Chapter Seventy-Three: Day One
I'm my own High School Rival: Christina's arc: Bend or Break
There was a soft knock at my door.
"Good morning, Ms. Tetsusen," one of my guards shouted through the door. "I hope that your night was enjoyable." I tried to sit up, but Antwon had crawled back to my side of the bed and attached himself to me. He hugged me tight and wrapped his legs around my right leg.
I thought about returning the affection by giving him a kiss along with some morning relief. But he invoked the final clause of the document's right-to-abstain section.
Had Sakura shown him the contract in preparation for his stay? That fucking clause is on page thirteen of twenty-five.
Antwon moaned, but not from my touch. He was warm and safe, and the face he made was…cute. He was so close that I could steal a kiss, and he'd be none the wiser.
Antwon released a sigh of relief.
I stared, hoping he would bless me with his beautiful emerald green eyes before…he turned back into a rude boy, accused me of doing something that I had not done, and pulled some shit like the "final clause" out of his ass.
"Ms. Tetsusen?"
I removed the velvet sheets from our tangled bodies with my left hand and sighed.
"Antwon," I called; he didn't budge.
"Antwon," I said again. My eyes grew heavy with sleep.
"Ms. Tetsusen?!" My guard said through the door.
I wanted to go back to sleep because the bed and Antwon's warmth were so inviting.
If I waste any more time, getting from Saitama to Yamanashi will be a pain. I don't expect Trish to allow me to delay traffic this time.
I took a deep breath and turned my head, facing him.
"Antwon, wake the fuck up!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
…
He slowly, calmly blinked himself awake.
Gorgeous emeralds greeted me between fluttering eyelids.
You are mine, and nothing will change that…
I scowled at him. I'd seen what I wanted and wanted nothing more.
"Get the hell off of me if you're not going to do anything."
He stopped blinking. After we stared at each other, he took in our current situation.
"Did…I crawl to you again?"
Such a stupid question.
"No, Antwon. I dragged your ass from one side of the mattress without waking you up, and then I placed your ass in the compromised position of hugging me, all while remaining completely still."
We shared an indignant glance.
He sighed.
"You're a monster," he said, closing his eyes.
"Ah, shut up."
***
My white marble bathroom had an orange glow after use. I had it remodeled to my design. I wanted it large enough to fit a squad relaxing after a day of training. Steam from the shower bled out onto the floor and rose again to meet the mirror across from it.
I fastened my ribbon. My reflection looked as if I had not slept in days…because I hadn't.
I pressed my hands against the marble counter and leaned forward to inspect my reflection. But the steam from my walk-in shower made it difficult to see.
Maybe I should try some makeup? I'll ask one of the servant boys to help me.
Antwon walked into the bathroom and stood behind me. He was still in the sweat suit I gave him this morning.
My eyes shifted from my reflection to his, and he watched my reflection.
I pushed myself off the counter, standing up straight. I lifted my arms, slightly elevating my elbows from my sides. Maybe he would get the idea and hug me from behind.
He stood there in his white sweat suit, which nicely contrasted with his complexion.
After a while, I dropped my arms, letting them fall against my blue school uniform.
Antwon's reflection raised a brow, but I couldn't see all of him.
I reached over and wiped the mirror, clearing up and blurring his reflection in one motion.
"Where is my uniform?" He asked.
"You are not going to school for a while, Antwon."
I started to fix my hair.
I pulled out one of the four drawers and retrieved a few hair clips.
"You can't…don't do this, Christina."
I stuck my nose in the air, letting my hair fall back and brush against Antwon's chest.
"You'll listen since the final clause is active." I turned to him and placed my hands on my hips. "Why would I let you go back to school with the way you're acting?"
He gritted his teeth.
"But… At least let me go home; my hair is frizzy," he said, reaching up and presenting me with a strand of his rope-like hair that had lost its detail. "If I don't get it cleaned and redone, I'll have to cut it off."
I reached for the hair he had presented me and touched it. This was the first time that I'd genuinely touched his hair.
It had a rope-like texture.
I sighed.
The things we do for love.
"Antwon," I said, gripping his braid. "I'll arrange transportation into the Veil; however, you're not staying, understand?"
He looked at the floor.
"Antwon?"
…
"Yeah. I get it, Christina."
He touched the back of my hand. Our fingers brushed as I transferred his hair to his hand.
I wanted to smile, but this didn't feel like victory.
A gentle knock at the door. "Ms. Tetsusen. Your mother would like to speak with you before we depart."
Good. It's time to make her pay for lying about Antwon's death.
***
I pushed Trish's fan-embroidered double doors open. The room was too regal for the one who occupied it. Trish, my mother, sat behind her mahogany desk at the far end of the room. She was busy, or pretended she was. I quickly, yet deliberately, crossed.
Once I arrived, I slammed both hands on the desk, shaking the writing utensils.
My lungs burned as my breath grew rapid.
Trish glanced at me and then returned to her documents.
"Good morning, Kitten—"
"Don't you fucking kitten me!"
The air hung still as she scanned whatever form she was filling out.
I cried for hours. I looked weak in front of my subjects. Say something, or I'm going to lose it.
"So," she smirked. "I take it that you didn't get laid," she said, thumbing through the rest of the file. "Well, I did." She broke into a gut-punching laugh, smacking her hand against her desk.
I stood up straight, dragging my hands from her desk to my sides. I balled my hands into fists.
I lifted my foot and kicked her desk. It was too heavy for me to move, but it made me feel better.
Remember why you agreed to see her. Don't lose it, Christina.
I slid my foot from the side of her desk. Trish continued laughing.
Her revelry gradually ended.
Trish sighed.
…
"Let me guess—Mom—" Trish said.
"You mean Trish," I corrected.
