Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
RILEY
I'd never given much thought to being homecoming queen, but now that the day had arrived, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
I didn't think there was a chance in hell of me winning since a few of the Tritons’ groupies were also in the running.
Thalia was one of the most popular girls in school. Who was I?
There were still a few people who liked to mutter murderer at me in the halls. So, to say I was apprehensive about being on display in the middle of the football field at half-time was an understatement.
"You look fantastic." Ivy stood outside the passenger side of her car, looking down at me. "Stop messing with your hair."
I huffed out a puff of air and put the visor back in place before scooting out of the car.
The night before while shopping, I had fallen in love with a deep purple dress with a sequined halter and pleated tulle skirt.
In the back was a keyhole that showed just the right amount of skin.
It fell to the tips of my fingers and made me feel elegant and sexy.
I decided to keep my hair down and curled it in large wavy curls that fell down my back. To finish off the look, I wore a pair of nude open-toed heels with straps around my ankles that made my legs look amazing.
Ivy and I walked arm and arm to the athlete entrance where the nominees were meeting for the halftime announcement. We rounded the corner and I stopped in my tracks.
The Tritons looked like something out of a GQ magazine. The other guys on the royal court looked good as well, but the three of them looked sinful.
Morgan wore a pair of black dress slacks that fit his body like a glove, and a button-up shirt that was the same shade of purple as my dress. He had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the shirt was so tight against his muscles that I wondered how the buttons didn't pop open.
Blake was in a royal blue suit with a white shirt and a bow tie. I'd never thought bow ties could be so sexy. The blue popped against his skin and he looked regal.
And then there was Jax. He was dressed in a solid black suit with a black shirt and black tie. The all black ensemble made him look even more dangerous. I didn't want to be attracted to him, but I was.
"Are you going to vomit? Please don't tell me you're going to be sick." Ivy fanned my face with her clutch. It didn't help.
I pulled Ivy back around the corner. I didn't know if they had seen me yet, but I needed to catch my breath. I didn't understand how they could have such an effect on me.
"How am I going to choose?" I peeked back around the corner to spot Thalia squeezing her way between Jax and Morgan. "Why do they all want me?"
"Because you're a catch and put up with their bullshit. The question is, should you choose? I love you, girl, but they were complete assholes to you. Don't just give in."
"You don't understand." I flinched as the words came out and Ivy's face fell. "I mean-"
"No, I get it. You're turning into one of their lapdogs." She shook her head. "I thought you were smarter than that."
"Ivy." She had started to walk away and stopped with her back to me, her red hair blowing in the breeze. "I'll tell you everything later, okay?"
She looked back over her shoulder. "See you at the dance."
Things were becoming strained between us because I hadn't told her everything when I usually did. It was hard to have a conversation with her without revealing too much about them. I couldn’t care less if she knew about me.
The night before, when we tried on dresses, she had asked me if I was sure I was making the best decisions when it came to the three of them. I knew she just cared, but it stung. I considered myself a good judge of character, but now I wasn't so sure.
Should I give the three of them a chance? I felt like I was in too deep and around them too much to ignore my feelings. I saw Blake around three hours a day, Morgan a few times a week in close contact while dancing, and Jax was in my life more and more because of yearbook.
"Well, look who it is. Riley the charity case." Ashley's snotty voice came from behind me, and I plastered on a smile before turning around. "I can't believe you're part of the homecoming court."
"I can't believe you're still on the yearbook staff." I pushed past her and she grabbed my arm. "Let me go, Trashley."
"What are you up to?" She narrowed her eyes at me. "How'd you turn them to your side so quickly?"
I pulled my arm away and rubbed where she had grabbed me. "There are no sides. Shouldn't you be out there taking pictures of the game?"
"Ladies, what's going on?" Morgan put his arm around my waist and pulled me against his side, kissing my temple. "You look gorgeous, vixen."
Ashley rolled her eyes and walked off toward the gate. The football game was already well underway and the first half was almost over.
"You all look... presentable," I said as Jax and Blake joined us.
"Just presentable?" Blake adjusted his bowtie. "I'd say we look sexy as fuck."
I sucked in a breath and nodded, causing them to laugh. "We should go wait with the rest of the court." The less time I spent alone with the three of them, the better.
I let Morgan take my hand with the other two trailing behind. I could feel their eyes searing into me and my stomach filled with butterflies.
At halftime, we made our way in pairs to the track in front of the bleachers where the student council waited with flowers, sashes, and crowns. The girls stood front and center with the guys on a riser behind us.
How had I gone from a bookish honor student to being in a lineup with Salinity Cove's most popular? If someone was asked to pick the person who didn't belong, it would have been me.
"And now to announce who you, the student body, have selected as your homecoming queen." The crowd cheered as the announcer spoke. "And your queen is... Riley Kline!"
Cheers—and a few boos—spread across the stadium. I wanted to puke. There was a nudge at my back and I stepped forward as the previous homecoming queen placed a sash across my body and a crown on my head.
"In Shark tradition, our queen will now choose her king!" Another roar came from the crowd.
A microphone was shoved in my hand and I turned to face the five guys standing on the riser behind a pissed off row of girls. Thalia looked ready to rip the crown off my head.
Things would have been so much easier if I didn't have to pick. Morgan was the obvious choice now that we were sleeping together, but then my eyes landed on Jax and then Blake. It could have been either of them sharing that moment with me.
"Thank you." My voice was shaking, and I pulled the microphone away and cleared my throat.
I should have already decided, but I never thought in a million years I'd win a popularity contest. I could pick one of the football players to make it fair, but both of them were dating girls that weren't selected.
The crowd got quiet as I stood staring at the guys. The announcer laughed uncomfortably over the speaker. "We need your decision."
