As such, a completely new Board of Trustees has taken over, and the students couldn’t be happier. There are thirty-three in total, all wealthy past alumni of Waversea. It was their decisionto make the college public again, award more scholarships than ever before, and finally revamp the archaic rules.
Suddenly, a generic pop song I don’t know the name of bursts to life in my head, making me flinch so hard that my knees nearly give out. Obvious to the festival happening within the confines of my skull, Klara looks over her shoulder and says, “Addy’s here.”
“Yeah, no shit,” I grasp my temples just as the fuchsia fuckwit parades into Klara’s room. I snatch the phone out of her hand, pausing the music so I can finally hear myself think again. “Stop connecting to my implants. I nearly shat out my heart.” Addy’s eyebrows lift, but her mouth can’t hide the growing smile spreading across it. This girl is going to be the death of me one of these days.
“I just thought I’d get you in the celebrating mood, and I know how dull your playlist is.” Rolling my eyes, I look over the leggings and tank top she left in this morning, her robes flung over her arm.
“Have you been setting up this whole time?” I ask. “Why didn’t you message me for help?”
“I did, slut bag,” she retorts. I check my phone to see I have thirteen messages and six missed calls, most of them from Addy. Oops. “It’s fine. A bunch of meatheads with muscles for days saw me bent over in my TikTok leggings and rushed to assist me.” There’s something about the way she says that last part that has my suspicions rising. Looking closer, I don’t think the wild ruffle in her pink hair has anything to do with ceremony prep after all.
“You’ve been doing the nasty with some strangers while the rest of your event committee set up the ceremony, haven’t you?” I gasp, dropping onto the edge of the bed with a dramatic scoff. “Andyoucalled me a slut bag.”
“Oh, don’t you judge me, MissI-get-DP’ed-every-night,” Addy sneers in mock jealousy. She knows that’s not true, it’sbarely once a week. “And besides, you should have seen them. Four interns from the builder’s group, all ripped to death and wearing cargo shorts. You know what I’m like for a good set of strong calves. Like everyone says, thick calves, thick cocks.”
“Literally no one says that,” I drawl, shaking my head. Klara drops onto the mattress beside me, careful to keep her robes flat.
“Agreed. But… was it? Thick, I mean?” In response, Addy snatches up my can of Coke and pretends to measure her hands around it, tilting her head back and forth in consideration. Her chocolate brown eyes meet ours, and we all burst out laughing. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt about Addy over the last few years is that she’s rarely serious and rarely sated.
“Go shower, we’ll be leaving soon,” I scoot her towards the bathroom. The faucet switches on before I’ve closed the door on her, shaking my head at myself again. “I hope she never changes,” I grin. Although with this being the last day of us all being together on campus, it’s inevitable that she will.
These days, Addy spends more nights sleeping at other people’s places than she does in the private dorm she shares with Klara. She drifts easily between men and women, following wherever her inhibitions, or lack thereof, take her. Still, I seriously doubt the prestigious dance academy she’ll be interning at will allow much room for such recreational activities.
I’d decided to get ready with the girls today, leaving the boys to do whatever it is they do when I’m not around. Play Xbox until five minutes before they need to panic, throw on robes, and sprint out the door, I imagine. Their bromance has improved vastly over the years, and the pair are almost inseparable now, even when I’m not there to encourage the bond. It’s the perfect balance. Them watching horror movies or playing video games while I switch off my hearing and snuggle in between with a good book. Simple, yet so fulfilling.
A considerable while later, we’re all ready, standing in matching robes with hairstyles fit for royalty. Addy opted for a braided crown circling her bubblegum-pink head, an excuse not to wear her mortarboard. She’s become quite rebellious over the past few years, pushing back against her mother’s expectations and even dropping debate club. What a rebel.
Whereas Klara has gone in the opposite direction. After quitting the cheerleading team and dressing more modestly, she seemed to transform overnight. Now heading up the student council, Klara acts as the board’s inside eyes and ears, ensuring the academy runs smoothly on both sides. There’s no luck in finding a new man, like her mother insisted, and I think that’s on purpose. Klara is finally living her own life on her terms, and we’ve become especially close throughout.
