The Monarch Room

by Danielle James

  “You’re a millennial. Your top three list is invalid.”

  “Um, excuse me?” I laughed, shoving him. “You’re a millennial too, Roman. You’re twenty-six.”

  “Look, this isn’t about me. When I was born, Biggie was still alive. He is my old school. You can’t say that. You were born in 2001.”

  “Oh my God, so what? I listen to Biggie every morning. Okay, either Biggie or Whitney Houston depending on how I’m feeling. I was born in the wrong era.”

  “You were,” Roman laughed. “You’re an old soul. You have good taste in music though.” He changed the song to Dance With Somebody and my eyes lit up. “Those are two of my favorite artists too.” I danced around in a circle and Roman watched me. I twirled around and my skirt flared out from my body.

  I saw the hunger in his eyes and it made me ache for him. “I like watching you dance for me, princess. More later on?” He asked in my ear. His stubble tickled my skin as I nodded. I’d give him everything later on.

  **

  “You look so pretty today, Riri,” Krissy smiled at me, touching my soft ponytail.

  “Thanks, girl.” I popped a chip in my mouth and smiled back at her.

  “You’re like…really pretty. Your skin is glowing and you seem relaxed.” She paused and tapped her finger on the side of her face. “Who is he?”

  “What?” I shrieked. A few kids glanced my way and I lowered my voice. “What makes you think there’s a he?”

  “Because I’ve never seen you looking like this. You’re radiant!”

  “There’s no one.”

  “I’m your best friend. I get to know who you’re fucking.”

  “I’m not fucking anyone.” I sighed trying to stop my mind from replaying the way Roman made me cum. “I did finally get a B in Mr. Clermont’s class though.” Krissy looked at me and twisted her lips to the side.

  “Uh huh…” She kept eyeing me, dragging her gaze up and down my torso like she was detecting something. “Wanna tell me why you have all these black smudges on your shirt?” She pointed to Roman’s fingerprints on my shirt and my face heated.

  “They’re from art class,” I blurted. “I have art for homeroom, remember?”

  “They’re all over your buttons.” I glanced down and realized she was right. I rubbed at the smudges but they wouldn’t come out. Fuck . I wonder if that’s what Mr. Wilmore saw when he looked at me.

  “It’s art. We get messy sometimes,” I shrugged, angling myself away from her probing gaze.

  “You’re keeping shit from me, Zuri. Not cool.” I hated the hurt in her tone.

  “Krissy, I can’t tell you,” I confessed barely above a whisper.

  “I’m your best friend. We’re like sisters.” She was right. Both of us were only children and we swore no matter what petty fights we had that we’d always be sisters because we didn’t have siblings.

  The back of my neck burned with the need to tell her but keep my promise to Roman. I told him I wouldn’t tell anyone. I couldn’t tell Krissy and break trust with him.

  “We are sisters.” I held my pinky out to her and she grabbed on with hers reluctantly. “I can’t tell you but…if you guessed, I wouldn’t be breaking my promise to him.” Her pale brown eyes grew wide and she looked around at the other kids in the courtyard.

  “Let’s go to my car.” I nodded and followed her. On the way to the front doors, Principal Palmer stopped us. We froze and flashed him pretty smiles.

  “Hi, Principal Palmer.”

  “Ladies, where are we headed?”

  “To my car,” Krissy answered.

  “You don’t have a pass to go to your car, Miss Lucas.” He lowered his graying brows at her and she sighed.

  “I have to go to my car to get tampons. I left them in there.”

  “Oh…well, why didn’t you just say it was personal? Please hurry back.” I held in my laughter.

  “I need one too, Principal Palmer. Krissy has the size I need.” Principal Palmer held his hand up and shook his head like he couldn’t bear to hear any more.

  “Please. Just go.”

  We rushed out of the doors of Aspen Grove, giggling in the sunlight.

  Seated in Krissy’s car she turned to look at me. “I have to guess because you told him you wouldn’t tell?” She asked. I nodded my head quickly. Her eyes fell to my throat and she gasped. “Jesus Christ, Riri. He tried to eat you alive.”

  “I know. It felt so good too,” I pressed my knees together and shuddered at the thought.

