by Eden O'Neill
I gazed out on the field, watching as chiseled legs and muscular thighs charged down it. Royal threw his hand through sweaty blond locks, someone else whose plans were uncertain to me. After everything at the jewelry store, we hadn’t talked about anything serious, his own college plans under wraps even to me. I think it was still just all too much, my mind still on my sister, Paige, more than I wanted.
I couldn’t let go of her, even now. I fell out of the conversation with my friends, hugging an item that came with me to the game. My sister’s journal never left my side, always there with me, and I smoothed my hands over the pages. I’d actually been drawing in it lately, my little squiggles nothing compared to my sister’s, but I did like it. It helped me feel connected to her as weird as that may sound.
I studied all those pictures of eyes she’d drawn, the cute little sad eyes I filled in for her. I drew expressions to accompany them, making them human, making them real. I tried to draw happy faces at first, but they always ended up being sad. I had no idea if that’d been because of me or her.
“Oh my goodness, it is her. December!”
A wave and two ladies at the foot of the bleachers gained my attention. They were mirror images of each other, one wearing a nice blouse with a cardigan and the other in a pair of shorts and heeled pumps. The one in pumps waved at me, her black hair flying across her face in the wind. I hadn’t seen Mrs. Hastings and her twin sister, Daisy, recently, but I waved at them back.
Getting my attention, Daisy grabbed Mrs. Hastings, known to me as Lena. Lena used to be my sister’s guidance counselor way back when. Elena seeing me too, she waved in my direction.
“Is that Mrs. Hastings?” Kiki asked, the goddess waving herself. I swear the girl needed to be an international model with her height and lovely, long hair. All the girls around me ended up waving at the pair, obviously acquainted with them as my sister had been. We all waved for them to join us, and the twin women made their way up the stands. I wasn’t surprised to see them here at all. I mean, the whole town came out for these games.
“Hey.” I hugged Lena since she’d gotten up here first, then Daisy. “You guys come out to represent the king today?”
The king was our mascot, out there too in his gorilla suit. It was the same symbol that donned the Court rings and used to scare me until I wore one around my neck. It was Royal’s ring, a very precious gift to me, and I hadn’t feared it for a long time. Embracing it turned out to be just what I needed.
“Of course,” Lena said, then also hugged Kiki, Shakira, and Birdie. I wasn’t surprised to see them all so friendly. I hadn’t known Lena long, but she really seemed like such a sweetheart. She pulled back from my friends. “How have you girls been? You look great!”
“Thank you. We’re good. And look,” Birdie squealed, flashing her acceptance letter. “I just got into Princeton!”
Genuine joy flashed across Lena’s face as she eyed the letter. She took a seat between Birdie and me, smiling as she read. “Birdie Arnold, why am I not surprised? Congratulations, honey. What about the rest of you girls? I’m sure you got into just as good of a school.”
The others detailed just how good those schools were, and each and every announcement flashed so much pride across Lena’s face. Eventually, the conversation drifted over to me and my plans, and after I explained my intent to stay here and go to community college, Lena bumped my shoulder. “Don’t sound like that. That’s completely fine too. You’ll get a great education, and when you transfer, schools will be clamoring for you. My sister and I both attended community college before transferring.”
“Yeah, even though only one of us finished,” Daisy stated, but did say it with a laugh. She’d sat on my other side, and Lena reached over and pinched her.
“That’s because you were completely in love with the school’s quarterback and decided to focus on that and ultimately stay here. Nothing wrong with that, Daisy.” After she shook her sister’s knee, Lena nudged me. “The two were basically married when we went to school here, which completely delighted our fathers. They were best friends growing up.”
“Yes, they were.” Daisy played with her hands a little, her faint smile to herself. She shook my arm. “Anyway, enough about me and memory lane. How have you been? I haven’t seen you at the Mallicks’ family dinners.”
