Heart Me

Chapter 41

Mia's POV

"Do you know why we called you here?" Mr. Robins' voice was sharp and authoritative, slicing through the still air of the office. His piercing eyes bore into me from behind his desk. On either side of him, Mrs. Sergal and Mrs. Robins sat, their gazes cold and unblinking, making my skin prickle with unease. I swallowed hard. Was I in trouble? Amanda had asked me to go to Mr. Robins’ office, but she hadn’t said why.

"No… no, sir," I stammered, feeling my pulse quicken.

"A student was attacked at her birthday party last semester. Apparently, you had a hand in the attack." His words were heavy, deliberate. My heart thundered in my chest. The truth. It was out. How did they find out? Was it Kayla? Evie? Simon? My mind spiraled in a vortex of panic and anger. How could they betray me like that?

“Mia Dawson!” Mr. Robins’ voice cut through my frantic thoughts like a blade.

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, dragging my attention back to him, my voice shaking.

"Were you behind Lily's attack?" Mrs. Sergal’s voice was more probing than Mr. Robins', her tone curious yet firm, like a hawk circling its prey.

"Yes... but... I didn’t plan for it to go that far. I didn’t mean for her to end up in the hospital. I just wanted to ruin her party,” I blurted out, my words tumbling over themselves. My hands were clammy, and I could feel the sweat on my palms. Everything felt like it was caving in. I regretted returning to camp. Staying home with Nate would have been smarter—safer.

Mrs. Sergal raised an eyebrow. "Why did you want to ruin her birthday?"

“She was mean to other kids at school…” My voice faltered. That excuse sounded pathetic even to me. How could I justify what I’d done with something so trivial?

Mrs. Robins, who had been quietly seething, suddenly snapped. “Are you serious?” Her voice was sharp and cutting. “Is that really your excuse? After everything you’ve done to my son, my family, you think you have the right to punish other kids just because they’re ‘mean’?” She leaned forward, her eyes blazing. “You are unbelievable. I pity your parents for bringing you into this world. You are a disgrace.”

Her words pierced me like knives. My breath hitched, and my throat tightened, making it hard to speak. I deserved that, didn’t I? My chest felt like it was caving in, and tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision.

“That’s enough, Kim,” Mrs. Sergal interjected, her tone softer but firm. “She’s just a child. Don’t talk to her that way.” Then she turned her gaze to me, her voice gentle. “How old are you, Mia?”

“Sixteen,” I whispered. “I’m almost seventeen.”

"See, Kim? She's still a child. We’re here to interrogate her, not break her spirit." Mrs. Sergal’s reprimand was calm but authoritative.

Mrs. Robins stood abruptly, her face contorted with anger, and stormed out of the office. The door slammed behind her, echoing in the quiet room. That was it. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. They spilled down my cheeks, hot and unchecked.

“It’s okay, child, it’s okay.” Mrs. Sergal hurried to my side, her voice soothing as she rubbed my back. “We’re just here to talk. You’ll be fine, I promise. Just a few more questions, and you can go back to your cabin.” Her kindness felt out of place, like a bandage on a wound too deep to heal quickly, but I couldn’t help but lean into it. Her touch reminded me of Kayla’s warmth—the goodness in her that I had never understood.

After a few minutes, I managed to compose myself, wiping away the remnants of tears. Mrs. Sergal returned to her seat, and Mr. Robins cleared his throat.