Broken Hill High (Broken Hill High #1)(62)

His eyes go back to Nate which is when they narrow further. “That’s your third strike, Nathaniel,” he tells him.

Nate just nods his head, accepting what is, but not me. I won’t stand for him getting in trouble like that, especially when he was defending me. I fly to my feet. “No,” I demand. “How can you just say that when you haven’t even asked a single question? You have no idea what that was even about.”

His eyes widen as he looks to me before he fans his arm out. “Well then,” he says with a bad attitude. “Why don’t you shed a little light on the situation? I’d love to know what could have possibly happened to make what Nathaniel did alright.”

I raise my eyebrow at his bad attitude and force myself not to go over there and give him a piece of my own mind. Instead, I bring up the footage and hand the camera across. “Here,” I tell him. “That’s your star quarterback sexually assaulting me in the broom closet not ten minutes ago.”

Watkins hits play on the video and his bad attitude instantly turns into shock, followed by disgust, and then finally, horror. “Are you alright?” he questions when he looks up at me.

“Yes,” I say. “Physically, but I’m sure what he did is going to flash through my mind every time I see a football player or walk past a broom closet.” He nods and places the camera down on his desk. “Just so you know, I plan on taking him down. I’m going to hit him hard with everything I’ve got and I hope to god that this school can back me up. I also want it pointed out that I’m a minor and I did not give consent for him to touch me or film me in this way.”

“By all means, Tora,” he says. “Broken Hill High will stand by you. We do not condone any form of violence towards our students or staff and we will do whatever we can to make you feel safe within the walls of this school. You have my word, Tora, action will be taken,” he says before turning towards Nate. “As for you, I understand why you did it, hell, I probably would have done it too, but we cannot condone violence.” Nate nods and Watkins goes on. “Why don’t you all sit out in the hallway. Your father will be here soon and we can discuss an appropriate punishment.”

“What about punishment for Josh?” Jesse cuts in.

“An investigation will be launched but I believe expulsion and criminal charges would be appropriate,” he says before looking back at me. “Now, as you mentioned, you are a minor, so you understand that I will have to put a call into your parents?”

I press my lips together hating that a call like that is only going to worry them but I have no choice in the matter. “Yes, I know,” I tell him. “They’re in Australia at the moment with my sick Nanna. It’s night time and they’re going through a hard time so can you be… sensitive about it?”

“Of course,” he says. “Why don’t you visit one of our nurses while we wait on Mr. Ryder. Make sure you’re ok.”

I nod my head as we get up and head out into the hallway. Nate takes my hand and I sit down beside him, not bothering to visit the nurse.

Ten minutes later, Cade Ryder walks in with a scowl on his face. He looks straight at Nate, not knowing what the hell is going on but naturally, assuming the worst. “Don’t move,” he tells him before walking straight past and into Watkins’ office before closing the door behind him.





Chapter 21


I walk through the door behind Cade with Nate beside me and Jesse behind. We walk in silence until we get to the kitchen when Cade turns around and looks at each of us. “Right,” he starts, focusing on Nate. “You’re home tonight. No parties. No get-togethers. No hanging out with the boys. All night, it’s either the den, the dining room, or your bedroom. Got it?”

Nate nods his head as his father turns to Jesse. “That goes for you, too.”

“What?” Jesse grunt. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You could have pulled him away, instead you let him beat the shit out of that kid.”

“But he-”

“I don’t want to hear how he deserved it. I know he deserved it, and quite frankly, I think he deserved more,” Cade argues. “But, if this were the real world, Nate would have been arrested on assault and you and your friends would have been taken along with him as accessories. I refuse to allow you idiots to end up in prison, so until you learn that, you’re spending your Friday nights and weekends with me.”

“But-”

Cade ignores his son as he turns to me. “Tora, I’m really sorry this happened to you and you’ve become a victim in all this, but I don’t want you going out tonight either. I don’t want to risk that dickhead going out to finish what he started, especially without Nate and Jesse there to look out for you.”

“That’s fine,” I tell him. “I wasn’t planning on going out tonight anyway.”

“Alright, then,” he says as he squeezes my shoulder and walks out of the kitchen. “I’ll be in my study if you need me,” he calls over his shoulder before disappearing into the house.

“Come on,” Nate says a moment later as he drags me into the den with Jesse following behind. We drop down into the couch and Jesse flicks on a movie.

As we sit in silence, I can’t help but ignore the screen as my mind takes me back to my afternoon. I mean, I haven’t had such a shitty day in so long. The three of us got sent home once Nate’s dad was finished with Principal Watkins, which actually took quite a while as the police were called and charges were filed.