Laney
By some miracle,I made it through the next several days at RFA without too much drama or embarrassment.
It seemed that Trina and Adam were right last Friday night—as long as the Princes or their loyalists weren’t around, people mostly ignored me. It wasn’t nice to be treated as if I were completely invisible, but it was still much better than the alternative.
I was also able to go to the cafeteria for breakfast and dinner again, seeing as the only other people there that early or late in the day were boarders who didn’t seem to care too much about academy politics. I still had to eat lunch in my dorm, but at least I didn’t have to go there for all three meals of the day anymore. That was progress, I guess.
Having said that, things still weren’t great for me at RFA. In the halls, the Prince’s loyal minions hurled abuse at me every time we crossed paths. They also frequently shoved me and shoulder-checked me, smugly claiming it was accidental, and I often heard them whispering in corners as I passed, dreaming up awful new rumors about me. Last I heard, I was a bulimic heroin-addicted hooker with a seventy-year-old pimp.
I was trying to get through it all as best as I could. Like Trina and Adam said, the more I ignored it, the more bored they’d get, and the more likely it was they’d finally give up and stop harassing me.
The bell rang, signifying the day’s last period, and my stomach dropped. It was Thursday, which meant I had my chemistry class without Trina. Worse, Hunter and two of his minions had transferred into the class. During the last lesson, one of the minions sat at the workbench right across from me and ‘accidentally’ splashed me with colorful experiment dyes so that my crisp white blouse was ruined.
As usual, Hunter never actually lifted a finger to bully me, but he didn’t stop it from happening either. He fully condoned it. He also spent half our chem class periods glaring daggers at me, as if I’d magically fly out the window and smash onto the stones below if he simply stared hard enough.
Today’s class was no different.
I ignored him as much as I could, but it wasn’t easy. Especially when he happened to be so gorgeous. Sometimes his dark hair would flop in his face as he leaned over his papers, making my stomach clench for some inexplicable reason, and when he listened to Professor Fox explaining things up at the front of the class, he’d always bite his lip with concentration. If he wasn’t such an asshole, I’d think it was a perfect mix of sexy and adorable.
The last bell of the day finally rang, and my shoulders slumped with relief. Now I wouldn’t have to face Hunter again till tomorrow’s lab class.
“Remember, everyone, I expect you to be studying this subject for at least forty-five minutes a day,” Professor Fox said, lifting a palm to keep us in the room until he was done. “You’ve got a big test coming up in two weeks, and I expect you to be prepared. And speaking of the test, a few of you have asked me if you can take it a few days earlier due to a school club event that’s occurring during our Friday chem slot. I don’t see how this would give you any advantage, so I’m going to allow it. If you want to take it early, just email me to let me know. The early test will happen in your free period on Wednesday the 25th. All right?”
Everyone murmured their assent, and Professor Fox finally waved us out of the room.
I trudged down the hall toward my locker, keeping my head down in the hope no one would notice me and bother me. Unfortunately, Talia was heading in the opposite direction with Grace, Letitia and Jessica, and she spotted me right away.
She popped some cherry-flavored gum out of her mouth and stuck it right on my blazer as she passed. “Oops! I thought it was a trash can,” she said in a syrupy-sweet voice.
“Easy mistake to make,” Jessica added, smiling a little too widely. She looked like a bitchy shark. “It totally looks like one, right?”
Apparently I was no longer a human. I was an ‘it’. Great.
I kept walking, refusing to say a word.
“Not so brave without your friends, are you, Virgin?” Talia yelled behind me.
She wasn’t wrong. When I had Trina and Adam by my side, I felt a lot safer in these halls. Unfortunately, they both had different extracurricular activities after school on Thursdays, so right now I was stuck by myself.
When I made it to my locker, my shoulders tensed up. Chris Hewittson was leaning against the one next to it, one eyebrow cocked.
“Hey, Collins,” he said, leaning close to me as I put my books away.
I sighed and rolled my eyes. “Just get it over with,” I said.
He crooked a brow. “Get what over with?”
“Calling me a trashy slut, or a junkie, or a virgin. Go ahead. Just hurry up. I have to get to rowing practice, so I don’t have much time.”
He drew back, eyes flashing with confusion. “Uh… I didn’t come over here for that. I actually just came to remind you about this.”
He held out a flyer. I gingerly took it, half-expecting it to suddenly catch on fire in my hands.
It was an invitation to his Friday the 13th party at the lake tomorrow evening. The invitation featured a picture of Jason Voorhees from the horror film franchise, along with a note telling attendees to dress accordingly and bring drinks. Lots of drinks.
I raised a brow and looked up at Chris. “Are you serious?”
He grinned and nodded. “Yeah. You told me you were coming when I asked you last week, so I figured I better make sure you know all the details,” he said. “You don’t have to dress up, by the way. But I would like to see you in a slutty camp counselor outfit.”