The Queen Bee of Bridgeton (21 page)

"I can't eat this," I said, sitting down and handing him my sandwich.

"Well, I can't eat it.  I already have three," he said with his mouth full.  I shook my head and
unwrapped
the sandwich.  "So, do you know who brought up the charges?"

 "I'll give you one guess."

He nodded, knowing exactly who I was talking about. "They're not through with you, with us.  They know whatever they do to you hurts me as well." Will leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.  I stared down at my turkey sandwich dejectedly.  "Don't worry, angel.  Their other plans failed, this one will too."

I wished I shared Will's confidence on the matter, but I couldn't.  My whole time at Bridgeton, I had never seen an honor trial turn out well.  Every single one resulted in expulsion.

After sorting through the rumor mill, Sasha and I found out that David Winthrop had been caught cheating on an exam and, for some reason, he implicated me as well.  We knew the Bitch Brigade had put him up to it.  I still had no idea what kind of proof he could have against me.

The night before the trial, I sat wrapped in Will's arms on his living room couch.   We both stared blankly at the TV.  Will hadn't said a word in over an hour.  I could tell something bothered him.  I had already asked him twice if he wanted to talk and both times he just shrugged and kept staring at the TV.  Finally, he turned it off and said, "What is it with you and David?"

"What?  What are you talking about?"  I asked as I sat up.

"Do you still have feelings for him?"

"What? How...I...why...still?" I stuttered in shock.  How could he think that?

"Cause if you want to be with him -"

"Will, what are you talking about?" I asked, finally able to spit out a coherent sentence.

"Look, I knew before I even asked you out that you had a crush on him.  I was hoping you'd get over it or something, but I don't think you have.  I see the way you look at him.  And then the night I propose, you go to his house!  And now, he's implicating you in this cheating thing.  I just don't know what's going on." 

So, he was jealous of David. "Where is this coming from?  I thought you believed me."

"I did...I do...I don't know what to believe." Will stood up and ran his fingers through his golden hair.  "Brandon says he saw you and David in the physics lab after school being...intimate," he said as he paced the floor.

"What! Who the heck is Brandon?"

"He's the small forward on the team.  Look, who he is doesn't matter.  What he
saw,
does.  Were you with David?"

"Will!" I said shocked he'd believe such a thing.

"Cause I've been completely honest with you.  I know I'm no saint, but at least I've told you the truth.  If you just tell me the truth, I can forgive you and we can move on.  Unless, of course, you really want David, in which case
- "

"Will, can't you see what's happening? It's the Bitch Brigade again.  They probably put Brandon up to this.  They're trying to sow seeds of doubt between us. They're still trying to break us up."  I stood up and walked over to him. I grabbed his hands and said, "You have every right to be concerned.  For a long time, I did have a crush on David, but that was before I really knew him or you.  That was before I knew myself and what I wanted." 

Will stared down at our hands entwined together.  He wasn't convinced. I led him back to the couch and sat him down. "And what I want," I said as I lifted his head up to stare into his sweet blue eyes, "is you."  I kissed him gently on the lips.  He didn't return it.  "Please, believe me," I whispered as I continued kissing him.  "I don't think I can get through this thing without you."  He looked down again and shook his head like he couldn't believe me.  I sat on top of him straddling him with my legs.  I cupped his face in my hands, looked him in the eyes and said, "Will, I love you."

Will had been waiting to hear those four words from me for weeks. Something in him snapped and he kissed me like never before.  He wrapped his arms around my waist and lowered me onto the couch as he hovered above me. His kisses were slow and deep and warm and perfect and each one sent a shiver of delight down my spine.  Each caress of his lips and thrust of his tongue was a testimony to the emotional void I had filled in his life. 

Will sat up and pulled his shirt off.  His chiseled porcelain
body made me want
to weep with expectation and desire.  Then he
laid
on top of me and whispered, "I love you."

"I know," I said as I ran my fingers up and down the center of his back.

"I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you," he added as he stared at me asking with his eyes if I was really ready for this step we were about to take.  I responded by unbuttoning his pants.  "Are you sure?" he asked.  I nodded.  Will reached in his back pocket, pulled out a small plastic package and then, believe it or not, the phone rang.  Both of us let out grunts of frustration as Will reached over me and grabbed the phone.  "Hold that thought," he said with a smile before he put the phone to his ear hoping we would be able to resume shortly.  But I could tell within a few seconds by the change in Will's face that wasn't going to happen. He crawled off of me and stood up.  I can't repeat exactly what he said because I don't like profanity, but I will say that he literally picked up the phone and threw it across the room breaking two picture frames and a vase.

"What's wrong?"  I asked as I backed away from him a little on the couch.

"I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to scare you."  Will buttoned his pants then put on his shirt.  "My sister got arrested. 
Drunk driving.
I have to go bail her out of jail."

