by Ivy Clyde
Panic rose inside me just as the car started moving away. I turned around to look back at Ruben who was waving at us. Clara stood beside him, a worried expression spreading on her face. Part of me wanted to jump out of the car and run back to them. What the hell was I thinking? There was no way I could face stepping into a new school.
“You should have taken my offer and got the fuck out of here.” Liam’s cool voice broke me of my panicked thoughts.
I turned around to face him. He was incredibly handsome. The sunlight filtering through the clear glass window fell on his sleek, shiny locks. His eyes were a deep azure, reminding me of the brightest summer sky. Why did he have to be such a jerk to me?
“I don’t want your money. I told you that already.”
“You’re already taking it,” he grit out. “Do you think a school like Knightswood takes in charity cases like you? My mother paid for your tuition.”
I nodded. “And I am grateful to her for that. I am determined to do well and get into a good college with scholarship. Once I start working, I’ll pay her back.”
A strange look came over him. The hostile expression vanished from his face and he turned away from me. For the rest of the way, he ignored me. Each time I glanced at him, he seemed sad.
What did I say to get that reaction? I wondered all the way to Knightswood.
After an hour’s ride, the car came to a stop. My mouth really fell open as the brick-red building of Knightswood Academy rose up before me. It was so close, I had to bend my neck backward to see the highest point. I’d never been this near to the school of my dreams. From the old brochures to the day I stood outside its gates, I never imagined being here.
Even though I was nervous, a strange kind of determination buzzed inside me. It was time to step inside and hold tight the opportunity that life threw in my direction.
“How long do you plan to just sit there and gawk out the window like a dog?” Liam’s irritated voice brought me back to earth.
I hurried out of the car. The morning sunshine shone over me as I stepped out. A cool breeze blew by, fluttering the skirt of my uniform. Students walked by us, entering the main school building. They all passed me by until they saw Liam near me. That’s when they started whispering to their friends and pointing at me.
“Go and meet the principal,” said Liam. The sadness in his vanished. He smiled at me mockingly. “Get your lessons sorted. I’ll go take care of your accommodations.”
“Uhh, thanks,” I said, feeling uneasy. Liam would never be this helpful. That much I knew about him even though I’d only known him for a day.
I was about to go when someone sneaked up behind him and grabbed him around the shoulder. Liam didn’t even flinch before jabbing the attacker in the ribs.
“Oww!” A laughing guy stepped in front of him. His mirthful gaze settled on me. When I met his soft sea-green eyes, I recognized him instantly. He was the tall, handsome boy who’d smiled at me that day. “Hello,” he said, leaning before me until he was at my eye-level.
This close, my gaze dropped to his luscious lips. “Hi,” I blurted. My heart pounded in my chest as heat rushed to my face. His smile widened, revealing sharp white canines.
“Get away from the Charity Case,” said Liam in an annoyed voice, grabbing the boy’s shoulders and pulling him away from me.
“Hey, hey!” The boy stumbled backward but easily gained his footing. “I saw you the other day. Do you remember me?”
I nodded, trying not to show the effect he was having on me. More people glanced my way now, making me feel even more self-conscious.
“Your hair is beautiful,” said the stranger, stepping close and picking up a lock in his hands. To my surprise, he actually took a whiff of it before laying it back on my shoulder. My heart was racing and the blush on my cheeks grew hotter. “You’re really cute. I’m Gabrielle, by the way,” he said, extending a hand towards me.
“I’m Paris,” I said, hating the way my voice turned squeaky. Clearing my throat, I took the hand he offered.
“Enough,” said Liam, pushing Gabrielle out of the way before I could shake his hand. “We don’t socialize with the help.”
“What?” Both Gabrielle and I stared at him.
Liam’s cold blue eyes focused on me. “Follow the main corridor and go up the stairs to the first floor. You will find the office there.”
I nodded, slinging the satchel bag on my shoulder.
“Bye,” I said with a small wave at Gabrielle and walked towards the building. As my distance from them increased, the students went back to ignoring me again. No one came in my way as I headed inside the main front hall of the academy.
Everything was better than I could’ve imagined. Unlike my old school, everything was clean and polished. Sunlight fell through the clear glass windows set high above the walls, illuminating the vast hall with natural light. One part of the wall was lined with portraits of famous alumni, one of them being a former president of the country.
I took in a deep breath before moving further down the hall. Paris Johnson is finally here, I said to myself. Stay with me, Mom. Don’t let me get lost in this place.
Taking Liam’s directions, I walked down the corridor until I came across the staircase he’d mentioned. Following it up, I came onto the first-floor landing. The plaques across the rooms told me it was the administration wing of the school. I moved forward, looking out for the principal’s room.
“You must be the new student,” said someone from behind me.
Turning around, I faced a tall woman in a severely-cut black suit. She was in her late sixties, judging by the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth.
“I am looking for Principal Thorne.”
She nodded. “Follow me.”
The strange lady led me further down the hall until we came upon an empty glass-walled office space. A plaque on the door announced it to be the principal’s office. “Come inside.” Leading me inside the room, she walked up to the vast table and sat on the chair behind it.
