33. overtime

Kitt woke up to find Leo wrapped around her, snoring softly. The relief she felt at his presence was almost embarrassing. She pulled his arm tighter around her. She snuggled in as close as she could get without actually climbing inside his skin.

He made little satisfied sounds in his sleep, and she saw a smile play on his sleeping face as he pulled her in tight. Her heart melted. He couldn't fake that. That was real. She could trust that. It made her feel good.

She reached up, and she kissed him lightly.

His eyes fluttered open. His smile widened when he saw her face, and he kissed her back.

"You can go back to sleep." She whispered, gently stroking his cheek.

"Can I do this instead?" He asked and pulled her more fully up so her face matched his, and he kissed her.

She didn't bother to answer him. She kissed him back with enthusiasm. He pulled her on top of him as he rolled onto his back. He gently nudged her leg to pull her over, so she straddled him while she kissed him fully and deeply.

He moaned at the feeling of their tongues dancing and her body on his. He put his hands on her neck and shoulders gently massaging her.

She pulled him sideways until their roles were reversed. He only broke contact with her mouth long enough to let her adjust and get comfortable. She pulled him down to kiss her again as soon as she was settled on her pillow. She ran her fingers through his hair, making moan again.

He moved to kiss her neck, and it was her turn to moan. He nipped at her ear and then kissed it.

Her skin felt like it was on fire. Her nerves were sizling with desire. Her thoughts were singular for the first time in days.

He kissed his way down her neck and up the other side to nuzzle her ear. He kissed her ear accidentally, bumping her bruised cheek and shooting pain up into her eyes. She jumped away at the sudden change in sensation.

"Babe?" He said, still seeking her skin.

"Sorry." She said, keeping her distance for a second, forcing him to open his eyes and look at her.

"What happened?" He asked, worry plaguing his eyes.

"You bumped my cheek." She said, catching her breath.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry." He said, sitting up.

"It's OK, really. It just hurt." She said softly, sitting up beside him.

"Understandably!" He nodded. He gently took her chin in his hand and moved her head so he could look at the mark, darkening her face.

"Sorry." She said, looking down.

"For what? You have nothing to be sorry for. Does it hurt worse now? The bruise is so dark." He gently ran his thumb along her jaw. The small movement was comforting.

"Thank you." She said, leaning into him for a hug.

"For what?" He was confused.

"For coming." She said simply.

"How could I not?" He laughed a little.

"You didn't have to, I mean, I didn't expect you to see the message until later." She admitted.

"It said 'if you can, please come, door is open' I took that as you needed me." He shrugged.

"What time did you get here?" She asked, remembering that she had spent an hour out on the balcony around three a.m.

"I woke up for my run at four thirty and saw your message, so I came right over." He said, flopping them.both back so they were leaning against her pillows. He had her clutched to his chest.

"Oh. I didn't know you ran in the mornings." She felt embarrassed for having sent the message.

"I still have some secrets!" He laughed.

"That's good, I guess." She smiled against his warm body.

"Kitt?" He said softly.

"Yeah?" She said, tracing small circles on his stomach with her fingers.

"Are you ok? What happened?" He rubbed his tumb back and forth on her shoulder.

"I had a panic attack. Actually, it wasn't even the first one." She admitted, keeping her gaze on his stomach.

"Babe! Are you ok? Do we need to go to the doctor?" He started to sit up.

"No, I actually saw the paramedic yesterday. He gave me something for it and something to help me sleep. Well, I guess, more accurately, the doctor did. He called her, and she called in a prescription that was then given to me." Kitt admitted.

"And you never called me?" He admonished her.

"I was with Coach Ten. We were talking about my disciplinary hearing." She said quietly.

"I'm sorry, your what now?!" He finally sat up and then stood up to look at her.

"Axel reported me and is trying to press charges for assault. So when the school was notified I automatically got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Which, as you know is this school's catch all term for behavior and disciplinary problems." Kitt said with a heavy sigh.

"That is utter BULLSHIT!" Leo said, furry building in his muscles.

"Yeah, well until it is cleared up, I am on probation. Pending a full investigation." She nodded.

"Please tell me you also filed charges!" He said holding the back of a neck in a way that made his muscles bulge. His emotions evident on his face.

"Yeah, Coach insisted I make a report." Kitt affirmed.

"Good!" He said forcefully.

"I guess. I still have to fight it and win." She said feeling the weight of it on her shoulders.

"How is it that you, the embodiment of student pride, can get a disciplinary action, but that total asshole has a clean record?" He ranted. The room seemed to shrink around them. His emotions filling the space.

"He has no demerits? No counseling? Nothing?" Kitt was in disbelief. This guy had made 'bad behavior' his entire personality.

"Nothing! I mean the guy got into a fight at a tournament and then keyed the other teams goalies truck! Did he have to answer for it? Barely! It was on video! I think his dad paid for the damage and made a 'donation' or whatever. He never missed a second of ice time." Leo growled.

"Wow, they really do protect their golden boy, eh?" Kitt sneered.

"That's just it! He has done so many shady things, not just on the team either. Like he paid for a guy to write his essays all last semester, and then even had the guy write his final exam! And people knew, if I knew, then other people knew." Leo looked like a caged animal, like he wanted to break down the door.

"And no one said anything?" She asked getting up and opening the sliding door to usher him outside. She grabbed her mini backpack and a pair of shoes and she took him by the hand, leading him down the back stairs and away from the confines of her room.

