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Chapter ten
AVA
Stoneisafucking prick. And a child. And gorgeous, but that’s irrelevant. When I saw him yesterday morning, I could’ve sworn he was interested, but he takes the interschool rivalry so seriously that now I’m excommunicado. He’s civil at home, though, so I guess I will be too. Well, if silently brooding counts as being civil. It has to be the guy I’ve somehow pissed off that I now live with. I don’t care. I’ll avoid him and his pathetic friends at school, spend my free time out of this house and with Millie, and fake it over dinner. If I managed to pretend I liked the fake people from Highland for the last two years, then I can pretend to tolerate him for an hour a day. I’ve got two terms left, and then I’ll decide what to do.
By lunchtime the next day, I’m getting really sick and tired of everyone’s comments and giggles. I just wanted a fresh start, to be completely anonymous. The problem is, I’m realising that I’m not one to sit and take it or let it beat me down without my father keeping me in line. I want to retaliate to everyone that mutters under their breath as I walk past or coughs “slut” as I turn a corner. Guess spending so long being the perfect-mannered doormat has backfired right now, because years of pent-up frustration and anger are slowly simmering to the surface.
I get to Business Econ in a foul mood and slump into my chair. I’ve already done this module they’re working on, and it’s my easiest subject, so I’m daydreaming a bit and end up watching the guy unfortunate enough to get stuck next to me. He’s pretty cute, with short brown hair and glasses that give him a geek-chic vibe but in an extremely expensive way. He didn’t sneer when I sat down or get up and move, so that earned him a point in my book. Easily pleased over here, clearly. I study him out of the corner of my eye for a while, mainly observing his reaction to me, until it’s obvious he’s really struggling with the workbook. I’ve got some time to kill and haven’t spoken to anyone since dinner last night, so I may be a little bit desperate, but hey, I’ll help where I can.
“Shall I help?” I offer, and he turns to face me. Thankfully, this teacher is a hard ass, so no one is risking not working on the assignment.
“Do you mind?”
“Of course not.”
I take some time to explain the work to him, and I can tell the moment when he gets it because his eyes light up as if someone switched them on, making him even more handsome.
“Wow, that actually makes sense now. Thank you so much.”
“Any time,” I say, smiling genuinely for the first time all day.
“Do you mean that?”
“Sure.”
He leans in to whisper to me. “Would you tutor me, then? I’m in real danger of flunking out of this class. It’s the maths aspect I can’t get to grips with.” That’s more than I was expecting, but I realise I’m happy to do it, so I nod, and we agree to go straight to the library after school.
“I’m Cole, by the way.”
“Ava,” I offer back, and he smiles.
“So I heard.” I roll my eyes but smile along with him. So far, out of all my classes, I’ve only got one with each of the guys and one with Cole. Neither of the bitchy girls from before are on the same degree path, I assume, as I haven’t seen them during class hours. I can do this.
My next class is the one with Stone, but he still ignores me. I guess now that everyone has the allocated nickname for me, he no longer needs to bother speaking to me himself. Whatever. I sit in the same seat as last time, which means he’s behind me, and I try my best to ignore the fact that he’s there and focus on the class. It only half works, and the hour drags as I have to reread everything on my sheet.
Just as I breathe a sigh of relief at the start of my final class of the day, all three guys come through at the same time as the bell rings. I really can’t catch a break.
“You only just made it, gentlemen,” the teacher halfheartedly chides, but a cheeky grin from Mason has him blushing. Guess that works on everyone except me. “We’re carrying on with our group projects,” he tells the whole class as they take their seats. I don’t know what they are, and once again, the lecturer has ignored my existence, so I awkwardly look around as everyone shuffles into little groups.
“Little Highland doesn’t have a group, teach,” Mason calls out, and everyone in the room spins to look at me. I can feel my face heating. The lecturer blinks at me a few times as if just realising I’m there and looks around at the different groups. Everyone turns away as he gets to them. This might be the most mortifying moment of my life. Not that I want to work with any of them, but blatant rejection from the whole class is a lot. “She can join us,” Mason shouts with an “oof” at the end, as if he’s just been hit.
“I’m fine,” I say quietly to the teacher. “I can start the project alone.”
“It’s due after spring break,” he says, as if I’m an idiot. “Part of the mark is on teamwork.” Okay, I hate this guy. It’s not exactly my fault I’m the school leper.
