Royals and Rebels 1: The Queen of Coleum

Chapter 7

Seven

Back home, the only real thing we had for a night club was a honky-tonk bar that sometimes played top forty on weekends when the house DJ was there. The Coleum night club was completely different. Inside, it was dark, with pulsing strobe lights, and loud music. A smoke machine made everything look hazy. There was the smell of cigarette smoke, and booze, and it was a lot different than any place I had ever hung out in before.

I had this idea that maybe I’d have to protect Everly, but when I walked in, she seemed completely okay. As if she had done this before, which I guess being a Princess, she was used to the club scene.

She led us into a roped off section labeled VIP. A group of three girls and three guys were there. One of them was Grace, the blond girl who had nearly attacked me in the cafeteria, who was drinking a martini and looking bored. Next to her was a red head, smoking a cigarette, and there was a bubbly brunette who hugged Everly the moment that she saw her.

A redheaded guy, who looked like maybe he was the girls twin, was there also. Next to him was a guy with high cheek bones, and pink hair, along with a tall, guy with ebony skin and green eyes.

“Everly!” squealed the bubbly brunette. “I’m so glad you came. Oh, and you brought the mysterious Rose too.”

“Not so mysterious,” said Grace with a sneer, “she’s a thief.”

I laughed. “Being a thief would mean that I actually took something, everything I have, I earned, or was given.”

Everly looked at me with surprise and grinned in approval.

Grace, however, didn’t seem to be finished. “How did you meet, anyway? Because you couldn’t have known each other for very long. See, we might not have had a serious relationship, but we at least always had an honest one. He always mentions whenever he’s pursuing a girl so I don’t get taken by surprise by it.”

“Honestly, Grace, I know you have a cunt, but stop being one,” the pink haired boy said, “you don’t control Apollo, you never have. Besides, you made your choice years ago. You don’t want to be Queen. Give it up.”

Grace shot a withering look over at him. “I don’t want to be Queen, Roland, because I know, along with any i***t, that the Queens are never loved by their Kings. There’s always someone else there, waiting in the wings. Pardon me for not wanting to be played a fool. She can have the crown, but at the end of the day, I will always have what really, truly, matters.”

“Shut the f**k up, Grace,” Everly hissed, causing everyone to stare at her with wide eyes, “I’ve put up with you because you’re our childhood friend, but you’re not even royal yourself. The girl you’re talking to is almost as good as the future Queen. She wears my brothers promise necklace around her neck. If you insult her, you insult the royal family, so either shut up, or get the f**k out.”

Grace looked at me. “I don’t know who you are, or what your game is, but one way or another I’ll figure it out. When I do, I’m going to make sure everyone knows your true colors.”

“Go ahead. The most important one already does, and he still hasn’t chosen you,” I shot back.

Her eyes were blazing with fury as she stormed from the VIP section.

“Well, damn, girl! You’ve just stood up to my cousin, and she is a bloody, crazy b***h!” the pink haired boy, who was apparently named Roland, sidled up to me. “Rose, was it?”

“Rose James,” I answered, “and your Roland?”

“Roland Cartwright,” he said, “Grace is my cousin, Grace Cartwright. Our fathers are the heirs to Cartwright Scotch.”

“Oh wow!” I said. “My Dad used to like collecting your shot glasses.”

He laughed. “They are pretty cute, for shot glasses. Give me your address. If you like, I can send some to him.”

I shook my head. “Oh, that’s not necessary. My Dad well…he and my Mom died in a car wreck last year. Bad snow storm.”

Roland’s face fell. “Oh. Rotten luck.”

“Definitely,” I said. I tried to ignore the ache in my heart that came every time I had to explain that story. It hadn’t even been a year yet, and it was still difficult to talk about. I hadn’t even gone to my own graduation because I couldn’t stomach the thought of them not being there to congratulate me.

“But it seems things have taken a turn for you,” he said, “however did you meet our beloved Prince?”

I shot a look at Everly, who had been chatting merrily with the other two girls who she had yet to introduce us to.

“Oh, come on guys,” said Everly, “it’s their business. Can’t you leave the lovebirds alone?”

“Sorry, Evs,” said the redheaded guy, who leaned forward, suddenly interested in what was going on for the first time that night. “You know we’re an exclusive group, and you know how we feel about outsiders. This girl shows up, out of the blue, wearing Apollo’s promise necklace. It’s all very, very sudden.”

Everly bit her lip, looking as torn as I did. “It was a meet and greet,” Everly said, “before school started, I didn’t want to scare Rose off. So, I invited her to the palace. She was so cute, because she had absolutely no idea what was going on. She bumped into my brother on the way, tried asking Apollo for directions and Apollo was well…Apollo.”

“An ass?” Roland suggested.

“Yes,” said Everly with a smile, “but Rose didn’t take any of it. She ripped him a new one. Mother had tried to set some guidelines, to keep them from ending up with each other but it didn’t work. After the first week, Apollo had to ask Mother permission to give Rose his promise necklace, because he was completely smitten. We made her keep it off to keep people from being suspicious, but Apollo couldn’t wait any longer, so he publicly made his declaration at The Welcoming Ball. I’ve never seen him so entranced by anyone.”

“Oh. My. God,” the brunette girl squealed, “that’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard. Apollo’s never had a serious girlfriend. He must really be in love with you if it happened that quick.”

“It’s like Cinderella,” said Everly.

“Exactly,” I said with a nod, “I just get to keep all of the cool shoes afterwards, so it makes it even better.”

“I’m Ava, by the way,” said the brunette, “and of course, you’ve already been introduced to Roland. And these two are the Love twins.”

“Honestly, Ava,” said the redhead snidely, “we’re not just the twins. We have names, you know. I’m Scarlett, as if that couldn’t be anymore cliché, and my brother there is named Gable.”

“Clever,” I said, “at least he wasn’t named Rhett. That would have been awkward.”

“Tell me about it,” said Scarlett, “if it weren’t for my father, we would have been a walking Shakespeare play of awkward. Siblings named after lovers, and twins at that.”

Gable glanced over at his sister, chuckling. “Oh, please Scar, you couldn’t handle me.”

“Nor you me, dear brother,” she winked at him.

“Alright, you bitches!” screeched Roland. “I suspect the future Queen didn’t come here to discuss anecdotes, so in the immortal words of Bowie, let’s dance!” I found myself pulled out of the VIP room by the exuberant, pink haired boy.

The rest of the group followed.

Roland, as it turned out, was an excellent dancer. I, however, was terrible, although I got a little better after someone slipped a martini into my hand. Soon it got hot, too hot, and there were hands on me everywhere. I couldn’t focus on where I was, or who I was with.

I was lost in a sea of glitter, smoke, and the haziness that came with drinking too much. That was when I saw a flash of red hair, and felt hands grabbing at me. “Let’s find out what makes you so interesting, sunshine,” I heard Gable’s voice whisper into my ear.

Then I heard it.

A crack, that echoed through the club. Gable’s blood was on my dress, and there were a pair of big, strong hands picking me up. I was carried, bridal style, out of the club by a complete stranger. I remembered flashing lights again, this time from cameras, and a gruff voice saying, “Take her home.”