by Rebel Hart
“Amazing,” she sang. “I’m telling you, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen the great Pyramids up close.”
“I can imagine,” I responded, then let my gaze travel over to the final two members of The Royal Court sat, Nikita and Jaxon, who were Nathan’s knights.
Nikita and Nathan had been friends since they were kids, and I honestly believed that Nikita had a thing for Nathan. She was fiercely devoted to him, by which I mean she’d made herself comfortable with wielding blades of several sizes and would use them in an instant for Nathan’s benefit. She had a punk-girl look with dirty blond hair laced with strands of orange, red, and white. She almost always kept it braided down her back so that it was easy to see the several piercings lining her ears.
Jaxon was a little more of an enigma. In the four years that I’d known him, I think we’d exchanged maybe a hundred words, and his personality was never the same as the last time I spoke with him. Nathan called him a con artist, which had been confirmed in the several items and information the man had lifted for Nathan throughout the years. The only real thing I knew about him was that his name was Jaxon and that he was Philipino. His hair color changed often, but he tended to stick with an understated jean jacket over a long-sleeved shirt and black jeans, with boots as his exclusive choice of footwear.
“Hey, Nikita. Jaxon.”
Neither of them responded to me. Nikita didn’t even look in my direction, and though Jaxon did, it was a brief glance before he turned his attention back to twirling a pen in his hand while not-so-subtly staring at Colette.
“Glad to see we’ve all stayed the same,” I said.
I descended the stairs and went and plopped down next to Avery. Alistair kicked me as a sign of solidarity, and Avery took one of my hands into hers and squeezed. “You sure getting back together is a good idea?”
Even I was surprised when I started laughing. “No. It’s probably a horrible idea, but what have I got to lose? This year is gearing up to be another run-of-the-mill one.”
“At least it’s the last one,” Avery replied.
“Yeah,” I scoffed. “Thank god.”
3
Cherri
A knock on my door made me smear my mascara across my cheek. I growled with dissatisfaction and yanked out one of my makeup wipes, knowing I’d have to reblend my cheek. “What?”
“Sorry, honey! Your friend is here,” my mother called back, and then her footsteps retreated down the hallway.
“Already?” I glanced at the time on my phone. School didn’t start for another hour, and we were only fifteen minutes away. I used a finger to navigate through my phone to Colette’s number and hit the green button to call, pressing the speaker button so I could get to fixing my makeup.
“I’m outside your house,” Colette said in lieu of any formal greeting.
“I know. Why are you so early?” I asked. “Avery’s on the way, and school is, like, fifteen minutes from here.” I used the wipe I pulled to clear my cheek of the smeared mascara and then started to slowly reapply my concealer and blush.
“I can’t help it. I’m so excited to get the year started. As outgoing valedictorian, I have responsibilities that have already started. You may think it’s early, but I’m late!”
I was not a morning person. At my house around my family, I did okay, but I was often a grump all through early school mornings until around lunch. Colette, on the other hand, was the opposite. When she offered to pick Avery and me up for the first day of school so that we could all arrive together, it seemed like a good idea at the time, but I rapidly remembered why I often tried my best to avoid Colette in the mornings.
“Well, I’m finishing my hair and makeup, so I’ll be down in a few minutes,” I said.
Colette scoffed, but said, “Fine,” and then the line went dead.
In more of a rush than I was hoping for, I fixed my makeup, grabbed my backpack, and left the room. I swung through the kitchen and offered an apology for dining and dashing on my mom, who’d made a huge breakfast for our first day. I snagged a few pieces of bacon, gave Gus a kiss on the forehead, and wished him a good day, and then I was out the door.
I opened the front passenger side door of Colette’s cliche white BMW and hopped in. Along with her pixie cut, Colette was wearing a white blouse with a beige bow tie, a ruffled black skirt, and black stilettos on her feet. She leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek, then reached out and ruffled my hair, which I’d decided to wear down for the day.
