Exposed | A FOURTEEN

Our food arrived and fortunately, I ended up really enjoying my order even if I hadn't picked it. I could tell Garren noticed this too when he was passing me a smug look like he expected me to bow down in gratitude. I feigned unawareness to it.

When we were set to depart, Will appeared to be in better spirits since the encounter with his ex and as we made a start for the car, Garren suddenly pulled my arm back to halt me.

"There's one last thing you'll be required to have as an Ace.” He slid his hand into his coat pocket and in the next moment, a turquoise phone was in front of me.

I blinked. "... Wait, for me?"

"No, it's for the waiter. I thought the cheque wasn't generous enough for getting my order just right,” Garren said dryly. I might've believed him if he hadn't pushed the device into my hands.

I narrowed my eyes. "Is this some kind of incentive to guilt trip me with something overly ostentatious so I'll be morally obligated to try and return the favour?"

Garren blinked. "You've never gotten anything from a guy, have you?"

At that, I was ready to throw the hunk of metal onto his face but as if reading right through me yet again, he raised his hands in defense. "There's no subliminal meaning. I told you, there are requirements to being an Ace. One of which being that I expect you to use the same means of contact."

On that mention, I took a closer look at the device. True to his word, it was the same model of phone as the three all owned but other than the different colour shade, it carried my initials SP in thick cursive letters on the back underlined in gold. I didn't even want to know how much that additional custom cost but my brain was automatically cracking the numbers based on the manufacturing and how it was currently still advertised on TV three times yesterday.

"God, I can hear you literally trying to calculate the price." Garren sighed.

"Okay, okay I'll stop." I took a deep breath. "... Thanks, I guess." Never did I expect to be saying that I would be say such words sincerely to Adler of all people.

"What did we just go over? It's not a gift, Stevie. So there's no need to feel like owing me. Technically, I should be the one..." He seemed to stop himself, choosing to dismiss it as unneeded. "Look, it's yours. You're keeping it and not paying me back. That's all."

Except that was easier said than done. After all, he'd gone to bother making it my favourite colour. Which I knew he did intentionally, even if he denied it because Will and Ben's were black. That attentive touch was undeniably gift-like attributes to me but I didn't want to argue so I kept it to myself.

In return, Garren nodded and just for a moment I saw a smile grace his lips that wasn't his mocking or prideful one. It was gone before I could even soak it in. "Let's get you to that school you're so attached to."

I nodded and followed him to the car where Will and Ben are waiting. When I reached for the handle, Garren's hand unhinged it before I could and I caught a puzzled expression on Will's face at the other boy's action. He wasn't alone on the feeling as I slipped in then their leader climbed up front and we were off to the academy.

Will ever so slightly leaned towards me when he'd verified Garren wasn't watching. "Okay, what did you do? I haven't seen Garren open a door for anyone but himself."

That didn't surprise me. Chivalrous was not a word I'd use to relate with him.

My mind flickered back to the party night, standing at the balcony with Garren. My lips parted to mention it, but I stopped myself at the last second. Did it really have any relevance to Garren's supposed odd behaviour when I was clueless as to what even happened?

"I dunno," I answered.

Will leaned back, eyes trained on the dark  haired lad sat ever so gracefully and relaxed in his seat up front. I could tell from just the slight pinch in Will’s eyebrows he was deeply concerned. I should've picked up on the vibe but instead I wanted to give myself a break and relieve it on the thought maybe Garren Adler wasn't someone to be wary of and feel threatened by.

Looking back, that was purely the naivety of a girl simply won over by basic manners. I had no idea yet what I'd gotten myself involved in.

**

For what was the first time, I'd really wanted chemistry to end quickly. I adored the subject, really, I did. However, my next class had an ever so attractive boy who was a little bit more interesting. Since the party, I hadn’t seen Shaun and I sincerely hoped it hadn't been my imagination when I felt we were connecting. Who knew how far we could've gotten if Ben hadn't interrupted?

