“You said it was a boys’ club, though,” I stated. “How was Paige a part of that? It’s not like she actually dates any of the guys.”
This was obvious considering my sister’s sexuality and at the question all three of the ball players sat back.
“Your sister may have been a girl, but she was a definite bro when it came to this place.” Birdie picked up her burger. “First girl to play on the Windsor Prep football team, not to mention a star player on the lacrosse team. She didn’t have to date the guys. She was one of them. Through and through.”
“She didn’t actually join their little society, did she?” I asked, all this sounding like a friggin’ cult.
“Not that I know of, but if she wanted to, she definitely could have. Like I said, she was one of them.”
Members of the Court left one by one, even the girls when prompted. Royal raised a hand for them to leave, and after, all that remained were himself and three guys. This always happened every lunch period…
Not like I noticed or anything.
They didn’t do anything particularly special after the other guys and girls left, just chatted, and all three of the guys were in my English class with Royal as well. Something told me they probably had a lot of classes together.
“LJ, Knight, and Jax,” Birdie pointed out, obviously noticing I’d noticed the change in seating arrangement. Peeling her gaze from me, she resumed eating her food. “His right-hand guys. They like quiet time from the fray to discuss Court business.”
“Like?”
Birdie lifted her broad shoulders. “No one knows. Most of their relatives were the founding members of the Court. I guess we don’t need to know. They do what they want around here.”
And Paige was a part of all that.
I stared at my phone on the table, all of this information swirling around me. I felt like I knew my sister despite the pair of us growing up in separate households, but each day and passing moment seemed liked a glimpse into a life and another world that I didn’t necessarily want to see. It made me feel like I didn’t know her at all, disconnecting me from her.
Lunch wrapped quickly, and after dumping our plates, I left the girls, forced to continue my day on my own with few resources. I’d probably do something like invest in a recorder or something because the pacing of this place was insane. They were leagues ahead of me in something even as basic as American history, something I typically excelled at. It all left me feeling a little defeated, but I at least stayed awake, which I couldn’t say for those with blood ties to the Court’s founding members. In the classes I had with the guys, they either slept or talked through it, definitely throwing their weight around this place. With all I knew about them now, it seemed they could, and I idly wondered if they even had to work remotely as hard as the rest of us, me. I stayed vigilant in class and eventually got through the day. I decided to dip out the last ten minutes or so of final period, claiming I was sick and needed to see the nurse. Instead, I found myself behind the administrative offices and in the school’s boathouse again. I’d come to find out the school did have a rowing team and that’s where they stored the boats and equipment. I hoped, since it was towards the end of the day, it wouldn’t be occupied with school getting out soon and I was right when I arrived to an empty space.
Pulling my bag off my back, I got on my knees, pulling a few apples I saved from lunch. I didn’t know if this would work, but I read on the internet dogs liked apples of all things. I put a little peanut butter on them too, and no sooner had I pulled out the peanut butter packet than a little nose came sniffing from underneath a boat.
“I knew I’d find you again,” I said, holding my hand out for the chocolate lab. It came quickly, stumbling over its little legs. They looked new, the puppy really small.
“Are your mom or brothers and sisters around here, little guy?” I asked, my heart about to explode from the cuteness. Finishing the apple quick, he chewed on my finger, making me laugh. He fell on his back, and I quickly discovered he was actually a she. I grinned. “Well, little girl. Let’s see if we can find your mama, huh?”
Hershey, I’d decided from her obvious color, climbed right into my hand, staying there as I wandered the boathouse in search of more dogs. I held out more apples and peanut butter for bait but nothing came for the bribe. This little girl seemed very much alone.
I’ll take care of you, then.
I had no idea how my dad would react to a new addition to his household, but I took a chance in saying not well. He could be a real tight-ass, but I wasn’t leaving this puppy to fend for herself. She was so small.
I made a space for her in the bottom of my bag, using the sweater I wore today for her to burrow inside. I also gave her a bit of apple to chew on and left the top open enough to give her some good air flow until I got home.
“Do you enjoy watching people fuck?”
The voice shot through me like a honeyed dagger, rich and thick like maple syrup. Turning, I realized I was being hovered over, green eyes like pulsing daggers.
Royal had his arms raised above him, gripping a shelving unit that held oars.
“Excuse me?” I asked, trying to be brave about it. He’d cornered me here, cornered me in a place where he had been fucking, the ecstasy on his face while he had a girl on her knees. I idly wondered if that’s how he looked during similar acts, a girl below and underneath him for different reasons. I thought more about that day than I probably should have, only made worse that he was in quite a few of my classes.
And with those damn shirt sleeves rolled up.
He had them at his elbows today, th
e golden blond hair dusting his forearms a fine contrast to his tanned skin. We were toward the end of the day, and I noticed he’d completely relaxed, his dress shirt untucked and tie completely undone. He looked like he just got done doing a little something…
Maybe in here.
I hadn’t seen him this time or I would have made myself scarce.