Page 2 of Sinful Desires

Kamryn’s eyes widened and her glossed lips parted in surprise as I snapped at her favorite teacher. Maybe it was reckless since the principal’s door was open, but what did I have left to lose at this point? Surely bitch-tits hadn’t dragged me in here for shits and giggles.

Readjusting my bag over my shoulder, I started toward the door—on my own terms. Kamryn’s flowery scented perfume choked me, causing my eyes to water as I walked past her, but before I could comment on it, my gaze snagged on the elderly woman seated behind her wooden desk.

Principal Crutchfield had her white hair clipped back and her spectacles sat on the bridge of her nose. Her mouth was drawn into a tight line, and by the disapproving look she was sporting, if I had to guess…she wasn’t too pleased.

“Why am I not surprised?” She sighed, taking her glasses off and folding them. “Have a seat.”

I fought against my natural instincts of telling her to go fuck herself and obliged for once. Slipping into the chair opposite her, I arched an expectant brow wanting to get this shit over with.

Mrs. Camillo didn’t miss a beat as she hurriedly filled our principal in on my latest escapade. I found myself having to bite back my laughter as Principal Crutchfield’s face went from relaxed to enraged within seconds.

Finally, she blew out a breath and shook her head. “Aspen…” she began, drawing out my name. “We’ve been very lenient with you since you started school here. Ms. O’Reilly went out on a limb for you when we brought up your facial piercings, writing it off as a coping mechanism—”

A snort of amusement left me, bringing her sentence to an abrupt halt. “Don’t act like any of this was for my benefit. You don’t give a shit about me, and I wouldn’t expect you to,” I growled, my tone full of venom. “Ms. O’Reilly didn’t do anyone a favor except for you. Had you requested that I take out my nose rings, it wouldn’t have happened. You saved yourself the trouble.”

She was quiet for a few moments, her wrinkly lips tilted into a frown. “I don’t know what you’ve been through,” she admitted. “I do know that life has been difficult for you, but don’t let it control you.”

Annoyance bubbled inside me, and I rolled my eyes. They could give me lecture after lecture all day, and it wouldn’t change a thing. Nothing she could ever say would make me want to be the pathetic girl I used to be. That girl let people walk all over her; she was a victim. This version of me was strong, merciless, vengeful.

“Whatever,” I mumbled. “Are we done here? You going to suspend me? Call my mommy?”

Natalie wasn’t actually my mom. She was my foster parent—which didn’t make sense considering I just turned eighteen, but I’d already been placed in her care before then; she probably just didn’t want to kick me out.

“You know I have to.”

“You’re the principal.” I scoffed. “You don’t have to do anything.”

She gave me a sympathetic look, like that was supposed to mean something to me. Her feelings didn’t matter to me; the outcome did.

“Do what you have to do,” I finally said, pulling myself to my feet. “I’ll wait out there.”

Mrs. Camillo had made her way back into the main part of the office at some point during my discussion with the principal. As I ventured out of Crutchfield’s office, my gaze hardened into a glare as I took her in, leaning over the desk and laughing at something Kamryn had said. Her blue eyes swiveled over to me instantaneously, her smile fading like I was a bad omen.

Camillo wasn’t like a lot of teachers. She befriended students, had sleepovers with them, bought them things, and showed blatant favoritism over them in the classroom.

One day, I made one of her chosen ones cry, and Camillo had the gall to confront me about it in the hallway like a high school bitch and then interrogated me. That didn’t go well for her. Since then, she’s looked for excuses to bust me and send me to the office, hoping I’d eventually get kicked out. Today was her lucky day.

I dropped into one of the three chairs resting against the wall closest to the entrance, and let my bag fall to my feet once I’d removed it from my body.

My gaze locked with Kamryn’s from across the room. She didn’t even try to hide the fact that she didn’t like me. Which was one thing I could respect her for.

“Can I help you?” I mumbled, leaning my head back against the wall.

“Nope.” A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, but she didn’t proceed. My eyebrows bunched together at how weird she was being.

I’d been so wrapped up in Kamryn that I hadn’t realized that Mrs. Camillo had gone back to speak with Principal Crutchfield again. When the door to her office opened once more, she strolled out, closing the door behind her. Her eyes met mine and a smug smirk captured her lips before she shifted her attention to Kamryn.

“I’ll see you next period dear.” She smiled gently at her and then made her way out of the office without another word.

Anxiety nibbled away at me as my mind went rampant. Kamryn obviously knew something without anyone having to even tell her. Did she have access to my file? Wasn’t that supposed to be confidential? The mere thought of her peering into my personal life had my stomach twisting in knots.

It wasn’t long before I was being ushered back in to speak with the principal. This time, I didn’t bother sitting down and settled with glaring at her from across the room. She hadn’t yet made it behind her desk, and her head was level with my chest. Maybe it meant I was fucked up, but being a good several inches taller than her made me feel an inkling of joy. If she got out of line, I could just kick her and send her flying.

She plopped down into her leather chair, her glasses back on her face. “I spoke to Natalie,” she began. “She’s on her way to come pick you up, and you will no longer be permitted to attend school here.”

“I didn’t realize you were so passionate about the bathroom walls.” I snorted, a smirk playing at the corners of my mouth.

She shot me a pointed look. “You were on thin ice as soon as you started school here, Aspen. We risked our necks by accepting you with your history and such. Especially with what took place at your old school.”

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