Page 25 of Saved By My Buyers

“Me too,” I say with a small smile as I smooth down the skirt to my uniform. “Do we know if there’s any teachers we should watch out for?”

I’m grasping at straws to stay sane and act normal, but Bee still glances at me curiously and her fingers link through mine as we leave the house to meet the driver who is employed during the school year.

Jack picked me up a couple of times to spend time with me, but I refused to tell him what was wrong.

“Mrs. Landers is supposed to be really nice but is a hard grader,” Bee explains as we get into the car. “She’s the first year’s English teacher, and everyone complains about her apparently.”

“That’s what prep school is about,” I tease her. “Working hard isn’t an issue for me, it’s bullying and asshole teachers.”

“Oh,” she says wide eyed. “Professor Brooks just started at Tyler Prep School, but he’s the third year’s math teacher. I heard a rumor that he threw a kid out a second story window and that’s why he transferred schools.”

“I think that’s why it’s called a rumor,” I say with a giggle as the driver pulls away from the house. Everything feels safer in the sunlight somehow, since everything bad in my life tends to happen at night.

Bee squeezes my hand, sighing happily as she listens to me. “I think we have some classes together. I know I’ve been busy this summer, but I couldn’t say no to the hospital or Daddy,” she says.

No one really can. Not even me.

“I know, but I have missed you,” I admit, dropping my head on her shoulder.

Today I noticed that my breasts are getting bigger, so I taped them down with medical gauze under my crisp white shirt. I don’t want any extra attention. I know that I was a little jealous of Bee, but I take it back.

“Same, so much,” Bee mumbles, kissing the top of my head.

Soon we’re at the school after the car fought its way through Detroit traffic, and everyone is scurrying inside as they’re dropped off. It appears that most parents have hired cars handling school transportation, though I see a few parents wave from inside as they head off to work.

The school uniforms are blue plaid skirts with suspenders and white shirts for the girls, and a jacket that’s also in the same plaid color. The guys have navy blue dress pants, crisp white shirts, and then the jacket that matches mine.

Thankfully, we’ll be inside most of the day, because when the weather gets cooler, we’ll all freeze, even with the option to wear thicker navy or white socks, or knit tights. The prep school begins with what would be public school’s tenth grade.

“Hurry, Dolly,” Bee squeals, surprising me as she drags me through the heavy front doors. Her red curls shine and bounce as we rush through the halls. “We can’t be late for announcements. They’ll lock the doors on us.”

I thought we were fine on time, but I run in my school-approved Mary Jane’s behind her anyway. Breathing hard, we slip into the auditorium as the last students to arrive. Ignoring the glares, I hold Bee’s hand as she drags me to an open seat beside Chad.

“You’re cutting it a little close,” he grunts, amused, eyes trained on the front stage.

“Hello, students, welcome to Tyler Preparatory School,” a woman that I recognize from my student handbook as the dean begins. “I’m Dean Mary Sullivan, and you may remember me from my speech at Brighton last year.”

“That’s the elementary and middle private school we all went to,” Bee whispers. Nodding, I pay close attention, already feeling behind on the first day.

“We believe in good natured competition at Tyler Prep, so you’ll all compete for the best privileges. I know at times that doesn’t excite those who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths, but the things you’ll be competing for are important to your continued success here,” Dr. Sullivan explains.

I notice the shade she sends to the student body that pays for her to stay employed, and my lips twitch in amusement.

“Some of the things that you can use your points on will be library times to be able to complete papers where your only resources are here, and one on one time with teachers. Points are awarded based on things like helping fellow students, dress code, and your participation in classes.”

She continues on, and I listen as I process that. I was a wallflower at my last school, though my grades were very high. I guess I’ll have to work to stand out a bit more.

I got a very brief tour of the school a week ago, but the grid of Tyler Prep is easier to remember than the house I’m living in. As Dr. Sullivan excuses us, we stand, filing out. My next class is homeroom, which I’m in with Bee, Chad, and Natalie.

“After this, I won’t see you until lunch,” Bee groans and I smirk at it. I love how open she is about wanting to spend time together.

“You two are disgustingly adorable,” Chad says, shaking his head as he herds us into the room. No one bats an eye at his words around him, and Natalie just giggles.

The day of school pulls me in completely, filling my head with syllabuses, homework, and forcing myself to participate in my classes. By the end of the day, I feel like an introvert that’s overpeopled.

“Need quiet,” I whimper as I practically crawl into the backseat of the car with Bee.

“Poor baby,” she teases as we put our seatbelts on.

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