"Stevie," Will's voice haltered my premeditated speed sequence to leave the class the moment the teacher dismissed us. "Have you got a sec?"

"Um, sure."

I didn't know Will all that well but his tone was cause for concern. So I set my eagerness aside and fell in line with Will's steps as he steered us to a spot outside the classroom, away from prying eyes.

His posture was nervous and sheepish, foreign to come across on the famous Aces. "I wanted to apologise for the thing I pulled back at the restaurant. Making you play along to show off in front of my ex like that, it was stupid. I don't usually do things like that. I mean, I didn't think I was the kind of person to do that."

"Will, it's okay," I jumped in when he was on a course to be rambling. "I don't mind. It's not like you forced me to do it."

Besides, it was a little fun, I thought but decided not to voice that part out.

Will looked relieved at that. It surprised me he was worried he'd stepped boundaries with a little nothing like hand holding but it went to prove he wasn't promiscuous as the other two Aces. I kept finding more things to deem Will Butler a saint. Except one huge factor I couldn't grasp got in the way.

"It's Garren you're in love with anyway, isn't it?"

Will just sort of blanched at the question, frozen with eyes wide in the spot. Perhaps from how sudden it came out because it shouldn't have been that shocking for me to have picked up after all the hints, had it?

When he finally showed signs of life, it was his Adam's apple bobbing. Then there was the stammer. "That's, that's a joke right?"

I tilted my head, eyeing him up until he finally saw I wasn't going to pretend I was joking.

By the panic that fell, you would've thought I shot him. Will swallowed. "You, you knew?"

"Not entirely until today," I confessed. "It was when I saw Adam I was certain. He has dark slicked hair, dark colour of eyes and assertively dressed just like Garren. No way could it be a coincidence. I suspected maybe you held feelings unknowingly but..."

"But?"

"There would have been no reason to try as hard as you did to make Adam leave quickly. It wasn't about showing off, you didn't want him picking up on the truth. Which I personally believe is paranoia speaking. Someone as self centred as that wouldn't have noticed even if it was staring right in front of him..." I trailed off when seeing the boy standing before me staring. "What?" I pulled my ponytail, growing overly conscious under the intense gaze.

"Nothing, just..." Will ran a hand down his face. "Yeah, everything you said is true. Though, how can you tell he's self-centered?"

"Who goes and buys a Rolex that flashy? It's clearly not for telling the time."

Will nodded his head, a little smile on his lips. "Please don't tell Garren." His voice small and meek. I couldn't tell if it was from fear or embarrassment.

"Doesn't he already know?"

"No."

"What? There's no way that's possible." If I had taken only a couple of days, a highly perceptive brainiac like Garren should've figured it out instantly. "He hast to. He's Garren."

"Yeah, he's brilliant with basically everything but kind of dense when it comes to recognising another human being's feelings. Unbelievable, I know," stated Will in all sarcasm. "Garren doesn't do affectionate. The whole concept of love generally bores him. Whenever any girl he sleeps with gets serious, he doesn't dump them. Instead, it more as a sport in shooting down any further advances they try to make and once they give up, he moves on to the next."

"But you're not any girl, Will. You're his friend."

Will scoffed. "Stevie, Garren's definition of that word is very different from ours." There was this bitterness which hung in his voice, evident that these words were not a claim but by first hand knowledge. "I might hold up more importance than a one night stand but I'm easily replaceable."

"I completely disagree," I snapped sharply. I didn't like hearing him talking himself down like that, wearing such a dejected look. It was disheartening.

"That's fine. For your sake, I hope you never come to understand that," he muttered. "Anyway, no point discussing it. I've long since planned to take these feelings to the grave with me.”

As much as I wanted to feel bad that heartbreak would be inevitable for him, that all the countless strings of female flings trampled any courage that could wriggle through the cracks, I didn't want Will having a chance with Garren. Despite learning the egotistical prick had tolerable parts to him, I still felt such a kind and caring person like Will deserved better. The right person would definitely turn up someday.

