Novel Square
Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Beau finds me quickly after my scuffle with Laura. He claps me on the back and tells me good job for fucking her up. Mia squeals in response. I laugh as I tell Beau to stop swearing around Mia but accept the compliment all the same. He asks if I want to dance and I consider for a second before declining. The fight took a lot out of me.
I find a table and sit Mia down before sitting down myself. I give her one of the snacks that I packed for her as I rest my head in my palm and scope out the room. It’s nice getting away from all the bullshit of the evening.
My hand still stings slightly but not enough that I feel like doing anything about it. Truthfully, my feet sting more and my shoulder’s aching at bit from where Laura tossed me on my back. Mia quietly eats her Teddy Bears as I watch the people in the auditorium.
I spot Steven in the corner. He’s talking energetically with a particularly nerdy group of boys. His hands are moving all over the place. I can’t help but smile as I think about him doing the same thing we speaking with me earlier. This is from NôvelDrama.Org.
Unlike Steven, hiding in the shadows, Beau is out on the dance floor. He has a crowd of girls gathered around him. He takes a turn with each of them, twirling them across the floor like blooming flowers. He’s grinning the entire time.
Neil is speaking with a group of men. He’s gesturing to one piece of art and keeps pressing his fingers to his chin in thought. The men speak alongside him. Another joins in an shakes all their hands. Neil shakes them back like a true politician.
Then there’s Archer.
He’s sulking in the corner opposite to Steven. He keeps bringing something metal to his lips. I assume it’s a flask judging by the way he looks like he’s pained with every sip. Its confuses me. I would’ve thought he’d running around trying to intimidate people or flirting like Beau.
I don’t know what’s up with him, but I think it’s something to do with me. I frown and go back to watching Mia.
We finish our snack then Mia yawns. I scoop her up and walk into the quieter part of the venue. She falls asleep on my shoulder within minutes. I take the time to wander around the building aimlessly. The name Hayes is on almost everything. It’s crazy to me.
I don’t know how long it is until I get back to the main auditorium. Archer spots me in an instance. He abruptly walks away from the girl he’s talking to and comes to me.
“I was looking for you,” he says.
“Sorry,” I whisper, shifting Mia on my shoulder. “She was dozing off. I wanted to give her a bit of quiet.”
He nods once at me. Something seems… off. His eyes are dark and his cheeks are flushed. His hair is a bit more mused than normal and his tie is slightly slack. I narrow my eyes at him.
“Are you drunk?”
Archer rolls his eyes. It’s so dramatic and petulant I can’t help but snort a laugh. He stares blankly at me.
“It’s a party,” he drawls. It’s less graceful than usual. “What else is there to do besides get drunk.”
I shrug. I don’t attend many parties but I suppose he’s right. He takes the bag off my shoulder and soothes a hand over Mia’s back.
“Come on,” he says. “We’re going home.”
19:18 Sat, 22
I follow out to the car. The other brothers are waiting for us. Each is holding a glass of champagne. They give one to Archer. Then they turn and try and give one to me. I’m shocked but refuse anyways. It felt wrong to be drinking with Mia in my arms.
She stirs lightly then goes back to sleep. The boys cheers without me and the car lurches to a start. Beau takes a sip of his drink then nudges.
Steven.
“Saw you talking to Melina,” he says. He wiggles his eyebrows seductively. “She wanna give you one of her famous bathroom suckies?”
Steven flushes. “No but she offered to show me her tits,” he says quickly. “I told her I’ve already seen them from when she sent Neil nudes.”
“They’re so fake,” Neil chimes in. “They don’t even bounce when you fuck her.”
“‘Cause she’s got so many CCs pumped into her skin suit,” Beau drawls. He sounds genuinely annoyed. He snaps his fingers. “I did get an invite from Kelly to her Sunday orgy.”
“I was disappointed last time,” Archer sighs. “Too many cocks. They we’re all groveling for pussy. I wish we had orgies where women begged
for us.”
“They should beg for us,” Beau sips his drink. “I fucked Wendy Hu so hard she couldn’t walk out of my room. She told everyone on campus I was the best sex she’s ever had and ever will have. That’s ground for begging.”
They go silent and my jaw unhinges at the fucking audacity. The way these men talk about women isdisgusting. My skin crawls thinking about it. Having Mia asleep in my arms made it worse. One day she’ll grow up and be one of the girls the brothers talk so poorly of
“You guys are appalling.” I hiss, “You talk about women like they’re objects.”
“Are they not?“Beau says. The brothers all snicker and clink glasses.
“Mia is going to grow up into one of those objects you speak of,” I continue my rampage. “Does that not disturb you?”
Archer sets his glass down. He turns and glares daggers into my eyes. He clears his throat.
“Just because you’re a part of the Court,” he says, sharp and biting. “Does not mean you’re an equal to us.”
“You’re being disgusting,” I snap. “I don’t need to be your equal to tell you what you’re doing is wrong.”
Archer looks at Beau. They hold eye contact for a second then Archer nods. Beau leans up and says something to the driver through the window. The car slows down immediately. Neil leans across and takes the sleeping Mia out of my arms. I panic.
The car stopped and Beau leans over. He grabs my arms and wrenches me out of my seat He swiftly deposits me outside the car. I tumble down into a ravine. My dress snags and rips, exposing more of my thigh. I look up as I’m pushing brambles out of my hair to see Beau’s face.
“Ta, ta Nanny!” he cries as he slams the door.
The door slams shut the tires screech as the car drives away. I’m left alone with an aching body and a good mile walk home. I carry my ripped dress in my hands as my feet pad across jagged rocks.