by Eden O'Neill
“We haven’t checked your dad’s vault, Royal,” he said. “Hadn’t thought to.”
“She knows about all this two seconds, and she’s already helping.” A smile from Knight, a rare occurrence indeed. He tipped a chin at Jax. “Your cousin Benjamin still work at the jewelry store?”
December grimaced for some reason. “That guy’s your cousin? He was such a douche that day at the store.”
“Uh, second cousin.” Jax raised his hands. “And yeah, why?”
“See if you can get his keys,” I said, Knight and I of the same mind. “They’d be easier to get than my dad’s.”
It wouldn’t be impossible but definitely easier if he plucked them off his cousin. My father would notice right away, and we didn’t want to risk him finding out.
“But how can we get in there after that?” December shifted her gaze between us. “Your dad had to take me down. He said only he had access to the vault and the box itself took his fingerprint to open.”
“The boxes take four prints actually,” I said. “And only the same have access to the vault.”
December’s lips parted, and I brushed hair out of her face.
“Only a Prinze can get down there,” I said to her. “My mom. My sister, my dad, and me.”
Nine
December
The ride back to Maywood Heights was a quick one. If anything, it was only made a smidgen longer by Jax, who not only chose to ride back to town and school with us but made Royal’s life a living hell by singing to every song that graced the radio. Frankly, I found the whole thing hilarious, a glimmer of joy in the fucked-up-ness that was about to go down the moment we returned home. We planned to visit the jewelry store sometime after school, and that’s when this whole thing would begin again.
Royal took the ride home in good stride, his arm around me while he drove, and I think the only reason he did put up with Jax was because he found that glimmer too. He wanted that lightness, the opposite of the dark that was about to take us all away again. Since we checked out so early, we’d been able to get on the road and ultimately, home before school began. I checked in with Dad right as we pulled up into the Windsor Preparatory parking lot. The academy was filled to the brim with students and poshness, all in their school uniforms. We were in ours too, something we’d packed, and the boys had changed as well before leaving the hotel.
“You made it in okay?” Dad actually checked in with me, hella serious I guess with his forty-eight-hour deadline. He’d wanted to make sure I arrived at school the way I said I would, and since I had, I attempted to chill him the fuck out. “December, did you hear me?”
Apparently, my attempt at chill was friggin’ shitty, and I lifted a hand to Royal to wait. He’d started to head toward the old, brick building filling up with students. Knight and LJ had tailed us the entire time back into the city, flanking my boyfriend, but they all stopped when Royal halted them. Royal tilted his head. “Everything okay?”
I covered my phone. “Yeah, just Dad freaking out,” I said, waving the group on. “It’ll take a second.”
But me waving them on wasn’t happening, the force of boys standing their ground. In the end, they came back, and I guess I wasn’t surprised. Too much had simply happened for them to leave me alone. They all stood there while my dad let in on me, but eventually, Royal dismissed his men in waiting when it really started to be a long time. He gave the boys fist pounds before slinging an arm around my waist and waiting. His scent immediately surrounded me as he rested his chin on my shoulder, possessive. I had a feeling that’s just how things were about to be.
I sighed into the phone, my dad doing his own possessive thing for some weird reason. “I’m fine, Dad. I made it home. I’m about to head into school.”
A few more moments and Royal lifted his watch, tapping at the time. We really didn’t have a lot of it before the class warning bells hit, and I understood that.
“I gotta get to class,” I urged into the line. “I’m right outside.”
“I understand that, but I’m not done yet. In fact, put me on FaceTime.”
Thrown, I blanched. “What?”
“I said put me on FaceTime, December, and I’m not joking.”
So obviously not, I did what I was told, and Royal stood back. Instantly, my dad’s face was on the phone screen, in some kind of office. I assumed his, a large window in the background. He also wore a suit and looked pissed the fuck off…
At least until he saw my face. Something visually settled there, and I didn’t understand. My lips parted. “Dad…”
“Show me the school.”