“Wow. Volume achieved! It looks great.”
“Yeah?” I responded. “I started using this new shampoo that really fluffs it up.”
“It looks really good. Nathan’s gonna love it.”
I forced out a chuckle. “I hope so.”
The bracelet that Nathan had given me was a heavy weight on my wrist. So much of who I was had somehow become associated with Nathan. It wasn’t as if I didn’t understand that he was the crux of The Royal Court, but part of me had still hoped in the past four years that I would come to be known on my own. Avery and Alistair saw me for who I really was, but a majority of the court still saw me as a subset of Nathan, nothing more.
Colette started her car. “Okay. Let’s go get Avery.”
Avery was only a five-minute drive from my house. None of us lived very far from each other since the upper-class all lived in South Postings. I’d barely gotten settled in my seat when we were already pulling up in front of her house. Unlike me, Avery was sitting outside, waiting. Her hair was also down in a wild, beautiful, curled mane around her head, and she wore a simple, understated tan tank top and black leggings with tan booties. I would forever be jealous of how stunning she was.
She skipped her way over to the car and climbed into the back seat, scratching at the top of my head lovingly as she slid in. She moved over to settle into the middle seat. “Senior year!” she cheered.
Colette clapped her hands, and I gave her a tepid fist bump. I flipped around to look at Avery, planning to compliment her on her look, but my eyes landed instantly on a darkened spot around the lower left side of her neck. I pointed with a gasp. “What is that?”
Her hand immediately flew to the spot in question. “Nothing.” Colette turned to try to look, but Avery pushed her face. “You drive. You,” she said, pointing at me, “eyes up front!”
With a half-lidded stare, I slowly turned my head back around, but I couldn’t stop a smile from rising to my face. Avery and Alistair were obviously meant to be together. It was just another good reason to stay involved in The Royal Court. Seeing their relationship grow was going to bring me more than a little joy. They were both such great people and deserved happiness.
The rest of the car ride to school was filled with Colette talking nonstop about her responsibilities as class president and valedictorian and how she has to pick a successor. Even though those roles were meant to be decided by school vote, thanks to The Royal Court’s influence, it was the expectation that someone hand-picked by Colette would run and eventually be voted in.
“And I can’t make the decision all alone, so I need you guys to keep an eye out for me, okay?” Colette said. “I trust both of your judgment, so if anyone piques your interest, let me know.”
“I can do that,” I replied.
Avery nodded. “Me too. Although it’s gonna be difficult finding someone as good as you.”
Colette sighed. “It is.” She seemed truly troubled, and it made me laugh.
We pulled into the school parking lot, parking in the spots that the school inherently left open for the members of The Royal Court, and climbed out. People greeted us from every angle as we walked toward the school, and we all took turns smiling, waving, and occasionally hugging people as we passed.
“Yo!”
I looked over my shoulder, and Kyle was jogging to catch up with us. His first-day outfit was simple, as well, black jeans, black, low-top converses, and an army green shirt. Nathan had specifically picked all beautiful people to
be part of The Royal Court, and when we all gathered in a group, that was obvious. With rings on all of his fingers and a collection of bracelets and rubber bands on both wrists, Kyle was just a good old-fashioned attractive man. He had short cut black hair and glasses that were a light color to complement his darker skin tone framed his eyes.
“What’s going on, ladies?” he greeted us before turning to look at Avery. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Avery responded.
Kyle and Avery had been involved in a mostly political relationship for almost a year. They were the prince and princess in line, respectively, meaning if anything ever happened to myself or Nathan, they would step into the king or queen role. Nathan single-handedly strong-armed the relationship, but no matter how much he forced it, Kyle just wasn’t Avery’s type, and she ended up naturally drifting toward Alistair.
“Where’s Nathan?” I asked as we made our way toward the front doors of the school. He and Kyle typically rode together.
