“And… who’s that?”
“He’s as much of a King as his last name. Heir of King Enterprises and of this damn school. His and the others’ parents own this place and you don’t want shit with them.”
“Okay.”
I don’t want shit with him either. He’s too attractive for that. Though I can’t place whatever got into me when I locked gazes with him.
Boys don’t interest me. I’m too nerdy for that and my studies always came above any boy drama.
That won’t change now.
Especially since my Cambridge dream is within reach.
Then why am I itching for another glimpse at those metallic eyes?
“Oh. Damn!” Kimberly curses again. “They’re coming this way.”
I glance over my shoulder and sure enough, Aiden and Xander stride towards us and the rest of the football team follow like a gang in a mafia film. All laughter disappears and even the bystander’s chatter halts abruptly and a tomb-like silence conquers the air.
The crowd parts for them like the red sea did for Moses.
“Run!” Kimberly whisper-yells, her nails digging into my wrist until I’m sure she’ll draw blood.
“Why would I run?”
Due to my struggles with Kimberly, they reach us in no time and block our epic failure run to the exit.
Up close, Aiden’s eyelashes are thick and as inky as his hair. A small, beauty mole sits at the edge of his deep, smoky eyes.
He stares down at me with a cold, foggy edge that matches the colour of his eyes.
Call it instinct, but something tells me I should be scared of him.
Like that prisoned thing from earlier, something claws at the corners of my chest, screaming at me to run and never look back.
That’s ridiculous. I don’t know Aiden, why should I run?
“Isn’t it Berly?” Xander asks Kimberly in a detached tone before his lips curve into a cruel smirk. “You look even nerdier this year.”
Everyone around us bursts into laughter, throwing fat-shaming remarks her way. My cheeks tint in red on Kim’s behalf, but it’s not due to embarrassment.
My blood boils to smash Xander’s golden boy looks to the ground.
I open my mouth to say something, but I’m cut off when Kim lowers her head, lips trembling, and sprints past Xander to the exit.
He follows her with a smirk tilting his lips.
I should’ve seen what’ll happen next coming.
I don’t.
A strong hand wraps around my throat and pushes me against the wall. My back hits the brick and pain shoots down my spine and tightens the pit of my stomach.
I always thought myself brave, but nothing, absolutely nothing could’ve prepared me for this sudden, aggressive attack from a complete stranger.
The grey eyes I thought were beautiful seconds ago glare into my soul with murderous intent. The dark shadow on his face terrifies me more than his grip on my throat.
His other hand clutches my jaw, and my lips tremble at the thought that he’ll snap my neck.
“W-What are you doing?”
He leans forward so his mouth hovers inches away from mine and growls. “I will destroy you.”
Those words seal my fate.
Chapter Two
Two years later,
Senior year. Last year before Cambridge.
Can I skip the entire thing and somehow still end up in Cambridge?
According to the obligatory grades’ system, that’s impossible.
The Mini Cooper swerves in the school’s car park so hard, the tires screech in protest.
I gasp. “Kim!”
She grins at me as if she didn’t almost run us into a pole. “What? Silver almost got the spot and I’m not letting that bitch walk all over me anymore.”
My lips pull in a smile. I’m so proud of how far Kim has come during this summer. She went on a camping trip for self-spirituality and came back as this confident, smiley girl.
If only I could let go of my inner chaos as successfully as her.
She stares at her face in the rearview mirror. “How do I look?”
Another thing about Kim’s trip? She lost more than twenty pounds and returned with this model-like body. Even her face has thinned, giving her cheekbones an alluring edge. Although I do miss her chubby cheeks. The mint-green coloured highlights make her appear like a fairy. She wore her skirt short, too short. Like a gust of wind can show her underwear, short.
I release my seatbelt. “You were always pretty, Kim.”
“Only to you, Ellie.” She rolls her eyes. “And my dad, but you guys don’t count.”
“Hey,” I scowl. “Rude.”
She sticks out her tongue. Determination sparking in her deep green eyes. “Today, I’ll show all those suckers what I’m made of. I’ll walk with my head held high like you.”
I can’t help the awkward smile breaking free. Kim thinks I’m that courageous, but she doesn’t know the entire truth.
Silver bangs on Kim’s window, her nostrils flaring. “You fat bitch!”
Two of her minions follow after her like she’s their mama duck. They’re all huffing and puffing, but I doubt it has anything to do with the weather.
Silver Queens is every bit the cliché of a mean girl. Blonde. Tall. Slender. Her mother is a member of the parliament. Her father is a minister. She also belongs to the school’s best students. Aka, the top ten per cent.
She has it all and makes sure everyone in Royal Elite School — or RES — knows it.
Kim lowers her window, grins at Silver, and flips her middle finger. “Fuck you, bitch.”
Silver and her minions’ jaws drop so hard, so fast, they turn speechless.
I’m speechless, too.
My best friend doesn’t curse and she certainly doesn’t flip people off — or bullies, to be more specific.
Kim didn’t only change in appearance. Nuh-uh. The world needs whatever self-confidence training she had.
“Let’s go, Elle.” Kim opens her door, pushing the dumbfounded mean girls back.
I take my backpack and exit, too. I hold my head high as I stare down at Silver.
“What are you looking at, Frozen?” Silver snarls.
Of course.
The beloved nickname at RES.
But it’s not because of the Disney film. No.
Since the first day I walked into RES, I’ve been instantly marked as an outcast.
Kim and I were the butt-end of every fat and nerd joke. While Kim – the old Kim – hid in the garden behind the school until everyone went to class, I walked the hallway with my head held high.
Aunt and Uncle didn’t raise me to be stepped on. I kept to myself, but I never let them touch my dignity.
Apparently, I have an epic resting bitch face. Thus the nickname.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” I keep my expression neutral as I meet Silver’s malicious eyes. “You’re not important enough for me to stare at.”
I interlace my arm with Kim and walk into the school’s huge doors. The ten towers appear eerie like they belong to a horror film, not a prestigious old architecture.
But then again, that’s how I categorised RES since that first day.
My hands turn clammy and my body tightens as if I’m off to battle.
Kim smiles, but it’s forced and makes her nose twitch in anxiousness.