He opened the main door for her, and then once they were in the student lobby, he let out a loud sigh.

  “I hope they expel her,” he said through clenched teeth. “She’s nothing but a living nightmare.”

  Edie made sure no one was around. They were alone. “Russell, my uncle lied.”

  Russell raked his fingers through his hair. “I know. Why’d he do that? I mean, I’m glad, but why?”

  Edie shook her head. “I’ll have to ask him when I get home.” She stomped her foot against the floor. “I can’t believe Rochelle was lurking outside my house! What’d Mason ever see in her?”

  Russell furrowed his brow. “Mason?” he repeated, not understanding.

  “Mason Fenwick,” she clarified, adding his last name. “We’re…uh…he’s...”

  “Your boyfriend?” Russell supplied.

  “No, not yet, I mean, I don’t know. I like him and I think he likes me.” She couldn’t help smiling. “We’re going to the Halloween dance together.”

  “Oh, yeah, that.” Russell gave Edie a small smile. “I’ll be chaperoning, making sure bodies aren’t grinding against each other, and any other inappropriate behavior.”

  “If Rochelle’s there, you’ll have your work cut out for you,” Edie said dryly, and then let out a humorless chuckle.

  He returned her chuckle. “That’s an understatement.” He shook his head. “I hope to God she’s not. She needs to be in a reform school. There’s one the next city over. I just hope the principal and superintendent expel her as soon as possible. I don’t think I can take another day here, seeing her face, knowing she’s always plotting, scheming to ruin someone.” He sighed, and then continued, “How are you, Edie, with everything?”

  “I’m fine,” she lied.

  “Edie,” he said softly, knowing that she was lying. He reached out to touch her, but she backed away. He realized the fault of his action and quickly lowered his hand. “Sorry,” he apologized. “I just want to comfort you. I know I should stay away from you, but I want to protect you. It’s this feeling I always have like you’re always in danger.” He shook his head. “Crazy, huh?”

  Edie smiled. “Stranger things have happened. Well, I’d better get back to class. I have those lecture notes for you. I’ll give them to you after lunch.”

  “Where do you go during lunch? You know the seniors get to leave?”

  Edie nodded. “Yesterday Mason took me to Jack’s. I guess we’ll go there again today.”

  Russell gave her a smile. “I’m glad you have someone good in your life. I know Mason Fenwick well. He’s lucky to have you. I hope things work out between you two.”

  Russell sounded sincere, yet she noticed his voice was sad.

  “Thanks,” she said. “Well, I’ll, uh, get going now.”

  “Okay, take care.”

  “You too,” she returned.

  They gave each other a departing smile, and then Edie left, heading back to English class. When she opened the door, everyone turned and stared at her with judgmental eyes, except Mason, Mrs. Featherstone, and for some reason, Quinn.

  As she was about to take her seat, the bell rang for the next class. She hoisted her backpack on, and then turned toward Mason. “Why is everyone giving me the evil eye?”

  Mason noticed Quinn and Candie were listening in, so he took her arm and led her out into the hallway, then down a narrower corridor where they were alone.

  “It was Rochelle,” he finally said. “While you were gone, she came to the classroom, swung open the door, and yelled, ‘Edie and Mr. B are having sex,’ then slammed the door, and kept doing the same thing down the hall. That’s how loud she was.”

  Edie gasped. “I can’t believe it!”

  “Believe it,” Mason said, “but why you and Mr. B? Is that why you were called to the office?”

  “Oh, yeah, she was lurking around my house last night, and saw Russ—Mr. B there.”

  Mason furrowed his brow. “What was he doing at your house? You told me you couldn’t go out because you wanted to stay at home, rest.”

  Edie’s heart was racing, pumping blood to her brain, so she could make up a lie. It was working overtime. “Um, well, yeah, Mr. B came by to talk to me and my uncle, about my studies, how I was adapting to a new school, dealing with the death of my parents...”

  Mason’s face relaxed. “Oh, I see, well, that’s understandable, but Edie, maybe you shouldn’t be so close to Mr. B. From what I hear, just about every girl is in love with him, and well, they could get jealous like Rochelle did. I don’t want you to be part of a bunch of malicious lies.”

  “I already am,” she said, resigned to her fate.

  Mason cupped her cheek. She noticed that the bandage from his finger was gone but a scar still remained. “I’m sorry for what she’s been putting you through. If the principal didn’t expel her before, I’m sure she will now. Running around like that, yelling, I mean, what more does she have to do
to be given the boot? Why can’t she just leave you alone?” He sighed. “But don’t worry. I’ll always be here for you.”