**

Ashton was openly uncomfortable with my not-gift phone as I brought it out in order to send them my new number. I knew the price wasn't what bothered her, unlike me. It was the person behind it that she didn't trust.

Liam was thankfully taking it in a better tone. Although it was mainly to explore the features since he had the older model. I was limited in time to goof about due to Liam having to take his little brother to the dentist and Ashton's sour mood wasn't helping. So I left first with the excuse of having homework.

I did but I could finish it in the span of painting my nails.

I sat in my bedroom. All that accompanied me was the drab silence of the five star suite.

There was nothing attention grabbing on TV but when I switched it off, my mind was plagued with the strange fogginess from the balcony back at Garren's party. I didn't think it was simply the frustration of having unclear memories that made me fixated. I grew anxious I may have said something I really needed to remember.

Ultimately, I only surfaced a migraine. Maybe I was pushing myself unnecessarily. Maybe I only wanted there to be something important in the memory because of all the wisecracking detecting by Poirot in the books. I was bored and wished for excitement that wasn't there.

Convincing myself that was the truth of the matter, I picked up the novel and read for an hour or so before hitting bed.

**

I had a clearer head the next day as I walked through the academy archway entrance. It wasn't until I stepped inside when I counted a numerous amount of students huddled in groups speaking in hushed tones.

I could feel them grow fiercer at my presence, stealing glances at me in a very concerning manner. The most strangest thing about it was the school newspapers they all had in hand. A collective number of students read the morning paper but this was an irregular amount.

The whispering and staring was raging, almost as if circling me and I felt like I couldn't get away no matter how fast I power walked to my locker.

"Stevie!"

A voice plunged me out of it and I came to see my two friends approaching me. However, they bore nervous expressions that had me antsy even before the newsletter Liam had came into view.

"Have you seen the paper?" He questioned.

"No. I just got here."

"Then you didn't know anything about it before either?" asked Ashton.

"About what? What are you guys talking about? What's going on?"

Hesitantly, Liam extended the paper to me. "Take a look for yourself."

Everything about their air was strongly flagging me that what I was about to see, wasn't going to be something I liked. I nearly considered telling them just to spit out but their demeanours told me it was something difficult for them to even break it to me.

I braced myself and gingerly held the paper. Slowly, I shifted my eyes to the fine bold printed heading of the front page that read;

St. Sinclair Sham!! Fraud Exposed

I was holding my breath when I casting my eyes to the attached picture below to see the kind smiling portrait of club captain, Michael Howard.

My eyes struggled to read past the first few lines stating something about phony paraplegia that everything smothered into scramble. All it could properly formulate was the word fraud.

fraud, fraud, fraud, fraud, fraud fraud

On every page. It kept blaring in my head like the blinkers on a car. I stared long and hard waiting for the face in the picture to change to someone else. Anybody else.

"Stevie."

I forced my gaze to Ashton at the soft call. Every inch of her face grimly sympathetic.

"This, this has to be a mistake." I could barely recognise my own voice from how hoarse it was.

"That's what we'd like to hope too."

I sent Liam a sharp look and he realised a little too late at the error of his words. "Like to hope? You're telling me you believe this bull?"

His shoulders hunched. "W-Well no... but everything written is backtracked, Steves. And the writer who covered it has the biggest efficiency rate there."

I scoffed, wrenching the page over and eyes scanning for this supposed reliable writer that would be preparing themselves to hear an earful for putting such ludicrousness on paper. My frown deepened when I found it. "Archie?!" I bellowed.

I looked again to Ashton and Liam. "Archie?!"

"You know I'd look for any reason to pound the crater face," started Ashton. "But the Intel and evidence..."

"It's bullshit!" I snapped. "Come on, you can't be that stupid to believe something so scandalous, Ash! And to be printed on the newsletter with its biggest scoop being on mysterious disappearance of toilet paper in the bathrooms— that is a travesty in itself."

I was sure if it was from my raised volume the pair looked at me with jarred expressions, eyes shot wide. It was highly unlikely to be anything else. I just couldn’t believe the two people who I could trust and saw better than every other sheep-minded person here would so easily eat up such a bosh accusation.

