People have bullshit habits and sometimes, they use New Year's resolutions to make it seem as if they're finally gonna stop their bullshit ways and revert to better manners. It's a sham. No one really follows resolutions beyond the first month of the year. Old habits die hard.
When I made a deal with my father and my beloved brother, I took it upon myself to incline my New Year's resolution with it: I don't need to be a better Rose, I just need to be better at hiding. And like most resolutions, it won't last long, but then again, I don't need it to. Five months. I need to keep my angelic charade for a little less than half a year then I'm free.
Throughout Christmas break, I had to deal with the aftermath of the Crawford incident. It was a lone mistake but weighed in Wyatt's chest as a thousand sins combined. My brother made a deal with Dad to be granted us mercy: one more strike and I'm spending the rest of my studying years with father dearest and his family in the city that never sleeps. That's hell to me, translating to no credit cards and having to put up with one step-mother and two half-siblings whose names I keep trying to forget.
Wyatt Martin is a man of wonder in the industry he's been thrown into. Looked-up upon, envied, and welcomed, though behind closed mansion doors, he's a big softie to his little sister. I love him. I love Wyatt. I rarely disappoint Wyatt. I've done my best to hide the tainted spots of my shiny golden life from the man and others. If I don't, society would hate me. I'd be a disgrace to the Martins.
The man only knew a fraction of the boys I'd been with: Collin, the senior I dated when I was a sophomore, batch president, and captain of the football team. Great stamina. Another was Caleb, a college student taking up Business Management who was the heir to a multimillion-dollar company. Impressive girth. There was also what's-his-name, a future neurosurgeon who was already on top of his classes and was a part-time model. Kinky ass. Then Rick, who was a senator's spoiled son, and a few more. What did Rick, what's-his-name, Caleb, and Collin have in common? My relationships with them were not taboo.
I'd be locked away in a tower if he finds out about the others I'd been with: men of various, various varieties. Not all of them were aged within a range appropriate to mine. Flip the law books upside-down and right-side-up, none will change what my acts were: illegal. But once I had blown my eighteen glittery pink birthday candles, the game had changed. I can now screw whoever the hell I want.
This young woman is an honor student who has always kept her grades on a high minimum. She has joined activities for the betterment of the city and the environment. Dirt, my dirt, was where dirt should be: under a patch of pretty and trimmed green grass.
I let my brother know all that he needed to know—nothing more and nothing less. Same goes with the public. Rosaleen Martin is an educated young woman who likes to participate in community programs and is the type you would want to introduce to your family. The line was from my feature section in junior year when I was placed as student council Vice President.
So guess just how surprised Wyatt was when he received a phone call from dear old Principal Marithe asking him to pick me up.
And guess how low his face fell when the old woman told him that his little princess of a sister was caught nearly naked with a substitute teacher twice her age in the locker room while the rest of the school was having an assembly.
The memory is fresh. Family memories for me are always fresh and that's a curse. Wyatt had gotten mad at me multiple times before, but none of it ever led me to feel as feverish as I did back when we made it home. My guts felt heavy. From guilt? Possibly not. I have not felt that in a while, might as well call myself a virgin of culpability. Urged as I was, I did not cry in front of Wyatt because I never do.
For the first time in a long time, my brother ignored me for days. I guess that no matter a flame I was—bright, burning, vibrant, strong enough to spark an uncontrollable fire that can set everything ablaze, the cold air of my brother's disappointment was a wisp strong enough to put me out.
I eventually won my brother back. It involved cooking breakfast for the man daily for two weeks. I'm not a great cook, but I can make waffles, pancakes, eggs, and bacon, at least. Cereal too. Yes, I cook cereal.
I'd greet him good morning with the brightest smile my lips could carry which says much since my lips have gone through strenuous workouts. He tried to skip eating and opt to go to work right away, but the love was still there, and when love is still there, forgiveness is near.
We were silent during the first breakfast he agreed to, but by Christmas, we were talking again. Dad visited. That's when the deal was made, and I won't deny eavesdropping on the other side of my brother's home office door. To my dread, William Martin brought his family with him. My conversations with the steps were minimal and I had forgotten them, thank fuck.
Throughout high school, I would always ride with Wyatt. Despite his business, he had time to drop me off. It would usually only be us in his car of the day, but with an escort following suit.
Eventually, I threw numerous fits last year demanding not to ride with him anymore. The man didn't buy me my own vehicle but gifted me one out of his eleven. Despite my begging for the baby blue Porsche, I got an Audi A6 sedan. Not my first option, but it eventually grew on me. From then, I started to drive myself to school and everywhere else.
Unfortunately, there is now Jared.
