Chapter 20: How, I Was So...
Sofia sat atop a wooden chair in the school garden as female students gathered eagerly around her. The air was calm, warm, and gentle. Sofia smiled as she met their eyes. "There's just something you all need to know," she began, her voice steady. "Sage and NK are ethically non-monogamous." She turned to the other side of the group. "They're polyamorous."
Meanwhile, Nick sat on the school field as male students reluctantly gathered on the lower pavement. He exhaled, glancing at the guys with a mix of hope and anxiety. Sitting up on the grass, he said, "Honestly, y'all, it's kind of outdated to box yourselves into some rigid idea of what relationships should look like." He gave them a small smile. "We're young. We're fluid."
The guys looked intrigued, albeit uncertain. Nick, gaining confidence, grinned. "I'm just saying—if you're into someone, be real about it. Embrace the chaos, the weirdness. Explore."
Clowe, speaking elsewhere on campus, smiled warmly as she crossed her legs. "It's actually really progressive of them to transcend heteronormative structures," she said to the curious crowd. "Love and identity aren't one-size-fits-all."
Back on the field, Nick held up two dodgeballs as a visual aid. "This is America. We're finally free to love—and yeah, even to eat ass if that's your thing," he said, flashing a bold grin. The guys laughed awkwardly but some began nodding in agreement, the tension easing.
Suddenly, a girl in the crowd looked up at Clowe, wide-eyed. "So… if they're open, that means… I have a shot with NK!"
Excitement exploded. Students rushed to plaster NK's photo on the wall. Shouts of "Me too!" filled the air, echoing with bizarre enthusiasm. Even the guys joined in, declaring their own interest.
Lila glared at one particularly loud girl before storming off, her disdain loud enough to silence a few around her. The girl winced. "I still have a shot with NK," she whispered.
Hannah entered the hall to find chaos reborn—people laughing, singing, praising NK's so-called progressiveness. Her mouth parted in disbelief.
"He's actually more forward-thinking than I thought," a girl beamed.
Then—"Hannah." A voice behind her. She turned. A teacher stood nearby.
"The headmaster wants to see you in her office."
Still reeling, Hannah nodded. "Okay. I'll be right there."
She arrived at the office, knocking gently. No answer. She pushed the door open. Inside, a woman in a crisp white suit sat trimming a bonsai tree. She glanced at Hannah before returning to her task.
Hannah adjusted her tie and sat across from the headmaster, a modest chair separating them. Silence lingered until the headmaster finally spoke.
"It's been quite an interesting day."
Hannah said nothing.
"You know," the headmaster continued, clipping a dead root, "I pride myself on spotting talent. I may not nurture it directly, but I know it when I see it."
She set the scissors down and looked at Hannah. "When I read your application essay, I thought: 'This girl is the future.'"
A beat passed.
"I hate being wrong."
Hannah blinked, her voice barely above a whisper. "You weren't wrong."
The headmaster inhaled deeply. "I only trim my bonsai when I'm especially vexed." She placed it aside. "Poor thing's had a rough season."
She leaned forward. "I just got off a rather distressing call with Jessica Iron—Head of Admissions at Yale."
Hannah's breath caught. "This is about Yale."
"What else would it be about?"
Hannah let out a light chuckle, but her voice cracked. "Wait... did Yale reject me?"
The headmaster nodded, her tone flat. "I tried to intercede. But your grades have slipped, your extracurriculars vanished, and to top it off, someone sent them your Throne article—detailing your assault on Mr. Broussard."
She sighed. "It's quite the trifecta."
"No, no… it's not even April," Hannah stammered. She pushed her hair back, trying to steady herself. "I can fix this. I've just been… distracted."
The headmaster's eyes narrowed. "I hope whatever you've been distracted by is worth your future—because that's what it cost you."
"Can I be excused?" Hannah asked.
The headmaster nodded. "Of course."
Hannah stepped outside, dazed. In the garden, students now read from a novel NK had apparently written. Her heart pounded as she walked past NK's celebrating group.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"There's only one person sadistic enough to send that article," she whispered.
A realization hit her like ice water. "NK is hunting me—for sport."
She looked toward his group, their laughter ringing in her ears. The only thing that had ever held her back was Yale.
And now, nothing did.