Chapter 21: No Escape
After getting Matteo and Noel to flee the scene that Friday night, Reina stood virtually alone when Principal Sascha and Ignacio the bio teacher appeared alongside two policemen.
When Reina glanced at her surroundings, it looked like the Other San Patricio students who had gotten involved in the fight had also ran off.
"Reina," Ignacio spoke, his eyebrows furled into a concerned frown. "What happened here?"
"Yes, Reina. Where are the rest?" Sascha folded her arms and inspected the ground. "I see blood stains. And broken glass – from the windows over there," she commented, observing the windowpanes next to the entrance to the boys' locker room.
One of the policemen cleared his throat and subconsciously touched his mustache. "We're going to need statements at the station."
"No, nobody is going to the police station," Sascha said firmly. "You can get our statements right here."
Reina wrapped her arms around her body, suddenly feeling chilly. She definitely did not want to be hauled into a police station and be questioned like a common criminal or something.
The other policeman, who was tall and looked kinder than his partner, sighed and reluctantly retrieved a small notepad from his pocket. "All right. Do you want to begin..?"
"Sascha Pastor. I'm the principal of this school." Sascha inhaled before continuing, "I was in the teacher's lounge nearby with a few other members of the teaching team when we heard a loud commotion."
"Yes, we received a phone call to alert us about an alleged fight that had broken out close to the boys' locker room," Tall Policeman told her.
Ignacio looked at Reina briefly. "I am Ignacio Moreno and I teach bio at San Patricio. Sascha and I – we were still a distance away when we saw multiple students who looked like they were exchanging punches. By the time we arrived here, everyone was gone except for Reina."
"We noticed quite a number of students all over the school on this Friday night," said Mustache Policeman.
"Yes, there was a football match earlier."
"Was the fight related to the football match?" Mustache Policeman asked.
"Reina, do you want to chime in here?" As Sascha spoke, it came out sounding more like an instruction than a suggestion.
Reina exhaled slowly. "I don't know."
"Perhaps a visit to the station will help clear your head," Mustache Policeman remarked.
"No, I doubt it," Reina shot back. "Look, I was just passing by and I didn't see anything. That's the truth, so take it or leave it."
Ignacio rubbed the bridge of his nose, visibly tired and ready to go home. "Reina, we need your cooperation, please."
"Might I remind you, Reina, that it's your duty as a senior at San Patricio to uphold the high standards of the school, especially in its zero tolerance toward acts of violence," Sascha said in a steely cold tone. "Either you give us the names of the people involved in the fight, or you shoulder the blame entirely. Your choice."
"Better listen to your principal, miss," Tall Policeman advised her gently.
Reina licked her lips as she thought about her answer.
On Monday morning, Reina strode past the school's arched doorway with her Tom Ford wayfarer sunglasses perched on her nose, sending out a very clear "don't talk to me" vibe.
The weekend had been an absolute torture for Reina. She'd tried everything she could to reach out to Matteo.
Calling his phone countless of times.
Sending text after text.
She even stood outside the wrought iron entrance gate to his family mansion on Sunday afternoon, only to be told by the tight-lipped guard that Matteo wasn't home and that he couldn't provide any other information.
Noel didn't pick up Reina's calls either. Kate and Emilia, who were away on some spa retreat together for the weekend, took the time to get into an hour-long video call with her – but they weren't able to help much because Matteo was unresponsive toward them too.
Reina knew she'd fucked up big time by getting involved with Ander. But if Matteo truly loved her, he could've at least given her a chance to make amends, right? For the sake of their three-year-old relationship, which was the longest that Reina had been with any boy. There had been plenty of ups and downs, sure, but that was normal for any high school romance.
When it came down to it, Reina wasn't ready to let go of Matteo. She had to make him see that they could still be amazing together. Who else were more suited to rule San Patricio if not Reina and Matteo? If only he'd open back their line of communication...
Well, Matteo would have a lot more trouble avoiding Reina at school. So he would have to talk to her soon. And forgive her somehow.