I failed to hear it while eavesdropping Wyatt and Dad's conversation: there was one more condition, and that was for me to have a bodyguard and chauffeur to follow me around like a little puppy. But Jared wasn't a little puppy. No, he was a doberman. A big, scary, hot doberman with his instincts always correct. It's been a month since we were introduced which means it's been a month since I had gotten laid because Jared's purpose also doubles as a cockblock.
Why not get laid by the cockblock? Because unfortunately, the man's discipline is unmatched and his loyalty lies on who gives him his paycheck: my brother.
The Goldenlux uniform was as corny as its name. It involved a khaki skirt, a white button up, a navy blue blazer, and—get this—a gold ribbon tie. This was paired with high socks, either black or white, and non-heeled black shoes, but of course I violated the last bit and wore three-inch heels. I was half-tempted to alter the blazer into a cropped blazer but I'd bet I wouldn't be allowed to enter, regardless of how much money we'd wave at the guards' faces. They're probably used to it.
I grabbed my school bag which was more of a purse than a school bag, and headed downstairs. I yelled goodbye to Wyatt and walked to the key display case by the main entrance. As I was about to grab the keys to my sedan, I halted. The keys weren't there.
"Looking for these?" said Wyatt as he appeared from behind me. He opened the front door and I followed him.
Outside, Jared was already standing by my car. Wyatt tossed him the keys.
"Straight to school and straight back," he ordered Jared. Jared had sunglasses on. Jared looked yummy with sunglasses on.
"Yes, sir," he said as he caught the keys and opened the backseat door for me. I sighed. I dramatically sighed, hoping Wyatt would get the message. If he did, he left me on seen.
I shoved my bag into Jared's hands as I entered my car. Wyatt and Jared exchanged a few words I couldn't hear before the latter got into the front seat. He adjusted the rearview mirror. I glared.
"Good morning, Ms. Martin," he said with about thirty percent enthusiasm. I know for a fact that he gets a kick out of teasing me.
"Fuck you," I spat as the engine turned on.
I texted my friends on the ride there. Viktor and Dani have been my best buddies since 1st grade. Viktor is Russian and gay, which means that his family resented him. Dani is Colombian and the daughter of a politician. Both are whores. Although I hated that we'd now be going to separate schools, I wouldn't deny that it was my fault.
Jared parked the car. The parking lot was jam-packed, given that some kids had escorts. With the number of luxury cars in the open area, Goldenlux Academy's parking zone would total to hundred of millions.
Jared was quick to open the door for me. I took my purse from him and we walked towards the entrance.
"I'll be okay from here," I said as I rolled my eyes at him.
Teasingly, he said "Best of luck, Ms. Martin. Do good."
As expected, many eyes were on me as I walked to the main doors. Attention is something I value a lot, a perk of being undeniably good-looking. I speak moderately about myself. If I spoke highly, I'd say that I'm the most gorgeous woman on Earth despite knowing that the said title is abstract.
Me knowing how beautiful I am had caused a handful of people to mistake my brutal honesty for boastfulness. The stress I could have poured over their opinions would have earned me a wrinkle.
This is my first time at Goldenlux since the entrance exam was done online. My precious time must not be wasted in processing papers when I could be shopping, watching movies, or getting eaten. Being a stranger, I was unfamiliar with the hallways, but no worries crossed my mind. I have a map, there are signs, and there are peasants all around.
"Excuse me," I beamed brightly at a group. They were looking at me even before I got to them, "Can anyone guide me to the principal's office?"
"We can take you," said one boy urgently.
"Sure. Thank you..." I trailed off in hopes that he'd fill up the air with his name.
"Jack!"
"Jack," I let his name roll off my tongue. A common name, but then again, mine was inspired by the world's most overrated flower. Most overrated symbol too for romance and femininity, and beneath the normal person's knowledge, a symbol of balance and secrecy.
As we walked, I got to see a bit more of Goldenlux. It lives by its name because the school colors are gold and navy blue with a mascot being a Dragon named Drax. The building is shaped like a donut with edges. It's a square with three floors and a hole in the middle. In the courtyard lives a gorgeous fountain with a statue of a gold dragon as its center. The walls along it are made of glass so you can see through some halls. Green bushes trimmed perfectly lined the outside of the transparent walls. They are sprinkled with flowers of various hues.
The group of four accompanied me until we reached a set of dark oak doors. There was a bulletin board beside it with some announcements and notes from teachers. None really caught my interest. They post the same shit on the school website which I scrolled through this morning, more out of boredom than out of interest.
"Mr. Camillo is right in there." Jack's line was accompanied by a sheepish smile. His eyes were set on my face, but he nodded at the office's entrance.
"What's he like?" I asked though the old, uptight, and snarky principal stereotype was already the idea in my head.