  Edie wrapped her arms around Mason and held him tight. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Mason.”

  His heart was pounding against hers as they embraced. “I feel the same way about you, Edie.” He let her go and kissed her forehead. “We’re still on for lunch at Jack’s today, right?”

  Edie smiled. “Yes, of course. And I have money today because I don’t think the manager will let us have another meal on the house. He’s got to make a living, right?”

  “Oh, don’t you worry about that, I’ll pay.”

  “No, no, it’s okay. My uncle’s rich, remember?”

  Mason kissed Edie’s forehead again. “Well, you pay for your meal, and I’ll pay for mine.”

  “No, I can pay for you,” she insisted.

  “No, I can’t let you do that, Edie. It’s not right.”

  She stared into his warm, hazel eyes. “You’re wonderful, Mason Fenwick, do you know that?”

  He embraced her in another hug. “And you’re beautiful, Edwina St. John.”

  She smiled. “Are you friends with me only because of my looks?” she teased.

  He playfully grimaced, and then smiled, showing off his cute dimples. “Ah, you got me!” His smile faded, dimples receding, as he looked deeply into her eyes. “You got me, Edie. You know that, right? I’m yours, however you want me.”

  He leaned down to kiss her, but just when their lips touched, the light above them exploded, sending sparks flying. She yelped and they pulled away from each other.

  “What the…” Mason trailed off, and then took her aside, away from the fireworks. “That was weird.”

  There was another explosion of sound, but it was only the warning bell, ringing for students to hurry to their third period class. To Edie’s already rattled state, it sounded like a harpy had shrieked.

  “We’d better go,” she suggested, not wanting to anger her any further.

  “I’ll get the janitor,” Mason said, indicating the broken light. He walked Edie out into the hall. Students were scampering to get to class before the tardy bell rang. “Meet me at my truck, at lunch, okay?”

  “Okay,” she agreed, and waited for him to kiss her, but he didn’t.

  He just gave her a farewell smile, and then approached the janitor, who was coming down the hall.

  Edie started the journey to her next class, dismayed she and Mason hadn’t kissed. She looked up at the functioning lights on the ceiling and gave them a threatening fist in the air. The lights grew brighter, calling her bluff. She grumbled and went into Mrs. Crawford’s class for United States history. The tardy bell had already rung, but she smiled and waved Edie inside. Edie saw two more people waving at her and realized it was Diana and Madelyn. She beamed at them and took a seat opposite Madelyn. But they didn’t seem happy to see her, frowning.

  “We heard what happened,” Diana whispered.

  “Heard about what?” Edie asked, not wanting to give anything away, until she knew what they knew.

  Diana was about to tell her, when she was shushed by Mrs. Crawford, who was handing Edie a textbook. Mrs. Crawford then went to the blackboard and started her lecture on the American Revolution. It was ten minutes later when Mrs. Crawford’s back was turned to the class that Madelyn took a chance.

  She leaned toward Edie, and whispered, “About what Rochelle accused you and Mr. B of.”

  “Oh, yeah, that,” Edie whispered back, shaking her head in frustration.

  “We’ve heard she’s been suspended for three days,” Diana added.

  “Suspended for three days?” Edie nearly shouted.

  “Um, girls?” Mrs. Crawford called out, having turned back around. “Please pay attention.”

  Edie was fuming. Suspended for three days?! Rochelle should’ve been run out of the country! There was no justice! Edie was so angry that she couldn’t pay attention, so by the time the bell rang, she’d written nothing on the American Revolution. She didn’t care and cornered Diana and Madelyn before they left the classroom.

  “Suspended for three days?” she asked, instead of inquiring if she could borrow their notes. “Are you sure?”

  Diana nodded.

  “Well, that’s what we’ve heard,” Madelyn said. “But it’s probably true. I mean, not about you and Mr. B, that’s a load of crock, but Rochelle being suspended...”

  Technically, Edie and Russell weren’t in a relationship but they had kissed. Or at least, she’d kissed him, but she thought that he’d also kissed her back, although rather lightly, unsure. There wasn’t anything romantic going on between them, but there was something going on.

  “Yeah, what she said is nonsense,” Edie agreed. “But I wish she’d been expelled.”

  Diana put her arm around Edie’s shoulders. “Join the club, honey.”

  Chapter 11

  Edie and Mason had eaten lunch together at Jack’s, and Diana and Madelyn had joined them.

