ROYALS

XXVI

Friday, August 19th, 2022.

IN THE LATE DAYS OF AUGUST, towards the ending of Summer. Three friends had snuck out of their dorms and were now seated on the bleachers of the football field of their school at 11:00pm, smoking weed, and divulging secrets.

"So everyone knows now?"

"Yeah, I feel bad Yasmin found out last though" Olivia said, replying Rahim, referring to Alexander's scandal and Ezekiel's real expulsion details.

"You should break up with him" Keira Adams said quietly to her friend, causing the latter to laugh

"You know I can't. He would ruin me in a heartbeat" Olivia said to her sadly, a bit surprised at how close they had become in the recent months, she never expected that with Keira. She barely even held conversations with the other girls now.

"Let's talk about something else, like why you didn't tell me about Yasmin's abortion" Rahim said, steering away from the other somber topic. Olivia paused for a few seconds before replying.

"It wasn't my place to say. Besides, you were a bit occupied with women twice your age at the time"

"There's nothing wrong with having a preference for older women" Rahim retorted, defending himself.

"Well, there is when you're a minor. And there is when you keep deceiving that poor girl you actually have a chance together" Olivia continued, smiling while her other two friends laughed.

"How long have you known Sebastian's bisexual?" Keira asked, directing her question to Olivia mostly. The former had caught the British boy in a lip lock with one of the freshmen.

"He came out to me first, he always tells me things first, it's like a tradition" Olivia replied

"Like how he told you he killed that Miller boy" Rahim said, shocking the two girls. Keira because she never expected one of her friends to be able to kill, Olivia because once again, another well kept secret had been discovered.

"How did you know about that?" Olivia asked softly

"That was a wild guess anyway, your reaction just confirmed it"  He replied, laughing at her, to which he received a punch in his arm from the girl.

"So why did he kill him, were they like lovers or something and then he got pissed?" Keira questioned, feeling extremely confused and disgusted. Olivia didn't respond for about five minutes, and then;

"Yeah, they were lovers or at least they were sleeping with each other. But that wasn't the reason"

"Then what was the reason?" The Arabian boy pressed. Olivia took a sharp intake of breath.

"He found out Sebastian owns a secret drug ring. One of the biggest in London" She said casually, like she didn't just admit her friend's crime. Rahim and Keira couldn't contain their shock.

"Who else knows? Leia?" Keira asked again

"I don't know. Leia knows about her boyfriend's sexuality of course. But the drug ring thing would be a sensitive topic for her, so I highly doubt he told her" Olivia replied, her mind extremely foggy now, the weed was starting to hit.

"Why am I even still in this group?" Rahim murmured, mostly asking himself.

"Because we're all trapped, we all know there's no way out" Olivia answered him truthfully.

"Have you guys chosen a university yet?" Keira said, trying to fill the horrid silence, and changing the topic at the same time.

"We don't have to" Rahim told her, a mocking tone detectable in his voice.

"Why?" Keira asked, she was lost. Everyone had to pick a university, right?

"Because we already know it's Harvard. There's no other choice" Olivia muttered quietly

"What do you mean there's no other choice?" She asked again, causing her friends to sigh at her innocence.

"Alexander already took that choice away from us. Right from when we were kids, he made sure we knew it was Harvard" Rahim told her calmly, and Keira finally understood what they meant.

She found it comical that everyone thought Olivia held the power and control in the group, while in reality, she only holds it because Alexander allows her. He's the one with the reins.

"So you've already sent out your applications?" The girl continued with her questions. This time, her friends laughed at her loudly, disturbing the quietness of the school.

"Honey, have you seen us, we don't apply to universities. They call us and ask us to come study at their school, and Harvard was one of the firsts to make that call" Olivia said to her friend, noticing how confused she was at their reactions.

"Whoa" The girl replied, her American accent in deep contrast with their thick British ones.

Even after spending over seven months in England, Keira's accent was still very much the same, a New York one. Despite her living in London originally.

"I feel so sad you're not in the same year with us. You have no idea how much I'll miss you" Olivia said quietly to her, holding her hand, while Rahim nodded in agreement. The three of them had grown extremely close over the few months.

"It's just one year without me. And I'll make sure I apply to Harvard next year, so I can join you guys" Keira said to her friends emotionally.

"I'll make sure you get in" Rahim replied her, assurance in his voice.

"It's been an eventful four years here, but respectfully, I am elated to be done" Olivia said, standing up and fisting her hand close to her mouth, making it look like she was giving a speech. Her friends laughed at her performance, the weed making their emotions heightened.

"You know you have to take control in our absence right. You have to make sure no one try's to disrespect or disregard you, because believe me when I say they would. Especially the "Nobles", they are like sharks in a water, waiting to take over." She said to Keira as she sat back down, and Rahim nodded in agreement once again.

"I promise to rule with an iron fist" The girl replied, crossing her heart and causing her friends to laugh again.

They sat there for hours, talking, laughing, feeling free and comfortable with each other. Together, they had no reason to pretend, to put on a facade. For the first time, they felt truly alive. They had found a friendship they didn't know they needed and it felt incredible to be part of people who actually love you and want to be around you.