"Oh, my God!"

"She's such
an
...
idiot
.  I can't wait till I'm out of her house." 
Will put on his sneakers while simultaneously looking for his keys.
  I just sat there not knowing whether I should offer to go with him or wait or what.  "I should just leave her dumb ass in jail!"

"Don't say that, Will.  She's your sister and, even with all her faults, you love her.  Deep down you know you'd do anything for her. I know I would for
my
sister."  I didn't know how true those words were until the next day at the trial.

I opted for an open trial in front of the school.  Sasha tried to convince me to go with a closed trial with just Headmaster Collins and my accuser, but I knew I had nothing to hide.  I wanted the whole school to see David and the Bitch Brigade fail.

The trial took place in
Dardem
Hall.  The five members of the honor council, which included my sister, sat behind the bench in the middle of the stage.  Then I sat on the left and David on the right.  My fingers trembled as I watched the student body file in.  I sat on my hands to keep them still.

I noticed a couple of students had actually made posters proclaiming my innocence.  It comforted me somewhat, knowing so many people were on my side.  That comfort slipped away when I saw Ashley, Brittany, and Lauren
DeHaven
strut to the front of
Dardem
Hall. They each gave me an evil grin as they took their seats.  I found Will in the audience and felt a surge of pride and calm as he mouthed the words "I love you" before taking his seat.

Headmaster Collins called the meeting to order and explained why the procedure was necessary. 

"Mr. Winthrop has accused Ms. Garrison of cheating on a test and conspiracy to hide this dishonorable conduct. They will each have five minutes to present their version of events after which the honor council will adjourn to make their decision. Mr. Winthrop, please begin."

"Headmaster Collins, I would just like to say that I admit to cheating on several occasions during my education here at Bridgeton.  I apologize for my deplorable behavior.  I no longer want to bring reproach upon this school, and I want to make sure that the remaining students are the honest trustworthy individuals that deserve a Bridgeton diploma."  David spoke with such sincerity and remorse he almost convinced me he was telling the truth; until he began the rest of his speech. "The defendant is not one of these individuals. On January 15
^th
, I found the defendant crying in the stairwell of the Chesterfield building. I approached her and asked what was wrong.  She said she was extremely stressed and tired and she hadn't had time to study for her Spanish test.  I felt sorry for her and offered to help.  I'd just taken the test the period before, so I knew what questions were on it. I wrote the questions down and gave them to her.  She later aced the test."

"Winthrop is a lying, punk-ass, prick!" a boy in the audience yelled. 
My sentiments exactly.

"Mr. Haden, please remove that young man from the building," Headmaster Collins said.  "Continue, Mr. Winthrop."

I started to feel supremely confident as I knew he'd never be able to prove this.  I'd be the first student ever to go through an honor trial and come out victorious. I crossed my legs and sat back in my chair as a teacher wheeled out a TV on a cart. 

"After the cheating incident," David continued, "I knew I had her right where I wanted her.  I began to ask her for favors, sexual favors, and if she refused I threatened to reveal her secret and get her expelled."  David walked over to the TV and turned it on.  "What she didn't know is that I keep a video camera in my bedroom and I taped one of our encounters. What you're about to see is extremely incriminating towards me.  But I apologize for my actions and I accept my expulsion.  I just want to see that justice is served for everyone."  I sat up in my seat.  I didn't know who this could be on the video because it sure wasn't me.  Sasha gave me a panicked look.  I shrugged in confusion.

A grainy, poorly lit tape with awful sound began to play and, sure enough, there was David and someone who looked like me arguing about this being the last time.  But it wasn't me.  I knew it wasn't me.  I mean, I had been to his house before. Everyone knew that.  There were pictures. But I honestly didn’t remember having this conversation. Could I have done this when I was drunk? The girl in the video didn't appear drunk. What the hell was going on?

"
I can't do this anymore.  I don't care if you get me expelled
," the girl in the video said.

"
I don't think you mean that.  What would your sister say? This is the only way.  I promise no one will ever find out as long as you give me what I want
."

"
Look, I'll pay you.  I'll give you money. Just don't
- "

"
You know that's not what I want
." David approached the girl in the video, undid her ponytail and tossed the pink
scrunchie
to the side; a pink
scrunchie
that looked remarkably like mine.  I touched the back of my head and, sure enough, I was wearing my favorite pink
scrunchie
with the tutus on it.

David ran his fingers through her hair then he kissed her neck.  I cringed. Three months ago, I would've given anything to have David Winthrop touch me like that. But now, the thought of him coming near me turned my stomach. David grabbed her neck forcefully and said, "
Now, are you
gonna
be a good girl and cooperate? Or do I need to call Headmaster Collins
?"