I snorted. “If you’re that desperate, you might as well pick up some sorry-ass truck-stop hooker in Silvercreek. At least they put in some effort.”
The guys all hooted and laughed. Justin jostled my arm. “You’ve got a new fan,” he said with a wry grin, nodding over my shoulder.
I turned to see a new student—freshman, by the size of him—staring in our direction with wide eyes and a gaping mouth.
His parents hadn’t heard any of our shit-talking, judging by their starry-eyed gazes and the way their fingers were still pointing up at all the glories of Royal Hall—gargoyles, diamonds of lead on the windows, dark stone passageways.
Even if they did hear and tried to report us, nothing would happen. The teachers and other school staff couldn’t do jack-shit, because our families paid for their lifestyles. Lifestyles that were far more lavish than the average teacher or office administrator in this country.
We could take it all away with the mere click of a finger if they crossed us, and they knew it. They knew their place in the hierarchy that was Royal Falls. As long as they stayed in that place and didn’t try to make any waves, there wouldn’t be any problems.
A rival school a few counties over once published a hit piece on RFA and our town in general, calling it ‘a grotesque display of entrenched elitism, like a modern monarchy’. They weren’t wrong, and I couldn’t even begrudge them for saying it, but slinging insults at Royal Falls wasn’t going to change the way things worked around here. Money equaled power.
Always had, always would.
“Where’s Chris?” I asked, wanting to change the subject.
“He messaged the group chat earlier. Didn’t you see?” Elijah replied.
“Nope.”
“He’s not coming in till lunch. Emergency with his mom.”
I frowned. “Is she okay?”
He snickered. “Her tits sure aren’t. Apparently one of her new implants popped in the middle of the night.”
“How the fuck is that possible?”
Elijah shrugged. “I dunno,” he said. “But she should’ve known better. Should’ve gone to my parents instead of that place in LA.”
His parents owned and operated the Schoenfeld Wellness Club in Royal Falls. It sounded like some sort of hippy retreat, but ‘wellness’ was actually code for ‘cosmetic surgery’, and every second woman in town had had their nose, eyelids, or tits done there. Or more.
I stole another glance at Laney. Insecure girls and women probably hated girls like her. Naturally beautiful with perfect bone structure and big, mesmerizing eyes framed with dark lashes. No surgery, tattooed makeup, or injections needed.
“What are you looking at, babe? You’re not checking out that new girl, are you?”
A lilting voice on my left made me grimace. I turned to see Talia Bartlett standing there on the lawn. She was shivering from the frigid fall air as she looked up at me with what I assumed was meant to be an inviting look on her face. Instead, she just looked constipated and blue-lipped, probably because she was freezing.
I didn’t feel sorry for her. She could just put on her fucking blazer and a scarf if she was so cold, but she’d obviously decided to try to impress me and the other guys by leaving it off and only wearing the white girls’ uniform blouse—in a size too small, of course—and the pleated tartan skirt, hiked up so far that her entire ass would be visible if she bent down even half an inch.
“I was looking at my brother,” I replied, upper lip curling as I regarded her with cool disdain.
I couldn’t stand try-hards, and Talia fitted into that category perfectly. She was rich, but her family was new money, and they never stopped trying to prove that they could fit in with the rest of us by constantly flashing their designer labels, jewelry and cars in everyone’s faces.
It might impress some people, but not me. Money was fucking great, considering all the power and influence it could buy you, but to be honest, I’d trade everything in my bank account and move to a bleak shit-hole like Silvercreek in a second if Adam and I could have our sister back.
“Oh. Why didn’t I hear from you all summer?” Talia asked, batting her long lashes.
“Huh?” I was barely listening. Still staring at Laney.
She was walking away with Katrina and Adam now, skirt swishing enticingly as her hips swung. A sudden gust of wind picked it up for a second, giving me the briefest glimpse of her smooth ass and thighs. She let out a little shriek and started giggling as she yanked it back down, and I saw her whipping her head around to make sure no one had noticed.
I quickly lowered my gaze back to Talia, not wanting to give Laney the satisfaction of knowing she had my attention.
Talia crossed her arms. “I tried calling and texting all summer, but you never got back to me. Where were you?”
I rubbed my jaw. “On vacation.”