Page 45 of The Prom

Fuck, this is all I need and my mind races to come up with an excuse.

“Sounds good, but I’m meeting–”

“Sonia.” She adds, and I smile apologetically.

“Yeah, she’s in town and I’m meeting her there.”

“I see,” Principal Constable huffs with frustration.

“Never mind, but before you go, I really could use a word.”

“Sure.”

I join her on the veranda and she leans back on the seat, my heart sinking when I realize how close that will make us. Sitting here with Imogen was a pleasure. I can’t say the same about Angela Constable.

She moves even closer and lowers her voice.

“Drake, I um–” She giggles nervously. “It’s, well, a little delicate.”

I really wish I was anywhere else but here right now, and she shifts closer, her hand resting on my bare knee.

“We work well together.”

She states a fact that isn’t one, and I wonder where she’s going with this.

I say nothing and she whispers huskily, “It can get kind of lonely stuck in the academy away from our loved ones and sometimes it’s important to form connections with the other members of staff.”

“Connections?”

Her finger draws circles on my knees and I shift uncomfortably.

“What I am about to tell you must remain confidential, Drake, even if you decide it is not for you.”

“I’m listening.”

She whispers, “A few like-minded teachers have formed a club if you like, one with an exclusive membership. The only requirement is an open mind, and I am here to extend that invitation to you.”

My heart thumps as she prepares to deliver the invitation, and she says in a low husky voice, “We meet every Friday night in my suite of rooms. It’s the only place we are guaranteed our privacy.”

She increases the pressure on my leg, her nails scratching against the skin, sending a prickle of revulsion through my entire body.

“There are no strings attached to membership. No judgment and no questions asked, just pure fun and what happens in those rooms stays there. It has no bearing on any academy business but can offer a few benefits to your professional life. Club members stick together and I am here to issue you an invitation to become one of them.”

I take a deep breath. “What does membership involve?”

She leans closer, her lips hovering at my ear. “You’re a grown up, Drake. What do you think it involves?”

I swallow hard.

“There are seven of us. There were eight but Miss Sloane, as you know, left the academy and hasn’t been replaced. After consulting with my fellow members, we were unanimous in selecting you.”

She smiles provocatively. “An equal number of men and women. You get the idea, although I would also suggest an openmind is a requirement, as a person’s sex doesn’t really feature in our pursuit of, shall we say, satisfaction?”

I say nothing because what the actual fuck? A swingers club in the principal’s apartment wasn’t high up on my priority list and I struggle to act interested.

“Who else is involved?”

“Does it matter?”

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