"Thank you, Miss Anderson." Her voice was soft, but steady. "For stopping Marcus. For… saving Billy."
I raised a brow. Saving him? That idiot hadn't even tried to save himself.
She let her eyes drop, twisting her fingers together. "I know what Billy did to you was wrong. Completely wrong. But still… thank you. For stepping in. I really, truly appreciate it."
I stared at her for a moment.
Why was she so damn pure?
And how did Billy have the audacity to kiss another girl when he had her?
She was so genuinely sincere it was almost painful.
I sighed. Here we go.
"Like I told you this morning, Miss…?"
"Evelyn," she answered quickly. "Evelyn Parker."
"Right. Miss Parker," I continued, leaning back slightly. "As I also said this morning—he's still my student. And while I would love nothing more than to strangle him, I hate seeing my students getting into fights even more."
I gave her a pointed look.
"So there's really nothing to thank me for."
Evelyn, it seemed, was relentless.
"Miss Anderson, I really can't thank you enough! If you hadn't stepped in, I don't even want to think about what would've happened! Marcus was furious, and Billy—he just stood there, taking it! You were so brave, just throwing yourself in like that! Honestly, I don't think anyone else could've done it! I mean, I tried to stop it, but Celeb wouldn't let me, and Lily just stood there, and—"
I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temples.
This girl.
She just wouldn't stop yapping.
I glanced at her—earnest grey eyes, a face still slightly puffy from crying, her hands fidgeting in air like she had so much more to say.
She was too good. Too sweet. Too forgiving.
And definitely too good for that idiot.
"Miss Parker, please sit down," I said, cutting her off mid-ramble. "I need to talk to you."
She blinked, then nodded quickly, and sat across from me. She was stiff at first, but as she settled, I caught a flicker of something there—relief? Like she wanted to talk about this.
I studied her carefully before speaking.
"Miss Parker, tell me something," I said, my voice even. "Don't you feel angry about what Billy did to me yesterday? Don't you feel even the slightest bit hurt?"
Her expression changed. She didn't say anything right away. Instead, she looked down, as if carefully choosing her words.
"Miss Anderson, what Billy did was completely wrong. I won't excuse it. It was out of line, and it was assault."
Good. At least she acknowledged it.
"But," she said, turning back to me, "we talked about it later, after the thing happened. And I punished him for it. He apologized. And he's entirely guilty about what he did."
I blinked.
Wait.
What?
I was surprised for two reasons.
One—Billy apologized? That couldn't be real. He wasn't the type to feel bad about anything.
And two—she just let him off? That easily?
"Miss Parker," I said, leveling her with a stare, "he felt guilty, you say? I think that's complete nonsense. If anything, I'd bet you're just saying that to make me feel better. Because I know Billy. And I know he doesn't regret what he did."
But Evelyn shook her head, her response immediate, firm.
"No, Miss Anderson. He is guilty. That's why he never fought back while Marcus was beating him."
My breath caught.
The image came to my mind—Billy, bloodied and bruised, taking every hit without a word in his mouth, fists loose at his sides, head lowered.
He wasn't the Billy I knew.
I thought he was cocky, smug, and reckless. Like he enjoys pushing buttons, thrived off getting under people's skin.
But this morning…
There was nothing of that Billy in his eyes.
And that understanding sent an odd sort of weight across my chest.
But Evelyn wasn't finished.
"Even though I love Marcus," she said, softer this time, "I couldn't just stand there and watch him beat my best friend like that."
Best friend.
For some reason, that cut more deeply than I expected.
She smiled faintly, her expression warm despite everything.
"So… thanks for stopping that fight, ma'am."
Wait.
Did she just say that moron is her best friend?
Like… sex friends or something?
Because she also just said she loves Marcus.
What kind of messed-up love triangle was this?
I blinked, my fingers unconsciously tightening around the pen in my hand.
"Wait, Miss Parker…" I said slowly, my voice laced with hesitation. "Mr. Scott is your… best friend?"
Evelyn tilted her head, brows furrowing in confusion.
"Yes?" she replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We've been best friends since last year. Billy doesn't have many close friends aside from me."
I stared at her.
Oh.
Oh, I was an idiot.
I had completely misunderstood.
For some reason, I had assumed there was something more between them—because how else could a normal girl like her be that close to him? But no. They were just… friends.
It was almost unbelievable.
I sat back in my chair, letting my fingers drum on my temple as I blew out a slow breath. This day had been full of nothing but surprises.
