by Rachel Angel
The elegant woman with the grey pencil skirt and prim white shirt smiled. “Please to meet you. I’m Ms. Dunsworth.”
For some reason, Harley had expected someone much older, maybe even a little frumpier. But the woman before her was all professional and elegance.
“Oh.” Harley set down one of her suitcases and shook the woman’s hand. “So nice to meet you.”
“You can set those down over there,” Ms. Dunsworth said, pointing to a recessed corner beside the elevator. “I’ll have someone bring them to your room. In the meantime, I’d like to give you a quick tour of our campus. Maybe even meet a few of our students.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“I don’t know how much you know about Fallen Fae, but we’ve been ranked as one of the best educational institutions in the West, and we’re in the top five coast to coast.”
“Yes. I’ll admit that I did read up on the school somewhat. A while back I found a pamphlet about the school. It was very intriguing, but I never thought I’d have the chance to attend.”
“Oh,” Ms. Dunsworth exclaimed looking across the lawn that surrounded the next building. “There’s our school’s student president.” She waved at a group of young men. “Kingsley,” she called out as they approached the group.
“Boys,” she said. “I’d like to introduce to you a new student here at Fallen Fae, and I do hope that you will make her feel welcomed.”
Harley bit her lip as she looked at the four young men. They were strikingly handsome in a very polished sort of way.
“Harley, this is Kingsley, the student president who also serves as council to the student union and student advisory board, and Captain of the swim team.”
“You might also add the Prince of The Sea,” he added with an arrogant smirk. Tall and lean with jet black hair and icy blue eyes, he had an aristocratic air about him.
“We also have twin brothers Zed and Red who share the title of co-vice presidents.”
Red offered a curt nod. There was definitely something hard and uncompromising about him. His spiked up red hair gave him a menacing edge while his deep blue eyes were cold and hard still.
Zed had the same facial features as his twin brother, but with blue hair to go with his clear blue eyes. He didn’t even bother with a curt nod. In fact, other than a quick appraising glance, he barely looked at her at all.
So much for the warm welcome Ms. Dunsworth had requested.
“You’ll probably see them both running around the campus with a soccer ball between their feet,” Ms. Dunsworth said. “They are from the land of Fall, they are the General’s sons. Please say hello, boys.”
The twins eyed Harley, their gaze scrutinizing her, but their lips remaining tightly pressed.
“And Oakley, definitely our star soccer player. We recruited him based on his talents and we haven’t regretted it. Last year we made it all the way to the nationals thanks to him.”
Oakley looked more like a pirate than a soccer player at a prestigious school. His long wavy brown hair was brought back into a ponytail, leaving his face completely unobscured by any stray strands. Along with a few piercings adorning his face, he had numerous tattoos. His arms sported images of sports figures, while a spider seemed to be climbing up the spiderweb around his throat.
“He’s also our honorary vice-president.”
Harley had never met young men who were so confident, handsome and aloof. They each had an aura of mystic around them, something that drew her in and made her want to get to know them.
They’re sexy, she thought. That’s the bottom line. All tall and strong with cool gazes. Yes, they were certainly sexy.
Harley pushed aside those thoughts with a shuddering breath and smiled.
“And this is Cici and Ashley who are in the student body leadership team.”
Draped over Kingsley, Cici, a pretty girl with straight dark hair streaked with stark white, stared at Harley without a trace of a smile.
She glanced at Ashley who did not offer a warmer welcome as she crushed her body against Oakley’s.
“If you girls could show Harley to her dorm room,” Ms. Dunsworth said. “I’d appreciate it.”
The girls both forced a warm smile while their eyes remained cold and distant as they let go of their men and led Harley to the girls’ dorm.
“Fallen Fae Academy is a pretty prestigious school,” Cici said looking down at Harley’s attire.
