Page 24 of Reign of the Queen
Turning to move away from the sheep lining the hallways I stop in my tracks, deciding one more nail in the coffin is needed. “From this moment forward, any female or male that engages in any sexual act with Theo Saint-Lambert, Carter Pemberton, Mateo Cabano, or Finn Barrie-Chelmsford will endure my wrath and destruction.”
I give the kings of Casbury prep one final, hostile look, and I check my shoulder right into Melinda hard as I pass so that she stumbles in her ridiculous heels right into Carter, taking him down with her when she falls. The sea of faces and bodies parts before me as I walk. People push themselves flush into lockers to avoid touching me in any way.
“Let’s go Raegan; it’s time for class.” I don’t look back, shoulders stiff, head held high. I keep walking to my very late first-period class. Most of the student body is in the hall, learning to fear their new queen. I doubt they are teaching anything right now anyway.
* * *
The kings are absent for the remainder of the day's classes; everyone else gives me a wide berth, going as far as to move their desks and chairs so they don’t occupy my immediate space. I allow it…because, let’s face it, I don’t want to be anywhere near them either. The teaching staff doesn’t question it, so I’m sure they, too, have heard about what happened in the hall and are also wary of me.
Jessie tries to come up to me in first period, his puppy dog face full of apologies and sad eyes, but I raise my hand in a symbol of “stop” before he can utter more than my name. I give him a look full of rage and disdain, my lip curling up in disgust at his mere presence.
He’s a coward, too afraid of the kings even to have warned me of what I was walking into this morning. He was more concerned with his own hide than trying to save mine. He shuffles away to his seat, putting his head down on the desk for the rest of the class.
Nausea has been making me sick all morning. I headed into the bathroom after the first period, and all the girls scattered like cockroaches, which left it blessedly empty. I couldn’t hold back the bile that had been threatening all morning. After I emptied my stomach into the toilet, I just sat there for a moment, trying to control the panic attack that was threatening to crest. Once I had myself under control I once again went out amongst the vile traitors and continued on with my miserable fucking day.
Second and third periods were no better; Melinda and her cronies weren’t even visible in the halls between classes, and an immediate hush proceeded me everywhere I went. I try not to let it bother me, but it does. I didn’t want to rule through fear, but I guess sometimes we don’t always get what we want.
At lunch, I meet Raegan at my locker, and we walk arm and arm into the cafeteria. Immediately all noise ceases as we enter, you could hear a pin drop on the floor, people looking frightened to even breathe in my direction. Raegan glances around and then winks my way.Guess she’s enjoying this, savage little bitch.
We grab our lunch after everyone in line excused themselves, almost bowing to us out of line.Well, I guess we will be getting quicker service around here from now on.My jaw is so tight that it feels like I might crack a molar or something, and I feel a twitching behind my right eye. Anxiety is pushing through my body, making my heart rate speed up until it feels like my heart will rip out of my chest.
Of course, no one dares sit with us or really within a twenty-foot radius. After trying and failing to eat with over a hundred pairs of eyes on us and nothing but hushed whispers, I give up and throw my unappealing food in the trash. I stroll with Raegan toward the glass doors that lead to the courtyard. The minute we step out of the cafeteria, the noise immediately starts again, and I can finally breathe. The tightness in my chest was threatening to suffocate me in there.
“I can’t believe those jerks were willing to threaten my dad’s job to try to force me to their side,” Raegan lets out angrily, the red flush returning to her cheeks.
“They don’t give a shit about people’s lives, Raegan; everyone is disposable to them. Nothing is ever off limits with the kings of Casbury.” I sigh.
“Sir, she spit in my food and called my family big losers and my father a criminal.” Mateo looks up at principal Stewart.
“WHAT...oh my God, sweet baby Jesus, I did not! I would never do anything like that!” Catherine shouts, her face flushed and eyes large.
“What? You lying, rotten hound. Why are you lying about my momma?” I move in Mateo’s direction, ready to bash his smug face. My hands are clenched at my side and I’m breathing heavily, anger at them accusing my momma fills me.
I can hear the other three in the background chuckling and whispering but my focus is solely on what Mateo is saying about my momma.
“She did, sir. I wouldn’t lie about something like this.” He lowers his eyes and gives Mr. Stewart a scared look, the little faker. “Maybe I should call my dad or my mom.” Mateo reaches into his bag for his cell phone.
I reach out and grab onto Mateo’s shirt, ready to knee him in his balls, and I feel someone’s arms wrap around me and drag me backward forcefully. I fight the arms holding me tightly and kick back, hitting their shins as hard as I can in my school shoes. Turning my head, I can see Finn’s face. “Stay put, Amelia.” He grunts as I hit his shin again with the heel of my flat shoes.
“Let me go Finn, you traitor!” I shout.
Principal Stewart looks from Mateo to his employee Catherine, who looks like she might faint. Her dark hair is a mess in a hairnet, and her face is all red and blotchy. She’s a good, honest worker, but he can’t have the Cabano family causing problems at this school; they are one of the richest in the district. His job is dependent on keeping all these rich people happy.
He looks over at the ringleader of this group, Theodore Saint-Lambert, and fear skates up his spine. The boy is a little monster in the making, just like his father, Vincent. As much as he likes Catherine, he doesn’t want a visit from Vincent Saint-Lambert.
“Amelia Hamilton, stop this unruly behavior immediately. It’s unbecoming of a young lady of Casbury Middle Prep!” Principal Stewart yells at me, never mentioning the behemoth whose grip I’m confined by.
“Catherine, please pack up your things for the day; you will be on unpaid suspension, pending review of this incident.” Principal Stewart rubs the back of his sweaty neck uncomfortably.
“Please, sir, no, oh my god, please! I can’t afford to be on unpaid leave, please. I have a little girl to support, please. I didn’t do what I’m being accused of doing. I’ve never even spoken to this boy.” Catherine’s arms wrap around her middle to keep standing, and to control the shaking taking over her body, tears sliding down her face.
“I’m sorry, Catherine, my hands are tied here, I can’t have any of these rich parents upset. You’ll have to take Amelia with you on your suspension. She can’t be here if you are not fully employed by the school.” Principal Stewart backs away, shoulders droop forward in defeat and wipes the sweat from his brow on his jacket sleeve.
Catherine falls to her knees, head clutched in her hands and sobs.
I shake away the memory of what they did to my mom. Our situation was horrible before she lost her job at the school, but after that happened it went from bad to so much worse—until Jared found us. The memory helps to push away some of the guilt I’m feeling over Maria.
“Don’t worry about it, Amelia; they needed to be taught a tough lesson. You succeeded in not only fucking Maria up the ass, but every one of them felt it as well in the process. That was quite impressive girl.” She smiles the most radiant, pride-filled smile, the psycho.
