CHAPTER 12

I woke up with the worst headache ever. It felt like something was trampling on my brains and crushing it mercilessly. Even my body felt more sluggish than usual.

"Hey guys." I yawned, my eyebags probably drooping.

"Hey," Ria replied, looking as horrid as me.

"Come on guys, let's go, and start this fine day!" Nessa scrambled from her bed excitedly, and began preparing for school.

Ria and I groaned. The girl had too much stamina, I swear.

Last night had been really fun. We tried every massaging equipment and stayed chatting in the Jacuzzi for hours and hours. When we got back to our room, Carlos and Mrs. Wales had been waiting for us impatiently. They wanted to see if I was okay. Good thing Mrs. Wales didn't lecture me for too long but it was a lecture nonetheless. After the meet up with them Nessa decided to have a movie marathon and as usual, she looked so happy and excited, Ria and I didn't have a heart to disagree even if our limbs were screaming for some rest.

And so yeah, we barely slept at all, probably just for an hour maybe which was the reason why I may be acting and looking like a zombie at the moment.

I hope that today would be peaceful and eventless as I wasn't really in the mood for anything but as usual my annoying fate wouldn't leave me alone.

Whispers, snickers, smiles, stares and glares greeted us when we arrived at the dining hall. I was too tired to even care about the death glares Anastasia and her minions were giving me.

"So when is the competition happening guys?" I asked them and began eating the delicious salad. I needed to be actively informed, knowing that it was my dad's important request.

"It said on the announcement board that it will be starting in a week, so I suggest you take in as many classes as you can." Ria yawned which was contagious, making me and Nessa yawn as well.

"I almost forgot, this is your schedule." Nessa handed me a smooth, thick and shiny paper.

I glanced at the paper, reading 'economics, business communication' before yawning again and putting it inside my pocket dress. I'm too exhausted to even worry about those darn hard and boring classes.

We began eating in comfortable silence and I was very much enjoying it until I heard Prince Eric's perverted voice.

"There she is," he said pointing at Ria who just glanced at him and yawned.

My insides churned immediately because the pervert was not alone. He was also with Lucas. And unfortunately Eric plus Lucas also means Gavier.

The jerk looked at me with an expressionless composure, his hair messy and his eyes red as if he hadn't been sleeping. I glared at him and he just raised an eyebrow which infuriated me more. Couldn't he tell that I was mad at him, so mad that I didn't want him nearby? But the jerk didn't get the message. He followed his friends who decided to join us and sat himself down next to me. Yes, next to me, the nerve of him.

I could feel the glances on us, everyone shocked looks. It was probably the first time these three whom everyone practically worshipped joined someone else's table. But I didn't care, I was too preoccupied by the abomination sitting next to me.

Did he think that I forgave him already? After he implied that I'm a slut, a slut that threw myself at him then at Lucas. Nope, not happening. I wasn't that forgiving. And how conceited of him to think otherwise.

"Morning ladies, Eric wanted to join you guys and I thought why not." Lucas smiled at us and I finally turned my attention to his charming smile.

Nessa paled as she glanced at Lucas. I could tell something was wrong. I thought she liked Lucas a lot, what happened?

Ria nodded at him as Eric sat next to her, smirking dangerously, probably on his mission to torment her. Hell he's going to have a hard time doing that, the girl was almost always expressionless.

I smiled at Lucas. "Sure why not," I said. Well if Gavier's purpose was to ruin my morning, I wouldn't let him. I decided that I would just ignore him, and just imagine him as harmless air, nothing more than that.

But it was impossible to forget his presence even more when the jerk draped his arm on top of my chair, though not exactly touching me, but the heat of his arm was making me nervous and angry at the same time. I glared at him but the jerk continued eating casually as if draping an arm on my chair was the most natural thing in the world. How dare him!

I wanted to claw his hands off but decided not to. Have you forgotten to think of him as just air? My conscience won as I let it. But did he think I would just let him eat here peacefully? You messed with the wrong girl Gavier.

"So how are you Clarissa?" Lucas asked me.

I smiled at Lucas and turned my back at Gavier, completely ignoring him. Besides he was just air right? "I'm good but a little bit tired." Hell I'm tired mostly because of your best friend.