Wearing simple jeans and a grey t-shirt, Harley hadn’t thought much about her appearance as she’d prepared for her first day at school. She’d pulled her light auburn hair back into a messy bun and hadn’t even bothered with mascara, the only make-up she usually wore.
Refusing to allow them to make her feel inferior, she smiled and put on a happy face.
“You must be here on a scholarship,” Ashley said.
“That’s right,” Harley said proudly. I’m here due to my talent, she wanted to say, while you both are probably here due to your parents’ bank account.
Cici and Ashley rolled their eyes as they briefly looked away then brought their hypocritical gazes back to Harley with a sassy grin.
Ashley, wearing a furry yellow crop top and skin tight white capris, clucked her tongue and flicked the sleeve of Harley’s shirt.
“If you want,” she said. “I can loan you a few pieces. I have plenty of clothes.”
“You can say that again,” Cici said with a giggle. “We just came back from Paris and everything was so pretty.” She gestured at the pretty summer dress she wore. The bright pink bodice was tight and form-fitting, but with a completely open back, while the light and airy see-through skirt was white. At a distance it gave the impression of purity and innocence, but up close, everyone could see clear through the skirt to her white thong, and the clinging thin fabric of the bodice showed off her perfect breasts.
“I have the perfect thing for you,” Ashley went on. She turned to Cici. “You know that pretty blouse that I bought in Paris. The one that I bought in, like, every color.”
Cici nodded. “Those were so cute. I especially liked the pink one.”
“Well, I don’t really like the green one. It doesn’t suit my complexion.” She looked to Harley. “You can have it.”
“Thanks, you really do have pretty clothes,” Harley said. “But I brought plenty of my own.”
The girls both rolled their tongues slowly over their teeth, possibly in disbelief. Harley couldn’t really tell what the girls were thinking but was becoming increasingly eager to just be alone.
Stopping at the main entrance to the girls’ dorm, Cici looked her up and down again. With a raised brow said, “Well, I do hope you have something better than that.”
She opened the door and entered the surprisingly modern interior. The white walls were adorned with streamlined lighting and black teak moldings at the floor and ceiling. Each door was of elegant black teak with a golden number and knocker. The spotless floor was of large glossy white tiles. Everything was the opposite of what the exterior promised.
“Did I tell you that Oak brought me over the Grand Canyon?” Ashley asked Cici as they both walked in front of Harley.
“By helicopter?”
“Yeah. It was such a thrill. We fucked all the way back.” She giggled. “You should have seen the pilot’s face. It was a blast.”
Cici waved Ashley’s brag away. “That’s nothing. Kingley flew me out to New York City for a little shopping spree.”
“You didn’t tell me that. You shopped like mad in Paris.”
“I know.” Cici stopped suddenly and faced Ashley. She slowly brought her hand up to show her the flashy ring on her finger. “But this was a different kind of shopping.”
“Holy shit!” Ashley said grabbing Cici’s hand. “Are you guys fucking engaged, or what?”
Cici cooly pulled her hand away and shook her head as she proceeded down the hall. “No, not quite.”
“Shit, Cici,” Ashley said. “Kingsley is the most eli
gible bachelor. You better snap him up before someone else does.”
“Look who’s talking. Has Oak put any ring on your finger?”
“Not yet, but…” Ashley said. “But Kingsley actually has royal blood running through his veins.”
Cici smiled. “Don’t think I don’t know it.”
Ashley sighed. “Then again, Oak is so fucking sexy and I know the way girls look at him when he’s out on the soccer field.”
Cici glanced back at Harley with a grin. “Zed and Red are single, if you’re looking to hook-up.”
While the guys were all very sexy and handsome, Harley hadn’t considered the possibility of ‘hooking up’.
Ashley giggled knowingly, and for a split second seemed intent on keeping her little secret, but then said, “Of course, Ms. Dunsworth keeps them on a tight leash, so good luck with that.”
“Why?” Harley said.
“She’s their mother, silly,” Ashley said. She then clawed the air and added, “She’s very protective of her baby boys.”
