Danny checked into a motel after fleeing the Mason house. He hated leaving Katie there to deal with the consequences, but knew it would have been worse for both of them if he stayed. He knew how bad the situation looked to Mrs. Mason. She had every right to be angry, and Danny was sure her parents would never believe that he and Katie weren't having sex. Even though Danny felt like he had just spent the best two weeks of his life, he regretted agreeing to stay with her. He hated thinking that her parents would think the worst of her for just being kind to him.
The next day, he went to school and searched the halls for Katie. She was nowhere to be found. He asked a couple of her friends if they heard from her and they said no. Finally he called her house, but there was no answer. By his second to last period, he was fairly worried and determined to go to her apartment after school to demand to see her. As he watched the clock willing it to go faster, a student came to the door and spoke quietly to the teacher. "Danny, you're needed in the Head Master's office," his teacher stated.
He knew this couldn't be good. He'd been there for two years and hadn't seen the Head Master since the scholarship kids posed for a photo on the first day of school. He walked hesitantly into the office. Upon entering, he saw the Head Master, Mr. Rosen; his caseworker, Sheila Simmons; and two men who he didn't know.
"Danny…have a seat," Mr. Rosen started. "It seems we have some issues to clear up regarding an incident that occurred over the weekend. You know Sheila, and this is Mr. Mason, Katie's father, and his associate, Mr. Williams."
Danny looked up at Mr. Mason. "Is Katie okay?" he asked softly.
"My daughter is not your concern," Mr. Mason said coldly. And then he turned to address the Head Master and Sheila. "What I want to know is why someone like him was left unsupervised. Who is responsible for him?"
Sheila was clearly intimidated by Mr. Mason's tone. "Um…technically, sir…he's on his own. When he turned 18, he aged out of the system. I tried to help him find a temporary place to live, but he disappeared from there three weeks ago."
"You didn't try very hard to find him, Ms. Simmons. He goes to school here everyday," Mr. Rosen added.
"I'm sorry, but I have sixty active cases. I did what I could…"
"Unacceptable," Mr. Mason interrupted.
"It's not her fault, sir," Danny interjected. "Don't blame Sheila. I should have just stayed at the shelter…like she said. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."
"You didn't? You didn't mean to ingratiate yourself into my daughter's life? You didn't mean to take advantage of her good nature?"
Danny shook his head. He didn't want to tell them that it was Katie's idea. "I shouldn't have gone to her for help. It was stupid. But sir, nothing happened. I was planning on leaving that night. I…"
"Nothing happened? Nothing happened? My wife caught you in bed with my daughter. You lived with her for over two weeks. She's sixteen…"
"We didn't…" Danny started.
"Oh believe me…I know you didn't. We already had that confirmed," Mr. Mason replied as he paced across the office. "You'd be in jail right now if it had…make no mistake."
Danny looked down and ran his hand over his face. He wondered what they put Katie through the night before. "I know what I did was wrong. I…um…I just…"
Sheila could see that Danny was struggling to explain his situation. She knew he didn't want anyone to take pity on him. So she interrupted. "Danny doesn't have anyone. His parents died when he was eleven. His brother is a junky….
"Sheila…don't…" Danny said wanting her to stop.
But she continued, "…who has one foot back in Sing Sing. Danny's worked his ass off to keep his life on track. He was nearly killed two years ago trying to get his brother out of trouble. And he still had the presence to get into Brentland and do well here."
Mr. Rosen then responded. "I've told Mr. Mason that Danny is a very good student, and up until last weekend never caused any trouble."
"Look…none of that matters, okay," Danny said as he looked up at Mr. Mason. "I shouldn't have taken advantage of her like that. You're right. Katie is the sweetest, kindest person I've ever known. No one has ever been as good to me as she has. I'm sorry, Mr. Mason. I'm sorry to you and your wife and to Katie…for making such a mess of things."
Robert Mason looked at Danny and wanted to hate him. He wanted to see a manipulative punk, but instead he started to see the person that Katie described to him the night before.
After Katie returned from the doctor's office, she went directly to her room and slammed the door. She lay on her bed and took hold of the pillow that Danny slept on. She could still smell him. She imagined that he was next to her as tears rolled down her face onto the pillow. After a few moments of crying, she heard a knock at the door. "Can I come in?" her father asked as he opened the door.
"I don't think I have a choice," Katie replied as she stared out the window refusing to look back at her father. She felt him sit next to her on the bed.
"I'm sorry we didn't believe you, Kate. I'm sorry we made you go through all of that, but you have to understand…what was your mother to think? After she saw what she saw, what else was she to believe?"
Katie turned around to look him in the eyes for the first time since they returned. "She and you could have believed me! I've never lied to you."
"Exactly…which is why I couldn't believe it when I saw you sneak that boy into our apartment on those security tapes. So…if he could influence you to do that…then why wouldn't we believe that this Danny would be capable of seducing you?"
"He's not capable of that, Daddy. Danny is…he tries to act tough and cool, but deep he's sweet and so respectful. He's better than all of those arrogant Brentland boys. He's worked so hard to get here. But bad things keep happening to him. People have hurt him his whole life, but he keeps fighting. I found him living in this abandon building with druggies and prostitutes…it was awful…I couldn't let him stay there, Daddy."
"He took you there?" her father asked angrily.
