Page 15 of Come Out & Prey

“Yes, yes. Teenage romance with that dimwit you call a boyfriend.” She sips her martini again, giving me a calculating stare. “Prom should be a night to remember, I’m told. I’m happy to help you make that dream come true, Delores.”

I pause, trying to decide if I should ask her what she means by that, but she waves me off as if I’m a fly buzzing around her.

Dipping my head, I mutter something about seeing her at dinner and make a break for it while she’s waving her glass at Matilda for a refill.

Lucille always gets the last word in. I just don’t know what those words meant this time.

Once I’ve escapedto the relative safety of my room, I drop my purse on my desk and breathe a sigh of relief. Clothes go flying as I peel off the stupid uniform, looking at myself in the mirror, observing my reflection thoughtfully.

I’m not bad looking, even if I’m not ‘enhanced’ like the Heathers. Lucille would probably jizz herself if I asked for any cosmetic procedures, but I don’t think I need them. I’m not rail thin, but I’m thin enough to pull off crop tops and bikinis. I have a little ‘junk in my trunk’, which is what the Heathers justloveto comment on. Between them and Todd’s friends, they have lots of creative names for my curves, and it’s annoying as hell.

The two boinking professors today seemed interested enough.

However, they’re obviouslymen, not boys. Maybe when boys grow up, they stop acting like girls with meat on their bones are defective?Hell if I know.I just know that they let me watch them, and then the sexy blond got all up close and personal in the art room. Close enough to feel the girls and not be a jackass about my curves like everyone else is, which seems to show that I’m not a lost cause.

I wonder what they would have done if I’d continued my exploration earlier? My hormones have been out of whack sincemy eighteenth birthday, and if I’m honest, I spend more time helping myself than wanting to rub all over Todd. It’s so odd, yet it doesn’t feel wrong. Getting hot and heavy withhimfeels weird, and I’veneverfelt the way I did during my encounters at Apex.

Do I have a fetish I don’t know about? How does one even know that stuff?

It’s not like I can Google it; my parents have spy software connected to our home network, and it invades every device within the walls. They had it on my phone, but Gold got the nerd from her dad’s company to alter it so I can at least text and call in private. She promised to go on a date with him in return, but I think we all know that never happened. It gave me the freedom to communicate with my friends and boyfriends without the Osbournes downstairs listening in.

Speaking of which…

Grabbing my silk tank and short PJs, I shimmy them on and head for my bed. I pick up my phone and roll onto my back, holding it up as I click on the group chat with the Heathers. They’ll be excited that I finally get to go pick out my dress, I’m sure.

DD: The royal bitch is letting Mattie take me to get my dress tomorrow!

SmackbookPrincess: It’s about time. We were worried you’d have to Cinderella it.

FaithfulHeir: I’ve had mine since Christmas. Papi took us to Paris on a mission trip, and I bought it right off the runway.

DD: What kind of mission trip goes to Paris for Christmas?

FaithfulHeir: Zeus works in mysterious ways, DD. It’s not ours to question where we are called.

BeanQueen: Stop it, H. You know your Mami just wanted to snub the British royals.

DuchessofDirt: C. is right, H. I had a stringer who has a crush on me. Check your story. Your dear old Papi is just as crooked as the rest of our parents. Own it.

Just like that, we’re no longer talking about the topic I started. Pink’s family—the Barringtons—control the largest news media conglomerate in the world. She uses information like cash, and although all she wants to do is spread ‘fake news’ about everyone, she won’t hesitate to use her resources to out anyone she feels has wronged her.

We won’t discuss what happened to that poor freshman who dared to wear the same Leopardtins as her last year. The puma shifter seemed to fade into nothingness after Pink launched her terror campaign on every social media and print channel she could access. I’m pretty sure she moved to a cave in the mountains of China—that’s how scarce she was afterward.

Pink is straight up savage, and she’ll turn on you in a hot second if she thinks it will benefit her.

DD: Where did the rest of you get your dresses? Sounds like H has a Clawnel.

SmackbookPrincess: Daddy had mine made by Vera Fang. It's one of a kind.

BeanQueen: Mine is from next spring’s Grrsace collection—no one else has even seen it.

DuchessofDirt: I have an Alexangrr McQueen. He made the Princess’ wedding gown, you know.

Sigh. Of course I know.

Their obsession with celebrities and royal families around the globe has always felt superficial. I can’t believe how many hours they spent re-watching the most recent royal weddings and critiquing the clothing. They spend more time tearing into the clothing habits of famous people than they do on their schoolwork. I’m pretty sure their fathers all had to make a hefty donation to get them admitted to Apex Academy with their poor grades.

It disappointed Bruno that he didn’t need to bribe anyone—that’s how I know.

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