"That's the thing! I know one of the seniors last year reported him. I can't remember what for exactly, drunken violence or destruction of property or something." Leo took the lead marching across the open field towards the forest.

"And?" Kit prompted him to continue.

"And nothing. I think Coach had him like do extra laps or what ever, but no one put HIM on probation." Leo walked fast. Kit was glad she wasn't so much shorter than him that she needed to run to keep up.

"So, let me get this straight. I, the center of a winning team, president of an officially recognized student association, punch a guy who was actively assaulting me, and I am on probation and might loose my scholarship, but that guy, the center of a loosing team -no offense-, and all around absolute douche bag, has a clean record?" Kitt stopped in her tracks.

"That's what I am saying!" Leo jolted to a stop.

"How is that fair?" Kitt felt utterly defeated.

"It isn't, but I bet we can change that." He said.

"Yeah, how? Coach already requested his student file, it is sealed due to confidentiality." Kitt said challenging him.

"I'm not sure yet, but I'm sure we will figure something out. He can't get away with this." Leo started walking again pulling Kitt with him.

"Leo?" She said quietly.

"Yeah?" He asked distractedly.

"If I loose my scholarship I loose everything. I can't afford to continue school." Kitt admitted feeling ashamed.

"Babe, no one will be taking your scholarship, if I have to blow up the administration myself." He turned quickly making her bump into him.

***

The lawyer used by the CFAA sat at the conference table with a solemn expression on his face. Kitt had only met him a few times when they were signing paperwork for the association.

"These contracts are basically criminal. Who drafted these?" He held up a copy of both the scholarship contract and the Athletics Department contract.

"Why what is wrong with them?" Kitt worried her fate was sealed.

"The language is so vague. A clause in both contracts states 'student disciplinary actions will be conducted by the department or departments to which the student has been affiliated.' That doesn't translate into an enforceable measure. Kitt have you been to the library on campus?" He asked.

"Of course." She nodded. She was confused by his frustration.

"Then according to this pile of nonsense, the librarian can enforce or deny disciplinary actions." He shook his head.

"So what does this mean for Kitt?" Coach Ten sat at the table looking from Kitt to the suited man.

"Actually Coach, it means you shouldn't be here for this conversation. You are on the Athletics Department both as a coach but now also as a board member. Unfortunately that makes you the opposing side." He said putting the papers down on the table and looking up at her.

"What?" Kitt felt her stomach drop. This action pitted her AGAINST her coach?

"I can take you on as a client under the contract our firm has with the CFAA, I will discuss the details with you privately." He assured Kitt.

"Um, ok." She nodded.

"Unfortunately Coach, I must speak to my client privately." He said gently dismissing the older woman.

"Kitt, I am on your side, no matter what this pile of shit says." She ripped the copy of the contracts in her hands in half.

"Thanks coach." Kitt said, glad her coach wasn't mad at her.

As soon as the coach had left them alone Kitt felt her blood pressure rise.

"Ok, I have looked over both your email and the contracts you signed. Unfortunately for us, the fact that you signed means that they have a case against you. Fortunately for us the wording is so important, this seems like it was attempted to be written in a way that you could argue both sides of any given clause and be right." He said laying out the pages.

"What do you mean?" She thought contracts made this black and white, right or wrong.

"Do you have any siblings?" He asked looking up at her.

"No?" She shook her head even more confused.

"Ok, so I have a younger sister, and when we were younger, we would fight over the TV." He said.

"Ok?" She wasn't sure where this was going.

"So my mom used to tease us that we were both going to lawyers because we would argue both sides of the fight when it suited our needs." He continued.

"Um hmm." Kitt just nodded.

"Ok, so we had the big TV in the living room and a smaller TV in the basement. Obviously the living room TV was nicer, so we both wanted it. I would argue that I needed it because my gaming system was hooked up to it, and she could watch her shows down stairs." He shared.

"Ok?" Kitt still wasn't understanding why he was telling her this story.

"So when I was watching TV and my sister wanted to watch her videos -also hooked up to the living room TV, I would argue that my show was on and I couldn't save it for later, but she could watch her movie any time she wanted." He concluded.

"So what you are saying is that this contract is like your mom?" Kitt asked trying to grasp his meaning.

"This contract has vague clauses with holes and awkward phrasing, making it perfect for those who want to work the system in their favor. As long as no one presents the other side of the argument." He looked smug.

"So, like both your arguments make sense until you use them against each other?" Kitt was starting to understand.

"Exactly. You said your boyfriend told you of numerous times that the student accusing you of misconduct could have and should have recieved disciplinary actions, yet he believes he never had any official actions taken against him. Is that correct?" The lawyer asked.

"I believe so." Kitt nodded.

"If we can find records of his undisciplined indiscretions, we could argue favoritism, sexism and breach of contract on the schools behalf. Are you ready for all of that?" He asked looking at her.

"Actually, you probably won't believe this, but I am on the committee seeking to have director Thomas removed from his position for breach of contract, sighting, sexism and favoritism as the main causes." Kitt shared. The lawyer looked at her with shock and amazement.

"What?" The lawyers mouth dropped open for a second before he regained his composure.

"I am the student representative on the committee. I have been collecting stories and data from students and representing their best interests in the case against him.

"This just got a whole lot more interesting didn't it?" He couldn't hide his smile.