by Eden O'Neill
“We’re happy to have you here,” Principal Hastings concluded with, placing his hands together on a wide oak desk. “Though, we were very sad to see Paige won’t be joining us this year. Have you heard anything different about her?”
A town this size and school this elite, I wasn’t surprised he’d heard about my sister going AWOL. He was probably one of many I’d hear either asking or whispering about her whereabouts in the days to come.
I opened my hands. “Your guess is as good as mine.” Besides a few texts here and there at the beginning of the summer, I’d heard nothing from my sister, absolutely nothing, and I seemed to be the only one who worried about that. My sister may have had bouts of acting out, but never had she gone such an extended amount of time without word. Especially when it came to me. I shrugged. “I’m hoping with me being here she may come back.”
This really was the plan. Places like this talked, people busybodies. She’d hear I was around.
At least I hoped.
Principal Hastings said nothing to that, simply nodding when he stood. “I hope you’re right and she really will be missed around here in her absence. You’ll be sure to let us know if you hear any changes?”
I told him I would, and after a quick shake, our meeting concluded with him escorting me out of his office. I was told I’d have a guide coming for me to take me to class, and he waited with me for a moment before excusing himself.
“I’m afraid I have another meeting, but you should be all right?”
I nodded as I would, but before he darted off, he waved a finger by his nose.
“This will have to be removed before you start your day, I’m afraid,” he stated, referring to my nose ring. “We do have a strict dress code here, yes?”
I’d popped the hoop in outside of the scrutiny of my dad and in the privacy of a chauffeured car. Apologizing for the error, I removed it, and Principal Hastings left me to wait for my guide standing next to the scarier-than-shit simian bust. The King was giving me the eye like nothing else, and the urge to smoke hit me like a freight train.
Shit.
I usually only did weed when I was stressed and I was damn stressed. I figured I’d at least wait until lunch and bop off somewhere, but this guide was taking too long and I needed a smoke. After a quick scan of the halls, I decided to take the map Principal Hastings gave me along with my class schedule and find some place to hide and light a joint. My travels took me outside, and it was like God was looking down on me because the bell signaling the end of class sounded and the sudden crowds allowed me to blend in. Eventually, I peeled off from the packs of students and escaped behind the administrative offices. The back of campus had an outlook of the water, a little lake of some kind, and venturing, I noticed a moderately sized shack. Considering everyone else was headed in the opposite direction, I darted inside the shack and internally screamed sweet relief to find myself alone.
The place was a boathouse. I mean, stacks upon stacks of what appeared to be long canoes were stored on elevated shelving and I touched one. Obviously, this school had some kind of rowing team as well, and I took advantage of the fact when I decided to light up my joint amongst the clusters of boats.
Damn, did I need this.
I allowed the drug to filter through me as I took a seat in a boat aisle. Using my backpack as a pillow, I lay on it, crossing my ankles and watched as my smoke drifted, then clouded toward the top of the house.
I closed my eyes, feeling the release of the drug before a rustle behind nearly made me drop the joint.
Shit.
I started to put it out but stopped at the sound of a little whimper. Getting on my knees, I followed that sound to another aisle and alarm hit me at the sight of a pair of little eyes underneath a boat. I lowered, and when those eyes turned out to be puppy dog eyes surrounded by dark chocolate fur, alarm instantly shifted to warmth. A puppy, a real live puppy, was under there, and getting closer, I made out the breed, a dark Labrador. I had a friend who had one once, and I recognized it easily.
I reached for it. “What are you doing here?”
Friggin’ cute as hell, the little guy or girl crawled right into my palm, no more than teacup-sized. Pressing him to my chest, I studied to see if he was hurt since he whimpered, but got nothing but licks to my fingers.
“You must have just been lonely, huh?” I asked him, smiling as he pushed his head into my hand. Whatever bothered him before he seemed to be okay now. Standing, I considered a game plan for him, but I lost the thought at the sound of moans.
And two bodies.
One in particular was on her knees, a girl with bright red hair as she bobbed back and forth. I saw her easily between the spaces of several boats ahead, and cradling the puppy, I pretty quickly made out who exactly she bobbed back and forth on.
He stared right at me, a sandy blond with electric green eyes and a grin for days. He grinned at me, cradling this girl’s head while she sucked him off right in front of me. He so obviously knew I was watching, cocky about it. He merely tipped his chin at me before going back to the redhead, those eyes of his falling back into ecstasy, and disgusted, I stepped back. The puppy wriggled in my hands, and completely thrown from what I’d just seen, I accidentally let it loose.
