Life Of A Bitch

14

"Whose bag is this?" Bennett growls, eyeing us- the girls.

"Isn't it yours?" Stephanie whispers, her voice trembling.

What is this doing in my bag? I swear to God, I did nothing to Aiden! I dislike him but that doesn't mean-

"Whose bag is this?"

"Jennifer's!" Anita shouts and looks at me. Shrugging, she looks back at Bennett. "That bag is Jennifer's."

"I assure you, sir," I say, my voice cracking slightly as I spoke after so long. "These pills do not belong to me. The bag is mine, but these aren't! I'm being framed!"

"Why would someone like to frame you?" Bennett barks, angrier than before. "You all watch too many dramas! This is high school, for God's sake, not some kind of soap opera!"

"No!" I yell. Shit, shouldn't have yelled. "Please sir, believe me! I- Aiden is my boyfriend! Why would I do that? Why would I want to poison him?"

"You have Benzo pills in your bag." Bennett says, suddenly calm. "Aiden was drugged by Benzos. Don't you think this is too much of a coincidence?"

Any person, in Bennett's position, would have thought the same thing. But, oh for God's sake, I'm too smart to drug Aiden with Benzos and put them in my bag, then forget about them!

"Sir, think reasonably. If anyone had drugged Aiden, why would he or she keep the drugs in their own bag? Isn't it too foolish? You know me, sir," I pause and try to convey the message 'I have the highest grades' with my eyes to him. All in vain. "I'm too smart to keep them in my bag."

Bennett narrows his eyes at me. "You show too much cunning. Way more than a normal student. I have no reason to not believe what evidence here suggests."

Oh my God, what am I trapped in? They might even send me to jail for it. I have to prove that I'm innocent. Otherwise, my Harvard plans will go down the drain.

"This proof isn't enough," I challenge him. My mother's an advocate. If Bennett even tries to rusticate me, he's in trouble. Mom will sue the school and crush him.

"What do you mean?" Bennett snaps.

"Anyone could've put those in my bag." I retort. "This isn't enough evidence to prove me guilty." Then, I play the advocate card. "My mother's an advocate, sir. Think twice before you do anything rash."

There's silence in the room. I can see the beads of perspiration forming on his forehead. He's stuck in a dilemma. If he doesn't rusticate me, the Parker guardians will sue the school. And if he does, my mother will sue him. His grey eyes bore holes on me, but I won't be scared by Mr. Corrupt Pussypants.

"Hullo, Mr. Bennett?"

We look towards the doorway. It was the janitor, holding a big yellow envelope. "Surry to int'rupt you, Mr. Bennett, but I fink you needa see this. I found it on my table, in the closet." He hands Bennett the envelope, does a comical little salute, and exits the room.

Pussypants huffs and opens the envelope. He looks in and takes out a few cards. No, not cards. Polaroid shots. He looks at them, disbelievingly, looks at me and turns to the shots again.