  “Okay well, first I’d like to point out the fact that I was totally right and whoever this guy is, he has you glowing.”

  “Yes, you were right. I’m sorry I didn’t come right out and tell you but…I really can’t.”

  “If you can’t tell me that means he’s someone that could get in trouble if anyone found out.” I nodded my head quickly. “So he doesn’t go here?”

  “Yes and no.” I gave a half shrug.

  “Yes and no? Clearly, he’s not a student so…Holy fucking shit. Zuri Okolo. Are you fucking Mr. Clermont?” She whispered his name as she leaned in closer. I put my index finger on the tip of my nose and nodded.

  “Holy. Shit.” She eyed me then touched the buttons on my shirt. “He left his mark all over you.”

  “I know.” I nibbled on my lip and looked out of the window.

  “How long has this been happening?”

  “We met before school started and there was a spark until he found out I was a student. Then we kissed on the second day of school but he told me we couldn’t do that anymore. We pretended to ignore each other for a couple of weeks but it didn’t work. One night after an extra credit art exhibit we ended up fucking in the Monarch Room. We’ve been messing around ever since.”

  “Wow…Is it wrong that I’m kind of jealous?” She laughed. “He’s so hot. He’s off-limits in my fantasies now because he’s yours but damn. Go Riri.”

  “Let’s go back inside before Palmer has a heart attack.” I knew with everything in me that Krissy would never breathe a word of me and Roman to anyone and it felt good to have someone who knew.

  “Are you staying after school today?” She asked me.

  “Yeah. That’s the plan. That’s always the plan.”

  “It would always be my plan too. You know I got your back. Let me know if you need me to cover for you, okay?” She hugged me before we walked back in and I thanked her quietly.

  **

  Roman

  Every day I met Zuri early in the Monarch Room and every day she stayed late. She made it look like she left when Brittany did but she always circled back around once everyone left the building. We needed our fix.

  I knew it was fucked up. Every day I told myself I’d talk to her and we’d end it. I played out the conversation a thousand times. I’d sit her down and tell her we only had so many more times we could be together before someone caught us. I’d tell her as much as I loved being with her that we couldn’t keep pushing it.

  Then I saw her and I looked into her eyes and I lost all those words. I let those conversations wash away as I bathed my face in her perfect pussy. She’d become my sustenance.

  She made it easy to come to work every day. She made all the shit I was going through worth it. Her smiles and her dry sense of humor pulled me out of my shell. I began to hate the weekends because I had to wait two days to see her again. To taste her and feel her.

  I knew eventually, we had to stop. She was a student and when summer came, she’d go to college and start her life without me. I had problems to deal with and I couldn’t run from them forever but it felt damn good avoiding them while I fell into Zuri.

  When my phone chimed with a text from her, I smiled before I even saw what it said. She had me in her phone as her best friend Krissy and I had her in mine as PBE for her pretty brown eyes.

  PBE: I miss you. Weekends without you suck ass.

  Me: LOL. I know, princess. Trust me, I miss you too.

  PBE: I’m
lonely this weekend. More so than usual.

  Me: Why?

  PBE: My father is out of town at a convention.

  My dick jerked at the thought of Zuri being home alone over the weekend. I needed to be with her.

  Me: I have this dinner tonight but I’m free afterward. We could spend the entire weekend together.

  PBE: We could? Should I bring clothes?

  Me: Bring panties. I like ripping them from your thighs.

  PBE: Done.

  I chuckled and shook my head at our conversation. She was going to ruin me but I wasn’t so sure that was a bad thing. Zuri was addictive and amazing. I didn’t know if I was losing my mind or not but I was starting to think she was worth every ounce of trouble I knew would come my way.

  I finished getting dressed for the stupid ass faculty dinner and hopped in the car. When I pulled up I was floored at the size of Palmer’s house. It was a goddamn mansion. I didn’t know what kind of salary private school principals made but he was rolling in cash.

  I stopped at the cherubic stone fountain and fought the flashbacks of playing around one exactly like it when I was little. I sighed and kept moving forward. I had to keep the past in the past. I refused to rely on my family for help.

