Page 106 of The Hallows Queen

I look over at the door, and Hayden comes out first. My mouth waters wearily, like I’m going to be sick, and he runs toward me. “P, I’m so sorry—”

“Hayden.” His father’s voice cuts through the room as he steps out of the office. “Enough.Go.”

Hayden shrinks like a dying flower, backing away from me slowly. He shakes his head, and his eyes fill with tears. “I’m so sorry. I love you. I’ll fix this.”

Waves of heat rush down the back of my neck as I grow angry at his words. How dare he tell me he loves me after everything he just did.

Headmistress Rothchild steps into view then. “Miss Leyton, my office, please.”

I look at Hayden one last time, memorizing the way his face looks, so filled with grief and pain, then I stand up and walk into her office with my tail tucked between my legs.

Headmistress Rothchild closes the door behind me, then walks around the desk. As I’m sitting down in one of the vacant chairs, she heaves a sigh and drops into her seat. “You’ve made quite a mess, haven’t you?”

I nod minutely, keeping my mouth shut in fear I’ll spill the contents of my stomach on the floor.

She places her hands on the top of her desk. “I’m going to lay this out in plain language for you, because after meeting with James Monroe, my head has started to throb.”

I keep my gaze on her, and she continues.

“Mr. Monroe would like to keep this…incidentas small as possible. There will be no legal action taken against you or the school, and Hayden will be allowed to return to finish out his senior year with us.” She sighs again, rolling her lips. “I will do my best to keep the chatter amongst students to a minimum; however, since Hayden made a scene in a classroom filled with people… this may be difficult.”

“Okay,” I say as nerves rush through my body, making my limbs tremble.

“You will be given a severance package and terminated immediately.”

My eyes fill with tears, and I try my best to blink them back. I knew this was coming, but it hurts even more than I thought it would to hear.

The headmistress sighs once more and sits forward in her chair. “Can I give you a piece of advice, Penelope?”

“Okay,” I repeat, brushing a tear from my cheek.

“Get out of Luxington,” she says, her eyes searing into mine. “Nothing good can come from being involved with the Monroe family, dear, and you will never work again as long as James Monroe has his hand in this town like a puppet.”

I swallow roughly. “I appreciate the advice.”

She stands, clearing her throat. “I would like for you to stay here until the students go for their lunch break, then I will escort you to your classroom to gather your belongings.”

Chapter31

Penelope

I’min a catatonic state the entire way home; it’s a miracle I make it in one piece.

When I reach my front door, Hayden is sitting on the floor against it.

When he sees me, he jumps up. “Penelope.”

I don’t look at him, just step beside him and unlock my door. “Go away.”

“What happened?!” he asks in a panicked tone, putting a hand on mine.

“I got fired,” I tell him simply, pushing the front door open and stepping inside. When I turn to close it behind me, he pushes in after me.

“Hayden,” I whisper, barely hanging on. “Go home.”

“No,” he says, slamming my front door behind him. “We need to talk; we need to figure this out.”

I huff a humorless laugh, dropping my stuff on the floor. “There’s nothing to figure out. I got fired, you told me you don’t really love me, and now I need to pack up my apartment and leave town.”

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