Page 20 of Princess of Hawthorne Prep

“Carrie,” Mr. Pembroke soothes. “I think you’re being a bit hasty with your punishment. If you want my professional opinion on the matter, I think you should allow Delilah to attend the senior trip. Perhaps a little time away, out in nature, would be the perfect opportunity for some much needed self-reflection and growth.”

Thrown off by the suggestion, Mom’s eyes bulge as she blinks.

I’m just as shocked by this turn of events.

Why does he care if I attend the senior trip?

“Edmond, you can’t possibly be serious! There’s no way Delilah should be allowed to attend an unsupervised outing.” She turns glaring eyes my way. “With my luck, she’ll end up pregnant.”

Heat scalds my cheeks. “That’s not going to happen.”

“You know what? I never thought you’d allow someone to take photographs of you either, but apparently, I was wrong.”

I wince.

What am I supposed to say in response to that?

“I understand that your daughter broke your trust, but she made an error in judgment. I highly doubt it’s something she’ll repeat in the future.” There’s a pause as Pembroke flicks his gaze at me. “Isn’t that right, Delilah?”

My teeth scrape across my lower lip in confusion. Why is he trying to smooth over the situation? What’s in it for him?

When I remain silent, his voice sharpens and eyes narrow. “Delilah? An answer, if you please.”

“No.” My shoulders wilt under the intensity of his death stare. “Nothing will happen.”

Mom shakes her head. “I’m still against this decision. She shouldn’t be allowed to go. Not after pulling this stunt.”

“You’re absolutely right,” he agrees smoothly. “But we all make mistakes. One of the most important lessons a person can learn in life is the self-awareness to recognize when they’ve deviated too far from their intended path and then course correct.” He lifts his fleshy hands. “It’s unfortunate that some children need to learn this lesson the hard way.” His icy stare lands on me. “Delilah happens to be one of those stubborn individuals. It’s better for her to learn it now rather than later when the stakes are much higher. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Mom worries her bottom lip with uncertainty.

I scream silently in my head.

No.

No.

No.

Don’t let him talk you into this.

Her eyes cloud with indecision. “You honestly think I should allow her to go away for the weekend?”

“I do.” He clears his throat, tone turning brisk. “Now that a course of action has been settled upon, you should return to work. If you don’t mind, I’d like to spend a few minutes chatting with Delilah.” There’s a pause. “Perhaps impart some wisdom for her to mull over.”

Mom stares at me for a long, silent moment before her gaze returns to Pembroke. “All right.” Her shoulders wilt as if the weight of the world rests on them. “Maybe you’ll have more luck getting through to her than I have.”

Mom doesn’t utter a peep before slipping out the door and closing it softly behind her.

And then we’re alone.

A prickle of unease blooms in the pit of my belly as I shift awkwardly on my chair and wait for him to impart his so-called wisdom. Instead of launching into a long-winded lecture, he picks up his phone from the polished mahogany desktop and stares at it for about twenty seconds. Every so often, he swipes the screen as if scrolling.

“This is quite the photo collection, Ms. Robinson.” He flicks his beady gaze at me. “Certainly not how a student at an elite prep school should behave.”

Heat scalds my cheeks as I realize what he’s been staring at while I’ve been sitting in front of him.

“I must say, your mother also enjoys being on her knees. Perhaps you can exchange some tips and tricks.”

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