  I didn’t even have to knock on the solid oak double doors when I arrived at the top step. A butler let me in. I smiled at him and walked in, trying not to look too much like a tourist.

  “Mr. Clermont,” I said to the butler with a nod.

  “Yes sir, right this way. Mr. Palmer is in the wine cellar but Mrs. Palmer is entertaining guests on the patio.” I followed him out to a wide expanse paved with beautiful stone and lights strung from the canopy above.

  I swung my gaze around and spotted Matt immediately. He was enthralled in a conversation with a woman who seemed to hang on his every word. Her long dark hair bounced with every nod. He didn’t tell me he was bringing a date.

  “Hey, Matt.” I smiled and shook his date’s hand. “Nice to meet you, I’m Roman Clermont.”

  “Clermont?” She raised an eyebrow. I nodded slowly, detecting her deep French accent immediately.

  “Who is your father?” She asked.

  “Ah, I don’t talk about my father very much. I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name.” I looked at her, trying to place her face but I couldn’t. She seemed to be familiar with me though and it made me uncomfortable.

  “Geneviève,” she smiled politely. Her eyes were gray like storm clouds and they stayed on me while she tried to pick me apart.

  “Nice to meet you, Geneviève. Matt, you didn’t tell me you were bringing a lovely date.”

  “Um, she’s not my date,” he chuckled. “This is Geneviève Palmer.” I looked at Matt, then at Geneviève with wide eyes.

  “Shit. I’m so sorry, Mrs. Palmer. I didn’t know.”

  “It’s fine, Mr. Clermont. Can I call you Roman? It’s such a nice name.”

  “Yeah, sure. I’m really sorry about the mix-up.”

  “I’m flattered you think I could pull a gorgeous woman like Mrs. Palmer though, Rome. Thanks for that vote of confidence.” Matt slapped my shoulder and laughed.

  “Matthew, I told you to call me Eve.” My gaze darted between the two again and I suddenly felt like a voyeur.

  “You did…but I told you I don’t listen, Mrs. Palmer.” He looked at her for a few beats and color rose to her cheeks.

  “Clermont, Wilmore! Good to see you guys. I just grabbed the good stuff from the cellar. Now it’s a party.” He cracked open the wine and his butler poured glasses. “I see you’ve met my wife, Eve.”

  “Yes. She’s lovely. So is your home,” Matt said after taking a long sip of his wine.

  “Very lovely,” I nodded in agreement.

  “Thank you, gentlemen. This is the result of hard work and investments.” The look on Eve’s face was priceless. She raised her eyebrows and nearly polished off her glass of wine. Palmer must have been full of shit.

  “Oh, Principal Palmer, I need to talk to you,” I said, lifting my finger.

  “Call me Ray while we’re here. That’s what this dinner is for. I want us to come together as a family and let off a little steam.”

  “You sure it’s not just to show off?” Eve set her empty glass down and the butler handed her another. Palmer didn’t seem to notice or care what his wife had just said.

  “I was wondering if it would be okay to tutor a few students that need help before and after school. I started helping out Miss Okolo and I have other students that would like to be tutored as well.” Nerves inched down my spine as I talked to my boss about tutoring the student I was fucking.

  “A tutoring program?”

  “Not a program per say. Just helping a small handful of students.” I didn’t want to help anyone but Zuri but if it would help me save face then I’d do what I had to do.

  “Well, I think it’s a great idea, Roman. Helping students is what Aspen Grove is all about. How is Miss Okolo doing in your class? Her father voiced some concerns about her grades and given his generous donations there’s no reason he should be voicing concerns.”

  “Right. Well, Miss Okolo isn’t working up to her full potential. She’s been taking art for the past three years. She should have a basic grasp of most concept yet she refuses to implement techniques I’ve asked her to. Not to mention, that first week she was disrespectful.” Palmer looked at me and shook his head.

  “Listen, if I can be frank, I want to keep Dr. Okolo happy. He’s our biggest contributor. It’s only an art class, give the girl an A. She’s a senior.”

  “I hear you, Ray. I’ll go easier on her but I’m sticking to my standards.”

