Page 37 of Baby Duke

"Wh-what?" Felix sputters.

"We will study gay people," Brett says, not deigning to even glance at Felix.

"We arenotstudying the LGBTQ community," I hiss. Hell, no, would I do that to Felix. I grip his hand and smile at him.

Thank you,he mouths, squeezing my hand back.

"Then what do you propose? Shall we take the advice from the dweebs in front and study porn stars, Roe? It does seem to be your expertise, does it not?"

"Motherfucker!" I spit, getting close to Brett's face. "If I find out you,anyof you, had something to do with the video or photos, I swear to God, I will make you all pay."

He keeps his face impassively blank, though I spy a twitch in the center of his eyebrows at the mention of a video. He doesn’t ask, though. Just remains disgustingly silent.

"Alright, class! Have we all agreed on a subject?" everyone but us nods.Fuck."Ok, let's announce it to the class one group at a time. We will start with your group, Cho."

Alarmed, I toss through subject ideas rapidly but discard them all just as quickly. Around me, the others announce their ideas, the LGBTQ community and the poor making the cut more than once.

"That's wonderful, Daniel," Mrs. Welsh gushes to the group in front of us. "Last but definitely not least, let us hear your group's chosen topic, please, Mr. Leacher."

Brett looks past me and smirks at Felix. He’s going to do it. This entitled asshole is going to fucking do it.

I stand, sending my chair flying in my haste. Everyone looks at me in shock, Brett and Felix included.

"The Dukes!" I announce almost breathlessly. "We’re studying the Dukes.”

"I can't believe you did that," Felix says in awe as we leave the classroom.

"Neither can I," Brett grumbles.

Neither could the entire class, if I am being completely honest. There was not a single closed mouth among the lot of them prissy, posh folk in the room. Mrs. Welsh had recovered quickly, squealing like a pig in the mud about howmarvelousandextraordinaryour chosen pitch was. Brett, of course, had been furious. Snapping something about it being an impossible task and would ruin everything he had been working for, whatever that meant.

"Dare I ask justwhatour Princess has done this time?"

"Why hello to you too, Baby Duke," I plow ahead, hoping West and Brett would ease off. No such luck.

"Roe just announced to our entire social studies class that we would be studying the Dukes for our assignment," Brett says casually.

"She fucking didwhat?" West demands.

I sigh softly and start to whisper, "five, four, three, two, o-"

His fist is around my ponytail, a firm tug pulling me back.

"Ouch, mother fucker!" I screech. "You’re going to rip my head off!"

He doesn’t say anything, but I can feel the anger searing off of him as he leads me backward to the girl's bathroom.

"Out," he demands. The little clique of young girls instantly departs, eyes wide.

"What is with you and girls' bathrooms?" I hiss, my neck still bent back at an almost painful angle.

"The fuck did you do, Roe?" West seethes, practically spitting in my face as he leans in close, wrapping his fist even tighter through my locks. "The Elder Dukes will not stand for this. They will destroy you! They will destroy Katie! Is that what you want?"

He lets me go and stalks to the far wall. My stomach drops. Katie. She had plans. Could this project really cause her such problems?

"Did you not learn anything yesterday afternoon?" he continues, prowling back towards me.

I snort. "You may be good with your fingers, but you do not own me, Baby Duke. I willnotdrop to my knees just because you tell me to." An idea pops into my mind so suddenly I barely have time to process it before I decide tofollow through with it, consequences be damned. "No, I will drop to my knees because Iwantto. And you will beg me for release because I am a mother fucking queen."

---