Page 178 of Choosing You

“Blake’s a drug dealer? Why does that not surprise me? How long has this been going on?”

“It started senior year of high school. But I didn’t know about it until halfway through the year when he tried to sell me some. Anyway, his dad’s reputation would be ruined if this got out. And Blake would go to prison.”

“But how can you prove it? It’s just your word against his.”

“I know where he stashes the stuff. And I saved text messages he sent me when he was trying to sell it to me last year. I also got video of him dealing at this party we went to last spring. If he didn’t drop the charges against me, I had plenty of evidence to take him down.”

“So how’d he get kicked out of school?”

“He had some of it hidden in his gym locker. Yesterday the dean got an anonymous call telling him where to look. He found the drugs in Blake’s locker but agreed to keep quiet if Blake transferred to a different college.”

“So Blake just gets away with it?”

“I told you. That’s how it works. It’s just a series of deals. And if Blake comes near you again, I’ll pull out more evidence. I’ve been building a case against him ever since I found out about the drugs. I’ve never trusted him. I knew I might need to use this someday.”

Mr. Kensington appears in the doorway. “Jade, I assume Garret has given you the news?”

“Yes. He just told me.”

“I’ve asked Garret to stay here at the house another day while we finalize everything. It’d probably be a good idea if you stayed here as well.”

“Yeah, okay. I didn’t bring clothes for another day but—”

“I’ll take you back to campus,” Garret says. “I need to go back anyway and get my laptop.”

Mr. Kensington turns to leave, then stops and turns back around. “Jade, have you talked with Frank since this happened?”

“Frank?” I say it like I have no idea who he’s talking about. I assume he means the Frank I grew up with but I can’t believe Garret’s dad even remembers Frank. They only spoke once on the phone, back when I got my scholarship.

“Your caretaker. Frank. Isn’t that his name?”

“Um, yes. I talked to him. I told him what happened. I’ll call him again later. He’ll be relieved to know Blake won’t be at Moorhurst anymore.”

“When you speak with him, if he has any concerns regarding this issue, please have him call me.”

“Okay, I will.”

“By the way, how is he feeling? Frank has MS, isn’t that right?”

This is so strange. Why is Garret’s dad suddenly so interested in Frank? “Yes. He’s doing okay. He has good and bad days.”

“Well, be sure to give him my best.” He walks out and I give Garret a WTH look. He shrugs like he has no idea why his dad just asked about Frank.

On the way to campus I ask Garret more about it, but he says he’s never talked about Frank with his dad.

Garret goes with me to my room to get my things. His eyes scan the walls, searching for the blood.

“Harper did it,” I say, packing some clothes in a garbage bag. “She cleaned it up and got me new stuff for my bed.”

My heart is beating erratically just being in that room again. It’s too soon.

“Jade. Stop for a minute and come over here.”

Garret’s sitting on the bed. I haven’t been near it since the incident. I walk over and cautiously sit down. Maybe I’m imagining it, but I can still smell Blake’s cologne.

“Don’t let him or what he did have power over you. We have good memories here. Don’t let him ruin all that.” Garret gets up to turn on the blue ceiling lights, then lies down on the bed, pulling on me to lie beside him. I shiver being in that position again. Garret notices and holds me closer. I finally start to relax.

When we get back to his house later, we learn that the charges have been officially dropped. Garret and I go out to dinner because it’s too awkward to eat dinner with his family. It’s clear that Katherine doesn’t want me staying there. I get the feeling she’s been fighting with her husband about it.

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