Page 10 of Rugger: The Huntress

“Tutor,” she claimed, “We had the same teacher.”

I turned to face the camera.

“Never the same lesson. Don’t forget that part. There was nothing standard about my lesson. You can’t hang, Roulette. You know it and so do the rest of us.”

“Next subject!” Royce belted.

“Please,” Range agreed.

“Thank God,” Rather chimed in, filing her already perfect nails.

“The fourth shirt from the left and the bottoms in your hand,” Egypt called out, making the decision for me.

“Which hand?”

I pulled both up and closer to the camera.

“Your right hand,” she clarified.

“Yeah, those,” Roulette assured me.

“Thank you.”

With my right index finger, I ended the call. There was no time for chatting. I had about forty-five minutes to get dressed and across town.

Texts vibrated my cell. They were expected. Range was the only person who was aware of my next assignment and what it entailed because it was her duty to clean up after me.

I would bet my last dollar she’d advised them not to add me to the call and not to send messages following my swift departure. But, surely, no one listened. They hardly ever listened.

Their persistence curled my lips upward. I imagined I was every name in the book from everyone except Rome andRoaman. They were the only level-headed humans of the bunch. I was looking forward to reading the foul rhetoric from the otherwise sophisticated women of my family.

But, not now. Later.

My lips formed anOas a very distinctive melody began. Lyrics roamed my head as I made each note with the twisting of my mouth.

Yeah yeah yeah

Yeah yeah yeah

Girl I love it

Love it…

Tell me cause,

Tell me cause I need to know if it’s really going to be you

Who’ll be around and stay around, yeah…

“Five-thirty-five.”

I toyed with the new ponytail. This one was lower and accompanied by curtain bangs I had feathered with my fingers until they fit perfectly over my eyes. They were a great addition to the simple style, and my go-to on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

I stood a few inches away from the full mirror in my bedroom. Egypt was right. The pair complimented each other well. Dressed to perfection, I peeped at the clock to confirm my suspicions.

5:35pm

I tipped my head in its direction. We were on the same page. Always were.

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