Well, that had been a disaster the all of a one time I’d done it. Not to mention, back then Ramses and I had been pretending to be fake girlfriend and fake boyfriend. I shrugged. “Didn’t work out between Ramses and me, but we’re still buds.”
I waved at him for good measure, and funny enough, he noticed me out there on the field again. He pointed a stick in my direction, and when Royal noticed, he elbowed his teammate back into the game. Ramses shrugged, waggling his eyebrows at me before getting back into the game.
I chuckled.
“Oh, glad to hear that.”
I turned, facing Daisy who’d spoken. I noticed her staring at my sister’s journal, those cartoon drawings that I’d finished. I shifted the pages so she could see better. “Paige did the eyes, but I drew the figures. Just trying to match what she put on paper.”
“May I?” Daisy asked, and not minding, I slid the whole thing over to her.
I smiled. “Great. Aren’t they? I mean, Paige’s stuff? I’m just fooling around, but hers are so good.”
Daisy didn’t say anything, thumbing through each page. She smiled too. Though, I noticed it was a little sad. I didn’t know how well she knew Paige, but the fact my sister wasn’t here anymore would make anyone who knew her sad, I supposed. Paige was such a good person. So much stronger and resilient to all obstacles in life like I never could be. I hoped I honored her by adding to what she’d already done on the pages. I could only hope.
“They’re lovely,” Daisy said, but when she started to pass the journal back to me, she hesitated. “Mind if I take a photo? I guess I’m sentimental. I knew Paige. Well, way back when.”
Of course I hadn’t minded it, and it felt kind of good that someone cared about what I’d done too. As Daisy reached into her handbag and got her phone, I gazed up, noticing we scored again. The crowd was on their feet…
And my boyfriend was being lifted from the field.
Knight and Jax had Royal up on their shoulders, LJ, Ramses and the rest of the team hollering behind them. They’d won the game, cheering, but Royal, his eyes were only in my direction. He lifted a hand to me, and I raised mine back, finding it crazy out of all this he noticed me. His team around and beneath him, they shook his attention back their way, but they couldn’t take that moment from us we’d shared. It was ours.
Smiling, everyone else was up around me and celebrating too, everyone but Daisy. She was still looking at my sister’s drawings. She had her hand over the eyes. She must have really liked them.
Fourteen
December
After the game, some of us waited inside the school for the lacrosse guys to shower up, then take us all out. It’d become a thing for a bunch of us to go to a local diner on the other side of town, and since we won from what I understood was a big game today, there was definitely something to celebrate. I waited with Birdie, Kiki, Shakira, and some of our other guy and girl friends, heavily anticipating Royal. He’d shined like a rock star today, always did. Honestly, some days I really couldn’t believe I was with him, but not because he was popular or ruled the school. I couldn’t believe it because of who he was, someone so extraordinary. His light shined more and more every day as the dust started to settle around us, and I hoped in the future maybe we could all move on from the torture of this place. What happened mere months ago was a lot, and though I was still healing too, I hoped eventually, we’d all feel a semblance of whole again.
Some other friends who’d been at the game joined our small party in the hallway, and Birdie immediately went into showing the new arrivals her Princeton acceptance letter. I was so stinkin’ proud of her and definitely gave her the floor when our friends cro
wded in and looked over her letter with her. In my step back, I played around on my phone.
“I’m sorry, Leo. I’m just… I’m sorry.”
I turned, gazing over my shoulder at of all people Daisy. A designer bag on her arm, she came out of the headmaster’s office, and Principal Hastings was right behind her. Honestly, I was surprised he even came to these things, lacrosse games. Maybe since they were such a big deal around this place, it was required in his salary or something. He didn’t seem like the “social” type, but there he was, his hands in his pockets and expression grim.
He crossed distance to her. “Daisy…”
She stepped back, her hand raised. “I’m sorry. It’s just not fair… not fair to them.”
Immediately, Daisy left the hall in the opposite direction, head down as she put more space between her and Principal Hastings. All that none of my business, I started to look away too, but not before catching the eye of the headmaster.
