The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"I know, I know," mom says with a sigh, flopping down next to me on her stomach. "I am willing to wait. And if you decide you don't want kids, Ariel, that's fine too - I'll badger Rafe and Junie and Mark, because one of you will have to give in. I just..." she shrugs, and I look over at her seriously as I clutch the contraceptive tonic to my chest, "I want you to be in charge of your choices. I want you to decide when and if you have kids. And that," she says, pointing to the tonic, "helps with that."

I consider my mom seriously for a moment, and then the tonic in my hands, and then I sit up with a new curiosity burning in me. Well, does it like, change anything?" I ask curiously. "Will my period be different? What does it taste like?"

Mom laughs, and begins to tell me everything, and it's the start of a very long, very detailed, and very important chat.

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In fact, our chat is so long that it only ends with a big thump on my door that makes both of us jump, but which we know can only be one thing.

"Arielll," Mark groans, slumped against the outside of my door. I laugh, because he's been doing this since he was a kid. Markie doesn't knock - he just throws his body against the door and starts talking. "Stop hogging mom! Some of us need help with our bow ties!"

"Bow ties?" I call, "what are you talking about?"

My handle twists and Markie comes in then, and I gasp to see him all dressed up in a tuxedo, looking down at the two ends of the bow tie in his hands. "Mark!" I squeak, thrilled. "You look so handsome!"

"Really?" he says, grinning and striking a pose for me. "I'm not cute anymore? I'm handsome?"

"You're both," I say, nodding, decided, and my baby laughs and jumps on the bed with us, pleased to be so complimented. I laugh too, watching him with a bit of fascination, because it's not like I've never seen Mark in a tux before mom dresses us up formally for all sorts of occasions. It's just that he really did grow up in the few months that we were away. He looks...god, he looks like an adult now.All rights © NôvelDrama.Org.

Soon the girls are going to be all over him, and I won't know what to do.

"Come here, Markito," mom murmurs, holding out her hands for him. "Let me tie that tie."

"I'm not going," Juniper sighs at the doorway, and I turn my head to look over at her, a grin immediately taking my face. She's slumped against my doorframe, her arms crossed, her eyes rolled up to the ceiling. "I don't have anything to wear. So, I'm not going. Plus, it's a primeval form of entertainment, watching two men beat each other to bits."

"Oh Juuuune," mom sighs, waving her to come in as Mark scootches closer to her. "Come in, you can raid Ariel's closet, I'm sure she has something that will look amazing on you."

"She so can not raid my closet!" I gasp, even as I subtly tuck the contraceptive potion away beneath my pillow, not really ready for Mark and Juniper to know about this burgeoning aspect of my life.

"Ariel, you don't even know what's in your closet," mom murmurs, rolling her eyes, "how would you even know if Junie wore I bought for you or for her?"

"You have to pay rental fees by the hour!" I say, pointing a finger at June as she wanders over to my wardrobe. "And don't spill anything on it!" I don't mean it, not really - I never care if my sister borrows my clothes. I just like to torture her about it.

Juniper, knowing this, completely ignores me.

A little gasp comes at the door and I turn to see Daphne standing there, staring at me. "Ariel!" she says, a little freaked out. "Why aren't you ready!? we have to like...go!"

"What," I say with a frown, looking at the clock. "We have like, an hour, Daphne -"

"And you have to get ready!" she says, scurrying into the room, looking amazing in a red dress.

"Daph!" I say, gaping and putting out a hand with my palm out. She skitters to a stop, not knowing what I mean, and I just stare at her. "That dress looks insane on you!"

Daphne blushes, but I can tell that she's pleased as she gives a tiny ironic curtsey. "Daphne Designs, of course," she says, waving a hand down to gesture to the expanse of the sleeveless dress that hugs her every curve all the way down to the intricately pleated skirt, which flares out at her hips and spreads around her, all the way to the ground. It's just a few shades darker red than her hair, which I never realized would look so good until I see it now in person.

"You made this?" mom gasps, standing and moving to Daphne's side now that Mark's tie is tied. Daphne laughs and nods, again pleased, and mom admires the dress extensively. I grin, likewise pleased, especially because I can tell that not an ounce of mom's compliments are flattery.