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Chapter Seven
The rest of my week was a blur of dates - all were amazing and involved kisses - outings and hanging out with the guys. I saw at least one of them every day, and we often spent at least some part of the day all together. After I rested my ankle for a couple of days, Ace and I ran together every morning, and we often unwound together afterwards in the hot tub (I made sure to bring a bikini and a change of clothes!) Hanging out with the guys was everything I didn’t know I needed. They made me feel at ease, and they all made me laugh. Honestly, it was the best week I’d had in years. It was undoubtedly the most I’d smiled and laughed and been happy for sure.
I quizzed the guys at every opportunity I could, desperate to get to know them better. I found out a crazy amount of stuff about each guy, but my favourites were that Ace would be training in Krav Maga with me after half term, (I have to fan myself when I think about that), that Rebel is in a rock band (unexpected but not unwelcome), that Jax is the school’s champion rower, and that Thorn’s taste in movies is as horrible as my own. We watched several chick flicks together, and he could quote them all word for word, putting on ridiculous falsetto voices and making me cry with laughter.
I was sad for the week to end. I wasn’t ready to go back to reality, classes and dealing with bullies. Tomorrow I’ll have been here for two weeks; I’ve had my settling in time, made some friends, and gotten the lay of the land. It’s time for action now. I need to get the plan underway.
It’s time to take a stand.
Tomorrow will be the first day back in classes after half term, and everyone has returned to school this afternoon in preparation for tomorrow, so the peace and quiet I’d enjoyed all week is broken. I needed an ‘in’ with the girls, so it's time to flaunt the family name. I shudder at the thought. I don’t want to, but I need to.
At dinner that evening I purposely make sure that I’m a little late. I need to be sure that the room’s full and that all five princesses - ugh can’t believe I’m using Michael’s term for them - are seated. Once the coast is clear, I throw my shoulders back, flick my hair, saunter into the room like I own it, and stride confidently straight over to the girls’ table. I had previously noticed it was always set for five - but there was enough room for more people - so I grab an empty chair from a nearby table and pull it over to theirs and sit down, grabbing the menu. The ruse of studying the menu gives me a moment to compose myself and to try to calm my racing heart. Deep breaths, Rae, deep breaths.
“You can’t sit with us.” I hold back a smile as Tilly hisses at me. Good. I want to rile her up. Plus, how pathetic is she? I ignore her and motion for the server to come over so I can place my order. Even he looks nervous like some major shit is about to go down. Seriously? Over a seat? Once I’m done, I place the menu down and smile up at the five faces surrounding me.
“Oh hi guys, what was that Tilly?” It’s hard to keep from laughing at the expressions on their faces. Tilly looks like she’s having a fit, Belle looks bemused, and the other three are stunned and watching their leader for guidance.
“You can’t sit with us.” This time Tilly is clearly struggling to control her tone and volume. I can tell she wants to shriek at me and really lose her shit. I grin now, a slow lazy Cheshire Cat grin that I know will really tip her over the edge, but before she can respond Belle’s quiet voice cuts in.
“She can.”
“What?” This time Tilly does shriek, swivelling around to look at Belle. I can sense the tension rising as all eyes in the room swivel to our table. Who am I kidding? All eyes were on us the moment I approached their table and pulled out the final seat. But now I can hear their open whispers and feel their curiosity burning the back of my neck with a prickly heat I’m not used to.
“Rules - that you agreed to I might add - state that the richest are in the inner circle. Inner circle sits at this table. You know who she is,” Belle finishes with a simple shrug, sipping her milkshake as if she didn’t care either way.
“Look,” I begin, “I don’t want to be here any more than you want me to be,” it’s not exactly a lie, but then I go for the ultimate name drop as I continue, “but Grandma insists. Deighton namesake and all that.” I shrug as if I couldn’t care either way, but I know that mentioning my family name and my grandma in the same breath will pack a powerful punch. I know I’m right when Tilly blanches and sits back a little lower in her chair. No way will she go against Cordelia Deighton. Not if she values her standing in society. It’s a manipulative move, but I don’t care. I need to get in with these girls and gain their trust so that I can take them down all the more quickly.
“But there’s always only ever been five...”
“That’s okay. I don’t mind making waves and starting a new tradition.” Ugh, this forced nonchalance is starting to grate. Luckily, the server brings our food over and so I begin to eat as if I don’t have a care in the world.
“It has to be five.” Tilly’s not budging on this. Not that I expected her to. I seriously doubt it’s because she’s a stickler for the rules, I’m sure it has more to do with saving face and keeping up appearances. Whatever. Tilly annoys me, and it’s not just because she bullied my sister. She just has a smugly perfect face that you want to punch.