We locked eyes, and a slow, eerie smile stretched across her face.
She leaned forward and, with a soft thud, placed both elbows on her desk.
"You want to know why I lied?"
I nodded.
She sat up straight with her hands clasped over the documents she had just reviewed.
Her voice was void of warmth, yet she smiled.
"It's simple, my child. If I had done nothing, your toy would have been killed—"
"No, he wouldn't, because I would have told Jade, and—"
"And the Crimson Council would have used him as leverage."
…
I gnashed my teeth.
"Let's stop pretending that the Veil isn't divided, and that Jade has any control over what happens in her territory, if you can even call it hers."
Jade said the same thing when we were alone. I can't call her because her calls are monitored, and she is constantly being escorted by the council's guard detail; they even bar her royal guards from being with her for more than a day.
I unclenched my fist, and my face relaxed. My eyes fell to the floor.
I could hear Trish's chair slide back, and she stood up. "A queen that's forced to submit to lesser individuals is always a sad sight," she said. Trish circled her desk.
"Kitten, don't look so gloomy. You have him, don't you?" I felt her fingers brush through my hair. "All it took to get him back was one little lie to galvanize the lazy-ass Veil to do more than look pretty."
So, now she wants to play the role of a supportive mother.
My hand twitched.
I pushed her hand away, still staring at the floor, still holding Jade in my mind.
"You don't have to thank me, darling. I did it because I care about you."
I felt hot all over.
"Tsk."
…
What a load of shit. I'll find out why you told that lie, Trish. I'll ask Rika.
Her footsteps trailed off, and then I heard the door open.
"Well, now. Off to school for you and your boy."
I turned around and shook my head as I stepped toward the door.
"Antwon isn't coming today," I said, understanding what I had done.
Trish's face lit up.
"Oh, good. I'd like to ask him a few questions about his vacation." I reached the door and held Trish's gaze. "For starters, I want to know if he's as pure as you believe he is."
I raised my fist to her chest. "Don't you touch him; I'll ask when I come back from school."
She frowned.
Even if he wasn't pure, he's…still mine.
"If you were going to do it, Kitten, then you would have." Trish crossed her arms and placed a finger to her lip. She leaned against the door frame. "I think that you're scared of the truth, scared that if he wasn't pure, you wouldn't like him the same."
Trish extended her arm. She reached for my left side, where Sakura, Antwon's sister, had hit me during our fight.
I quickly grabbed her wrist.
"Oh," Trish said.
We locked eyes. She raised her hand into the air, I with it, and brought it down hard enough to deliver her message.
I let go. And her hand hovered next to my left side.
"Does it still hurt?" I looked away.
"A bit."
She poked her head out of the doorway and called, "Yua, she's ready now."
"Carter's sister is strong, so quickly end the fight next time or break him in before time expires."
I sighed and fixed my ribbon.
"I didn't want to hurt her too much in front of Carter, Trish."
Yua ran up to the door, breathing hard.
"How's your mom, Yua?" Trish asked.
I eased my hand to her face and prevented Yua from speaking.
"Goodbye… Trish."
***
The outside of the school was empty. I checked my watch to better understand how late I was, but the homeroom bell rang in the distance. I walked through the stone gate with heavy thoughts weighing me down, yet I could not let cracks show in the foundation.
I am a daughter of iron; I mustn't crack.
The hallways were much like the courtyard, empty. Beige walls leaned in as I blinked away my resolve to stay awake. I shook my head, flailing my hair around.
I would have stayed home if Antwon and I had consummated our union.
My face grew warm.
My homeroom was on the first floor, but I couldn't rest there. The Iron Fan must never appear weak.
I sighed as I approached the hallway's intersection. I had so much to figure out before the day ended.
I'll skip softness training and rest in Rika's room since she has prep. Besides, there really isn't any point in going since Antwon is at home… my home… our home.
I popped around the corner, swaying slightly.
I just need to make it through a few—
Something slammed into my forehead.
An assassination attempt!?
I pushed them down without thinking or looking.
"You're dead!" I shouted, raising my fist into the air.
…
"Sakura?"
We awkwardly stared at each other. She had fallen from the push.
Shit. This is the last thing I need right now.
The skin around her eyes was red, alluding to the possibility of crying.
"Well, are you going to pick yourself up, or do you enjoy being beneath me?"
She wiped her face and lowered her head. I thought about walking away and pretending I didn't see her, but I know that Antwon will hear about this pointless encounter. If he's being rude now, I can only imagine how he'll act after hearing about this.
I took a deep breath and extended my hand.
"Get up and stop crying, lest you want someone to see you."
She reached for my hand, but hesitated.
"Just take it."
She took it, and I pulled her to her feet.
This is my consort's sister. I'll probably be seeing a lot of her, so I'd better make amends.
"So, um, sister-in-law, what troubles you?" I asked.
Her eyes cut sharply, and her head retracted.
"That's… weird," she said. "I still have time to reclaim him."
I fought back the urge to roll my eyes and settled for flipping my hair back.
I'm starting to think that both siblings were born assholes.
I smirked. "I hope you can accept that title after another beating, Sakura. Now, get out of my way."
"W-wait," Sakura said. "Can I see him?" Tears welled in her eyes. "I won't do anything…I just want to see my brother."
She wiped her eyes again.
"I'm sorry for crying. I just never thought this would happen."
I checked my watch. The first-period bell would ring soon, and the hallway would be flooded with other students. The last thing I need is for someone to think that I beat up Antwon's sister again.
"Sakura, come with me to the bathroom so we can talk."
"Why?" she asked, raising her hands like we were about to fight.
I sighed.
Why can't anyone just fucking comply?
"Just do it."
The bell rang, and I grabbed Sakura's wrist and dragged her to the bathroom before unnecessary accusations spread throughout the school.