Kyle rolled his eyes. “Brayden damn near started crying, begging Nathan to let him pick him up this morning.” His irritated expression blended into an amused one. “I think I passed them going twenty on the ninety-five.”
We all started to laugh, and I couldn’t help but be amused by the thought of Nathan stuck in Brayden’s car, going way too slow down the interstate. Colette and Kyle went in one direction when we got inside the school, and Avery and I went the other, based on where our lockers were located. We sifted through the sea of students until we got to the two lockers with our names on the front in the glittered letters that Avery and I had decorated together during our freshman year.
“Aw,” Avery said, petting the letters. “We’re gonna have to take them down this year.”
“They’d look good on a dorm door,” I responded before turning and flicking Avery on the forehead. “So, are you gonna tell me about that hickey?”
Avery’s stoic expression grew into a bright, wide smile. “We may or may not have made out last night.”
I did a happy dance in place. “Yes! And is it official?”
Avery tilted her head to the side before turning her attention away from me and opening her locker. I mimicked the action, but I kept my eyes on Avery for the answer. “You know damn well it can’t be official,” she said. “Nathan would throw a hissy fit. It’s just not worth it.”
“So, what? You’re gonna not be with this guy you’re crazy about who clearly likes you too because of Nathan?” I turned and faced her. “I’m the queen, and I formally decree that you and Alistair are allowed to be together.”
Avery raised an eyebrow. “You know that’s not how that works.”
“Why isn’t it?” I growled back. “I’m in the same position as he is.” Avery just stared at me, and I relented. “Yeah, okay, I know that I’m not, but whatever. I’ll take the fall. Just go for it, and let me deal with Nathan.”
“Really?’ Avery asked.
“Of course, really. This is why I’m sticking it out, isn’t it? I can’t be happy, so at least the two of you should be.” I glanced over Avery’s shoulder and saw a familiar head of long hair making its way toward us. “Oh, speak of the devil.”
Avery’s head whipped over, and she came face to face with Alistair. They were damn near glowing as they stared at each other. “Hey,” Alistair said.
“Hi,” Avery replied with a wide smile.
Alistair poked a thumb at her neck. “I thought you said you could cover it.”
She wrinkled up her nose at him. “I thought you said you could keep from leaving one.”
Alistair laughed. “Fair.” He turned and grinned at me. “Morning, Cherri.”
“Hey, Ali!” I slipped backward. “Don’t mind me. I was just going.”
Neither Avery nor Alistair complained as I shut my locker, keeping only the things with me that I needed for my first couple of classes, and slid away. I greeted a few more people on my way back to the main hallway to head down to my first class, but when I turned the corner, my good mood evaporated. I finally spied Nathan, and he was smiling and laughing with none other than Miss Jessica Abrams, the history teacher he’d been caught screwing last year.
I stormed down the hallway and over to where he was standing and grabbed his arm. He looked at me and seemed surprised at first, but quickly changed his expression to his go-to arrogant smile. “Hey, babe.”
“Don’t, ‘Hey, babe,’ me.” I shot a glare at Miss Abrams, who continued to smile back at me as if nothing was wrong. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Sure,” he replied before giving Miss Abrams a quick final glance. “See you later, Jess.”
“Bye,” she responded before turning and heading back into her classroom.
It sent a chill down my spine. She shouldn’t even still be a teacher, but when you’re a tall, model-adjacent, black-haired, blue-eyed beauty with breast implants and a padded ass, it’s pretty easy to talk your way out of anything.
I dragged Nathan over to a corner where Miss Abrams’s class wasn’t visible anymore and turned to face him. “Seriously? You can’t even wait one day?”
Nathan reached out and pulled me into a hug. “Come on, beautiful. Don’t be like that. She’s a teacher. I can’t not talk to her.”
With my hands on his chest to wedge between us, I pushed him off of me. “You can not call her Jess.”
“That’s her name,” Nathan retorted.
“You know—”
Nathan cut me off before I could get any more words out. “Hey, Avery.”
