Page 88 of Fighting the Odds

“Since I can take this job from you. I think the school board would love to hear how you treat the underage boys in this school, or that you favor certain students so that you have a chance to fuck their fathers. Now bother Sierra again and I’ll make sure your career is in ruins and you get a nice cellmate.”

With those words, I turn, leaving her gasping in my wake as I head out of the office to find Sierra. We need to talk and now is the perfect time, with no Stevenson brothers around to interfere.

She’s putting the books back on the shelf, her back to me so she doesn’t see me approaching.

“Sierra, can we talk?”

She jumps, letting out a squeak, nearly falling over the cart. I reach out, wrapping my arms around her waist and pull her close to me. She fights against my hold, pulling away.

“Let go of me, Wesley, and leave me alone.”

“I was only trying to help you, Sierra. You almost fell. Please, I need to talk to you.” I beg her and that’s something I don’t do, especially for a woman.

“What do we need to talk about? How you’re still playing fucking games? That you’re the one that gave Savannah that video to pass around?” Her bitter words assault me.

“I’m not playing a game and I didn’t give her the video. I told you she stole the flash drive from my room. I never knew what was on it until I saw what she sent out and then I went home and watched it.”

She stands guarded, her arms crossed over her chest and a stern look on her face.

“Funny, that’s not the story Savannah’s telling. Apparently, there was always going to be a sex video of me sent out to the school. You just so happened to luck out on one that was real. Yeah, I heard it all, Wesley. How you’re playing the big protector, only to lull me into a false sense of security so you can embarrass me yet again, this time for believing your lies. Just leave me the fuck alone and stay out of my life.”

She goes to pass me, but I move over, stepping into her path, stopping her.

“Sierra, she’s lying. It’s all lies. What else can I do to prove it to you? I’m so fucking sorry for what I did. Instead of thinking the worst of you, I could’ve saved you from being raped by my dad. We would be together and everything would be great.”

She has to see the truth in that. We are meant to be together. She is my forever; I was just a fool and let a misunderstanding get in the way.

Sierra starts laughing, catching me off guard.

“That’s rich, Wesley. You could’ve saved me from being raped by your father. But you almost raped me right here in this very library, now didn’t you? You can ask for forgiveness all you want, but I don’t have to give it. You see, Wesley, I never did anything wrong. You never told me why you were mad at me, even though I asked over and over. Yet you want me to be ‘ohh, it’s okay, you’re sorry and you asked for forgiveness’. No, it doesn’t happen like that. And as far as being together, that ended the day you started treating me like shit. We’re not friends, Wesley, not anymore, not ever again, and we’ll never be a couple.” She shoves past me, leaving me standing there with my mouth hanging open and a hole in my heart.

Sierra avoids me for the rest of the library period, and when I try to talk to her, she ignores me. I’m going to kill fucking Savannah.

I need to prove to Sierra I mean what I say.

The bell rings and she rushes to the door. I stand there waiting. I want to go after her, but I don’t. I just need to make sure the guys show up and get her.

They must run from their class to get her, Zander’s first, followed closely by Colton and Braxton. She falls into Zander’s arms willingly, allowing him to wrap them around her. They speak to her so softly and she lets them.

I long to have her in my arms like that. But she doubts my sincerity. I understand her reluctance, but I need to show her how much I care for her.

I made a mistake. I was young and dumb, but now I know the truth.

Then it hits me. There is something I can do to prove I mean every word I say. Why I didn’t do it from the beginning, I don’t know.

I wait for her to leave, and then I race out of the library, taking the back stairs to the student parking lot. I may have lied when I gave the flash drive to Sierra’s uncle. It wasn’t the only copy. There’s another, and it’s hidden in my dresser. I was going to confront my dad with it, but now I’m going to do something even better. He needs to pay for what he’s done and today is the day it’s going to happen.

Chapter 42

Sierra

“And we are finally done,” Zander announces, as my head falls back onto the couch.

We worked since we got back to my apartment to get the project done, so we wouldn’t have to worry about it any longer.

There’s a soft knock at the door and I get up, stepping over Zander’s legs. I don’t worry about looking through the peephole. I already know who it is before I open it.

Standing on the other side with a smile from ear to ear and a casserole dish in her hand, is Mrs. Butler. She’s gotten a few more wrinkles from worrying about me and Sam. It breaks my heart that she feels she let us down. If she had only gone to the authorities when my aunt first disappeared, we had a good chance of living with her, and Sam and I would never have been separated.

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