Page 2

One

Reign

Age Sixteen

"Mrs. Rob can suck my dick, Reign. I swear she has some sort of weird obsession with me with how much shit she says," Angela complains as I try to concentrate on the words in the book I'm reading.

Angela is always complaining about her teachers because they are always up her ass, rightfully so because she never listens in class. She thinks everyone is the problem but her, but I can't say anything because she's my best friend and would probably think I'm betraying her.

So instead, I just pretend to listen and give a simple "Oh" or "Oh my god" so she thinks I'm listening to her.

"Have you finished the homework?" Angela asks.

"Yea. I finished it in class while she was going over it. It's super easy."

"Can you send it to me then? I won't have time to do it tonight. Me and Claude are going to FaceTime."

I want to roll my eyes but instead I just say, "Sure. I've got to go. Mama is calling me down for dinner."

She thanks me and tells me bye before I hang up the phone.

The only reason I'm friends with her is so that I don't get tossed into the wrong crowd at school. Everyone at school is super mean and cruel and now that Jamie is gone, I don't have anyone to protect me. So, I started hanging out with Angela who happens to be the type of person I would normally stay away from.

I still talk to Jamie but not that much since he is busy with Triple A, All Assassins Academy. Which is a private school that trains killers and creates monsters.

He is going there to learn the basics because he wants to be a hacker, which he technically already is because he's a genius. He told me he wants to learn more combat skills which is why he went.

I put my book down and close my laptop before putting both on my side table. I reach over and unhook my phone from the charger at the same time I feel it vibrate with a text.

I assume that it's Angela asking for the answers but when I look at the screen, I see an unknown number.

Reign?

I furrow my eyebrows before unlocking my phone and reading the phone number. It's a Bulgarian phone number so it could probably be someone from my school.

Yes? Who's this?

They respond almost immediately as if they had been waiting for my text.

Call me your Star.

How'd you get my number?

Don't worry about it. Instead, how about you tell me what you're doing right now.

I don't even know you.

You will. Now indulge me.

What if you're some murderer or trying to gather information from me to kill me?

You're a mafia princess with a lot of power. You shouldn't worry about someone behind a screen.

How does this guy know I'm related to the mafia? How does this guy know who I am in general?

I should be showing this to Papa or Jamie so they can deal with it, but I can't help but keep typing. I feel adrenaline run through my veins.

You aren't supposed to know that.

I know a lot about you Reign Pierce. I know you have these bright blue eyes that make people stop in their tracks and just stare into your eyes for hours. I know that you love talking to the stars because no one at home listens to you. I know that you only hangout with that certain crowd because you're too scared to be alone or bullied at school because your high school is known for that type of shit. I know your favorite color is white and you love daisies because your granddad would always give you them as a child. I also know that at night, when no one is looking, you like to touch yourself to those erotic books you read. Tell me I'm wrong.

Blush creeps up my neck and flushes across my cheeks.

Oh my god.

What a weirdo.

Is he a stalker or something?

My phone dings with another message.

Now you're wondering if I'm outside your window or have a camera in your room, but I don't. I just know you.

Who are you?

Can't reveal myself quite yet, Reign.

Tell me a clue.

I'll do you one better. We'll keep talking until I think you might have a clue as to who I am or until we meet again.

We've met before?

Yes.

Should I be scared?

Definitely.

Tell me a clue.

Does this mean you’re in?

Yes.

As I wait for his text to roll in, my toes curl in anticipation.

I should be showing this to Papa so he can handle it, but this feels like a fun forbidden secret, like the ones from my books.

It’s fun and exciting.

Can't be that bad.

We met under the stars.