"No…god…no…I followed him. I knew something was wrong because he wasn't living at his foster parent's house. He was so mad when he found out that I followed him. I told him that I wouldn't leave unless he came with me. I didn't give him a choice, Daddy. And I thought I was doing what you would do…" Katie said sincerely.
"What I would do?" her father asked confused.
"You've always said that I should see the bigger picture…that I shouldn't be content with living in my tiny little world. Danny's been hurt and abused his whole life, and I just wanted to help. I swear this didn't start as some romantic thing. I genuinely just couldn't let him stay somewhere where he could be hurt again."
"But it did become romantic, Katie."
"It did. And I don't regret that either. I really care about him. And I don't want to abandon him, Daddy. I won't do it."
Robert Mason had never seen his daughter more confidant and grown-up as when they had that conversation. He was hoping to meet Danny and find out that he had pulled something over on Katie. He wanted to see someone callous and manipulative, but instead he saw the scared, hurt kid that Katie described. But that realization about Danny didn't change what Mr. Mason had to do. He had to protect his daughter…above all else.
"I accept your apology, Danny."
Both Sheila and Mr. Rosen exchanged relieved glances. Mr. Rosen didn't want to lose the financial support of the Mason family over this incident.
"Thank you, sir," Danny said as he rose to leave.
But Mr. Mason continued. "While I do believe that you regret what happened, and I know that this was more Katie's idea than yours…despite what you said…I still need to protect my daughter."
Danny looked back at him confused.
"I know that you are only two years a part, but in experience, you are a lifetime older than my daughter. And I don't think she should be exposed to you. Katie has enormous potential. As you probably know, she is a very smart girl. She wants to study at Oxford after she graduates. I have a feeling all of that potential…all of those dreams would be left behind if I allowed her continue to know you."
"I'm not sure where you are going with this, sir. We go to the same school. We can't avoid each other completely."
"I've already handled that. We are sending Katie to a boarding school until the end of the year. There a only a couple of months left. She'll return in the fall…after you are gone."
Danny nodded not sure how to respond.
"Knowing my daughter, she won't want to accept this. She'll want to see you. So I will need your help to make sure that doesn't happen."
"We can't see each other at all?" Danny asked still unsure how Mr. Mason could enforce this.
"Right. And if you make an attempt to see her or if you encourage any attempts of hers to see you, then I will make sure you pay for your mistakes of the last two weeks."
"How? How would I pay?" he asked still confused.
Mr. Rosen chimed in. "We can revoke your scholarship at any time, Danny. It was stipulated in the agreement. If I get a call from Mr. Mason in the next three months, I will expel you…and that will mean no scholarship to NYU."
Danny was hit with the sudden realization that Mr. Mason would do anything to keep him away from Katie.
"I also have friends on the board at NYU. If you think you can wait a year, and then contact Katie, you shouldn't. Your academic future rests in my hands. I'm going to use that as collateral for the future well being of my daughter. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," Danny replied not knowing what else to say.
"I was hoping you would," Mr. Mason responded and then seemed to ponder something for a few moments. "Where are you living now, Danny?"
"Just…a motel a few blocks from here…why do you care?" he asked feeling backed into a corner.
"I don't care, but it seems that the best way to keep you out of my daughter's life would be to make sure you have a safe place to stay. If she found out you were in trouble again, she might try to do something stupid. Mr. Williams, my colleague, will take you to a building I own a few blocks from here. I think we have some available studios in that building," he said as he glanced at Mr. Williams.
Danny shook his head. "No…no sir. I don't need your help."
Mr. Mason laughed. "That's rich coming from someone who had no problem with living in my daughter's room for over two weeks. You'll stay in the studio until you start college. I'm not giving you a choice in this. I'm doing what is best for my daughter."
Mr. Mason walked out after nodding to Mr. Rosen. Sheila gave Danny's arm a gentle squeeze and then walked out as well. Mr. Williams then addressed Danny. "Come on, kid. We'll pick up your things and then get you settled."
"I really don't have a choice, do I?" Danny asked.
"Not if you want to stay at this school, you don't," Mr. Williams responded and then walked out of the office.
Mr. Williams drove Danny to the motel to pick up his things, and then drove him to a mid-size walk-up building a few blocks from Brentland. Mr. Williams directed Danny to a sparsely furnished, small studio on the first floor.
"Mr. Mason must have liked you…" Mr. Williams said as they walked in the door.
"How do you figure?" Danny asked skeptically as he set his duffle bag down and took in the small room.
"Well, before we met with the Head Master, he fully intended to request that you be expelled. And now…not only are you still at Brentland, but you have a place to live. Believe me, if Mr. M wouldn't have liked you…you'd be on the street."
Danny nodded. "He's a pretty powerful guy, huh?"
"You could say that. Consider yourself lucky…and a word of advice?"
Danny looked at him and nodded.
"Stay as far away from Katie Mason as possible. His daughter is his princess, but this isn't some fairy tale where you can save her from the tower. You screw with Mr. Mason, and he will tear your world apart. From what we've learned about you, you can't afford to start from scratch again."
"No…I can't," Danny responded quietly.
"I'll let the super in the building know that you'll be here for a few months. Don't worry about rent or utilities. If you need something, you can call me directly," he said handing Danny his card. "Just remember what I said…and you'll be fine."
And then Mr. Williams left leaving Danny alone. Danny sat on the bed and thought about Katie. He tried to convince himself that this was for the best…for both of them.