More Than Lies (31 page)

The preacher conducts the service. I’m sure for what it is, it would be considered lovely, but I can’t view it as such. This is the worst day of my life and even more difficult than the night I found out he was dead. This makes everything too real. And then there are Kylie’s cries coming from behind me…it’s all I hear the whole time.

The funeral ended with a graveside service after the chapel service. The entire day has drug out. I’m spent, but fuck I can’t leave Tara now.

It’s close to nightfall as it is and everyone close to Trent is at the Evan’s home. Tara’s parents still live a few blocks away from my own so I’ll be heading there to crash at some point. I want to talk Tara into coming with me. She’s spent enough time around that bitch she’s forced to call a mother. She needs to be around the ones that love her effortlessly. That’s my family.

Matt’s voice brings me away from my thoughts.

“Damn,” Matt breathes out with a slight shake of his head followed by a small remorseful laugh. “You guys remember when Trent got so pissed off and wanted to murder Shawn for getting Taralynn put in in-school suspension for five days?” My eyes snap up to hers. She’s staring at me from the comfort of Matt’s lap. They’ve been off for months now, but you couldn’t tell it right now. He’s finally acting like a best friend should. Comforting her when she needs it.

My gaze is the first to falter as the memory of that day sinks into my head, playing out like an old movie right in front of my eyes.

“Mr. Braden,” Principal MacIntyre blows out as he leans forward in his oversized black leather chair from behind his equally oversized dark wooden desk. “I’m at my wit’s end here. I’m at the end of my ropes with you. I’ve tried, for nearly four years, I’ve tried to get through to you. Nothing’s worked!”

Wonk, wonk, wonk.

It’s the same speech I get every time I’m in his office, sitting in this same ugly ass brown chair. As often as I’m in here, you’d think I’d become accustom to the hard, uncomfortable wood underneath my ass. But I haven’t and I swear the man keeps me in here longer each time.

“Mr. Mac, it’s not you. It’s me.” I stifle the laugh that’s trying to escape my mouth. He doesn’t like my humor. Oh, well, I do.

“This,” he fumes with a stern tone as he points his finger at me. “Mr. Braden isn’t a laughing matter. There isn’t any humor in the situation you’ve gotten yourself into today.” I toss my head back as I grip the sides of the chair and slouch down until my head meets the hard surface behind me. What the hell is his damn problem? I sit up, looking him in the eyes once more.

“It was a stupid joke. Come on, even you’ve got to find the humor in it.” He takes a deep breath, pulling air in through his noise before releasing it via his mouth.

“No, Shawn, I don’t. That’s just it. No one but yourself finds the things you do funny.”

“Now that’s just hurtful. Plenty of people were laughing throughout the halls earlier.”

“Shawn, you’re failing the grasp the severity of this.”

“If you’re planning on suspending me, then please go ahead and get it ove
—
” There is a light knock on the door before I can finish my statement. As Mr. MacIntyre looks past me, I turn in my seat to see who’s decided to prolong my stay in this chair. Without being given permission to enter, the door opens slowly. Tara appears within seconds with a nervous, scared shitless expression across her face. If I didn’t already know she works in the principal’s office during third period, I’d think this was the first time she’s ever been in here.

Tara is the good girl. No, let me take that back. Even good girls get into trouble every now and again. Not her; not little miss perfect girl. Tara reminds me of a rose, just as it’s starting to bloom, exceptionally beautiful, perfection in all things…superior. Like I said, little miss perfect.

“Miss Evans, what can I help you with? And please make it quick, I’m in the middle of something.” He looks back at me, only briefly, but I know I’ve been successful in getting on his nerves today. Ah, the joy of high school.

Tara enters the room, closing the door behind her then proceeds to walk closer to where I’m sitting. Her hesitant eyes meet mine, only for a moment before she takes the seat to my right and then looks straight ahead at Principal MacIntyre. She doesn’t say anything for a few long beats, as if she is trying to collect her thoughts. I’m baffled as to why she is even in here.

