“Actually.” Ramses moved a hand behind me, but he didn’t touch me. He was keeping things cool like we discussed outside. He smiled. “I got December with me, so…”
The clubhouse must have been the boys-only section that I’d actually been inside. The guys themselves had let me in.
This didn’t seem to be the case now, LJ’s head rising and dropping. “Another time, then…”
“Actually, why don’t you go?” I suggested, needing the space. I forced my own smile. “Need to go to the bathroom anyway.”
Ramses passed a polite look to the others before facing me. “It can wait.”
“It shouldn’t,” I emphasized. He’d probably be able to speak more candid with me not around anyway.
Understanding that, he nodded. He allowed the guys to take him away, the whole group going, and I used that invisibility being a Court kept as promised. I walked right out of that room and barely anyone took notice of me.
I got all the way to Royal’s door with barely even a glance.
I tapped, nothing forceful like before. I had different objectives now.
Things were so different.
They were in so many ways and my heart in my throat, I waited for Royal to answer the door. After a few moments of me standing there, I tried again, sighing. “Royal? Royal… it’s me.”
Absolutely nothing, literal ringing in my ears. He either was ignoring me or wasn’t there.
“You lost or something?”
Down the hall came yet another familiar face, one filled usually with jokes and humor, but not today. Jax had a girl under his arm too, the pair of them basically all over each other. He had her close while she felt up his abs, but seeing me, he let go of her.
I folded my arms. “No. Just seeing what’s up with Royal. Is he in?”
He smirked at me, actually smirked before shaking his head. “No, he’s not.”
He started to walk away, but I followed.
“Any idea when he’ll be back?” I asked, raising and dropping my hands. I got it. He wasn’t happy. Royal was his friend, and he was taking his position after the fight. Hell, he’d even egged it on, holding people back while the guys went at it like animals.
Where LJ and Knight hadn’t acknowledged me at all, Jax chose chill, giving it completely to me. He frowned. “Sorry, I don’t. Moved out. He ain’t here no more.”
He did walk away this time, leaving me standing there. Royal moved out.
So what did I do now?
Fifteen
December
The night at Windsor House turned out to not be fruitful at all. Maybe if we’d had more time, had done things differently.
Maybe if I had.
Ramses got a tour. That was it, and after, his frustration lay with lack of information whereas mine stemmed from something else entirely. The thing was, I couldn’t even voice those frustrations. I couldn’t tell him the truth, what Royal had said to me outside that hallway, and where I felt things should go from here. I had let him think everything was fine, and since he was suspended, that only made the guise easier. I was lying to more than one person now.
I was on my own now.
I actually tried not to be, going out of my way to run into the people who surrounded Royal on his day-to-day. Knight, LJ, and Jax’s presence continued to be prevalent around the halls of Windsor Prep, but like at Windsor House, they wanted nothing to do with me. Any direct approaches resulted in them walking the other way, and any indirect, an accidental bump in the hall or surprise around the corner, they passed off. They clearly didn’t want to talk to me, but I didn’t care.
I got an opportunity during fourth period.
Study hall happened every day for me during that time, but that day, I decided to take it in the library instead of bullshitting outside with friends. Study hall usually tended to be the period Shakira, Birdie, and I blew off to sneak a smoke or two behind the bleachers. I found I needed the ease of a high more and more the last few weeks, but instead of smoking weed that day, I decided to study. I didn’t have Dr. Brain, aka Ramses Mallick, anymore to coach me study tips at lunch. I had to study now to get myself through this final semester, and I guess someone else chose to do that too.<