Throwing down her Louis Vuitton pouch bag and a tablet sleeve holding her Surface Pro onto her desk, Reina settled down in the classroom and waited for Matteo to show up.
"Reina, are you okay?" Emilia asked from her seat behind Reina.
"Yeah, did you hear from Matteo?" Kate, whose desk was beside Emilia's, wanted to know.
Reina swiveled around, shaking her head at the two girls. "It's driving me crazy," she muttered.
"Good morning, everyone," Tia Bardales, the history teacher, announced as she strode into class briskly with her briefcase. "Let's get settled down, please. We have a lot to cover today."
Matteo and Noel rushed in just then, getting into their seats and pulling out their Surface Books from their matching Gucci canvas backpacks.
Reina swiftly turned to her left where Matteo sat next to her. While she gazed at his face – his black eye and the purple-pink bruise across his cheekbone acquired from the fight on Friday night – his focus was fully on Tia instead.
So Matteo was still giving her the silent treatment. Great.
"Matteo, are you going to ignore me for the rest of our lives?" Reina hissed when Tia took a minute to check the projector.
Matteo sighed, glanced at her for a second and hissed back, "Don't do this right now, Reina."
"Then when?" she challenged.
"I don't know."
"After this class. We'll talk then," she decided for them both.
Matteo shook his head. "I'm not sure –"
A knock on the door stole their attention. It was Agustina Cano, the principal's assistant.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Tia. Sascha wants to see Reina immediately," Agustina said.
Now what? Reina scowled at Agustina, even though she was merely the messenger.
"Of course," Tia replied. "If it's urgent."
"It is," Agustina affirmed.
"Off you go, Reina," Tia said. "Now for the rest of you, please scroll to page 11 of the PDF."
Reina rolled her eyes but dutifully packed her things and walked out of the classroom, aware of the curious stares of her classmates that followed her, including those from Matteo, Noel, Kate and Emilia.
When she stepped into Sascha's room, she was startled by the presence of her parents in there.
"What are you doing here?" Reina blurted out.
Sascha stood up, removing her glasses and placing them on her desk. "Reina. Close the door behind you and we can get started."
Reina slammed the door shut, but didn't move forward to join her parents who were seated in front of Sascha's desk.
"What is this about?" Reina demanded in a curt tone, not pleased that Sascha had called her parents to show up.
As a matter of fact, Reina had had no intention of letting her parents know a single thing about her role in Friday night's fiasco. Now Sascha had ruined it all.
Reina did not like this new principal, to say the least.
"Reina, I've just informed your parents what happened on Friday night. It appears that they were completely clueless," Sascha said, careful to keep her face neutral.
"It was my decision whether to tell them or not," Reina responded.
"And you decided wrongly," her father spoke up, frowning.
"Now I want to recap..." Sascha looked at Reina evenly. "Reina, you told me, Ignacio and the police that you were the only person outside the boys' locker room that night."
"Yes," Reina said.
"Do you still stand by that statement?" Sascha asked.
"I do."
There was silence. Reina caught her mother's worried expression.
Sascha cleared her throat and folded her arms across her chest. "All right, Reina. In that case, I have no choice but to expel you."
Reina glared at Sascha. "Expel me? Is this a joke?"
Reina's father got up hastily. "Now look, Sascha, I'm sure we can resolve this in some other way..."
Sascha held up a hand firmly and said, "I apologize, Diego. San Patricio has been too loose with its discipline all these years, and I'm here to correct that. Being involved in a school fight in any form is grounds for permanent removal."
"But Reina is one of San Patricio's best students when it comes to academic and curricular achievements. Surely that needs to be taken into consideration..." Reina's mother pointed out in a strained voice.
"I understand this is devastating news for you, Rosa. And for Diego." Sascha exhaled. "It's not an easy decision for me to make, but it's important to send the right message to the students here. There has to be repercussions for all wrongdoings, especially when they involve violence and school property damage. No escape. And since Reina is claiming full responsibility for Friday night..."
Reina couldn't believe it. Was Sascha merely bluffing to get the truth from her? Or was Sascha really going to kick her out of San Patricio?
