"Your teachers and a few students have expressed some concerns over what has gone on this week."
I looked down at my hands folded in my lap and my cheeks puffed as I exhaled. "You could say it's been a rough week."
Most of my classmates didn't say or do anything per se, but they stared. A lot. They were just as guilty becoming bystanders instead of allies. I had been guilty of the same, telling myself it was none of my business and fearing the bullies would come after me. This was a rude awakening.
I didn't even want to think about what social media looked like. I had stayed off all the apps all week. The last thing I needed was another thing to worry about.
"What does your mom think about all of this? Have you told her?" The pen stopped tapping and I looked up and met Mrs. Miller's concerned eyes. "Bullying is not okay, but we can't do anything if you don't tell us who is doing it."
I twisted my lips to the side and remained silent. I should have told her, but was nervous I'd have a mental breakdown if I rehashed everything. Would it even help? The Tritons ran the school.
After a tense minute of silence, I looked past her and out into the quad her office window overlooked. "Jax West, Blake Huron, and Morgan Wade."
If she was surprised, she didn't show it. "You should report every incident so myself or Mr. Lee can investigate. We checked the video footage, but there were technical issues." She opened her drawer and then slid a small pack of M&Ms across to me.
"Technical issues?" I stared at her, not believing for a second that the cameras just happened to be inoperable. "Even if I did report them, what good would that do? They're the Tritons."
I took the candy and opened it. I needed a king-size bag after this week. I closed my eyes as the chocolate melted on my tongue.
"Is that what they're calling themselves?" She snorted. "Do they realize they're calling themselves mermaids?"
I laughed along with her before my laughter faded and I played with the small wrapper in my hands. "My mom took everything and left. The police won't do anything until twenty-four hours after she told me she'd return."
I looked up through my eyelashes, and Mrs. Miller's eyebrows drew together. A deep frown slid into place, which made her look ten years older. "Your mother wouldn't leave you like that."
"I'm almost eighteen. I know she was pretty upset about the whole oil platform thing. Maybe it was too much." I tilted my head back and dumped the rest of the fun-sized bag into my mouth.
Mrs. Miller stood and went to a file cabinet and used a key on her lanyard to unlock it. She opened the bottom drawer and pulled a file from the back. She sat back down with a heavy sigh.
I swallowed the last of the chocolate and stared at the folder that looked like it had seen better days. "What's that?"
"I was a year ahead of your mother in high school. When I got a job here, I found this cleaning out the files. The counselor in this office before me kept everything. Forty years of everything." She opened the manila folder and took out a piece of paper. "It's a police report of an assault on Robert Kline by Finn West. Charges were dropped."
I reached forward and took it. "I saw in my mother's junior yearbook she was cozy with Finn, but she went to senior prom with my dad."
Mrs. Miller laced her fingers under her chin. "Your dad stole your mother from Finn. Finn and Natalia had been together since freshman year. They were the couple everyone was jealous of."
The police report didn't tell me much other than Finn West beat the shit out of my father at the beginning of senior year. "Why would Jax and his friends torment me for this though?"
"I'm not sure." There was a knock on the door and the head school resource officer walked in. "Riley, this is Officer Thomas. I want you to seek him out whenever you have trouble with those three."
I looked up at the officer and smiled. He didn't return the sentiment and crossed his arms over his chest. I stood and handed Mrs. Miller the police report.
"I should get back to class." I grabbed my bag. "I'll find Officer Thomas if they bother me again."
I took the late note she handed