“Hey, hey!” I whisper-shouted, chasing it through the house. I lost sight of it between two boats and cursed before giving up and going back for my bag. I managed to avoid the couple the second time, but I did hear a groan as I made my way back to the boathouse doors.
I slammed it shut behind me, hoping I scared the shit out of whoever they were, whoever he was.
Arrogant ass.
The fucker actually grinned at me, my head shaking as I returned to the quad and went back to the administrative building. I returned to the simian bust, and when my name was called, I turned.
An extremely tall girl made her way down the hall, like the playing-basketball kind of tall. She had dark hair she hiked in a ponytail and didn’t wear a skirt and heels like I did. She wore white basketball shoes with pleated pants, and I had a feeling any skirt they gave her might ride worse than mine.
“Sorry I’m late. You’re December, right?” she asked me, waving. She had a few books in her hands, a smile on her face. “They just told me I’m supposed to take you to class.”
I wondered at the “they” but figured she’d misspoken since Principal Hastings was only one man. I lifted a hand. “Yeah, that’s me and no problem. I haven’t been waiting long.”
Technically, this was true considering my little detour. Fighting myself from cringing at the show before, I shook the tall girl’s hand.
“I’m Birdie Arnold,” she introduced, and I smiled, loving her original name. I hadn’t heard that one before, cute. She grinned. “I’m a senior like you. You ready for class? It’s mine too. Second period English.”
Happy to at least know one person, I followed her across the quad to our English class. The class had already started, but I think the teacher, Mr. Pool, had been warned about my arrival, so he didn’t give us a hard time about it. He introduced me to the class of about twenty-five or so, then Birdie and I took seats off to the side. The room settled for about two seconds before the door opened again, and a familiar face sauntered himself into the room, looking thoroughly satisfied with his chiseled jaw and thoroughly tousled hair like he just had a round in the sheets. Who knew what he and the redhead did before I got there.
His strands of spun gold complemented a clean-shaven face. This guy’s cheekbones could cut glass and I think he knew it. Stopping the class in conversation, he came fully equipped with a note folded between two fingers, one he passed off to Mr. Pool without breaking his stride.
“A late pass from the headmaster,” the guy informed, that smile of his hiking before he ventured to the back of the classroom. Pulling off his blazer, he exposed a set of chiseled biceps and similar forearms when he rolled up his sleeves. He concluded by loosening his tie. Second period English was apparently this
guy’s relaxation period. Once he finally made it to his seat, he clasped hands with not one but several guys in the back. Those who didn’t get handshakes got fist bumps, and Mr. Pool merely shook his head at the spectacle.
“I’d expect nothing else, Mr. Prinze,” he said, huffing before tossing the pass on his desk. “If you’re done?”
Mr. Prinze gave him the floor, nodding like he led the class instead of the teacher. What was laughable was Mr. Pool actually let him do that before going to the board and bullet-pointing today’s lesson.
I pulled my English book out of my bag. “I just saw that guy,” I whispered, getting Birdie’s attention. Mr. Pool’s back was still to us, and Birdie turned, looking to the back of the room before facing me.
“Royal?” she asked. “What was he doing?”
That guy’s name would be Royal Prinze. His parents were probably pretty damn impressed with themselves too. It all seemed fitting, though, considering the way this boy owned second period English.
Lowering, I explained to Birdie quickly what I saw in the boathouse. Mr. Pool was still busy at the board, and once my story concluded, Birdie did nothing but smirk.
She lowered too. “I’m not surprised, but I’m sure you know all about that, him.”
“If you’d all turn to page ninety-seven, and we’ll begin our look into the Renaissance period. December, I’ll touch base to see where you are in your studies later, but don’t be afraid to let me know while we work today if you’re lost or anything, all right?”
The attention on me, I pulled away from Birdie and what she said. Giving Mr. Pool a wave, I told him I would, and he gratefully moved on but not without me catching the eye of a certain green-eyed blond. He had his legs crossed, thick and muscular, in my direction. Pen to his lips, he flicked at it with a finger, making a silver ring flash on his right hand.
“Why would I know about him?” I asked, purposely severing his connection with me and talking to Birdie.
She frowned in my direction. “Royal Prinze?” she questioned, to which I shrugged. She tilted her head. “He’s only your sister’s best friend.”
Get on Amazon today!