  Mason hadn’t seemed disappointed; although he’d made sure that he’d sat next to Edie at the booth, while Diana and Madelyn had sat across.

  Edie felt safe next to Mason, not only for his kindness, but for his warmth.

  It seemed that Mason, Diana, and Madelyn had come into her life for a very special reason.

  School guidance counselors always talked about having good people in your life, as opposed to bad people—people who talked you into doing wrong things, people who said mean things, and people who pretended to be your friend. Well, Edie had found her good people. Even Jules was good, although she and Edie rarely saw each other, with Jules being a junior, and Edie having some sort of crisis every other minute. And yes, Russell Ballantine, Edie’s teacher, was good, even though she was wary about his intentions.

  As an adult, as her teacher, he was playing with fire in being so…attentive to her. Of course she’d made the foolish mistake of kissing him. So in truth, she felt that she was partly to blame if anything were to happen between them. But she didn’t think anything would happen. Russell, despite being overfriendly toward Edie, hadn’t pushed himself on her, hadn’t coerced her into anything, and hadn’t crossed that line between friend and lover. Still…her mind was swirling as to why he had such an intense interest in her, why he felt the need to protect her. If she were curious, then Mason was concerned. He wanted her to stay away from Russell, to avoid a scandal, before rumors started spreading around the school, around town.

  Mason was also afraid for Edie to go with Jules to the Grimsby Sanatorium on Saturday. Edie didn’t think his caution had to do with any sort of paranormal activity; he just didn’t want her to get arrested. That on top of her supposed affair with Russell would surely send the town into a spin. She wouldn’t be surprised if they marched toward her house, with torches and pitchforks, demanding that she flee at once or suffer the consequences. Yes, she was certainly making a name for herself here—and not in a good way.

  She was partly consoled by the fact that she still had friends: Mason, Diana, and Madelyn. They hadn’t turned away from her when others would have.

  Yet…they didn’t know the whole truth. She and Russell were keeping a secret. She hated lying to her new friends, but what was the alternative? Admit her uncle had been absent? Admit she’d kissed Russell? No. She and Russell would take those secrets to their graves. It’d gnaw at Edie, she knew that it would, but she couldn’t bear telling the truth and facing the consequences. She felt she was a sinner like her uncle—for whatever his reasons—and they both weren’t ready to travel that maze to the chapel. What if she were denied? Rejected? She understood her uncle’s hesitation. She had it too.

  She felt fingers intertwine with hers, pulling her out of her reverie.

  “Edie, you okay?”

  She looked down at the hand holding hers, and then up, at Mason’s concerned face. They were in the parking lot of Jack’s, having just said goodbye to Diana and Madelyn
.

  “Yeah, I am now,” she said with a smile.

  Mason smiled back and squeezed her hand. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “If I did, I would’ve yanked my hand from yours already. So…does this mean we’re boyfriend-girlfriend?” she asked boldly.

  She saw his face light up, but then it dimmed a little. “If you want, I mean, I don’t want to move too fast, if you’re not ready.”

  “Life’s short,” she said, essentially giving him a “yes.”

  His face was bright again as he smiled. He looked around the parking lot, at the seniors leaving, returning to school. When he turned back toward Edie, he said, “There’s something I’ve wanted to do ever since I first met you.”

  “Oh? What’s that?”

  “Kiss you.”

  “You already have.”

  “Not on the lips. Edie, can I kiss you?”

  Her heart was doing back flips. “You’re my boyfriend, Mason, so yes, you can kiss me.”

  He leaned down and their lips touched, just barely, before they had to pull way, being interrupted from going any further.

  Ravenna Gallo was standing next to them, hands on her hips.

  She narrowed her eyes at Edie. “You think you’re so great, don’t you, Edwina? Rochelle will get you for having her suspended. So you’d better just watch your back!”

  Edie opened her mouth to argue but shut it when Mason stepped between them. “Get the hell out of here, Rave. Rochelle had it coming to her. She’s always been a bitch.”

  Ravenna gasped. “That girl,” she said, pointing a threatening finger at Edie, “is a witch! Ro said so herself! She didn’t strangle herself with that scarf. It was Edwina! She’s an ugly, nasty witch, who seduces and steals guys away from other girls, and tries to kill anyone who gets in her way.”

  Mason snapped his fingers in front of Ravenna’s face, causing her to involuntarily blink to protect her eyes. “Are you mental? Edie’s a witch? Well, if she is, then you and Rochelle had better play nice, or else Edie will curse you into your real forms: a pair of stinking toads.”