I sigh and put down my cutlery, giving Tilly and her three cronies a hard stare. I purposely don’t look at Belle because she stuck up for me. Kinda. “Okay, so it has to be five. The five richest right?” I pause and when I continue all fake semblance of niceness is dropped from my voice and let my eyes turn to stone, “Who’s leaving then? Because I think we all know that it won’t be me...or Belle.” I add that little caveat at the end, and I see Belle blink at me in surprise. Ah, so she has secrets too. I’m guessing from her alternative look and the way she flies under the radar that not everyone knows. After me, Belle’s heir to the largest fortune in this school. Probably in the county to be honest, outside of royalty anyway. Her wealth alone more than rivals the rest of the school’s put together. I smile at that.
Tilly’s face drains of all colour while the other three glance surreptitiously at one another, trying to scope out who’s the weakest link. I know it’s Tilly, and so does Belle and Tilly herself, but there’s no way the others do, and Tilly isn’t about to go down without a fight. Instead, she takes a deep breath, composes herself and gives me an overly bright fake smile.
“Fine! But on Sundays we-“
“Please don’t finish that sentence with ‘wear pink’.” Belle snorts, she at least gets my movie reference and appreciates it. The others stare blankly at me.
“We meet in one of our rooms after dinner to study. Come to my room in half an hour. We wear PJs.” I raise my eyebrow. Did she seriously just dictate the clothing choice of five people? Six, if I want to fit in? Ah damn. I watch as they all go to file away, except Belle who stubbornly tells Tilly she’ll leave when she’s ready, and wonder what I’ve got myself in for.
Once we’re alone - as alone as you can be in a canteen full of people - Belle looks at me over the top of her glass. Her gaze is cool, assessing. For a moment she doesn’t say anything, just finishes off her milkshake before standing. Just as I think she’s going to leave without a word, she pauses and turns back to me. “I hope you know what you’re doing Raven.” There’s something odd in the way she lightly emphasises my name. With that, she’s gone.
Phew. I let out a slow breath, glad I can finally breathe again. All in all that didn’t go too badly. There’s no way these girls trust me, but it’s a step in the right direction. Their own stupid rules demand that they talk to and include me at least. I wonder, not for the first time, if Lizzie had come here under the Deighton name if things might have been different for her. It’s too late for it to matter now, but I hate that it probably would’ve made a big difference.
I leisurely finish off my meal and think about the princesses. Belle, in particular, is an enigma. She isn’t the ring leader at all - in fact, she seems to want to be in the circle about as much as I do - but she’s not a pushover. She’s the only one I’ve seen actually stand up to Tilly. She’s definitely the only person I’ve seen Tilly listen to.
As much as I’d love to sit and think about the interesting dynamic between the princesses, I needed to get moving to get ready for the looming study session. Luckily I’d planned for this meeting, and thanks to Michael, I knew all about their study sessions and the required PJs. There’s no way I’m getting caught out by Tilly by turning up in my cute Niffler PJs. No, thanks to Michael, I knew that ‘pyjama study session’ really meant dressing up to the nines in sexy sleepwear was required. Luckily, I had time to shop at Agent Provocateur before coming here.
I quickly head up to my room and change into my silk monogrammed PJs. It makes me laugh thinking of Lizzie’s letter where she teased me for not being a monogrammed stationery kind of girl. She’d have a fit if she could see me now in a matching black silk set with baby pink piping and frou-frou slippers. I look ridiculous dressing up to study but appearances, especially with the princesses, will be everything. I grab my notebook and pencil case, my water bottle, and some snacks before heading out the door and along the corridor to Tilly’s room.
Everyone’s already there, of course. When I knock, and from the way the room goes silent when I enter, I know they were talking about me. Tilly gives me a look that could kill while the other three glare at me. Only Belle smiles and welcomes me in.
I look around the room decked out in so much pink and barely contain a shudder. The apartment is beautifully and tastefully decorated - I’m coming to realise that everything at West Prep is - but it’s just so pink. Not my taste at all. If I’d worn all pink, I would’ve blended in with the walls or the mountain of cutesy little cushions that seem to be piled everywhere. Belle’s seated at Tilly’s desk, books open, and seems to actually be trying to study. The others are all lounging around on Tilly’s bed, sipping Prosecco and gossiping. They’re all dressed to the nines in the finest, most glamorous, and in Tilly’s case downright sexiest, ‘PJs’ (read: underwear) I’ve ever seen. I’m glad I didn’t fall for their trick and turn up in Jax’s sweats with my boobs hanging out the sides. Can you imagine?
I enter and close the door behind me, choosing to take the sofa near to Belle, rather than joining the girls on the bed. I’m already uncomfortable as fuck and wondering how soon I can leave. I offer Belle the crisps I brought with me and then sit and start jotting down ideas for my English project with Michael.