“I have,” her whispered words are followed by a short pause. She looks down then glances back up as she straightens her posture and takes a gulp of air. “I need to tell you something, Mr. Mac.”

“Go on, Taralynn, I’m waiting.” Mr. Mac’s voice is much softer as he speaks to Tara versus when he was addressing me. Go figure, she has him wrapped around her finger too. I sit back in my chair, proceeding to lean my head back and slouch down once more. I’ll never find a comfortable position, but I might as well make the best of it while she takes her sweet time.

“It was me.” My ears perk up. Why do I get the feeling she’s in here about me? Was it the look she gave me, the emotions in her eyes, or her words? I’m not sure. “I did it. I wrote Holly’s number across the lockers, not Shawn.”

Silence.

The room is silent. I sit up, looking to my right where Tara is sitting, not looking at me, but chewing on the left side of her bottom lip as she awaits Principal Mac’s reply. Hell, I’m waiting for it too because I’m not sure I heard her correctly. Did she really come in here and confess to something I did? Not Tara. No way did I hear that right. What the hell is wrong with this girl? Why on earth would she take the blame for me? Tara may not hate me, but she surely doesn’t like me.

“Miss Evans,” Mr. Mac finally speaks. “You don’t expect me to believe that, do you?” His eyebrows are pulled in and he’s staring at Tara as if he’s trying to read her. He probably is. He’s always doing that. He thinks he can read me like a book, but I’m not that transparent to anyone.

“Mr. Mac, with all due respect, and I really mean that, I’m not sure it actually matters what you believe in this case. I’m telling you I did it. And you don’t have any real proof that Shawn wrote that message, do you?” Her hands clasps together in her lap and she is squeezing them tightly as if she doesn’t want to chicken out and back down from the lie that just spilled from her lips.

Taralynn Evans just lied!

Holy shit, I never thought I’d see the day. On top of it, she lied for me. Why, I have no idea. It makes no sense. It’s not like I’m scared to get in trouble. The worst he can do, is suspend me from school for a few days, maybe even a week. Okay, been there, done that, not a big deal. I few days off will be nice.

“Other than his confession in my office, he and friends laughing about it, I’d say I have enough to go on. Now, Miss Evans, I’m going to overlook this and you’re going to go back to class and I don’t want to see you in my office again unless it’s during third period and you’re working in here. Is that clear?” So he does have a fierce voice when it comes to the perfect one. Hell, his tone might be bordering on scary…if I were a girl.

“No, Mr. MacIntyre, I’m sorry but we aren’t. I’m telling you, it was me, not Shawn. And like you just said, you don’t have any real proof Shawn did it.” I’m getting whiplash I think. Tara’s voice has taken on a bold, confidence I’ve never heard before. I might even like it, if her dumb ass weren’t in here trying to get me out of trouble.

“Very well, Ms. Evans, I’ll humor you.” He relaxes into the softness of his plush chair, leaning back as he continues to speak to the crazy chick I’m wondering if I know at all. “Please explain to me, why on earth you would write, “For quick and easy fun, call x number”, and that number being Holly Torres’ home phone number? Please tell me, because I’m dying to know that reason.” Sarcasm is dripping off his lips.

Tara is silent for a moment; searching for an answer I’m certain. If I weren’t still in shock, I’d probably be rolling on the floor laughing because that’s exactly what this is. This is laughable. She is laughable. No one in their right mind would buy Taralynn ‘perfect’ Evans being malicious to another person and destroying school property too.

Maybe I did take that stunt a little too far, but the way I see, that bitch deserved it. I told Mason and the others it was because she went around telling people around school we were dating, we aren’t, and I don’t date. I screwed that whore once just like any other girl. I don’t do seconds, but the real reason; the reason I don’t want to even face was because of Tara.

Holly had sex with Tara’s douchebag of a boyfriend. Not only did she sleep with him, she recorded it on her phone and text the video to Tara. I guess the only bright side of the deal was that Tara broke up with the loser.