He stared at me, that frown deepening. We actually weren’t really supposed to be milling about in the school on game days, but not only did Principal Hastings not say anything when he noticed my friends and me, he just let us be. Severing our gazes, the headmaster stalked right back in his office, and when he slammed the door, I think I was the only one who noticed. Everyone else was still crowded around Birdie and her news.
Too weird.
That man was so weird and definitely wouldn’t be missed by me. He was one person that I could very much leave behind and not miss a bit. Shaking my head, I went back to my friends.
“The champs have arrived!”
I rolled my eyes, knowing the voice of a certain Mallick lacrosse player right away. Pocketing my device, I watched the crowd’s attention shift to the end of the hallway, and as predicted, Ramses strode down it, his expansive wingspan wide. He pumped the air. “We owned this shit today, baby. Whoo!”
Typical bro and really falling into the whole “jock” thing. He used to play basketball way back when he’d gone to school here, and I had a funny feeling this behavior wasn’t a new thing to him. It only made me laugh, snickering as the crowd of our friends instantly covered him. He hadn’t been the only one coming, many of his teammates behind him. I even spotted Knight, Jax, and LJ in that mix but no Royal.
That was until I did see him. He stood out, his lacrosse bag on his arm and his blond hair wet and fingered through. He’d just showered, looking beautiful, and when I waved at him, he grinned at me. He’d started to come to me when some of the other boys attempted to grab him up into the friend circle, but he eased them away.
Excited, I joined him halfway, and he gathered me up before I could get to him, swinging me around the hallway.
“Did you see that last play, princess?” he asked, placing me down before kissing me. He placed his hands on my cheeks and everything, grinning at me as he warmed my mouth. “It was awesome, right?”
It was awesome, everything he did was. I pushed my arms around his neck. “You did amazing. All of you guys.”
He pinched my blouse. “It’s like you’re paid to say that.”
Not really. He had done a good job. He slid strong arms around my waist, rocking me, and when Ramses chanted, “We need milkshakes!” down the hall, I knew that’s where this post-celebration was headed to next.
*
We ended up mellowing down at Friars, a cute little place on the north side of town. It was quaint and definitely the team’s spot for after their games. The whole place was packed since the staff did a “winner’s special” for anyone that came in during game day. The plate consisted of a burger, fries, and of course, milkshakes for a quarter of the price, so our table was filled to the brim with stacks and stacks of plates. These boys definitely liked to eat after they played, and it was quite disgusting watching Jax eat. He threw down like five burgers before he even touched the rest of his food.
Under Royal’s arm, I watched his friend with a curled lip, he and of all people, Ramses, actually challenging each other for how many plates they could throw down. Funny enough, Ramses was holding his own considering how lanky he was, and color me surprised when he won the eat-off. The champ for the day, Ramses shot up from the booth, the room crying out his name.
Grunting, Jax tossed his half-eaten burger back on his plate, but did give Ramses props when he pounded his fist. The whole thing had both Royal and me shaking our heads.
Ramses eased out of the booth. “I need napkins.” He pointed at me. “’Zona, you need anything?”
I rolled my eyes, telling him no before laughing at his dumb ass. Shrugging, he pounded my fist before going up to the bar and sweet-talking the server. Of course, she gave him what he wanted and then some, giving him stacks and stacks of napkins. Royal arched his neck back, smirking at the display. “Idiot.”
He’d said this but smiled to himself a little after the smirk. Something was definitely happening between those two, and I noticed it more and more every time it did. I pushed his chest. “Admit it. You’re starting to like him.”
“I tolerate him,” he stated, blond eyebrows jumping before he popped a French fry into his mouth. He smacked a kiss on my cheek. “And I do that only for you.”
He had put up with Ramses invading his space. I thought my friend had a death wish for even suggesting going out for the team, but not only had he followed through, he’d done well and Royal, God love him, had actually let him. I’d be naive in saying the latter had nothing to do with me though.