I did, angling the phone so he could see the flooded parking lot and later, the academy behind me. Seeing that, his broad shoulders relaxed too but stiffened a bit when Royal appeared into view. I knew this since I could see Royal as well on the screen with me in the background. He hadn’t gone far, just given me space for the call, but the moment he came into view on the screen, my dad’s expression changed again. Pissed the fuck off took on a new meaning, and I shifted to put Royal out of focus. I guess Dad wasn’t too keen on his baby girl running off into the night and taking time off school with her new boyfriend. I got that, but he was hella on right now.
Dad threw fingers through his hair and everything, dark like mine but obviously not as long. “Good,” he huffed. “Well, get off to it and call me when you get home.”
“Why?”
“Just do it, December,” he gritted. Pausing, he took a look around his office before focusing his attention back on me. “These are strange times, don’t you think? You should know. We lost your sister, didn’t we?”
That’s what he was worried about? Losing me? He hadn’t been concerned before.
“Okay,” I said. These definitely were strange times. I supposed Mira’s death put him over the edge, but she’d killed herself. “I will.”
“You will?”
“I will. I promise.”
“Okay.” This seemed to calm him down. He lowered the phone to stand on his desk, taking a seat. “Have a good day, then.”
“You too.”
He clicked me off, and after sliding the phone into my bag, I turned to find Royal. His arm fell around my shoulders again, and he took my book bag from me, slinging it on his shoulder with his.
“Any idea what that was about?” he asked during our strides, but since I didn’t, I could only shrug. I guess these strange times had finally made it into my house too, with my dad. Who would have thought?
Though the morning started off weird, at least first and second period settled back into some type of normalcy. The whispers had definitely been there, though, despite a little time past. Mira killing herself had justifiably set a tone, and Royal, Jax, LJ, Knight, and I weren’t spared from it. People talked. People gossiped about her, and I got to hear the whispers of it at the beginning and in between classes. The only place I was spared from it was in class and that’s because the teachers were lecturing and wouldn’t have the chatter. Any veer off of focus was quickly steered in the direction of numbers or text and continued that way until the end of second period for me that morning. Mr. Pool got a knock on his door, and he paused, beckoning in the person with a couple words. Something told me the English lit instructor didn’t expect our headmaster, Principal Hastings, to show up…
Nor the two members of campus security who accompanied him.
The presence of them stopped class entirely, Principal Hastings leading the train. He walked right up to Mr. Pool, waving to speak to him semi-privately. Well, it was as private as it could get with the two being in front of an entire classroom of senior students. I exchanged a quick glance with Birdie before gazing back at Royal, Jax, LJ, Knight and the rest of their Court crew. We had assigned seats, which was the only reason I wasn’t back there with them.
Royal’s cool green gaze grappled on to me too, his expression grim.
Especially when he was called to stand.
“Mr. Prinze?” Principal
Hastings called again. He waved him this time. “Could you come with me, please?”
The trivial “oohs” of a class full of juvenile-minded individuals trickled through the room, but Royal played it off with a smirk, even smacking LJ’s hand before getting up and coming forward. LJ received the hit in good stride, but his bro’s expression was definitely tense when he let go, all the guys were. They stared at Royal in unity as their friend made his way to the front and eventually, out of the room with the security staff. They’d guided them to come with them and after a nod to Mr. Pool, Principal Hastings followed them.
What the fuck?
I shot a look toward the back of the room. Jax and LJ shrugged, but Knight’s sneer could have frightened a toddler. I raised a hand. “Mr. Pool, can I have the hall pass? You know, Aunt Flo?”
This got some snickers, and Birdie covered her mouth. A small “what the fuck?” left her lips, and as I watched the color drain from Mr. Pool’s face at clearly ladies’ troubles, I knew what I said got the job done. He reached into his desk, pulling out the pass.
