"What! What are you talking about?"
"You heard me Ivy," the principal's voice was stern. "You started a fight with Maria and you instructed Cassian Vale and the other guys to beat her up!"
"What!' my voice rang with shock, my mind struggling to make sense of the words. Assault? No, I must have misheard. I took another step back and threw a glance at the guys, but their faces were blank and expressionless.
"Answer my question, Ivy." The principal was on his feet now. "Why did you incite your friends against Miss Devlin. For a transfer scholarship student, I didn't expect that you would be this recalcitrant."
"But that is not true!" I insisted. "Maria lied to you! Look at me," I removed my jacket and showed him the bandages around my shoulders, my arms and the ones around my ribcage. "Mariah accosted me in the lecture room with a group of four girls whom she called The Crushers. She called me names and then instructed those girls to beat me up. They injured me severely, you can ask the school doctor, sir. I have been in pain."
"You slapped me first!" Maria said.
"That is because you called me a cum bucket and a slut both of which are lies!" I fired back.
"You told the guy lies about me and have them throw me out of the club."
"There is no club, Principal Hanson," Lucien said coldly. "Maria is not telling the truth."
"You have no right to call Miss Devlin a liar," the principal said defensively. "Such languages are not permitted in this office."
"But she isn't telling the truth," Ezra said. "None of us laid a hand on her. She was the one who bullied Ivy and instructed those girls to beat her up. Ivy is our friend, but we didn't commit any assault."
"Take a look at their bodies," Ronan said, stepping forward. "Ivy is the one covered in bruises and bandages which are the result of the multiple bruises and punches inflicted on her. While Maria is as spotless as ever, the truth is obvious here, sir."
"The students can also bear witness." I cut in, "Ask Aria to come, she'll tell the truth!"
"Nothing of such will be done!" It was strange to see a grown man, Principal Hanson banging his hand on the table. But his eyes were full of hatred and anger!
"That was not even the end!" Ivy's father roared. "Mariah, my daughter might not have been injured or bandaged, but what was done to her was even worse. We are here to report a different kind of assault. My daughter was emotionally abused." He stood to his feet. "And by these criminal-looking guys," He pointed to Cassian, whose arms were folded in silent defiance.
"What did you do to Miss Devlin?" Principal Hanson questioned Cassian.
I had no words to describe his attitude, but it was clear that he was being preferential towards Maria and her father. I was beginning to feel resentful when I remembered Aria's words from earlier today. The Deviln family Were VIPs. They had the school board in the palm of their hands and they got whatever they wanted, however they wanted. Right now, they were using this influence to pervert justice, and Mr Hansen had no choice but to indulge them.
Maria sat there, a smug grin across her face. She'd twisted the scenario to suit her and she knew she would win. Even though Cassian's refusal to answer was deliberate, I felt guilty. The guys were innocent, but they all had gotten into trouble because of me. What if Ronan and Ezra even got kicked out of the team? I would never forgive myself.
I should have just kept my hands to myself and let Maria's insult slide off.
"Your refusal to answer my question attracts more penalties, Mr Vale, the principal said to Cassian. "What did you do to Maria Devlin?"
"I told her she's no longer a friend of ours. And we destroyed her friendship bracelet."
"No, Daddy, that wasn't the truth! They kicked me out of their club, and threw me out of the East Wing."
"We don't have any club. We are all just a group of friends and the entire dormitory was built by my parents!" Ezra fired back.
"You have no right to remove my daughter from any social club." Maria's father growled. "Chicken be friend whoever she wishes and do whatever she likes."
"You told her to stop wearing the colour black and to change the way she dresses. Is that true?" Principal Hansen questioned.
"Yes we did," Lucien answered. "But it doesn't matter now and we made a mistake with the statement. Maria can wear whatever she pleases, we just don't need her to be friends among us anymore and that is enough."
"She also cannot live in the east Wing," Ezra insisted. "We are sure she can get a better dormitory."
The room fell silent after that. I took a glance at Mariah, and she looked as if she had been punched in the face. Her father's face and bald head were now as red as the back of a tomato. While the Principal just appeared flustered. This game was fast turning upside down, and she didn't like it.
I used to chance to speak.
"Cassian and the other guys are not in any form of club," I said. "They are all friends, but Maria's action was too offensive to pardon. If you can just..."
"Maria Devlin will move back into the East Wing and take her old suite as she pleases." The principal suddenly announced.
"What! That is ridiculous! You can't force us to be friends with her. And the East Wing Belongs to my family!"
"The Devlin family has made a great contribution to the school Mr Ezra." The Principal said as a matter-of-factly.
"But both the dormitory and the rest of the school will be needless if not for Maria and our father, so she will take back our old suite. Whoever refuses to accommodate and accept her will be expelled from the school."