Outside, the campus buzzes with excitement. Fellow classmates wave as the three of us pass arm in arm, the sun shining brightly overhead. The central courtyard is beautiful. Floral displays in every shade of orange and yellow spill from doorways of the four surrounding buildings, including the Dean’s offices behind a raised stage. The fountain mirrors the theme, blooming lilies floating in its tiered basins and releasing a glorious scent into the breezy summer air. The Waversea flag flies proudly overhead, although there’s no one here by that name anymore. Rhys and Phillip made the unanimous decision to take Della’s maiden name, scrubbing away the remnants of what Arthur destroyed.
As if conjured by that thought, lingering beside the iron statue of his grandfather, one half of my heart’s desire waits in the robes and cap I never thought I’d see him in.
“Rhys!” I shout, composure forgotten as I race toward him. He spins with the biggest smile, and I fly straight into his open arms, swept off my feet. Anyone would think it had been weeks since we’d seen each other instead of hours, but it’s alwayslike this. The butterflies still churn every time I see him, the excitement of finding my soulmates so early in life sometimes too much to bear.
“Get a room,” Addy mutters, continuing on. Her relationship with Rhys hasn’t changed much, but they tolerate each other for my sake. Rhys plants me back on my feet, and I grab onto his thick biceps, marveling at the firmness beneath the satin. He hits the gym daily with Clay. Not because he felt threatened by Clay’s size, but because an outrageously camp café owner in Paris called him‘Baguette Legs’a few summers ago. Ever since then, a gym-obsessed monster was born. Honestly? I love that he has a hobby, and I love even more that he can toss me around as if I were feather-light.
“You’d better be naked beneath these robes,”he signs fluently as I keep groping him. Another hobby he decided to take up when Clay learnt how to talk dirty to me in sign. What can I say, it did more than send me feral, and Rhys wanted in on the action. My smile turns wicked, a challenge setting alight within my eyes.
“Why don’t you find out?”I reply, raising an eyebrow. Rhys grabs my hand the moment I finish signing, dragging me through clusters of proud parents and families gathered around their graduates.
“There’d better not be a single hair out of place when you get back!” Klara’s voice calls after us, fading as Rhys pulls me around the side of the cafeteria and into a brick alcove. He hoists me up, my legs circling his hips, and his hands slide beneath my robe to find my bare ass. A groan rumbles through his chest as his tongue claims my mouth. I grind shamelessly against him, the kiss turning brutal.
“Wait,” I breathe, pushing at his chest as sense briefly returns. “Where’s Clay?”
“He’s practicing his speech and gave me full permission to sate you beforehand,” Rhys says. “Something about getting wet for him in the aisles.”
“He didnotsay that,” I snap, smacking his shoulder, only to gasp as his fingers slip inside me.
“Okay, fine,” Rhys admits. “I paraphrased. But it is my turn. He had all your attention last night.”
“He was nervous about his speech,” I groan as his lips drag across my neck. His fingers are soaked, working lazily, circling my clit as my head falls back against the wall.Sorry, Klara.
“Well, I’m nervous too,” Rhys murmurs into my receiver. I force my eyes open, searching his face for sincerity, and it’s there. I soften in an instant. The thought of how far he’s come, how he’s worked so hard to drag his reputation back and be top of our classes, how he apologized to those he hurt, and how he’s concerned on Clay’s behalf, all makes my chest ache. Dipping his eyes to my lips, Rhys exhales unevenly. “Nervous I might explode if I don’t get my dick inside you in the next five seconds.” And that’s the illusion shattered.
Giving him another shove, I roll my eyes. “Be quick about it then. We can’t miss his speech.” Without needing to be told twice, Rhys pins me with his body and shifts his robes aside. Somehow, his slacks were already unbuttoned, his dick whipped out, and in one smooth motion, he fills me instantly. His piercing drags inside me deliciously, his skilled fingers teasing at my ass.
Rhys doesn’t hold back. He slams into me, brick pressing into my spine with every thrust. My g-spot sings, an immediate orgasm building and hovering just out of reach. Our breathing turns ragged, colliding with the sound of skin slapping together to artfully mask Clay’s approach.