“Or maybe you already have a boyfriend,” Cici said.
“Nope,” Harley said matter-of-factly. “No time for that now. I want to concentrate on my studies.”
“Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,” Ashley said. “That’s what all the single virgins say.” She glanced at Cici. “Isn’t it?”
Ashley stopped walking and glared at Harley. “You’re a virgin, right?”
Harley remained silent. Though she knew there was nothing wrong with being a virgin, she didn’t want to discuss her private life with these two know-it-alls.
“I knew it,” Ashley said.
“Oh, Harley,” Cici said, tilting her head sympathetically as she put a consoling hand on Harley’s shoulder. “You just don’t know what you’re missing, sweetie.”
“Nothing like a good fuck to wake you up in the morning,” Ashley said.
“Or a good fuck at night before going to sleep.”
They looked at each other and laughed like silly high school girls, and walked on.
“Oak is a fucking beast in bed,” Ashley confided.
“And Kingsley knows all my sweet spots.” Cici looked pointedly at Harley. “You do know what a sweet spot is, don’t you?”
Harley nodded. “I may be a virgin, but I do know about sex. I know that…”
“Sweetie,” Ashley cut in. “You don’t really know it until you’ve done it.”
“You know, you should really get Zed and Red into bed. They’ve been looking to fuck a virgin.”
“Yeah, but who would get her first. Technically, one of them is going to be fucking into the other’s juices, you know.”
“Gee, Ashley,” Cici griped. “Sometimes you can just be so crude. Besides, why get so technical all of a sudden? I don’t give a fuck who fucks her first, I’m just saying.”
“This is such an amazing school,” Harley said, hoping to shift the topic to something more… mature. “From the outside it looks like it’s a hundred years old, but in here.”
There was a long pause as the girls readjusted their brains. “Wait until you see the ultra-modern gym and sports complex,” Cici finally said.
“And the high-tech labs,” Ashley added.
“And the music studio.”
“Oh, and the art lab.”
Harley’s ears pricked up at the sound of the art lab but said nothing.
“When Ms. Dunsworth got this school off the ground…” Cici started.
“With her husband General Dunsworth, of course,” Ashley cut in.
“She wanted,” Cici continued, “to create the perfect atmosphere for the students. You’ll find there’s little clutter anywhere. Everything is streamlined and clean.”
“It really is the best place for special people like Cici and me,” Ashley said.
“That’s why it’s usually so hard to get into.”
“So, this is yours,” Ashley said, stopping at the door numbered fifteen. “Like most full riders, you’re on the first floor.”
Cici scrunched up her face in feigned disappointment. “Yeah, which means you don’t have a nice view.”
“But, it’ll give you more time to study, I guess,” Ashley said.
Cici handed the key to Harley and both girls turned and strutted their way back down the hall.
Happy to finally be away from their constant chattering, Harley unlocked the door to what would be her new home for the next months, and pushed the door open.
She instantly fell in love with the clean, modern room. As the girls had said about the entire university, there was no clutter, but the furnishings were functional and neat. The room was just large enough, and the two large windows, while not offering much in the way of a view, did offer a lot in the way of a sweet breeze, that came in from the mountains.
Just under one of the windows was a good-sized single bed, complete with linens and a few throw pillows. The small black sofa easily opened into a bed and the black lacquered dresser drawer was more than enough for all her clothes. She had an adequate closet for coats and the few dresses she’d brought, and shelving at the bottom for the few shoes she had.
But what pleased her the most was the little kitchenette. It was perfect. The tiny fridge could hold milk and eggs, and the two-burner stove was just enough for quick breakfasts and easy dinners.
The cupboards had just enough dishes and pots and pans, but what surprised her were the few staples that were already in the pantry. Pasta, canned vegetables and even a bag of cookies.
“How sweet is that?” she said to herself.
