“And what would have happened if the next thing they offered you was drugs? Would you have said yes, just because it was easier?”

“It’s not the same.”

“Isn’t it?”

Tegan looks away. Point made, message received.

“Is this going on your permanent record?” I ask, wondering just how deep in trouble she is.

“Mr. Wentworth says it won’t, as long as I don’t get into any more trouble. Mom made sure of that. She saved my ass; Mykenna tried to blame the whole thing on me. If Mom hadn’t intervened, I could’ve been expelled.”

I can picture Miss Hessington, Esquire, as a lioness defending her cub with everything she’s got.

“And other than keeping you in school, how did your mother react to the situation?”

“She yelled at me, said I’m grounded indefinitely, and confiscated my phone and laptop, so now I’m stuck with this.” Tegan opens the lower pocket of her backpack and takes out a relic from the early 2000s, waving the ancient flip phone at me. “No internet, no photos, not even a color screen. Only texts and calls, so she can get ahold of me at all times. And she’s promised that if she ever smells alcohol on me again, she’s going to ship me off to a military school for girls only.”

“And what do you think of that reaction? Was it fair?”

She shrugs. “I guess.”

“Did you tell her that?”

Tegan lowers her gaze. “No, I yelled back at her. Hurtful stuff.”

“Do you mind me asking what?”

“I told her I’d steer clear of the booze if that was all she cared about, and maybe instead I’d get pregnant and dumped at nineteen like her.”

And something I’d thought impossible happens: I feel utter and complete empathy for Medusa. My heart goes out to Vivian. Having her daughter throw her mistakes back in her face in a fit of spite must’ve been hard.

“Are you proud of that response?”

Tegan shakes her head.

“Have you apologized?”

“No, but I should.”

I close my notepad. “Yeah, I agree. A heartfelt apology will get a huge weight off your chest, and you’ll feel much better. Ultimately, your mother was right to be upset about what you did. She probably shouldn’t have yelled or threatened you with military school, but you have to remember one thing, Tegan.”

“What?”