They The Pretty Stars (Court High 1)

“You’re warned,” Royal growled out. “You got two seconds before…”

“Okay, okay.” Jax eased off, and pulling ahead, he walked backwards down the hall. “You don’t have to tell me twice. You should come over, though. We all have an awesome time. Like with Paige, we used to—”

“She’s not Paige.” Royal grabbed his shirt, getting in his face, and all of us stopped in the hall. Everyone in the hall stopped actually, staring at us.

Jax backed down again. “Sorry.”

“Yeah.” Royal let go, his look apologetic at me, and coming through, LJ parted us to grab Jax. He tugged Jax by the back of his shirt down the hall, LJ shaking his head the whole way.

Royal did too, as well as Knight when he came around. Knight gave Royal and me a nod, letting us go, and with him and all that gone, Royal faced me.

“Got some real hot plans tonight, princess? Have to be if you’re turning down an opportunity to hang out with that.”

Happy whatever that was concluded, I looked at him. “Hardly,” I said. Though, I didn’t want to lie. “Just got some stuff to do.”

“Just got some stuff to do,” he parroted, but then smiled. He tugged me closer. “Have fun with that. Invitation is still open if you change your mind, and you’re not the new Paige. You’re not Paige at all.”

I obviously wasn’t. I had a feeling he didn’t look at Paige the way he was currently looking at me. Not to mention, my sister was an open and proud lesbian, and they were just buddies.

Royal and I weren’t buddies.

Actually, I had no idea who the captain of the lacrosse team and I were, but whatever that was had just about everyone in the hallway looking—Mira included. Apparently back, she stared at us across the hallway, looking like she sucked a lemon.

At least she’s alive.

If that played currently in my favor or not, I didn’t know, but in any sense, I was too busy focused on a hot hand presently on my hip. I juggled between that and the sight of the most delicious lips ever having been kissed in recorded history looking hell-bent on taking mine. In the end, Royal didn’t, though. He squeezed me once, letting go.

“See you around,” he said, and I went the other way, partly to avoid the stares.

The other part was to skip class.

*

I had no idea how long it would take to get out and explore Route 80, but needless to say, I didn’t want to commit to any plans. Especially with Royal, who’d most likely be pissed the hell off I even thought about coming out there. Let alone actually going out there, which I did via ride share. I had my driver take me out to the middle of nowheresville, i.e., Route 80. Off the highway and straight into farm country, I traveled back roads with a complete stranger, but I kept my wits about me that the voyage would be worth it. If this was the last place anyone I knew saw my sister, I figured it couldn’t hurt to go out there myself and look around. I doubt I’d find anything to help me figure out where she’d gone, but maybe being in that last location would put me in her headspace a little.

At least that’s what I told myself.

I felt terrible for lying to Royal and even worse turning down his invitation. He totally wouldn’t be on board with me coming out here, though, considering his dad’s

position, and I didn’t want to get him in any hot water for knowing I came out here. I figured coming out during the day while Royal and the other Court boys were in classes would be best. I’d have no witness and could be here as long as I needed. I wasn’t opposed to calling Hubert and letting him know I found another ride home that afternoon and mentally prepared for it. I’d go into the night if I had to and see what there was to see.

As it turned out, it wasn’t much.

“You sure you want to be left out here, little lady?” my driver asked me, turning around with a frown. “Ain’t nothing out here for miles but some train tracks.”

Route 80 eventually ended up being a dead end, and I saw both that and the train tracks it intercepted through the window. Still, I needed to get out and take a look myself.

“I’m sure.” I paid him, the dude thinking I was completely psycho, no doubt. Since I couldn’t anticipate how long I’d be, I didn’t want to keep the man waiting for any other rides he could take between my return home. I had reception out here, made sure of it, so I figured I would be okay. After getting out and waving him off, I gripped my book bag and huffed it through overgrown grass. I had to watch my shoes on the blades since I definitely scraped over the occasional broken beer bottle on the way to the rocks leading up to the train tracks.

Well, now I know what the Court does out here.

Litter as far as the eye could see, and beer bottles and the butts of both cigarettes and joints lined the rocks. I’d even found some discarded clothing scattered along the way like a boy or two had taken a conquest. I wouldn’t be surprised. Clearly, this area was a party spot. That also let me know what Royal and my sister had been doing out here. This was obviously a hangout spot for their crew.

Stepping carefully, I cleared most of the debris, and when I found the train tracks, nothing but farmland surrounded them. I explored. I stayed close to the tracks, scanning the area, and soon, the evidence of trash and social activity fell away. There really was nothing but train tracks, and I walked them after checking out the area around them. I ended up going pretty far before doubling back. I went the opposite way then, and after having traveled for at least a half hour, I stopped.

Well, this was stupid.

Clearly, I framed my eyes to combat the sun on a rather surprisingly warm, fall day. Back in town, there’d been a gentle breeze with the colorful trees, but out here, nothing. Deciding to take it easy for a while, I sat on the tracks, just sitting for a while and trying to take it all in. I figured I’d hear or see a train pretty easily with nothing out here, so I wasn’t shy about leaning back and staring around. After a few moments of that, I put my bag behind me and used it to rest my head on. I didn’t know what I was trying to do or accomplish, but decided just being out here was better than nothing.