An eerie feeling washed over me and I felt like I wasn’t myself. I straightened my spine and brought the microphone back to my mouth. I looked straight at Jax, and his mouth turned up into a smile. He thought I was going to select him.
"A true queen doesn't need a king." Gasps sounded around me and I dropped the mic, causing it to make a horrible noise.
I turned, grabbed the king’s crown from the shocked former homecoming king, and walked between the set of bleachers to the exit. The crowd booed as I hightailed it out of there. I was fast in my heels given my dance background and was out of the stadium before they even knew what hit them.
I didn't even know what had just happened. I couldn't believe I'd done that. It was as if a different person had taken over my brain.
The campus was unlocked, so I headed onto campus to hide until I could find Ivy or Aiden. So much for not being the center of attention. Now there'd be a video of my mic drop moment forever immortalized on social media.
I sat down on the edge of a planter and pulled my phone out of the small purse I brought. I was about to text Ivy when I heard a giggle and a masculine chuckle coming from the side of the building. I tiptoed closer and peeked around the corner.
"Come on, baby, no one's going to know." Mr. Gale had Ivy trapped between his arms.
My body was ready to lunge into action, but then she kissed him and pulled him closer. Holy shit, what was she doing? What was he doing?
"We aren't having sex right here." She giggled again as he kissed her neck. "You're going to get in big trouble."
"Mmm... no, I won't." He continued to kiss her neck, and she moaned. "When can I see you again?"
She straightened his tie. "Tomorrow, after your swim meet?"
My stomach rolled, and I quickly headed toward the athletic center. I couldn't believe she was messing around with the school counselor. Not to mention she didn't tell me about it.
I texted Aiden to see where everyone was.
A few minutes later, we found each other and he pulled me into a bear hug.
"Girl, that was the most epic thing ever!
I got it all on video and you didn't even get to see their faces as you walked your fine ass out.
" Aiden took a closer look at me. "What's wrong? "
"Nothing, just-"
"Hey, guys!" Ivy came up to stand by my side and I stiffened. She looked at the crown on my head and the one in my hand. "You won?"
"Yeah. You should have seen it, Ivy! She had a mic drop moment, literally." Aiden pulled out his phone and they all gathered around it to watch my moment in the spotlight.
I stood off to the side, not really knowing what to do. I wanted to cry and laugh all at the same time. It almost felt like I had detached from my body and was watching myself from a distance.
My phone buzzed, and I opened a text from Morgan. I guess my tantrum in front of everyone didn't faze him at all.
Morgan: My queen, where are you?
Me: Why don't you come find me?
Morgan: What'll be my prize when I do?
I put my phone away and caught Ivy watching me. She smiled tightly before going back to talking with Piper. I didn't want to be on the outs with my best friend. She had stuck by my side through everything.
An arm went around my shoulder and spun me around. Morgan grinned down at me and then took my lips in a passionate kiss that made my head spin. I dropped the king's crown I had been holding under my arm and looped my arms around his neck, pulling him even closer.
The more I kissed him, the more I felt like I was falling under a spell I was going to become trapped in if I wasn't careful.
"Get a room." Aiden's laugh faded as I pulled away to see my group of friends walking into the dance without me.
"What do you say? A room would be better than being here at this dance." Morgan brushed a few stray strands of hair out of my eyes.
"That wouldn't be very queenly of me." I looked past him to see Blake and Jax staring at us with scowls. "How much damage did I do?"
Morgan laughed. "Nothing a little dancing can't fix. We had to hold Jax back from chasing after you."
I bent down and picked up the crown. "Here. You can wear it for a third of the dance and then pass it to one of the others." I walked to Jax and Blake and frowned at them. "I want to stay mad at all of you, but I can't."
"Why is that?" Blake looked like he was itching to reach out and touch me, but refrained.
"Revenge and resentment will get me nowhere. I feel this intense need burning inside to hurt all of you, and if I don't let what happened go..."
Blake finally couldn't stop himself and pulled me into a hug. "It's because you're a siren."
"I was never like this before."
"No one ever gave you reason to be angry before. I'm not sure at what age sirens come into maturity, but that might also be part of it. And then there's the knife."
I looked at him. "The knife is supposed to calm me."
Jax cleared his throat to get our attention. "We don't know much outside what our history tells us about the knives and about sirens. Just like the crap history books you have here in schools, I'm sure there's more to it."
"You have a valid point." I pulled out of Blake's arms and stood in front of Jax. "I don't want to hate you anymore."
His lips turned up at the corners. "Are you offering a truce?"
I bit my lip and looked at Morgan and Blake. "I don't think I'll ever forgive what you three did, but I don't plan on driving any more cars into the ocean."
"I'll take that." He wrapped his arms around me. "For now."
A silent exchanged happened between Jax and Morgan, who had moved next to me. Jax cupped my cheek and heat spread from where our skin connected. "Jax, what-"
His lips silenced me in a soft kiss that was unlike his typical possessive move. I moved my hands into his suit jacket and slid my hands around his waist to his back.
A noise of disgust interrupted and both of our heads snapped to find Thalia with a group of her friends and their dates. "Classy."
Blake headed to their group and I couldn't hear what he said, but Thalia paled and then stomped off toward the doors.
Jax and I separated, and he took my hand while Morgan took the other. I wish I had three so that Blake would have a hand to hold.
"You're all okay with this?" I was a bit skeptical, but then again, I'd never been in a situation quite like it before. "I thought you didn't share."
"Are you going to choose one of us?" Blake walked backwards in front of us as we made our way to the entrance of the dance. The dance hadn't started yet, but plenty of students had already gone inside.
I thought for a moment. "I won't choose."
"Then we'll have to be okay with it. You were right in what you said. A queen doesn't need a king, but maybe she needs knights."