I’m ripped from my thoughts when the feel of Tara entwining our hands catches my attention causing me to glance down. She still isn’t looking at me. Her attention is on our principal. I cut my eyes to him as well. He’s staring at our tangled limbs too. An eyebrow is raised, but other than that he isn’t giving anything away and I can’t read him.

“I was jealous.” Come again?

“Say what?” He’s as stunned as I am I think.

“Jealousy. You know, the green eyed monster. When someone—” He stops her.

“Taralynn, I’m aware of what it means, but I don’t understand why you would be jealous of her.” He scrunches up his nose. Holly is pure trash. I don’t say that about many people, but the bitch is. My dick didn’t seem to care at the time I fucked her though.

“Because,” she glances my way giving me a look that tells me she wants me to go along with whatever she says. “She made everyone in school believe Shawn was dating her.” Her hand tightens around mine as her words come out. “He’s not with her.” She says it as if it’s obvious. To me it is. To everyone it should be obvious. I wouldn’t date that bitch if she were the last chick on earth. If I were smarter, I never would have had sex with her in the first place.

“Taralynn.” Principal Mac breathes her name out. “That’s all in well, but—” He doesn’t get to finish.

“He’s with me.” Say what? “That’s why I did it. She deserved it. Don’t you understand that?” Damn. If I didn’t know better I’d believe Tara and I were dating. She sounds like she believes the words coming out of her mouth.

“You want me to believe the two of you are dating?” He holds up his hands before Tara said a word. “Not only that, but you were the one to degrade a fellow students self-worth and deface school property? Does that sum it up, Taralynn?” Dude sounds a little ticked off.

“Yes, sir.”

His eyes cut to mine. With that look I know he’s asking me if I’m going to allow her to take my blame. That look also pulls me out of whatever it is that’s been going on since she took my hand. I’m not admitting this to anyone just how great it feels. I can’t let Tara do this. Her parents will flip the fuck out.

“Tara, come on.” I slide my hand out from her and sit up. Turning in the chair, I face her. “There’s no point in this. I can handle what Principal Mac dishes. I always do.”

“No, Shawn.” Her words are bitten out then she turns to face me. “Not this time. He’s not going to suspend you. He’s going to expel you. You won’t graduate.”

I’m speechless. For the first time in my life, I have no words.

This isn’t good.

“How did you know that?” Mr. MacIntyre is stunned.

“It’s true?” What the fuck? “It was a joke.”

“Shawn, you’ve done too much over the last four years. This was my last straw. You need to be taught a tough lesson.”

“One in which I assure you he has learned.”

“Taralynn, go back to class. This does not involve you.”

“I disagree since I told you I did it, not Shawn.” He huffs from frustration before glancing away from us. He looks to the ceiling. “Shawn, tell him it wasn’t you.”

I really do not know what to do right now.

I don’t want to be expelled, that’s for damn sure. I really don’t have a choice. I have to go along with this, but why is she the one bailing me out?

“Right. Um…what Tara said.” Dude, I feel so lame right about now.

“Are you certain that you want to stick with that story, Miss Evans?” He’s not only pissed, but I’m pretty sure I see disappointment in his eyes. “Be sure. There is no going back. You realize I will have to punish you for Shawn’s transgressions?”

“Yes.” I hear the uncertainty in her voice. It’s clear as day, but I cannot, not graduate. That is not an option, so I remain silent.

“Monday morning you are to report to Coach Parker’s room for ISS. You’ll have five days of In-School Suspension. You also have to apologize to Holly. Lastly, you are responsible for the bill to re-paint all the lockers on Hall B. We’re done, Miss Evans. Please return back to your class, now.” He dismisses her.

Once she exits and the door is closed a very pissed off man stares back at me. One in which I may be a little scared of at the moment. No longer do I see my Principal. He’s angry. I’d be willing to bet, angry, is not part of his job description when being in the presence of a student.