I could feel the awkwardness in the air because Nessa wasn't talking. What happened to the bubbly, and talkative girl that I met on my first day here? The girl in front of me looked really pale, she was looking down, downing her breakfast quickly, and not uttering a single word as if nobody was eating with her.

Ria and Eric on the other hand were in their own bubble. The pervert's eyes were only set on her, smirking as he pokes her cheek while she ate and smiling even wider when she slaps his hand away.

"Of course you will be tired after your interview." Lucas chuckled.

"You mean our interview," Gavier butted in. He was suddenly closer to me and I hated his presence nearby. Was he thinking that joining our conversation would make me talk to him? Gavier, you really are too conceited. Nice try.

"Of course, both of you were there," Lucas laughed, "I was a little worried about you Clarissa but I knew Gavier would take care of you if anything happens."

Take care of me? I wanted to laugh. "Oh yes, he was such a darling and took care of me so well, I almost kissed him in gratitude," I sneered sarcastically, then blushed. Shit, that was a wrong move since we actually did kiss. Ugh!

Lucas just chuckled as he ate his salad, oblivious of it all. "I knew you had it in you bro. See, you can take good care of girls," He told Gavier who smirked, knowing fully well that what I said was supposed to be sarcastic but it still came out wrong. Damn him!

"You see Lucas we actually kis-"

"So Lucas, I actually need your help," I cut Gavier off, "I still don't know much about the academy. Would it be alright for you to show me around?"

He looked confused for a moment. "Sure why not? Besides, I'm free anyway."

Gavier growled, "It's alright Lucas, I'll take her around." What the hell?! Freakin' no way!

"No, you take me Lucas." I glared at Gavier.

"No, I'll take her Lucas." He glared back at me.

"It's best if it's you, I like your company better." I gritted my teeth.

"I know the academy better than anybody, so just let me do it Lucas," he growled.

"No I don't want to be with Gavier!" My voice was rising, "You show me around Lucas," I ordered.

"She'll be with me, and that's an order!"

"Guys!" Lucas finally spoke up and we finally looked at him. "What?!" We both growled at the same time.

He raised his hands. "Relax, you're gaining attention."

And it was true, almost everyone was watching us. I didn't even realize that I was already standing up with Gavier towering in front of me.

"We need to talk," Gavier said ignoring all of them and held my hand, pulling me, as I struggled to take my hand off his. I didn't want to talk to him!

"Let go!" I tried to snatch it away. He couldn't just pull me around if he wanted to. "Freaking let go of me!"

He just clutched on tighter, his jaw tensed.

I warned him, if he wasn't going to let go, then fine. I bit his hand hard.

He yowled and dropped my hand. "Jesus, you vicious woman." He caressed the part where I bit him.

"That's right Gavier, don't mess with me." I turned to run far away from him but the jerk was persistent. He caught me by the waist and freaking carried me on his shoulder. I screamed and pounded on his back hard. "I hate you, you jerk! Let go! Let go of me!" I kept shouting but he didn't even flinch.

He finally put me down against a railing but before I could run away, he trapped me between his arms, his hands on the railing which my back was against. "Don't run, it's useless. Don't forget, I'm the successor of this academy," he said, daring me.

"Fine." I crossed my arms, trying to ignore how his near presence was making me feel jittery. "Talk."

Maybe if he apologized I would forgive him, maybe.

But the jerk didn't even apologize. Guess what he took from his pocket and gave me?

"What's this?" I asked looking at the checks of 1 million dollars each.

"What else, money of course," he said in a duh tone.

Oh my god, did he think I would forgive him when he gives me money. What did he think of me now, a gold digger?

I pushed the checks on his chest hard and glared at him. "Do you think this will make me forgive you? I'm not any of those materialistic girls. Do you really think I would even accept this?" I pushed the checks on his chest harder as I scurried away from him.

He growled, looking at me, his fists clenched. "Then what the fuck do you want me to do?" He asked frustrated.

A simple apology would have been nice, but he couldn't even do that. I don't think he was capable at all.

I flipped him the bird. "Go fuck yourself Gavier," I answered and ran before he could do or say anything.

My heart was beating so fast. I couldn't believe I just did that, I thought my heart would burst for a moment there. He was doing something to me without even knowing it. It was a really scary feeling. I must be crazy. Because even if I was so consumed by my anger at him, so mad and frustrated, I could burst like a bazooka, all I could think of was wanting to taste those lips of his again.