"This is none of your concern," Harris told Dante. "Go back to class, son."
Dante, my hero, my everything, was not intimidated by anyone, not even a cop, and he was furious. He was in the older man's face without hesitation, moving between us, shielding me at the same time he put himself into harm's way.
I was shuddering in relief.
And I thought I couldn't love him more.
Whatever happened, if Dante was here, he wouldn't let me be harmed. I knew it. Absolutely.
"What the fuck are you doing, putting your hands on her?" Dante raged, backing Harris into the locker. "Don't you dare ever fucking touch her again, you hear me?"
The other man was so surprised, I think, that for a moment he let the younger, unarmed high school kid back him into the lockers and then shove him hard in the chest.
"Dante, no," I cried right at the same time that Harris reached for his gun.
I couldn't keep it in, I screamed.
Dante almost, almost kept going for it, his hand covering the other man's, a ghost of movement but it was there. He was going for the cop's gun.
But there was some sanity left in him yet, because at the last second, he took a step back, hands going up.
"On the ground," Harris snarled, pointing his gun right into Dante's face.
I was sobbing as I took a step forward, and then another.
Harris caught the movement and pointed at me with his free hand. "Don't move another inch. Your boyfriend's in big trouble, and if you don't stay out of it, it could be the difference between handcuffs or a bullet, you understand?"
I backed off immediately.
People were starting to spill out into the halls by then—kids, teachers—all looking on in stunned disbelief, no one even talking.
"Get on the ground, now!" he screamed into Dante's face.
Dante glared at the other man, his expression utterly dauntless, but he complied.
I felt helpless as he cuffed Dante's hands behind his back and then dragged him to his feet. I found myself trailing after them as Harris began to lead him out.
"Stay here," Harris said curtly. "Go back to class."
"I'm fine," Dante told me, and though I couldn't see his face, he sounded composed, all things considered.
I watched them leave with a pounding heart, following behind, far enough back that Harris didn't take exception, but close enough to see them get into his car.
My mind was racing. I had no idea what I should do, so I did the only thing I could. I called Gram.
*****
We were all surprised when Harris didn't arrest Dante. I was frantic in the interim as I coordinated with Gram to find out what had happened to Dante.
I was so convinced that they'd be at the police station that I left school, taking Dante's car to pick up Gram. We were literally pulling out of the driveway when Harris drove up in his brown sedan, Dante in the backseat.
Dante got out, and Harris drove away.
I stopped the car, put it in park, and got out. I ran and threw myself at Dante with such force that it made him sway precariously for a beat before he settled back solidly on his feet and wrapped his big arms around me.
"I'm fine, shh, I'm all right," he said into my hair, voice pitched loud enough to be heard over my sobs.
"D-d-did he hurt you?" I gasped him.
"No, he didn't lay a finger on me. Calm down, angel. Shh. You're okay. Calm down." He was stroking a hand over my hair, over and over, to soothe me.
Slowly but surely, it was working.
"What happened?" Gram asked him. She was, as always, the epitome of calm.
He gave her the short version of what had happened at school.
"But he didn't arrest you?" she asked when he finished.
"No. He just took me for a drive and then brought me here. And you know what? I don't think they're doing a damned thing to find the guy that attacked Scarlett. He straight up told me that they're not even close to making an arrest. And you know what else he said? They haven't even gone to look where we told them the guy hangs out. At this point the only way they'll even find him is if he goes to the station and turns himself in."
The more he revealed, the more agitated he became, until at the end he was raising his voice.
Gram held up a hand, and he quieted. "I'll start asking around about all of this—Harris, the case. I will get some answers, but I need you to stop getting into trouble. You're only making it worse, Dante."
"Harris was bothering me at school today," I defended him. "Dante only got into trouble helping me."
She studied us both, looking more ruffled than I'd ever seen her. "Jesus. What the hell is going on?"
That scared me more than anything. If Gram didn't know what to do, the cause seemed completely lost.
She took a few deep breaths and seemed to regain her composure. "Like I said, I'm going to get some answers."
I believed her and was comforted.