Princes & I

Chapter 16: Scars & I

"I don't understand." The boy trails off, hands in the pockets of his black hoodie. "You mean it's called a 'butterfly stroke' because the arms flap like a butterfly?"

I nod, stepping over a pothole that's been left to decay in the school's car park. The morning is dark and ominous, leaving me in a foul and testy mood as Dominic and I traverse through the rows of expensive cars and trucks.

"But the motion is more like a whale, really."

"Dominic, if your really so interested in the logistics of swimming," I state gruffly. "Then join the swim team."

"Fuck that." He curses, a look of repulsion on his face. "I prefer the ground."

"Then the track team." I shrug, pausing to bend down and hook my index fingers around my shoelaces, retying my shoes.

Stopping as well, Dominic leans on a random car, unhooding his head to slick his raven hair back. "Teamwork's not my thing." He finishes. "Speaking of the track team, how's Axel these days?"

"How come everyone seems to know about it?" I question, finishing the lace of my left shoe in a neat little bow.

"It's hard not to notice something's wrong when the Third Prince is depressed for three weeks or more." At my incredulous eye, he chuckles. "Everyone knows about his mood swings, don't worry. I'm just saying, when his mood is stagnant in a conversation, it's easy to tell something's up."

"I guess..." Sighing, we both let out a simultaneous groan when the first bell of the day rings. "I was working last night so I didn't get a chance to talk to him."

"I recommend you get to it quick. You know I'm not one for rumours," He hesitates. "But people are saying his depression's even worse than previous years."

Stepping into the school's foyer, I say a quick goodbye to Dominic as he rushes to his first class of the day. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I inwardly groan at the heaviness of it with my sports uniform inside.

Seeing a familiar figure, I step hastily to catch up with Clemilee, tapping her on the shoulder to alert my presence. She shows a sympathetic smile, conveying the fact that she's dreading first period PDHPE as much as I am.

"Did you hear about Amelia and Caffeine?"

"Elliot informed me."

"I'll stick by you this time no matter what." Clemilee reaffirms, giving me a reassuring squeeze on my arm.

Nodding, I lower my voice to a whisper as we near the stadium doors. "I don't expect you to throw yourself under a bus for me."

"No," She shrugs. "But that's what Dominic would do, and no way am I losing my title of 'best friend' to that cranky thorn bush."

Letting a quiet laugh slip out my lips, I allow her to loop her arm through mine as we stroll across the indoor basketball courts.

As we enter the girl's locker room, the thick steam of the sauna like space consumes me, hitting my skin like a burning mist. The girls already inside clearly note my presence, reducing their loud banter to thin and preserved chatter. I make my way to my locker and open it to reveal its bare contents before neatly hanging my bag inside and sliding off my blouse.

Making eye contact with Clemilee who's changing a few locker doors down from me, her muscles seem to tense abruptly.

Something's going on.

Inconspicuously turning to Clemilee's line of sight, I spot Amelia in the corner of the corridor, a smug grin on her face.

"I wouldn't be so smug if I'd been dumped the day before..." I murmur, turning my back to her in a dismissive manner before hanging my blouse in my locker and retrieving my sports polo out of my bag.