Come Over. I’ll Explain Everything.

"What exactly do you want from me?" The words slipped out sharper than I intended.

My voice echoed just enough to remind me we weren't alone.

Dominic just watched me, like he was studying a puzzle with missing pieces.

I leaned back in my seat, arms crossed. "You act all nice when your circle's not around… Then the second they show up, you're back to being a jerk. What do you want?"

His jaw tightened like he hadn't expected me to actually say it.

"I just wanted to talk this morning," he said. "You flared up….I didn't know why.

He looked confused. Or maybe pretending to be.

I clenched my fists under the desk. "This morning.. I didn't want to talk. I didn't want the drama. But you cornered me like I owed you something."

"I just wanted to talk, Ash," he said calmly.

He opened his mouth but closed it again.

"I don't want to talk to you, Dominic." I turned away. "Just…leave me alone."

For once, he didn't push.

I glanced at the clock on the wall across the room. It was already 5:00 PM. One more hour to go. And somehow it still felt like a lifetime.

But in that silence, reality came crashing back. The principal's words from this morning looped in my head.

The scholarship. The board hearing. The deadline. The warning.

"You have three days to defend yourself."

I sighed, running my hand through my hair. Screw it. I needed help….even if it came from the last person I wanted it from.

I turned to him.

"I'm getting expelled," I said, bluntly.

Dominic's eyes shot up from the paper he was scribbling on.

"What?!"

"Yeah." I nodded slowly. "Because of the rumors. Because of Liam. They think I pushed him. I have three days to prove I didn't."

"Look," I said, the words heavy. "I need your help. I need that footage from the police station. The one from the night of the fall."

He exhaled sharply. "Ash… you know I can't get that. That's police evidence."

"I know." I looked away, frustrated. "But there has to be a way."

He hesitated.

Then he leaned back in his chair. "I can't get that exact one. But I can get a copy of the footage."

I froze. "Wait….really?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

My eyes widened, and for a second, I was actually grateful. Until he smirked.

"There's just one thing."

I narrowed my eyes. "Of course there's a catch."

He raised a brow. "Life's about transactions, Rivera."

I rolled my eyes. "Let me guess. You want me to write your essay?"

He shook his head slowly. "Nah. Something more… inconvenient."

My gut dropped. "Like what?"

He leaned in slightly, just enough to be annoying.

"Come to my house. Tomorrow night. I'll explain everything there."

I blinked. Then laughed. Then laughed again.

Like, "are-you-serious" kind of laugh.

"Me?" I said between laughs. "Your house?"

Dominic leaned back with a smirk, clearly unbothered. "Laugh all you want. But if you want that footage…"

Another laugh burst out before I could stop it.

Mrs. Smith looked up from her desk. "Mr. Rivera, is something funny about school discipline?"

"Sorry, ma'am," I said quickly, still choking on laughter.

She rolled her eyes and went back to her book.

I turned to Dominic, still grinning. "You're not serious."

He just sat there, arms crossed, eyebrows raised.

"I'm serious."

"Dead serious."

I gave him a look. "You're not gonna drug me or sacrifice me in your basement, are you?"

He smirked. "Depends. You afraid of the dark?"

"Okay," I said, trying to hold a straight face. "Let's be serious for a second. What exactly do you want me to do when I come to your house?"

Dominic didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he did the one thing I never expected.