A Joke That Went Too Far

I let out a cold laugh, my eyes fixed on the dorm supervisor.

"School rules say anyone returning after midnight has to sign in. If that's true, just check the log."

In all my time here, I had only been late once.

That night, I attended one of my father's events–and the dean personally brought me back.

Tara, on the other hand, came back drunk in the middle of the night all the time.

The supervisor's expression stiffened. She hesitated. "It's the middle of the night. Sometimes a sign-in gets missed."

I nodded.

Of course. She had already decided Tara was the dean's daughter. She was not going to log her in either way.

I pointed at the security camera over the front desk.

"If the log can miss things, then we can check the footage. That should settle it."

Tara's face changed. She grabbed my sleeve. "Sophie! Why are you still struggling? Just stop now. There's still time to turn back!"

I shook her off. My voice came out cold. "The one who needs to turn back is you."

"Sophia.. Why are you doing this to me?"

I started toward the security room.

Connor suddenly grabbed my collar and shoved me aside. "Enough! Sophia, drop the act."

He curled his lips into a mocking smile. "How about this. You bow and apologize to Tara, and we'll pretend none of this happened."

I stared at him. "Bow to her? Is she even worthy of that?"

His expression darkened. He reached out and forced me down. "Don't push your luck. I'm giving you a way out, and you're still acting tough?"

I stumbled, nearly losing my balance under the force.

I lifted my head and stared straight at him.

"All it takes is checking the cameras to see who's been sneaking out at night.

"And one phone call to the print shop would prove whether those flyers had anything to do with me.

"Why won't you check either?"

He burst out laughing. "Selling yourself and still expecting people to believe you? What a joke."

His fist slammed into me. "That's for seducing men and ruining this school's reputation."

The blow was heavy. Pain shot through my body like my bones were coming apart.

The crowd joined in.

"Hit her again! People like her deserve it!"

"And she still wants to go to the dean? Once the dean hears, she's expelled!"

"Expelled?" I laughed. I actually laughed. I yelled it back at the guy who had said it. "The one getting expelled is going to be you."

As the daughter of this school's largest investor, even if I offended the dean, there was no way I'd be the one forced out.

While I was down, I rolled over, pulled out my second phone, and quickly dialed my father.

Someone in the crowd sneered.

"Still pretending? Calling one of your clients to back you up?"

"Everyone on campus knows what you are, Sophia."

Tara was smirking too. "Sophia. Are we done with the show yet?"

I ignored all of them. I forced down the rage and spoke into the phone. "How far out are you?"

On the other end, I heard hurried footstep–and a voice filled with barely contained rage.

He was coming. Fast.

I was about to say more when Connor snatched the phone out of my hand and stomped on it until the screen shattered.

Tara stepped forward, full of smug satisfaction. "So. Your customer is almost here? Is it the hundred-per-time one… or the two-hundred-for-three?"

At that moment, a stern voice cut through the crowd.

"What in the hell is going on out here?"

The crowd parted on its own. The dean strode in, white as a sheet.

Behind him–my father, his expression even darker.