“You’re Principal Thorne?” I asked.
“Yes, Miss Johnson. You’ve found me.” Her gaze swept me from head to foot. “I have gone through your records at Kensington. They are impressive.”
A breath exhaled out of me. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“The science program in our school is much more advanced though. You can expect university level exam questions and the labs are state-of-the-art. Our students are always in high demand by the best universities in the country. Expect to work harder than ever, Miss Johnson.”
I nodded, strengthening my resolve. “I will.”
“I didn’t really want you here,” said the principal with a downward tug to her mouth. “My school is reputed for holding a certain kind of reputation among its peers. You need both money and talent to be here.” Her pale blue eyes observed me critically. “Being Mrs. Davenport’s ward, you have money, but what about talent?”
“I will work hard,” I said. My hands were balled into tight fists. No matter how much effort it took, I would make my mom proud.
“For your sake, I hope you do,” said Ms. Thorne. “We keep very high standards when it comes to discipline. You understand what I’m staying?”
I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. Go out and meet Mrs. O’Donnell. She will give you the schedule for your classes. If you want any changes, discuss with her. Good day, Miss Johnson.”
And just like that, I was dismissed.
Over the next half hour, I made a list of all the classes I wanted to attend. They had all the science subjects I was studying back at Kensington. Math and English were mandatory. There were a variety of extracurricular activities offered at the school which included polo and fencing. Part of me was tempted to sign up for them but I needed to focus on my studies for now. I couldn’t let myself be distracted.
“Where do I go now?” I asked Mrs. O’Donnell. “Do I start classes right away?”
“No. You need to go through
a small orientation before that.” She got to her feet. “Stay here until I get someone to show you around.”
I sat in the chair for a long time, watching the other men and women working at their computers. Principal Thorne was visible through the glass walls of her office. She was going through sheets in a file, frowning at what she saw.
When she came back, Mrs. O’Donnell was accompanied by a tall, lanky boy. His eyes took me in curiously.
“This is Tom Hilton,” she said, introducing him to me. “He will show you around the campus so you can get to your classes without any problems. Mr. Hilton shares most of his classes with you. He will also show you where you’ll be staying.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, getting to my feet. Meeting the guy’s curious gaze, I said a small ‘hi’.
With a nod, he walked out of the room. Rushing after him, I jogged until I reached him. “I’m Paris,” I said, looking up at him. He halted, looking down at me strangely.
“What did you do to him?” he asked.
“What?”
He shook his head, taking long strides through the corridor, leaving me to hurry after me.
We came out of the main building, walking across the vast, sweeping lawns of the school. “Those are the student dorms,” he said, pointing at the rows of apartment complexes in the distance. I’d seen them before in the brochures. “You, however, will be staying elsewhere.”
“What do you mean?”
“Follow me.”
He led the way to the outskirts of the school’s perimeter. Tall trees came into my view as we neared the edge of the woods surrounding the school.
“That’s where you’ll live,” he said, pointing at a shabby cottage in the distance.
“No way,” I whispered, staring at the lonely, little hut. “That must be a shed or something.”
“It was,” said Tom. “Now it’s where you’re going to be living for the next two years.”
“What? There’s got to be a mistake!” I insisted.
“There’s no mistake,” said a disturbingly familiar voice behind me. Liam strolled forward, his gait easy, his face lit up with a cruel smirk. “That’s where the school’s charity cases live.”
“I’m not a charity case,” I shouted, feeling my anger rising. “Your mom paid for my tuition. You said so yourself!”
“She did but she didn’t pay for your accommodations before leaving. I did that. And that’s all I’m paying for a charity case like you.” He walked towards me, stopping when he was mere inches away from me. Leaning down until he could look into my eyes, he said, “Don’t tell me you lived anywhere better than that before.”
Tears pricked my eyes but I forced them away. I wouldn’t let him insult the bakery and apartment my mom and I lived in. It was the result of our hard work, not something that was passed down to us.
“Last chance, Charity Case,” said Liam, hooking a finger under my chin. Despite my anger, I felt a stream of heat course through my body from the spot he touched me. “Take the money and get out of here. You don’t belong here.”
“Don’t touch me,” I snapped, slapping his hand away.
Anger flitted through those blue orbs but he was quick to mask it.
“You think I’ll leave this school just because you’re going to make me stay in that cottage?”
“Of course, you can tattle to my mother and get better arrangements done. But do you know the rent of those student apartments a month? It’s four thousand dollars. How long will it take you to pay it back even if you get a job?”
“What about this cottage?” I asked, seething.
“Oh, that?” said Liam with a mocking laugh. “It’s free, of course. It used to belong to the groundskeeper but he’s been shifted to better lodging than that.”
“Fuck you,” I said, seething.
He stepped closer, so close that my breasts brushed against his chest. Before I could move backward, he grabbed my arm and jerked me against him. “You will speak in a more humble tone than that with me.”
“Let go!” I shouted, struggling to get out of his hold.
His grip tightened on my arm painfully, making me yell out. Something snapped inside him and he suddenly pushed me away.