Instantly, I got up, and when he handed it to me, he leaned in.
“A simple, ‘I need the hall pass’ will do for the future, December,” he said, a clear to his throat before letting me go with it. It astounded me that in this turn of the century a cis male such as himself could clearly still be bothered by a little period blood.
I shook my head a little when I got into the hallway and, after gazing around, stood there a second to figure out my next move. I had no idea where Royal would have been skirted off to, but I started in the direction of the headmaster’s office. If they wanted to talk to him, they’d do so in private most likely. I had to pass the north hall on the way, and I was glad I took that route because that’s exactly where I ended up finding Royal and the people who took him.
They were searching his locker.
“Can I ask what the hell you guys are looking for?” Hands in his pockets, Royal allowed them to do the search, not that he had much choice with the headmaster on standby.
Principal Hastings’s lips curled. “That’s a warning, Mr. Prinze. Don’t use that language in my halls.”
“What’s this about, then?” Royal lifted and dropped his hands, and from the distance, I caught a glance of who flanked his other side.
The sheriff, the legit sheriff of Maywood Heights, stood there, hands on his hips and in full uniform. What was even weirder about that was the school’s security staff stood behind him. That’s when I realized Maywood Heights cops searched Royal’s locker. Real cops like he was a criminal.
“You’ll let the men do their job, son,” Principal Hastings said, and Royal grimaced.
“I’m not your son, Headmaster,” Royal returned, his eyes dark. He forced his arms over his chest. “And I think I have a right to know why my personal property is being searched.”
Principal Hastings honed in. “These lockers are my property, Mr. Prinze.”
“And we have a search warrant.” Sheriff Ashford pinned the document with a motion against Royal’s chest. The man looked a far cry different than he had last time I’d seen him. He appeared less like a grieving father and more a pissed-off sheriff. I didn’t understand and headed down the hallway.
Royal instantly noticed, his arms lowering to his sides. “December?”
The whole party turned in the hallway, and when Royal started to leave the line, the sheriff got him by the arm. “We’re not done here.”
Royal wrestled away but Principal Hastings stopped him, getting between the both of us. He put his hands up, his sneer in my direction. “Why are you here, Ms. Lindquist?”
“Bathroom.” I held up the pass. “What’s going on?”
Distracted, Principal Hastings gave room for Royal to get a hand around and on me. He pulled me over. “These creeps are searching my locker. I don’t know why—”
“Well, you will now,” one of the cops said, shifting everyone’s attention that way. Wearing blue gloves, the officer had a cell phone between two fingers, a cell phone that wasn’t Royal’s. I didn’t recognize it, but I knew it wasn’t my boyfriend’s. I’d seen it a lot the past couple days since we’d been staying together.
Sheriff Ashford’s eyes were wild as he took it. He snatched the phone with force, slamming it up against Royal’s chest so hard he let go of me. The sheriff bared his teeth. “What the hell is this, boy?”
Royal shook his head, his eyes flashing wide. “I have no idea, sir. It’s not mine…”
“I know it’s not.” Sheriff Ashford pushed him again, pushed him so hard. “It’s my damn daughter’s. Get this little shit in handcuffs.”
“What—”
Without a thought, the men did, grabbing and throwing Royal into a set of lockers. His face hit so hard his eyes shut.
“Royal!”
A hand came out, pulling me back. “Back off, Ms. Lindquist,” Principal Hastings said, his hand grappled tight on my arm. “Let the men do their job.”
“I didn’t fucking do anything!” Royal roared, the cops strong-arming him. At this point, Sheriff Ashford had given the phone to one of the officers and was cuffing Royal himself, using more force than he should have on a teenage boy.
He forced Royal’s face into the lockers. “You have the right to remain silent,” he started, basically spitting at Royal as he went into the Miranda rights. He quickly finished his spiel and pressed Royal’s face to the metal again. “And you did fucking do something. Otherwise, your name wouldn’t be all over my daughter’s suicide letter we found this morning.”
