The Fifteenth Minute by Sarina Bowen Read Free Book Online

do whatever it wishes.
    My father and I went over this, too.
    “Daniel, at what point did you figure out that Annie Stevens had accused you of sexual misconduct?”
    Maybe I’m slow, but it had taken a while before I’d figured out where the questions were leading. “Well, I was worried about the underaged drinking until the dean’s questions shifted to my dorm room. When she started asking me about Annie sleeping in my room, I didn’t know why she wanted to go there. Staying in someone else’s room isn’t against the rules.” I sighed. “I am the biggest idiot alive.”
    The lawyer actually laughed. “No you’re not, son. You just don’t think like a criminal.”
    I didn’t used to. But after someone accuses you of being one, it changes your entire outlook.
    “Daniel, please tell me exactly how personal the dean’s questions became.”
    My head begins to ache. “She made me give, uh, the play-by-play of our entire encounter. Who kissed who, which hands removed which clothes. I told her all this, but I was really nervous. It’s not an easy conversation with anyone, and of course I’d just caught on to the fact that someone had a problem with it. My first thought was that maybe Annie wasn’t eighteen or something. But that would be weird. It was second semester…”
    “I’ll run a background check on her and we’ll rule that out. But what else did the dean ask?”
    “After everything I described, she’d stop and say, ‘And how did she give consent for that? Was it verbal?’ And I had really good answers for almost all of those.” Because the whole encounter had been Annie’s idea.
    “All right. And did you get the sense that the dean took careful notice of your responses?”
    “I guess so. But I can’t be sure.”
    “I see. So after this detailed conversation last August, what happened?”
    I had the world’s most uncomfortable conversation with my parents. And I began to worry, and never stopped . “I got a letter five or six days later telling me I was on social probation.”
    “Right. I have to tell you that I’ve read and re-read this letter, and it’s a pretty interesting document.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “It’s incredibly specific about the probation they imposed on you—where you can and can’t go, and exactly how you should avoid contact with Miss Stevens. But on the subject of what it is that you’re supposed to have done, there’s nothing. I’ve never seen anything like it. Either it was written by someone who has no experience investigating sexual assault, or they’re being vague on purpose, because they’re not feeling confident about the accusation. And now they’ve let five months pass without deciding your case.”
    Like I don’t know that .
    “It’s possible that they think the case against you sucks, but they’re trying to be sure they give it adequate attention anyway. There’s a law called Title Nine. Most people think it’s about school sports, but it’s broader than that. Sexual discrimination and harassment.”
    “Okay.”
    “These past few years colleges have been threatened with losing certain sources of federal funding if they don’t demonstrate that they’re fighting harassment and also sexual assault. And that’s a fine idea, right? But colleges—even well-funded ones like Harkness—keep proving that they have no clue how to investigate sexual violence. And when they get it wrong, it hurts everyone . Think about it. There are girls who are raped, but the college bungles the investigation. On the other hand, there are guys like you who are at the wrong end of bungled investigations.”
    “Federal funding,” I repeat slowly.
    “That’s right. Just like everything in life. Money is the driver.”
    My head gives a fresh stab of pain, and I wonder if it’s even possible to get out of this mess unscathed. When I first learned that Harkness College might throw me out for something I didn’t do, I still didn’t quite realize the