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This campus has five buildings aside from the main one we were just in. I have classes this semester in two of them, but from what Zander explained, the other buildings are for courses that are more specific to certain degrees. So if I decide to stay and pick a major, I’ll probably spend my time in each of them.
As we walk, I notice both girls and guys wave at Trent and greet him as he passes. He smiles and sends them greetings in return. Hazel and Leo are both ignored, not that it seems to bother either of them. But I can feel eyes on me as I walk. When I look up, I find that most people are looking at me with questions in their eyes. Some are just curious, while others look downright hostile.
“Why the fuck is everyone looking at me like I’m an alien?” I ask Hazel.
She cringes a bit. “I was hoping you won’t notice, but I guess it’s hard not to, huh?” She asks me as we continue down the path, and I just nod because how could I not notice?
She lets out a sign. “Well, honestly, there could be a lot of reasons. The city is huge, but most people here are from wealthy families, and the wealthy in the city tend to stick together no matter what.” She scrunches up her face as if the thought is ridiculous, and I agree. What does money have to do with anything? I don’t think I’ll ever understand rich people.
She lowers her voice and leans into me a bit. “Which means that everyone knows who you are.” She gives me a small frown as if she’s sorry to be the one to tell me. It doesn’t bother me, though. I had no delusion that word wouldn’t spread, and I’m not ashamed of who I am. I did what I had to so that I could survive, something that I’m sure most of these rich kids will never understand. Nothing about that is shameful, no matter what they might think.
I wave that off. “Okay, I get that, and whatever, that doesn’t bother me.”
She looks at me with shock clear on her face. I guess that’s not what she expected me to say.
“What I don’t understand is why some of them are looking at me like I’ve personally done them wrong. Besides you three and the guys, I don’t even know any of these people.” I tell her, not even bothering to whisper.
As if to prove my point, I spot a girl sitting at one of the tables in the middle of the lawn. She’s pretty enough, I guess, but nothing about her seems natural. I can see the layers of makeup from here, and while it appears to be done well, I can’t imagine why someone would want to wear that much shit on their face. Her hair is a dark brown and lays pin straight down to her mid-back. I don’t know shit about name brands, but I would bet my favorite boots that everything on her is designer. Her whole appearance screams expensive.
She sits on top of the table with her feet on the bench, surrounded by a few other girls and guys who all look dressed the same way she is. They all have an air of superiority about them that has me making a mental note to steer clear of them. I can’t stand when people treat others like they are less than them based on how much money they have. I’ve seen it a thousand times when I was paraded around on rich men’s arms; it’s disgusting.
I hadn’t even realized I'd stopped walking until Hazel nudges my arm to try and get my attention.
The girl on the table stares at me with a look that I’m sure usually has people turning and running away, but not me.
I could beat her ass with my eyes closed. Hell, I could probably take everyone at that table without breaking a sweat. But, if she wants to intimidate me, she’ll have to try harder than throwing dirty looks at me.
Hazel nudges me again, and I pull my eyes away from the girl to look at her. She quickly looks at the girl before looking back at me, the panic in her eyes clear as day. She pulls my arm a bit to try and get me to follow, but I stay rooted in the spot.
“Who is that?” I ask her, my voice coming out just a little too forcibly, and I take a breath to calm myself. I don’t like how she looked at me, and I didn’t like the fear in Hazel’s eyes when she looked at her.
Hazel looks down at her feet before looking up at me again, a pleading look on her face as if she just wants to get out of here. Finally, when I don’t move, she lets out a sigh and hangs her head slightly.
“That’s Mai. She’s Amanda's best friend, and for the most part, they run this school as far as the social standard for girls.” She says in a rushed whisper as if she’s concerned someone will overhear her. “The Vengeance boys are the top here. They donate the most and can pretty much do what they want. But Amanda and Mai’s family have gone here for generations, and before the guys, they were the top donors. There are a few other families as well, but they all answer to those two, and you don’t want to even be on their radar Jade.” Her voice goes up an octave, and she’s rambling on so quickly that I have to really pay attention to catch what she’s saying.
“Okay, but why does she care about me? What the fuck did I do that has her panties in a twist?” I ask because I didn’t come here to make enemies, I have more than enough of those, and they are a lot bigger than some snotty college girl who can throw her money around.
Hazel looks at the table again and sees that Mai is still looking this way. I see her throat work as she swallows hard, her lips turned down in a frown. Hazel is afraid of this girl, and I want to know why. You don’t have this kind of reaction to someone for no reason. Trust me, I know.
“Hazel?” I call her name, pulling her attention back to me.
“She wants the Vengeance boys.” She says, her voice no more than a whisper.
I laugh when she tells me that. I can’t help it because that has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard.
“You cannot be serious.” I say once I get my laughter under control again.
She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind for a moment, her face scrunching up in annoyance, and okay, I deserve that. I just laughed in her face, but how could she not find this all crazy?
“Of course I’m serious. Amanda and Mai have been after the guys for years now, and they never give them the time of day. Now you come in on their arm, showing up to parties with them, and rumor has it you live in their house!” She’s once again whisper yelling at me as she flails her arms around, and she looks adorable. I don’t dare tell her that, though, because I can see just how serious she thinks this is, and while I’m not worried about it, I can tell she is.
I put my hand on her shoulder and gently squeeze, hoping to calm her down. It seems to work when Roderick and Kratos do it to me, so it’s worth a shot.
She drops her arms and looks at me. I’m almost shocked with just how well that worked if I’m being honest.
“Don’t worry about me. I can more than handle anything any of them can throw at me.” She doesn’t look convinced. “I promise I’ll be fine, okay?”
She looks at me for a moment, searching my face before she gives me a stiff nod.
