Black Rainbow (Rainbows 1)

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” I said looking back at her. “I’m sort of seeing someone.”

“The it’s complicated girl?” she asked with a certain degree of annoyance in her voice. I spun her outwards and brought her back to me. “I thought you ended it.”

“More like a dramatic pause.”

Where was she?

“Is she the one you’re looking for?”

“No,” I said quickly, a little too quickly in fact.

Finally, I spotted Thea standing in a group talking to the rest of her classmates. I could allow myself to get closer to her now that other students were around.

“Sharpay, you are an attractive and successful woman. I’m sure any man would be more than happy to be with you—”

“Just not you.”

“Sorry.”

But the truth was that I wasn’t really sorry.

As the song came to an end, I turned away from her and headed towards the corner of the house. The closer I got, the better I could hear their conversation even without seeing their faces.

“How much do think this place is worth?”

“Ten million, easy.”

“Does it matter? None of us are making that any time soon.” Her voice reached my ears.

“Easy for you to say, you’re law royalty, I bet you grew up going to parties just like these. Just look at that dress. What’s your zip code?”

“I’m glad to hear that you’re all inspired,” I cut in before she could respond, and they all turned and backed away like I was Freddy Krueger.

“You’re scaring them, sweetheart,” my mother said, as she joined my side and looked them all over. “Though I do wonder,” she mused, “if they’re so intimidated by you, then they’re probably no good at work.”

I grinned inwardly, as I caught on to what she was doing. “They’re by far the worst class I’ve ever had.”

“Oh my!” she said with a fake gasp, but behind her mask, I knew she was smiling.

“We’re only as good as our teacher,” Thea spoke up, and they looked to her like she was insane.

“We must be pretty damn good then,” Atticus added.

“Oh we’re pretty badass,” Vivian said, and Thea raised both of her hands and high fived her comrade without even looking; it was almost as though they had planned it.

“Well congratulations to you three for having back bone,” my mother smiled, “Levi, show them no mercy—”

“Mercy? Professor Black? Ma’am, I’m sorry, but none of us know what you’re talking about,” Thea said, and a few of them fought back laughs.

I hadn’t noticed until now that with the exception of Vivian, she was the only female, and with her standing in the middle, throwing back everything we dished out to her, she looked like a queen.

“What’s your name?” my mother asked.

“Thea Cunning.”

“Wait,” my mother looked her over. “Would you by any chance happen to be the daughter of Margaret Cunning?”

Shit.