The Silver Swan (The Elite King's Club 1)

“Wish I could say I was sorry about that,” he mutters his reply, his eyes going back to Nate’s door.

I turn to follow his line of sight before looking back at him. “Don’t worry about it,” I whisper softly. “I’m used to it.” I step to the side to walk around him, when he matches my step, blocking my way.

He searches my eyes intently before dropping them to my lips then back to my eyes.

I tilt my head. “Can I leave?”

He doesn’t say anything, just stares blankly at me for a few seconds before finally walking down to Nate’s room.

Shaking my head, I pull open the door when Tatum drives up in her baby blue Ferrari, complete with black rims and black tint. It’s the nicest Ferrari I’ve ever seen, and fits Tatum to a T. Her parents are always away for work, and Tatum jokes that her “family time” is watching the latest box office movies. I wish I could sympathize with her, but I don’t think she worries that much. I clutch the door handle and turn to slide inside the passenger seat of the car before I turn around and look up to Nate’s bedroom window, finding all three of them staring down at me, watching carefully. My smile falters before I slide into the compact car.

“Hey, sugar!” Tatum claps in excitement. “Let’s splash some cash!”

The drive to the mall is short, because Tatum has a seriously heavy foot. We scan the stores, while, more Tatum than I, looks for the perfect outfit. By the fourth store, I give up and hand her my dad’s platinum card to just buy whatever she wants me to wear, because if there’s one thing I hate, it’s shopping. She exits one of the boutique stores with a shit-eating grin on her beautiful face, and I wince. I can almost feel my tits shrivel up from how tight whatever it is she chose for me. Pulling me up by my hand, she drags me toward a little quirky ornament shop, tucking the dress away.

“Your new room. I thought maybe we could get something. I mean, I know I haven’t seen your room yet, but I figure, because you just moved here, it’d be a little empty.”

Understanding the kindness in her suggestion, and still trying to not find someone being nice to me as something awkward, I nod.

“I could always do with something else. I love décor.”

“Good!” She claps her hands. “I didn’t really feel like dragging you in on my own.” We walk into the dark purple shop that’s surrounded by hot lava lamps and smells of incense. I’m instantly drawn to a little light that is turned on and showcasing its colors against the blank white wall at the back of the store. Walking toward it, I smile. “I want that!”

Tatum’s eyebrow quirks. “You sure? I mean, it’s cool, but where would you put it?”

I step toward it and drop down to my knees, tilting the bulb upward. “You can move it so it’s on the ceiling.” I shift the bulb to tilt it higher, and instantly, all the stars light up.

“Wow!” Tatum whispers. “That looks much better.”

I nod. “It reminds me of when my parents used to take me out on hunting trips and we’d camp out in the forest.”

Her eyes narrow. “Hunt what exactly?”

I stand back to my feet. “Just deer. Or we would go duck shooting.”

Her features relax. “That sounds… nice, I guess.”

I laugh. “It is! We’ll have to go sometime.”

“Yeah,” she says, looking to the side. “Maybe.”

“Hey,” I swat her, “I came shopping, so you come hunting.”

She gulps. I laugh, just as I see one of the workers walk toward us.

“Ohhh,” the member of staff says, looking up to the ceiling. “That’s how I was supposed to set it up.”

I laugh again, looking up to the stars once more. “Yeah, I think. I’m not sure.”

The worker looks back to me. She has to be around our age. She has long, pastel pink hair that’s braided in a fishtail over her shoulder, and bright green eyes. Her little pixie nose sits on her olive face, crinkling as she laughs. “I better change that.” Stepping forward, she leaves it how I had it. “Thanks. You probably saved my ass from my boss.”

“Oh,” I reply. “No problem.”

She picks up one of the boxes and hands it to me, then we follow her back to the counter. She beeps it through and smiles. “This is pretty cool, right?”

“Yeah.” I return her smile. “I’m new here, so Tatum thought I needed something to spice up my room.”

“Oh, you’re new?” Her gaze falls on us. “I probably don’t need to ask what school you go to.” She says it politely enough.

“Riverside.”

She nods with a small smile.

“What school do you got to?” I ask, leaning on the counter.