And more disturbingly, her father was not enraged at Sascha. Students' parents had absolute power at this school. So why wasn't he getting Sascha fired yet?
"Reina dear, please tell Sascha the names of the students who were actually fighting with one another," her mother pleaded.
"Final chance, Reina," Sascha pronounced, studying Reina intently.
"You're not getting anything else out of me," Reina told Sascha as she jabbed a manicured finger at the principal. "Go ahead and try expelling me. You have no power at San Patricio and you'll be gone by tomorrow."
"Reina," Diego chastised her with a shake of his head. "Stop talking please, unless it's to reveal those other student names."
"Yes, I think it's wise to listen to your father," Sascha said with the slightest smirk emerging from one corner of her mouth. "Because contrary to what you believe, I do possess rather substantial power. I have the endorsement of the Ortegas, who you would know as the most influential family in the whole of Spain. And the Ortegas and I – we are fortunate to be close friends with the mayor of Madrid."
Reina's eyes widened. I'm so screwed.
It was clear now why her father appeared almost timid toward Sascha.
"You may clear your locker and go home now, Reina." Sascha walked over to where Reina stood and reached out to open the door. "Goodbye."
"Let's go," her father said, walking out with her mother close behind.
Reina lifted her chin and left, not wanting to give Sascha the satisfaction of seeing her in defeat.
Her father had begun talking on the phone, his tone urgent as he spoke rapidly.
"Reina dear, don't worry." Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder. "Your father will find you a brand new school in no time."
"I'm not leaving San Patricio," Reina stated through gritted teeth.
"There's not much we can do about Sascha's decision. She's got very strong ties to the right people," her mother pointed out with a sigh.
Reina had never been more furious. First she lost her boyfriend. And quite likely her friendship with Ander. And now she was losing her school too? What the actual fuck?
"Certainly, certainly." Diego was wrapping up his call. "Just give me an update when you can. Thank you, Ventura."
"Do you have good news, Diego?" Reina's mother asked hopefully.
Diego nodded tersely as he pocketed his phone. "I'm still waiting for the final confirmation, but it looks like I can get Reina a spot at Las Encinas."
Reina's head snapped up and she stared at her father, incredulous. Did he say Las Encinas?!
"Oh, that's wonderful," her mother replied. "But isn't that a rival school?"
"The rivalry thing is full of nonsense," her father replied with a roll of his eyes. "Las Encinas has built a solid reputation all these years. It's good enough for Reina."
"No. No way," Reina breathed, feeling like everything was falling apart. "I'm not going to Las Encinas. You can't make me."
"Don't be such a child, Reina. We're helping you out and this is not the way to say thank you at all," Diego remarked with clear agitation.
Without realizing it, Reina was taking one step away from her parents. And then another step. She needed to get out of here.
"Hey, Reina."
Reina turned and found Matteo standing before her. His eyebrows knitted in worry when he took in her distraught appearance. "What's wrong?"
Relieved beyond anything that Matteo was finally talking to her, Reina said, "You're not going to believe this. Sascha expelled me from school."
"What the hell?! She's got some nerves," Matteo answered, getting worked up. "I'm going to call my dad..."
"Don't bother." Reina sighed and proceeded to fill Matteo in on everything that had took place in Sascha's room.
"This is crazy." Matteo shook his head in disbelief when Reina was done.
"Tell me about it," Reina exclaimed. "There's no way in hell I'm going to Las Encinas. I don't care if I'm grounded forever by my father."
"You know... Maybe it's a good idea for you to go along with your father's plan," Matteo uttered slowly.
Reina looked quizzically at Matteo's handsome face. "What do you mean?"
Matteo cast his gaze downward, murmuring, "Reina, I don't blame you for – for any of this. I'm extremely grateful that you protected me and Noel."
Then he looked up to reveal anger and determination in his eyes. "This is all Ander Muñoz's fault right from the start and I want him to pay for everything that he's done. We'll have one last ultimate dare. But I'll need you to convince him to take it on..."