She noticed her suitcases neatly set beside the sofa and got to work settling in.
Chapter 3
As Harley put her clothes away, she made a mental inventory of everything she had. It wasn’t much. She’d even brought the t-shirt they’d given her at the hotel, but she’d put one of her mother’s brooches over the hotel logo. Heaven forbid someone should ever notice the Sleepici embroidered on her chest.
She finished emptying her first suitcase, just as the door burst open. Startled, she stumbled back and fell on the sofa.
“Oh,” the young woman said as she stumbled in. “Sorry. I thought I had a private room.
Harley chuckled and got back on her feet. “Hmm. So did I.”
The young woman, hauling an old ratty duffle bag on her shoulder looked at the number on the door and back at the piece of paper in her hand. “Nope. This is it.” She looked at Harley. “Think they made a mistake at admissions?”
“I doubt it. Come to think of it, it would make sense that I would share a room.”
“Well, in that case. Hi there, roomie.”
“Harley.” She stepped forward and offered her hand, instantly liking the diminutive girl with big beautiful eyes.
“April.” She tossed her bag in the corner and looked around. “Swanky place isn’t it. Quite a contrast to that old exterior.” She ran her hand over the smooth countertop. “Is this granite?”
Harley shrugged. “I think it’s marble or Corian or something like that. Don’t ask me. I come from plain old laminate countertops.”
“Same here.” April whistled as she headed to the window. “Nice view of the backside of the Arts Building.” She leaned in further until her head butted up against the glass. “Oh!” she said in mock surprise. “But there you have a glimpse of the mountains.”
“Did you say the Arts Building?” Harley said, coming up beside her. “I didn’t know.”
“Hmm. More interested in the Art Buildings than you are that great knock-your-head-on-the-window view.”
Harley laughed.
“Are you an art student?” April said.
“Yeah.” Harley tried to assess the small girl with the light brown short cropped hair and non-descript clothing. “Are you here on a scholarship, too?”
April pinched her grey sweatshirt and pulled it away from her belly. “Is it my high fashion that gave me away?”
They both laughed and Harley sensed that they would get
along fine, even if they did have to share a room that was now a bit tight for two.
April glanced into the closet, then opened the top drawer of the dresser.
“The bottom two drawers are empty,” Harley offered. “I can maybe squeeze my stuff in a little tighter and empty a third drawer if you want.”
“No,” April said. “This will be more than enough. I like to live light. I didn’t bring much.”
“I’ve already met a few of the students,” Harley said as April put her clothes away. “They seem pretty nice.”
April moved on to the closet and put up one torn wind breaker and an old blue winter coat stained at the sleeves. She then dropped a pair of worn out sneakers at the floor of the closet.
“You’re more generous than I am,” April said as she looked at the sleeper sofa. “These kids may look good, but don’t let that fool you. They’re all a bunch of trust fund kids and think they’re better than everyone, especially Fifi and Frufru.”
“Who?”
April turned to her. “Cici and Ashley. They get a kick out of making everyone around them feel like shit.”
Harley was surprised by April’s language. On the one hand she seemed so tiny and timid and even mousy, but she definitely had a fire burning in her belly.
“And when it comes to us scholarship kids… hell. They’d treat a dog better.”
“I met the boys that run the school.”
“Yeah. Cool and sexy guys, right?”
Harley laughed. “Yeah, I kind of noticed.”
“Don’t let them play with your head.” She ran her hand over the back of the sleeper sofa.
“I can sleep on that if you want,” Harley offered. “I sleep pretty soundly, and I’m not fussy about those things.”
“Na,” April said with a wave of her hand. “I’ll take it. I’ve slept on worse.”
Chapter 4
After a day of settling in, meeting some of her professors and figuring how to get around the huge campus, the next morning Harley went to her first class.
Physics.
Professor Reed, a tall, heavyset woman with full lips and inquisitive eyes stood at the front of the class waiting for the students to settle down.