“Little Highland, over here.” I stay facing the front, but the lecturer gestures me over to their table as if Mason calls the shots around here, which I guess they probably do. I’d put money on the five I bumped into on my first morning being part of Oakview’s version of the Court. Sighing but accepting my fate, I pick my stuff up and move over. There’s no way I’m flunking any part of this degree because of them.
“Come sit with me,” Mason says, moving forward a row so it’ll be more like a square than all of us in a line. I sit there because it makes sense, and because the other option is sitting next to Stone, and he’s radiating anger. Probably pissed that he’s having to spend any time with me right now. Mason launches into an explanation of their project so far, and it sounds really good, which shocks me. I assumed they’d be the type to do the bare minimum, knowing their money or influence could get a pass either way, but it doesn’t look that way. The other two join in as Mason moves on to discussing what part I can take. I haven’t uttered a word yet, and they come to the conclusion that they’ll leave me with the hardest final part that would probably take weeks normally.
“Are you getting involved or what?” Stone asks. “We’re not dragging you through this.”
“It’ll be fine,” I reply with an overly sweet smile, and he frowns. Good. Don’t underestimate me, fucker. I could do this with my eyes closed.
“See? She’ll be fine,” Mason says with a grin at Stone as his eyes narrow, and for some reason, I feel he’ll be the easiest on me.
“Thanks, Mason,” I say to him with a much more genuine smile. Well, fake-genuine.
“You’re welcome. Stone you already know, and the quiet one here is Reid. I doubt he’s introduced himself, even if you do share a class.” It surprises me that he’s told them that. I could’ve sworn he didn’t even realise I was there, but oh well. I nod, not knowing what else to say, and the bell ringing makes me jump. That went quickly. I don’t say bye as I grab my bag and leave as quickly as possible.
It’s nice to spend some time with someone who’s not side-eyeing me, and Cole seems comfortable being here with me, which is nice. I guess it’s because we’re practically alone, not surrounded by other students. He’s taken off his tie and messed up his hair by the time we get through the final exercise, but he’s grinning as he completes it.
“Thanks so much, Ava,” he says genuinely.
“Of course. Same time next week?” I’m not sure if he’ll want to make this a regular thing with me being outcast #1, but he smiles and nods.
“You’re the best.” He packs his stuff up and leaves me to finish my coursework. I notice his tie still here and grab it to hurry after him, but of course, I nearly bump into Winnie on the way out of an aisle. She gives me a filthy look up and down before zeroing in on the tie in my hand.
“Eurgh. Fucking people in the library now? Have some class.”
“Oh, please. I bet the only reason you come in here is to get on your knees.” From the look on her face, it’s clear there’s at least some truth to that, but she’s also fuming that I’ve dared talk back to her. Well, fuck that. I’m not bowing down to anybody.
“Don’t talk to me like that, you dirty little slut.” Perfect. That’s definitely sticking, then. It’s almost laughable, the change from frigid bitch at Highland to dirty slut at Oakview. Do you think they could collate some of their intel? God knows where the idea I’m a slut came from.
“How about we just don’t talk at all?” I suggest as I walk past her, catching her shoulder on the way past and heading out of the building. Cole is long gone, so I’ll have to give him his tie back tomorrow.
I get home and no one seems to be around, but I hear splashing as I get myself a drink. Idle curiosity drags me towards the double doors. I almost drop my glass when I see Stone pull himself out of the pool, water running down his chest. And what a spectacular chest. I didn’t think I’d ever be jealous of water, but wow, that guy is perfect. To look at, anyway. His personality could use some work, but physically, he’s definitely a winner. I’ve tried to ignore quite how good looking he is since the moment he outed himself as a grade A wanker, but the memory of his touch igniting my skin comes back unbidden. I’m not proud to admit I stand there for way longer than is probably moral, taking in his defined abs and the teasing V pointing down into swim shorts that hug his toned thighs. He sweeps a hand over his chiselled jaw before pushing back his wet hair, so dark it looks like ink. Thankfully, or not, he’s too far away for me to see his eyes, and the fact that I’m slightly disappointed at that is what has me coming back to reality. Stepping away from the doors, I sneak upstairs like the perv I clearly am. Time to crack on with this project. I have a point to prove.
