Page 30 of Unraveled

“So, there’s nothing you can do for him?”

She sounded so defeated that I couldn’t help but feel bad for her, and Zane shifted, starting to look the slightest bit worried.

“What if we sent him to the alternative school?” Ms. Lane cut in.

Mr. Hiller leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling as his lips pursed, his fingers drumming the arms of his chair. “I’ll have to check into it since we’re so close to the end of school, but if they’ll take him, I’ll okay it.”

Evelyn took a deep breath in relief. “Thank you. Anything.”

“But this does mean that he won’t graduate with his class. He’ll likely just get his diploma in the mail over summer after he completes the placement.”

“You’re kidding,” Zane snapped, and his mom shot him a look.

“You’ll take what you can get. It’s a diploma.”

“Which I’m supposed to get,how, if I’m in jail on assault charges?”

Mom and I glanced at each other, and I wished at that moment that I could talk to her like I could with Annie. Thatsenseand just knowing that my sister and I shared with each other.

I sighed, looking back at the rest of the table. “I won’t file it.”

“What?” Mom and Evelyn said together as Zane started to smirk.

“Don’t you dare,” I told him. “Smirk or act like this is a win for you in any way, and this deal will unravel so fast I will head for the police station as soon as I walk out of here. This is my peace offering, Zane. Take it, but don’t be a pig about it.”

“And the restraining order?” Zane’s smirk had dropped, but he raised an irritated eyebrow.

“Non-negotiable.” Mom cut her hand through the air and looked at me. I nodded, telling her I agreed before she looked back at Evelyn. “But I’m going to make my daughter angry here and say that the assault charge being dropped has conditions.”

“Okay…” Evelyn said, wary.

“First, youhaveto get Zane help. Send him to rehab or counseling, though both would be preferable, and I want it documented. There needs to be proof that the drugs are out of his system and that he’s receiving help for his anger issues because, from what we heard earlier, it sounds like he already had somebeforethe steroids. As long as he’s clean and he’s showing progress, I’m okay with Izzy not filing.”

“That sounds pretty fair,” Ms. Lane commented.

Evelyn nodded, her eyes growing a little moist. “Yes, it is.” She reached across the table for Mom’s hand. “Thank you. To you, too, Izzy.”

“You’re welcome.”

Zane shot up at that, shoving past the chairs to throw the door open, and stormed off down the hall. A security guard passed by the window right behind him.

Evelyn sighed, and again, my heart went out to her.If only Zane was more like her than his dad.He might have been a decent human.

When everyone left, I was dying to get home and crawl into bed. The pillow calling to my pounding head. But Mom pressed a hand to my upper back to guide me out the door as soon as I was through checking out at the front desk. “Come on. I heard what you said to Tucker. It’s doctor time.”

Chapter 11

TUCKER

“I’m surprised Izzy wanted to come out tonight,” Jet commented as he pulled out a seat and dropped down into a chair at Breaker Hall. “Or that you’re okay with it.”

I shrugged a shoulder, grabbing another chair as I looked around at the crowd. It had been several hours since what had gone down with Zane at school, and I was still pissed as hell, but Izzy had asked to go out, wanting the distraction after today. Annie had protested, voting for the races instead, but Izzy definitely had the trump card tonight. Now, Nic was sitting at the bar, stewing as usual but saying he was here for support, and the twins were in the bathroom.

“The doctor gave her the all clear, so if she wanted to come out, it wasn’t my place to stop her,” I answered Jet.

He gave me a curious glance. “Sounds like you maybe wanted to.”

“No.” I sighed. “Not really. I’m just worried that she’s going to try to put off talking about this. Wejustgot past so much of our shit, and then leave it to Zane to fuck things up and mess with her head again. I swear, if I couldhave decked him in there, I would have.” The way Izzy had cried and trembled in my arms still made my blood boil. He’d hurt her way too many times. If I could arrange it, he’d have a fucking deathbed.

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