Avery looped her arm through mine, looking leagues happier with her relationship than I was with mine. “Hey, Nathan. Did Avery tell you that Alistair and I are gonna start dating?”
Whether Avery had read the situation or actually overheard part of the argument, I wasn’t sure, but her timing was perfect. I stared back at Nathan, daring him to refute the relationship. His cocky smile faded a bit, but he looked into my eyes, and in the few silent moments that passed between us, he understood the deal I was offering.
Finally, his smile came back, though with an irritated crook. “That’s awesome,” he replied. “I’m happy for you guys.”
Avery and I exchanged satisfied looks, and to let Nathan know that the deal had been cemented, I leaned forward and kissed him. The little bit of irritation that was there left his face, and I was pleased with how the silent negotiation had gone.
“Hey, have you guys seen that new guy?” Avery asked. “He looks terrifying.”
Nathan and I both looked at her, confused. “New guy?” Nathan asked. “I should know if there’s a new student.”
Avery shrugged. “I don’t know much about him. All I know is he sticks out like a sore thumb.”
The bell that signified the five-minute warning for class screamed throughout the halls, and all the students started to shuffle toward their homerooms.
“I’ll have to ask Jaxon about it,” Nathan said. He leaned in and gave me another kiss. “Love you.”
“Love you too,” I replied. “See you at lunch.” He nodded and then turned around and headed off down the hallway. I looked at Avery. “See? I’ve got your back.”
“And I’ve got yours. This new guy is hot.” She sang the word hot, and her eyes rolled back in her head. “And he’s in our homeroom. Methinks it’s your turn to have a little side-action.”
“Yeah,” I said, rolling my eyes with a laugh. “I’m sure that would turn out great.”
We stayed arm in arm until we were walking into our homeroom class, and then we parted so that we could sit down at a couple of desks near the front. We settled in, and then Avery pulled on my arm to get my attention. She motioned over her shoulder toward the back corner of the classroom, and I looked back.
At that moment, everything around me seemed to come to a halt. Time slowed, and I could hear my heart pounding faster and faster in my chest. My breathing hastened as I looked over the new student. He had a full face of facial hair and tat
toos that peeked out of the top of the collar of his black t-shirt and out from under the sleeves to curl all the way down his arms and up over the back of his hands. He had his head down, causing some of the tips of his red-orange hair to fall into his eyes.
He looked so different from the last time I’d seen him, like much more than four years had passed.
“Hot, right?” Avery asked, snapping me back to reality. “I think you should go for it, but that’s just me.”
Focusing during homeroom was downright difficult. Despite the fact that I kept throwing glances over my shoulders at him, he didn’t seem to notice me. When I wasn’t looking at him, I was glancing up at the clock to count down the minutes until it was over. What was only meant to be an hour and a half felt more like a month. When the bell finally rang, it actually made me jump. I stood up suddenly, bringing Avery’s attention to me.
“You okay?” Avery asked.
I didn’t respond. I started to thread my way through all of the students filing out of the classroom and made my way toward the back. When I got to the desk he was sitting at, I took a deep breath before speaking.
“Deon?”
His head shot up, and when his eyes landed on me, they got wider and wider, along with his mouth that went agape. “Oh, wow.” He smiled. “Cherri.”
I nearly started crying because it felt so good to see him. “Hi.” The way we’d parted ways didn’t matter to me. There had to be something else to the story if he was so happy to see me too.
Right?
He jumped up from his seat. “Hi!” He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a hug, and my whole body started to vibrate. I’d forgotten how it felt to have his hands on me. In four years with Nathan, I’d never felt that excitement. He released me and stepped back. “Damn. You look fucking… Wow.” He laughed. “I tried to imagine it, but fuck was I wrong.”
“Uh, do you know him?” I couldn’t have been convinced that Deon wasn’t the only other person on the planet for a moment, so when Avery’s voice interrupted us, I was borderline confused.