Court Kept (Court High 3)

Birdie: So were you going to mention that you and Ramses were dating or…

Me: It’s new. Just kind of happened.

Birdie: Just kind of happened, huh? *winky smile*

Me: Oh, shut up.

Birdie: But for serious, tho. How you going to leave your girls out of this? Kiki and Shakira are livid.

Me: I told you. It just kind of happened and wasn’t malicious. Honestly, now I’m kind of wishing we kept things on the DL after today.

Birdie: Right? I mean, what was up with Royal? WTF.

Me: Yeah…

Birdie: You guys just had a casual hookup, right? That one time? Weird of him to be all jelly.

Me: Yeah.

Birdie: I swear to God everyone is losing their minds around here. First Ramses wants to join Court and then you guys? Any more secrets you wanna share? LOL

Me: Not particularly. I think I’ve had enough for a lifetime.

*

Text messa

ges throughout the day with Birdie turned out to only be the start of the day that wouldn’t seem to end. I’d heard from not just her but Shakira, Kiki, and a few of our other friends as well. They all had the same questions, the same intrigue about something even I was confused out. Matters only became worse at lunchtime when I somehow had become the center of a gossip invasion not just from our friends but any and everyone who seemed to suddenly want to sit at our table. People used excuses, of course, but it was hard not to notice people listening in on conversations with Birdie, the rest of our friends, and me. When I figured out those sudden ulterior motives, I kept silent, letting my friends talk while I ate. I evaded people most of the day and basically hid entirely in gym class. I’d gone out of my way to avoid Mira and her friends on any day, but today, the day her boyfriend decided to hit my new boyfriend…

And say all kinds of things to me.

It was all completely fucked up what Royal said in the hall this morning, and I wanted to block it all out instantly the minute I’d heard it. I found I couldn’t no matter how many conversations I tried to blend in to or how many classes I tried to pay attention in. Royal said what he said.

Well, maybe you own me…

Later that evening, I played with Hershey when I got yet another text message after the day from hell, and seeing it was Ramses, my eyes widened. I figured his phone access might be limited after his suspension.

Ramses: Hey, I’m outside. Come out.

Come out.

A flash of the curtains told me he was outside, his Benz running in the driveway, and I placed Hershey on the floor, then got my coat on. I took her with me downstairs, and after telling Rosanna I was going outside for a bit, I bore the chill out to the warm Mercedes. When I got inside, Ramses had his seat warmers on, which felt pretty frickin’ good with the car’s heating.

I clicked the door shut, and Ramses looked hella worse for wear. He’d definitely seen better days, that bruise around his eye was purple, and noticing I stared at it, he gestured to it with a dismissive shrug.

“Looks worse than it feels,” he said, passing it all off. He put his seat belt on. “You ready?”

“For what?”

He eyed me. “I, uh, told you I was taking you to Windsor House. After school? You forget already?”

That was still on? Honestly, I kind of thought those plans were dead after today.

Well, maybe you own me…

My heart raced at hearing the words, deep and hypnotic in my head, and I found myself staring outside. So much had changed in only a few hours, things that felt right before feeling weird now. I didn’t know how exactly things changed. I just knew they did.

Things did feel weird now, things I was going to do or say definitely weird. Things like going to Windsor House…