Royal Pain in the Ass (14 page)

I sat on her bed.
  “
Mom was sick for a while.
 
Toward the end she had a lot trouble.
 
That
’
s why I chose a macaw.
  It
’
s free.
 
And Mom was always a colorful person.
 
She was always so happy, even when she wasn
’
t she was, if that makes sense.
” 
I felt the tears and I stared at the ceiling and took a deep breath.
 
I realized I hadn
’
t ever explained that one to anyone yet.
  
It was hard to think that she was really gone.

“I
’
m sorry,”
Gwen pulled me into a hug.
 

I pushed her off.
  “It
’
s okay. 
It happens.
 
Everything is temporary.
”
I sniffled.
  “
Wow, I am such a buzz kill.
”

Gwen shook her head.
  “
No, you aren
’
t, but I do think another outfit would be better.
” 
Gwen handed me a bright green dress and shoved me back in.
  “
Much better.
” 
Gwen did my hair and makeup and I looked into the mirror.
 
She was right.
 
I didn
’
t recognize myself.
 
I still looked like myself, well the Juliet I had come here as, not the Juliet I was being forced to be.
 
The eye makeup was much darker than I would have applied and my hair was done in a bunch of complicated curls and yet somehow was out of my face.
 
Gwen was truly an artist.
 
Ten minutes later she
’
d squeezed into a pair of jeans and the black top she
’
d first handed me and her hair and makeup were done flawlessly.
  “
Are you ready for this?
”

“I
’
m never ready for anything,
”
I smiled as she handed me heels and opened her window and started down the trellis.
 

Margaret was waiting for her, leaning against the front doorframe.
  “Girls,”
she used that tone every mother knows.
 
Gwen froze and turned around.
  “
Where are you going?
”

“
To see Lee,
”

“
And how are you getting there?
”

“
Sam is picking us up.
”

“
And how are you getting home?
”

“Sam,”

“
And do you have money for a cab just in case?
” 
Margaret handed Gwen a small black clutch bag.
  “
I didn
’
t think so.
  Be safe, darling.”
She kissed Gwen on the forehead and went back inside.

“Wow . . .”
was all I could manage.

“Yeah,”

“You
’
re mom is really cool,
”

Gwen nodded.
  “
I don’
t know what I
’
d do without her.
” 
Then she looked at me.
  “Oh my god, I
’
m so sorry, I didn
’
t think, I mean,
”

“It
’
s okay.  Don
’t apologize.
 
Enjoy your mom.
  
I miss mine, but I
’
ll be okay.  Don
’
t walk on eggshells because of me.
”

Gwen nodded.
  “
Sam is waiting for us though, so, we have to hurry.
 
Patience isn
’
t her strong suit.
 
I should warn you, Sam is sweet as can be most of the time, except when she
’
s behind the wheel of a car.
 
For some reason, she becomes a maniac.
 
Just go with it.
” 
Gwen led me to a shed and opened a trap door inside.
  “
Being a servant has its benefits.
”
She smirked as she jumped down.
  “
Stealth is one of them!
”
she called as I jumped down.
 
I followed her to a blue car.
 
She opened the passenger side and crawled in the back and ushered me in behind her.

“
Who
’
s this?
”
the driver, I could only presume was Sam asked.
 
Sam had dark hair in a pixie cut and it was styled into messy spikes.
 
Her chocolaty brown eyes watched me like I was something disgusting.

“
This is Jules,
”

“
And where do we know Jules from?
”

“She
’
s new on the grounds.
”

“
Is she cool?
”

“
Would I have invited someone lame?
”

Sam
’
s face brightened.
  “
Well then, welcome aboard.
  I
’
m Sam and this is Tracy.
”

Tracy was the girl in the passenger
’
s seat.
 
She had bright blonde hair that was cut just below her shoulders and was wearing a crimson halter top with black jeans and heels.
 