Everything in me was on the edge. I wasn't sure I'd break into hysteria or tears and it only took one teensy push from some pesky finger tapping my shoulder.

"What?!" I screamed, snapping my head to the perp.

The first year boy flinched. "U-Uh, I can't get my books..." He pointed a wary finger to the locker I was unintentionally blocking.

I shoved the article back to Liam and trudged through the area, ignoring the stifling stares from the crowding mass that had overheard me. Right now, what they thought of me blowing my top was the least of my concerns. I steered a course to the newspaper clubroom, ready to relentlessly hustle them until they gave up where this little mastermind had some bloody explaining to do.

"Archie? He just got called up to Shepherd's office. Hey, you're the new girl in Coeus right? Would you be interested in a spotlight piece about the effect of Howard's scam—?"

I stalked out before the member had the audacity to actually question me about it. This was downright insane. Manners be dammed, I flung the door to Headmaster Shepherd's office wide open.

I didn't bat an eye at the sharp look I received from the woman, my gaze zeroed in on Archie sat at the chair across from her.

"Excuse me Stevie, but you don't just come barging in here with— "

"How could you, Archie?" I sputtered. "How could you go and write something like that? Were you so desperate to have a big hit and because I wouldn't give you anything you decided to make up such rubbish?"

Archie raised his hands but there was no trace of guilt on his features. "Calm down, Stevie. It's nothing like that. I was only doing my job."

Pure, livid disgust rose in me. "Since when was your job to go around throwing dirt on people's names and— "

My voice was cut clean from the air when a loud, thunderous thump hailed down from a hand slamming the desk. Archie and I jumped. I wondered if the woman must've had bones of steel to make that level of impact on such a hard surface.

"Ms. Powell." I'd never thought my name could sound so foreign from the level of austere she spat it out in. "My office is not an open bar for you to mosey on in as you please. It's absolutely disrespectful on its own, let alone interrogating who I call in here. I am not in one of the best moods at the moment, so you'd be wise to sort yourself right this instance."

"Yes, ma'am. Sorry ma'am." I squeaked.

"Sit down and do not speak or I will have you in isolation for a month."

I hurriedly sealed my lips, situating myself on a chair. However I still retained a glare at Archie.

Ms. Shepherd carried on to address the boy with a look far deadlier than poison. She pushed forth a copy of the paper on the table with her wrinkled fingers. "Mr. Norton, I believed when I concurred to enable you two years passed your age grade, it was with the expectation that you were mature enough to carry out your post responsibly. Not that you slander the school's integrity and mine to print absurdity just for ratings!"

"It's not like that!" He denied. "Everything I wrote, my informative and research are all legitimate. I'd never go ahead with it if it wasn't. The press serve to give the people the truth and I've never gone back on it. Besides, I-I don't know why I'm being called here when you already knew about it."

My brows knitted but Ms. Shepherd looked equally as confused as I did.

"Me? I'll have you know I didn't even know this was being publicised until the superintendent rang me up this morning in the middle of my aerobics class, Mr. Norton."

Now Archie looked panicked, face growing paler. "B-But, that's not possible." He stammered, wringing his collar. "He told you he'd gotten permission from you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have went ahead without the chief editor and printed it."

Ms. Shepherd eyes narrowed. "Who's he?"

Archie swallowed. Suddenly, my stomach grew queasy and the perturbed suspense for the answer wasn't helping it.

"Archie, my patience is wearing thin," warned the headmaster.

"I can't give up the identity of my source, Ms. Shepherd. It's unprofessional and would damage the trust the brave testifier's have in me. As a journalist— "

"Archie Norton if you do not tell me who gave you my warranty I will have you held back until you are the age of twenty seven before you're accessible to apply for university."

A part of me was intrigued to see if she truly possessed that sort of power but of course, the threat on an average preppy boy's future academics was all it took to have him uttering the name.

"It was Garren Adler."