  “If you must. Listen, I’m gonna go talk to some of the others and I’ll see you in a few.” He waltzed off to the other side of the patio and spoke with some of the administrators that showed up while his wife stood by looking indifferent.

  “You’re not going to meet the rest of the faculty?” I asked her.

  “No, not now. I’d much rather hide out right here.” She sat on a stool and crossed her legs. Matt looked like he wanted to pin her down on the spot.

  “I understand that. There’s really not much to do. I only came to show face,” I told her.

  “I only came because he came,” Matt nudged me and I laughed.

  “Are you two friends outside of work?” Geneviève asked.

  “We’ve gotten drunk at the bar more than few times, ” Matt laughed.

  “I don’t know many Clermont’s that have friends,” she looked right at me and I chuckled before taking a sip of wine.

  “Do you know the Clermont’s?” Matt asked, intrigued. I wished I were anywhere but at that damn dinner right then. I leaned over to Geneviève and whispered in French so that only she could hear me.

  “Ne mentionne pas ma famille s’il vous plait.” I asked her not to bring up my family. She looked at me then at Matt before speaking into my ear.

  “Parle-t-il français?” She asked.

  “Matthew? No.” I shook my head. At least I didn’t think he spoke French. She nodded and apologized for mentioning it.

  “Eve, come say hello,” Palmer called over to her. She sighed and excused herself. Once she was out of sight, Matt turned to me and frowned.

  “Why didn’t you want her to mention your family, Rome? And what makes you think I don’t speak French?” I blinked in disbelief and cleared my throat. “I’m not as fluent as you because…shit, you’re good, but I know enough.”

  “I’m sorry, Matt. I didn’t mean to assume you didn’t know French. I should have asked.”

  “Yeah, that’s not what I’m wondering about though. With a name like Clermont you clearly have French blood. I’m more interested in your family.” Palmer’s butler walked by with a tray of wine and I took a glass before beginning.

  “I don’t talk to my family anymore. They’re elitists and extremely classist. I was the black sheep because I felt like I should work and stand on my own two fe
et instead of taking my trust fund and further exploiting the Clermont name. I almost thought of changing it.” Whatever the wine was that Palmer opened was perfect. Just strong enough to thin out my filter and help me share a personal bit of information with my friend.

  “What exactly does your family do, Rome?”

  “I’d rather not say,” I sighed. Let’s just say if I explained it, everyone in this party and likely everyone in the state would know who my family was. It makes me uncomfortable.”

  “Shit, Rome. I had no idea. I feel uncultured,” Matt joked.

  “Don’t.”

  “You could have gotten the job at Aspen Grove by name-dropping, couldn’t you?”

  “Not exactly. The Clermont name is only known in certain circles but everyone knows the corporation they own. I don’t want that kind of attention.”

  “Good for you, Rome. It takes someone with serious moral backbone to stand up to something like that.”

  “Thanks, Matt.” Normally when people found out that I was a part of a prestigious family, they thought I was nuts for cutting them off. My family didn’t cut me off. They actually would love it if I came back into the fold. I was the one who chose the distance and I wanted to keep it like that.

  The entire night, Matt and I talked and laughed with our co-workers while dining on expensive food and wine. It made me think of my family’s parties and I was itching to leave. Matt wanted to stay until the end though.

  He insisted on saying goodbye to Palmer and I insisted on waiting in the foyer. I looked up when I heard him talking to Geneviève. “It’s a shame he didn’t feel well. Probably too much to drink,” Matt laughed a little, standing close to Mrs. Palmer.

  “Yeah…probably,” she said. I inched closer to get a better vantage point. I stood right at the mouth of the foyer and peered over to the foot of the stairs where Matt and Geneviève stood.

  “Out of all the staff that came over, I’m happiest to have met you, Matthew. Roman was nice too but you’re special,” she smiled, letting a curtain of hair fall in her face.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Palmer. I enjoyed your company tonight as well.” He leaned forward and tried to kiss her cheek but Mrs. Palmer gave him her lips instead. Matt didn’t protest. In fact, he put his hands around her waist and pulled her against him. It was like they’d known each other an entire lifetime. I moved back to the front door, careful not to make a sound.