“
So, tell me everything.
” Tracy smiled.  “
I love to know everything about everyone.
”

“
Why?
”

“It
’
s her job to know
”
Gwen warned.
  “She
’s a journalist.
 
So, keep your mouth shut around her and Tracy, if you try to make this girl
’
s life harder by opening your big mouth I will have to personally kick your ass.
 
I hate having to do that, so please, behave.
”

Tracy hung her head.
  “
I had to try.
”

“
Just don’
t,”
Gwen warned.
  “
So, what
’
s going on tonight?
”

“
Harper
’
s band is playing,
”
Sam said simply.
 
Everyone else seemed to know what was going on so I just sat there and figured I
’
d just go with it.
 

We pulled up to a little bar and there weren
’
t many people inside.
 
Maybe thirty or so and we walked in like we owned the place.
 
Sam went over to a boy with dark brown hair styled in a Mohawk and bright green eyes
 
and gave him a hug then proceeded over to a blonde boy gave him a kiss on the cheek and sat next to him.
 
The boy with dark brown hair came over.

“
Gwen,
”
he pulled her into a hug.
  “
How
’
s it going?
”

“
It all right, how about you?
”

“I
’
m peachy, who
’
s your friend.
”

Gwen laughed and smacked him on the back of the head.
  “
Subtlety should be your middle name.
 
And that is Jules.
”

“Hey, I
’
m Harper, how
’
s it going?
”
He flashed me a dazzling smile.

“It
’
s all good,
”
I smiled back.

“
Ever been here before?
” 
I shook my head and I heard Gwen snicker.
  “You
’
ve got an American accent.
”

“
That
’
s because I am an American.
”

“Interesting,”

“
Harper!
  We
’
re up!”
shouted the blonde boy Sam had gone over to.
 

“
I hope you
’
re still here when I get done with my set.
”
Harper gave me a wink and I wasn
’
t sure how I was supposed to feel.
 
He was definitely cute.

Gwen pulled me over to a table with Sam and Tracy and got us some beers.
  “
Oh my god, Harper has the hots for you.
”
Tracy smirked.
  “
He wants to go home with you tonight.
”

“
So not happening,
”
I shook my head.

“
Maybe not tonight, but it will.
  Trust me,”
Tracy added with a look of disgust.
  “
That boy can get any girl he wants.
” 

I knew that look.
 
Tracy had been one-night-standed and something told me she never got over it.
  I
’
ve known lots of Tracy
’
s in my life.
 
They
’
re over dramatic, thrive off of gossip, and you can
’
t trust them as far as you can throw them.
 
She kept giving me strange looks during the band
’
s set and I listened to everyone chatting.

After the band finished playing they all came back over.
 
Harper squeezed in between Gwen and me.
  “So, I
’
d like to introduce you to Lee,
”
this was the blonde Sam cozied up to.
  “
Tyson,
”
who was a tall boy with dark skin and darker hair and surprisingly light eyes.
  “
and that
’
s Bryce,”
he indicated the fourth member of the band who was a little on the scrawny side and was wearing glasses.

“Sup,”
Lee greeted before paying all of his attention to Sam.
  “
Where were we,
”
he whispered as he grabbed her hand and led her away.

Several hours and several drinks later Gwen and I were dancing to some song with a loud bass, Tracy was chatting Tyson up and Bryce had gone home and Harper was drinking at the bar.
 
At the end we were laughing and spinning and Gwen led me back to the bar and ordered two more shots.
 

“
Damn girl, you know how to hold your own.
”
I laughed at Gwen as she handed one to me and we shot them back.

“
You too.
”
Gwen laughed.

“I
’
m going to interrupt,
”
Harper cut in, grabbed my hand and pulled me back to the dance floor.

“Hey!”

“
What?
”

“
Who said I
’
d dance with you?
”

A coy smile played across his lips.
  “
Call it a hunch,
”

“No,”
I shook my head.

“
One dance?
”

I sighed.
  “
Okay, one dance.
”