Page 5 of Tantalizing Kings

It’s not the only thing I do. I change my profile photo on everything to me and my friends, block Raymond's number, and delete the thirty-five texts he sent me without looking at them. Going through my phone, I get rid of any photos of him and me, and crop him out of group ones.

By the time supper rolls around, it’s like we had never been together. I know it’s not that easy to forget someone you spent so much time with, but it’s a good start.

I used to think any time one of my friends broke up with their boyfriends and practically deleted them from their life, that it was drastic because they’re erasing memories. Some that they might want to look back on in the future.

Now, I get why. And if it’s someone who’s hurt them as bad as Raymond hurt me, then I don’t blame them.

Mom has to work after supper, so I just end up having a night in and going to bed early.

When I wake up the next morning, my stomach is in knots. Forcing myself out of bed, I take a shower and dry my hair. I don’t style it or put on makeup, not really finding it in me to care about that today.

Grabbing my uniform, I put on the gold and red skirt, making sure to wear my spandex shorts under it. Normally, I’d wear my school sweater but decide on the white and red shirt with the matching blazer to the skirt.

Thankfully, I didn’t need to buy anything new for this year. Kingston Academy isn’t like most schools. It’s broken up into three different buildings; elementary, junior/high school, and then the university. The property is massive and a full-time job to maintain.

That’s where my mom comes in. She is a third generation groundskeeper. Her grandfather started here when the school was founded, then her father took over, and now her.

This place, this little cottage on the edge of the property, is the only home I’ve ever known. I was born and raised here.

I’ve been going to school with these kids my entire life. While I might not be crazy rich like the kids I grew up with, I’m a bit of a legacy myself. Kind of like I’m grandfathered in.

No one has really bothered me about it, except for Tina and her asshole friends in the past. Overall, it’s been amazing.

My mom is actually best friends with the headmistress. Headmistress Killian’s great-grandfather founded the school. She and my mom went to school together, raised their kids together, and are still going strong.

Only, I haven't seen the boy who watched over me like my own personal bodyguard in a very long time. I asked Mom whatever happened to Collin, and she just told me he went to the all-boys’ academy in the next town over. While it sucked because I really did like him, he was a few years older than me. I couldn’t expect a teenager to show interest in some little kid anymore.

As I leave my room, I pick up my messenger bag and toss it over my shoulder, then head down the hall to the kitchen. There's a note on the counter, and I smile as I read it.

Have a great first day of school, Sadie. Remember, hoes before bros. I love you!

I snort a laugh, smiling as I shake my head. I love my mom. It’s just been the two of us my whole life, but she’s amazing. My dad passed away when I was a baby, and my mom doesn’t talk about him much. It takes everything in her to hold herself together when he’s mentioned. All I know is they had a great love, she called him her soulmate.

She never bothered remarrying. She never even really dated until this past year. Her boyfriend’s name is Mark, but any time I try to get any information out of her when it comes to him, she just blushes and tells me they’re taking things slow.

I can tell this Mark guy makes her happy. I wish I had his last name so I could stalk him on social media and make sure he’s not hiding some kind of horrible past. But she’s an adult and knows what she’s doing.

Tucking the note into my bag, I grab an apple out of the fruit bowl and head out, locking up behind me.

It’s a warm day, the sun beaming down on me, and I’m tempted to take my blazer off already.

I jog up the little hill that separates our cottage from the rest of the property. When I get to the top, I can see the girls' dorm.

Emma, Alice, and Mia are all waiting by the tree next to the dorm. When Emma sees me, she starts to wave like crazy before they all come rushing over to me.

“She’s alive!” Mia cheers, laughing, her bright purple hair blowing in the soft breeze.

“Hardly,” I sigh, taking a bite of the apple as we walk toward the University building.

“We’ve seen you’ve been busy.” Alice laughs, bumping her shoulder against mine.

“After what he did to me, I’d like to forget everything. Including the three years I’ve wasted on him.”

“You're better off without him. You can do so much better. And now you're a university girl, single, ready to mingle, and free to play the field,” Emma jests.

“Why, so the next guy can call me a prude and go fuck someone else when I don’t put out on the first date?” I snark, still feeling bitter and hurt about what Raymond said.

“That's why I said play the field. Have some fun. Experiment, enjoy life! You're young, you don’t need a boyfriend. Test a few guys out, see what you like.”

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