Crossing my legs, I watched my boyfriend eat his fries, engaging in conversation with Ramses when he handed Royal a napkin. The two tapped fists, and even Knight talked to Ramses a bit, smiling too. Again, something was changing around here.
Something was healing around here.
I sat quiet and enjoyed it, the evening a good one. We stayed at the diner late into the hour, and I think Royal and I only left early because he said he wanted to take me somewhere. Needless to say, I hadn’t fought him much. These spring evenings were doing us so much good, and I enjoyed them each and every time, the calm breeze and light winds. It reminded me so much of LA.
We sat in his car outside my house later that night, the lights on. My dad was in and flicked the blinds every time Royal decided to get even remotely close to me. Each time he got caught, Royal would just wave his fingers at him before returning to his seat. Only then would my dad be satisfied enough to let go of the blinds. Dear ole Dad had taken up with waiting for me to get home every night and had been very anal about it. For a while it used to bother me, but I had to admit it was nice that someone did care. It was nice that he cared and, as it seemed, did so without even being told. My aunt barely had to lecture him during the time she’d stayed here with us.
Royal laced our fingers together. “You think one day your dad will actually trust me?”
“I don’t know,” I said, sliding under his arm. I gazed up. “Think one day you’ll stop having sex with me?”
Since that was not a chance in hell—on either one of our parts—Royal just shrugged before kissing the top of my head. He rested his mouth there. “I want to take you some place tomorrow. You game? It’ll require you waking up early is the only thing.”
I sat up, eyeing him. “Where?”
“Well, that would ruin the surprise, princess.” He chuckled, flicking my nose. “You wanna go? I promise it’ll be worth your while.”
Since he wanted to play games, I could too. Without answering him, I let go of his hand, taking my purse and getting out of the car. I started to walk away when I heard the window go down.
“Five, then?” he said behind me. I could hear the laughter in his voice.
Continuing to play my game, I stalked up the steps to the house. I’d barely touched one before the door opened, and my dad stood in the frame. That had become typical as well, him waiting. He nodded at me before peering a look over at Royal.
I did turn then, seeing nothing but Royal’s smile behind the windshield. He waved at my dad, so
mething he always did too, before starting the car and cruising down the driveway.
“You have a good time?” Dad asked, something he always asked now. Like I said, something had changed.
“I did,” I told him, my phone buzzing, and when I pulled it out. I wasn’t surprised by whom I saw.
Royal: I’m taking that as a yes. I’ll be here for you in the morning. Hope you’ll be ready.
Fifteen
December
Funny enough, dear ole Dad actually hadn’t minded me going out that morning. I told him I was going to breakfast with friends, and though Royal had breakfast when he picked me up on a Saturday morning, a few bagels and coffee, I doubted breakfast was the only thing in store for the day. Royal Prinze was being very secretive and wouldn’t tell me one word as he cruised his Audi through the streets and later amongst the wooded hillsides of Maywood Heights. He went deep into the landscape, driving winding roads that didn’t even have street signs. It was nothing but narrow trails as we scaled higher and higher up the hills of what looked to be some kind of nature reserve.
The windows down, I stared at the sights, waiting as eventually, we ventured to the top and above the trees. A wide abyss of landscape wasn’t the only thing that was there when we arrived, and my mouth dropped open at the small helicopter stationed right at the top of the hill. There was a man inside it, one who came out the moment Royal and I parked. The man waved a hand in the distance, a handsome man who donned a pair of jeans and red leather jacket with his aviator shades. He appeared to be in his early to mid-thirties, and I had no idea who he was.
Turning off his car, Royal shifted a chiseled body in my direction, the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up and cuffed on muscular forearms. He looked so sexy today I couldn’t even stand it, his hair moussed back and wearing slacks that hugged his thick thighs and chiseled calves like sin. Flashing perfect teeth, he held his hand out for mine. “You coming?”