Page 86 of Harmony

When he opens it, I’m surprised to find the hall empty. Nate leads me down the hall and stops in front of the bathroom.

“You can take a minute and meet me in there if you want.”

I smile gratefully, slipping into the bathroom. After I quickly clean up, I make my way to the living room.

Before I can take a seat next to Nate, he pulls me into his lap with a grunt of pain.

“You idiot, you’re hurt. I can sit on the couch.”

“No. Too far,” he grumbles in caveman.

I roll my eyes, glancing over at Willow and Rocky. Willow has a knowing gleam and a smile while Rocky is scowling.

“Glad to see you’re both doing just fine,” Rocky says sarcastically.

Willow smacks his arm. “Hush. We’re happy for you guys.”

“Thank you.” I give her a small smile. My face heated.

“While you were sleeping.” He raises a brow. “I took the liberty of searching your room. Did you know someone had planted a camera and was watching you?”

“That explains so much,” I say, thinking back to all the times I felt like I was being watched. When they knew what I was doing within the safety of my room.

“Who had access to your room?” Rocky asks.

“Loraine, the rest of the house.” I lick my lips, thinking. “Katie from the cheer team once or twice.”

“I’ll look into it. Moving on, tell us everything.” Rocky looks at me.

So I do. I outline everything I wasn’t able to tell them over the past couple months. From the first party up to every detail I remember from last night.

“So Mr. Kendall was your contact in the school?” Rocky clarifies.

“Not mine, but Tiffany’s. He was their go-between man. I saw him with Tiffany on more than one occasion. The one time I was trying to follow him, Nate here ruined it by pulling me into the boy’s locker room, only for them to record us having sex.”

“They recorded you two?”

I nod. “I think they were following both of us. Whoever it was, was in the locker room with us.”

I shiver at the thought. Nate hugs me closer, grunting in pain but not loosening his hold.

“Well, the Mitchells are no longer an issue. They’ve been taken care of. Celeste has also left town indefinitely. So all we have to clean up is shit at the school.”

“What are you going to do to the squad?”

Rocky gives me a confused look. “What do you mean?”

“They didn’t want to do this. I mean, Katie was obviously a fucking mole if she’s the one who planted the camera, then again it could have been one of her tasks. But Tiffany truly cares about the team. So do the rest of the girls. Shannon started this deal with Mr. Kendall, not her. She was forced to continue it for fear of her life and the life of her friends. Please don’t punish them for their part in it.”

Rocky looks away, thinking. “I’ll call my contact at the police department. They will arrest Mr. Kendall. They will most likely bring the girls in too, but I will tell him to not charge them. I’ll take care of it.”

“You’re too nice, Hails,” Willow teases me.

“You did always say that.”

“Does this mean you’ll finish out your year with them?”

I think about her question. “If they still want me, I think I will. I enjoyed doing the routines and the games. Besides, we have a competition that we have been practicing for. I’d hate to leave them high and dry. As is, they are already down one girl.”

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