"You'd be surprised," spoke a girl with something underlying her tone. I recognized it in an instant. Envy.
"He's okay, I guess. He doesn't go out of his office much. Not that he has a reason to," said another student.
"There are few students here so there's rarely any trouble," spoke Jack again, trying to explain the easily understandable because my old school, Copper Grove Institute, ran the same.
The only girl in their group looked around, seeing crowds and lines form, "They're gathering in the auditorium for the assembly. We should get going."
Knowing that I was excused from the program, I thanked the little bunch and bid them goodbye before composing myself and grabbing a handle. I sighed sharply, partly hoping that my distress could vanish with my breath. The day is yet to start, yet I'm already tired and in need of a hook-up. Either that or new clothes. The metal felt cool against my hand, reflecting what I feel towards my misfortune. This is it: the start of my miserable last semester in high school. I stepped into the office with a heavy heart, wanting nothing than to get the first few steps over with—fuck me.
My thoughts flew out of the window—the big open window behind the man that put a stop to all neurological functions. A surge of mixed feelings washed over me and I could only grasp the emphasized ones amongst the combination: joy from seeing whoever the hell I was seeing, confusion from seeing whoever the hell I was seeing, and lust from seeing whoever the hell I was seeing.
The average second seemed to go on for a minute. Rephrased into a cliche, time stopped. The Matrix Effect, ladies and gentlemen, is the psychological phenomenon of time seeming to slow in a moment of grave fright. The physical world does not technically slow down, but rather, our internal processes run faster in flight or fight instances. In my goddamn case, it then dawned upon me that the same effect might be achievable when the left ventral tegmental area of the brain becomes active and pumps out dopamine—something that happens when humans see hot people, attractive people, kneel-worthy, out-of-this-world-dick-sucking-worthy people.
My heart leaped from my chest. My vagina leaped from my skin. My brain leaped from my skull. All in all, my insides have switched places, my liver climbing to my throat until it was filled with bile.
Behind the desk sat a fucking man who looks to be in his mid-fucking-thirties with dark brown fucking hair laid neatly on the top of his fucking head, a fucking five o'clock shadow, and eyes in the most beautiful fucking shade of brown I had ever fucking seen.
Have you noticed the overuse of the curse word fucking?
Because that's exactly what we'll be doing when I get my hands on him.
The oakwood desk looks sturdy enough to hold a female body. It had folders on top of it, a pen, and other shit that my mind could not care about even if I wanted it to. Behind the said desk was the most gorgeous male being I had ever laid my fucking eyes on.
And in front of him was a nameplate which read Mr. Nikolas Camillo, Principal.
I've seen a lot of faces and I have yet to see more. You can't really group appearances by just beautiful and ugly. Human faces were made too complex to be categorized into only two. It would be like answering either yes or no on an essay demanding enumeration. There are faces that make me cringe, faces that make me pause, faces that make me roll my eyes, faces that make me want to spread my legs wide open, and many more. The one before me had me wanting to bear it owner's next generation in my womb.
"Ms. Martin," the alluring man spoke in a voice just as attractive.
My shock had words dying in my throat, but I managed to recompose myself in the next split second. I can only hope that the man thinks indifferently of my silence.
"That's me," I said with a clear voice, careful not to give anything away just yet. Offering him a full-kilowatt smile, I spoke again, "Good morning," which he acknowledged with a stern nod.
Wanna know what else I can make stern?
"Sit," said Mr. Camillo.
Arf arf
"First of all, I want to welcome you to Goldenlux Academy." This time, he did smile, but it was obviously rehearsed.
"Thank you, sir."
"I'm Nikolas Camillo, but you can call me—"
Daddy?
"Mr. Camillo. Everyone does," he smiled again, not bright enough to show sincerity before his hand found a folder at the edge of his desk. My eyes followed his actions, my gaze flickering to the shiny object on one of his fingers. An object that, let's be honest, holds no true value for people who have no faith in love and all silly things alike:
a wedding ring.
❗️READ❗️
MAJOR shoutout si Shivi, @Shivi2003. She was able to screenshot nearly all the chapters which I used as reference to rewrite. This wouldn't be back if it weren't for her. And also for her undying support since day one.
❗️WARNING❗️
this story contains mature themes: explicit sexual content, assault, emotional distress, mentions of alcohol and drugs, psychological triggers. yes there is harassment, no im not encouraging it. you'll see here that there will be consequences to selfish and immoral actions. again, read at your own risk.
❗️DISCLAIMER❗️
my characters do dumb shit. i do not encourage anyone to do the dumb shit that you're about to read. we know what's right and wrong. the wrongs here are for the plot's sake ofc, doesn't mean u have to do it too tf. some of yall got me fucked up in the DMs like wym u wanna seduce ur teacher. bestieee--