Evelyn fidgeted in her seat, fingers interlacing in her lap. She hesitated, then looked at me again-this time with something almost soft in her expression.
"Ma'am, I know you still hate Billy for what he did. And I'm not saying you shouldn't. But…" she bit her lip, hesitated, and went on, "he's not the idiot you think he is. I just… I wanted to ask if you could forgive him."
I scoffed.
"What do you mean he's not an idiot, Miss Parker?" I gestured vaguely, incredulous. "You saw what he did. He kissed me in front of everyone—without my consent! What kind of person does that?"
I folded my arms across my chest, looking straight at her. "I think anyone with a working brain would call him an idiot. And I am not forgiving him for that."
Evelyn's eyes dropped, her fingers grasping the hem of her skirt. The air between us became thick, charged with something unsaid.
I thought she was going to stay silent.
And then, almost hesitantly, she said it.
"You know, ma'am… I would do anything for Billy. Anything at all."
That stung me.
There was something in the way she said it—soft, but absolute. Like it was fact.
I furrowed my brow, tilting my head a fraction of an inch.
"And why is that, Miss Parker?" I asked, my voice quieter now. "What has he done for you?"
I leaned back in my chair, fingers drumming lightly on the desk as I studied Evelyn. Her words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. The way she defended Billy—it wasn't just loyalty. It was deeper than that, almost reverent.
I narrowed my eyes. "Is there a specific reason you're so quick to defend him?" My tone was sharper than I intended, but I didn't soften it. "Or is this just blind faith?"
Evelyn hesitated, fingers twisting the hem of her skirt. For a second, I thought she wouldn't answer. But then, she took a slow, steady breath and met my gaze head-on.
"There is a reason," she said quietly, her voice firm despite its softness. "Billy… he's done a lot for me. More than anyone else ever has. I owe him—" Her voice caught slightly. "I owe him my life."
Her words stopped me cold. My fingers stilled against the desk, my heartbeat a fraction too loud in my ears.
Owe him her life?
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
Before I could ask, Evelyn straightened, her expression shifting from hesitation to quiet confidence. "I know you don't see it yet, Miss Anderson. But you will. You'll realize how good Billy actually is. He's not the person you think he is."
I let out a short, humorless scoff. "And you're so sure of that?"
She nodded without hesitation. "I am. I've seen it. I've lived it. And I know that once you get to know him—really know him—you'll see it too.
I gasped, leaning forward. "Miss Parker, with all due respect, I have seen enough of Billy Scott to know exactly what kind of person he is; he is reckless, impulsive, and disrespectful, and frankly, I needn't 'get to know him' to confirm all that."
Evelyn's expression softened-not in defeat, but in something almost… pitying. As if she knew something I didn't.
"I understand why you feel that way," she said, voice quiet but unwavering. "But… just give him a chance. That's all I'm asking."
I opened my mouth to argue, to shut this conversation down entirely, but before I could, she stood up.
"Thank you again, Miss Anderson. For everything."
And just like that, she turned and walked out.
The door clicked shut, and the silence that followed was deafening.
I stared at the closed door, Evelyn's words circling in my mind like a vulture over fresh prey.
"You'll realize how good Billy actually is."
I clicked my pen absently, the sharp sound cutting through the quiet.
Me? Realizing how good he is?
Nonsense.
I shook my head, blowing out through clenched teeth. Billy Scott was no misunderstood hero. He was exactly what I thought he was—a manipulator, a liar, a selfish bastard who thought he could get away with anything.
I knew his type.
I'd lived through his type.
And the moment that thought crossed my mind, the past hit me like a punch to the ribs.
My jaw clenched, my fingers tightening around the pen until my knuckles whitened.
They're all the same.
They get close. They pretend. They charm their way in. And then, once you start to believe in them—once you trust them—
They walk away like it was nothing.
I sucked in a sharp breath, pushing the memories down before they could drag me under.
"All boys are the same," I spat, my voice colder than I had intended it to be. "They toy with emotions and then walk out."
I suddenly stood up, pacing the office length as though movement could expel the crushing weight on my chest. However, Evelyn's words wouldn't let me rest.
"He's not the guy you think he is."
I got up and stopped by the window, staring out blankly at the students strolling below. Carefree. Laughing. Living their lives without a care in the world.
Billy Scott wasn't special. He wasn't different.
And I sure as hell wasn't about to let him prove me wrong—or anyone else.
With a deep sigh, I turned back around to my desk. There was work to be done, and I wasn't about to let Billy Scott—and the ghosts of my past—distract me from it.