19
My mom is stunned into silence by the news that Izzy is back in town. She reaches behind her to find the chair she knows is there, and sinks down onto it.
"Why?"
I have no answer, for her or myself.
"What hold does she have over you, Edward? I don't understand it. I thought after everything that happened the last time …" I watch as her eyes become glassy, the tears eventually spilling over and running gently down her cheeks.
I fucking hate this part. My stomach twists and the guilt slides up my throat, threatening to choke me. She reaches out and grips my hand, staring up at me.
"Honey, you're like a stranger when she gets her claws into you. It's like I don't even recognize you. Please, don't go there again."
Principal Greene's door opens and my mom lets go of my hand. Whitlock emerges, ignoring me as he slopes away down the hall.
"Mrs Cullen." His face is serious as he greets my mom. He ushers us in and offers us a seat. It's not the first time we've sat here.
"I have to say I'm disappointed we're back here like this. Edward's behavior has been exemplary for the past few months."
"I quite agree," My mom replies. "I believe Isabella Swan is back though." I swing my head around to look at her.
"I'm not sure I understand," Principal Greene says, furrows of confusion lining his forehead.
"That girl has been in the middle of every scrap of trouble Edward has ever been in. It's no coincidence we're back here as soon as she's in town again. If you don't believe me, take a look at his school records. All the trouble occurs when she's here."
I wish I could get up and leave. It's bad enough they're talking about me as though I'm not even in the room, but I really have no desire for a scapegoat. What happened to all my mom's talk of 'taking responsibility for your own actions'? I make a sound and roll my eyes at the thought, attracting a harsh glare from them both.
Principal Greene steeples his fingers against his top lip and looks down at his desk thoughtfully for a moment or two while we wait in silence. Eventually he looks up.
"Mrs Cullen, I'm sure you're aware your son was on a final warning after the incident where we found drugs they both insisted were his, in Miss Swan's locker."
My mom leans forward.
"There's not one person in this room who doesn't know they were both lying."
"I can only go on the information I'm given, and on that occasion they both admitted they belonged to Edward. Whatever our suspicions may be to the contrary, we have no proof." He looks directly at me. "Edward?"
"They were mine."
I need to keep her out of trouble until I've dealt with the shitstorm Whitlock released earlier. At the first hint of anything bad, her dad always ships her back to Phoenix.
My mom looks at me.
"Edward, this has to stop."
I stare back at her.
"I have no idea what you mean."
~S~