“My mom’s already on a flight, so do what you want. Stay here or go away. You’re on your own until she lands in Hong Kong.” Turning away, he called for Tom. “Give her a map of the campus and quit the tour. You got classes to attend. The charity case won’t be here long enough to make it worth your time.
Tom cast one look at me before following Liam, leaving me to stand at the edge of the woods.
8
Paris
My hands pushed at the unlocked door of the cottage.
Slowly swinging forward, it greeted me with a surprisingly large space. Stepping inside, I tried the switches on the wall. To my intense relief, the lights came on, bathing the space in a warm glow.
It’s not so bad, was my first thought.
A single cot lay in the furthest corner. Above it stood a large window, the panes covered in grime but still allowing the sunlight to come in. A small kitchenette was located in the right corner. Walking further inside, I found another door leading inside a tiny bathroom closet. The place was dusty and in need of cleaning but the interiors were in good condition.
“Some dusting and washing and I’ll have my own cabin,” I whispered to the silent room. The more I looked at it, the more I liked it. Set up right, it would be really cozy.
If Liam Davenport thought this would drive me away from the academy of my dreams, he was an idiot. I was a girl from Kensington. We were used to hustling and making the best of what we were given.
Taking a seat at the edge of the cot, I took my cell phone out but had to put it back in the pocket of my blazer. It still needed to be charged before I could call Zoya.
A knock sounded at the door.
Curious, I went to answer it.
A delivery guy in blue overalls stood at the threshold, peering inside the cottage. He seemed to be a few years older than me. “Looking for a Paris Johnson,” he said, glancing down at his clipboard.
“That’s me.”
His gaze swept down my body. “You’re a student here?”
“Yeah. Why?”
He shrugged. “Most of the rich kids live over there.” He jabbed a thumb in the direction of the student dorms.
“Yeah, I’m not one of them,” I said. “Anyway, have you got something for me?”
“The school sent this stuff to be delivered to you.” As he stepped away, I found my suitcase along with a few more boxes there. “Sign this, please.”
I signed the form on his clipboard and handed it back.
“Guess I’ll see you around, Paris Johnson,” he said, pushing a cart of boxes and walking back in the direction of the school.
I brought everything inside the cottage. One of the boxes turned out to be a brand new laptop. Two others were taped shut and it was a struggle to open them. Tired, I went to look in the drawers of the kitchenette.
I found a drawer of knives and scissors after checking a few empty ones. Armed with them, I went back to open the boxes. One of them was full of tins and boxes of homemade snacks. A small note told me they were from Ruben. A smile hovered on my lips as the decadent smell of baked good wafted to my nose. With a tug in my heart, I remembered the fragrance of my mom’s baking.
I cut open the tapes of the second box. It had shoes, clothes, towels, bathrobes, and things I hadn’t thought of packing. Among them was a case for a new mobile. It was the same model as the one I used.
I couldn’t help the gratitude flooding my chest at the moment. It had to be Clara who’d ordered these items to be brought just before she left. My phone’s charger was lost in the apartment which had burned down. If she hadn’t been thoughtful, I’d be left searching for a charger.
Wiping away the moisture from my eyes, I plugged in my phone to charge.
Taking a tin of cookies, I sat on the cot
. My eyes were roving every corner of the room, my mind making up a list of things I needed to do to make the place more habitable. I chomped on chocolate chip cookies, feeling in control.
The door of the cottage was suddenly pushed open. Startled, the tin slid out of my hands, scattering the floor with cookies.
“Oh my god! I finally get to see you,” screamed a very excited Zoya. Rushing forward, she threw herself at me with such force that I stumbled backward and fell on the bed. “I missed you so much,” she sobbed, hugging me so tight I thought I’d suffocate. Her warm tears wet my shirt and all I could do was pat her back.
When she finally wrenched herself away from me, her brown eyes looked at me anxiously. “Are you okay, Paris?”
She got off me, allowing me to sit up. “I’m okay.”
“They said you were accommodated here,” said Zoya. “Why the hell are you here and not in the student dorms?”
Now that I was able to breathe fully, I noticed what Zoya was wearing. “What are you doing in the academy uniform?”
She stood up and twirled around, showing off the really short plaid skirt and flashing me her black lace thongs. “Mom heard you were made to come here. I couldn’t let you walk among the wolves by yourself. But don’t worry, if you don’t like it, mom said she’ll go up against Clara Davenport if she had to.”
I shook my head. “There’s no need for that. Clara has been amazingly kind to me.”
“Then why did she force you to come here?”
“She didn’t. I agreed to come.”
Zoya studied me carefully, confusion setting in her gaze. “But why?”
“I know you’ve hated this school but I always wanted to attend. We could never afford it but when Clara offered to put me here, I agreed.” Before she could say a word, I held up my hand. “Mom went to this school too. And so did my dad. With the bakery gone, this is the last connection I have with them. No matter what happens, I am going to graduate from Knightswood too.”
“You never told me about this.”
“I was being supportive, Zoya. Back then, it was just a pipe dream. There was no way I could ever attend, so why even talk about it?”