“What!” Pulled off the locker, Royal thrust a shoulder, bucking. “That’s bullshit.”
“Is it? I guess we’ll find out.” Sheriff Ashford threw Royal at the other cops. “Get him in the car.”
The men took Royal, but when I started to go again, Principal Hastings’s hand dug into my arm to the point where it pinched. I was jerked back, almost falling, and the only thing Royal seemed to be aware of then was me.
“Fucking let her go!” he growled, fighting the men hard, but he was in no state to help me when two armed officers were all over him. They tugged him away, Royal bucking the entire time, and I couldn’t go either since Principal Hastings had me. The headmaster got me to my feet but he wasn’t letting me go.
Sheriff Ashford raised his hat, his face beet red. “Your cooperation is appreciated.”
“Of course. Our halls are always open to the Maywood Heights Sheriff’s Office,” Principal Hastings said, holding me by both arms now. He had to…
I was screaming my fucking head off.
“Royal!”
“December!” Royal hollered, roaring again. “Let me go!”
They didn’t, didn’t let either one of us go, and the bell rang, letting class out. The halls immediately filled, and it was only after they clustered to the point of suffocation Principal Hastings released me.
“I hope you’re going to class, Ms. Lindquist,” he said from behind me, the asshole. I didn’t look back. I just ran after Royal. I could hear him screaming, calling out my name over the blaring noise in the hall, and I only saw him a little because students were making way for the arrest. He was being carted away in front of everyone, embarrassed in front of everyone, and Principal Hastings let that happen.
“Royal!”
“December?” Knight grabbed me, LJ and Jax right behind him. Knight’s lips parted. “What’s going on?”
“Royal’s being arrested. We have to stop them!”
The boys could see now, see it all, and immediately started parting the crowd. They did for me to run and them to follow, the process made easy with Knight. He bowled over motherfuckers, no one a match for his size and speed.
“Get the fuck out of the way!” he charged, but not quick enough. By the time we got outside, they already had Royal down the steps of the school and into a squad car. A line of school security stood between us and the car, so we could only watch on, letting them arrest Royal.
<
br /> The police shut the door in Royal’s face behind the security line, and by then, the entire student body stood on the school’s brick insignia to witness. The squad car’s lights flashed, and next thing we all knew, they were driving away, Royal inside.
Royal faced the back window, watching me. He wasn’t even concerned about himself, all focus on me.
“Get back to class, everyone.” Principal Hastings pushed his way through the crowd. “I won’t hesitate to take away your prom. Be the example for Mr. Prinze.”
I made eye contact with him then, tears in my eyes, and he did nothing but fold his arms. He stared right at me, his look so fucking smug. He clearly believed he’d done a good job here today, and it took all I had not to punch him in his face for what he’d allowed to happen so publicly…
The bruises he’d no doubt left on my arm would only support the violence.
Ten
December
The crew and I were in for a long day ahead of us. Knight, Jax, LJ, and I had to wait until school let out for us to do anything, and after, the boys were immediately heading to their cars and making calls. Their focus to get information on what was going on and Royal’s place in it started the moment we left the school campus, but since I wasn’t focused on making any calls and just getting to Royal, I did that. The boys gave me the combination to Royal’s locker, so I got his keys. Before I knew it, I was in his Audi and speeding off before even the boys could catch up with me. Jax actually yelled at me, wanting to come with, and I would have let him if I fucking cared enough to slow down.
Knowing he could get a ride from the other guys, I sped on, blowing through traffic lights and even stop signs. It was reckless, yes. It was stupid even more so, but I didn’t care. Royal was arrested for having some connection with Mira, and that was bullshit. He’d told me he had no idea why she’d killed herself, and I believed him. We weren’t doing this crap to each other anymore, keeping secrets. I believed him, so I knew whatever was going on now was full of shit.
