Chapter 2

• Turns out that I was the one who needed luck because even though I had spent the past 4 hours of my flight from Tuscany checking if Rhys had finally decided that I was worthy enough to be responded to.
• I tapped on my messages icon to see that he was online, although he hadn’t updated his status so I couldn’t tell if just like me, he was also on his way to school.
• Before going offline Aaliyah had said she had just landed in London, reported to her Mom back in New York and had just ordered a ride to bring her to school. Monica was on her way too.
• I tapped my finger on my the back of my phone wondering how to get Rhys attention.
• The plane was a private one and since I was alone, a naughty idea began to form in my mind. I chewed on my bottom lip for a moment wondering if it was worth it, Rhys would be mad yes, but the chance was too good to pass up. Besides, it would be worth seeing if the boys still thought I was the hottest girl.
• I didn’t care what the plane crew thought but I still checked to see that they weren’t anywhere close because one word from them to Mom and she will be on my case again talking about how bratty and spoiled I can be. I have a lot of story about that but I’m not even going to go there right now.
• When I was sure the coast was clear, I raised my phone, opened my camera app and checked my reflection. I was wearing the Channel suit Aunty Faith had sent on my birthday last year. The top button was undo but I undid two more buttons to exposed the valley between my breasts. The diamond heart necklace Dad gave me this holiday lay sparkled between the swells of my breasts. Of course I knew what I was doing when I adjusted the diamond heart so that it looked like I was showing the necklace and not my cleavage. When I satisfied it looked perfect, I posed and took a picture.
• It was perfect.
• Just enough necklace to distract from my boobs and just enough boob to distract from my necklace.
• And now for the perfect caption. Something obvious and yet not too obvious. Something that didn’t distract from my boobs but still pulled attention to my necklace – albeit a little too late for the viewer.
• “Hmm,” I smiled wickedly, my finger hovering over the screen. “How about this?”
• I tapped out the caption, ‘A little something shiny for resumption. Thanks dad!’
• Perfection!
• And send.
• The reactions flooded in immediately.
• Hot face emojis, mischievous devil face emojis, fire emojis, all the good stuff and then…Rhys was typing.
• My heart leaped excitedly in my chest as I waited to see what he had to say.
• ‘Take that picture down.’
• ‘Why,’ I responded pretending like I didn’t know why. I love it when Rhys gets possessive like this.
• ‘You know why.’
• ‘Rhys it’s just a picture. I was just showing off my new necklace.’
• He sent the sarcastic face emoji. ‘You know what you are doing but you never learn do you?’
• I frowned. ‘What do you mean? You making it a big deal when it’s not.’
• ‘Isn’t it? Do you want to get another rumor started?’
• I chewed on my bottom lip. He just had to bring that up didn’t he?
• That rumor nearly ruined me especially because I had already being scarred after what happened in my previous school. Coming into Princeton and having Olivia and Dean start that rumor about me nearly broke me down.
• At the time I was still getting used to Aaliyah and Monica and I had been awfully shy and awkward too because I didn’t know how I was going to be received in a place like Princeton. But then Rhys stepped up and claimed me for his and no one dared to speak that rumor ever again.
• Not that Olivia didn’t try but even she is not stupid enough to cross Rhys.
• Not only is he always top of the class but Rhys is also royalty in direct line to an ancestral throne. He has the chiseled classic look and the mannerisms of royalty. It’s not like more than half of Princeton’s population didn’t have students whose parents were the who’s and who’s of society but royalty always comes first.
• ‘Of course I don’t,’ I responded back.
• ‘Could have fooled me.’
• ‘You were ignoring me. I had to get your attention somehow,’ I pouted.
• ‘And the attention of half the boys in class. You love the attention don’t you?’
• ‘Don’t be like that!’
• ‘Take it down.’
• ‘Fine!’
• I took the stupid picture down. Monica sent a message asking why I did but ignored her because Rhys was typing again.
• ‘I was busy.’
• ‘Throughout the holiday?’
• ‘I’m not only next in line for the throne, I’ll be taking over the family business too. I wouldn’t expect you to understand.’
• ‘Rhys a second is enough to send a text. See how quick you were to respond to my picture!’
• He took a long time responding to that.
• ‘Are you still there?’
• ‘I am. Sorry you feel that way. Let me make it up to you. I’m actually almost at school. Come see me.’
• This time I smiled wider. This was even better than I expected.
• What better way to start the term than with Rhys?
• ‘Okayy.’
• As soon as I hit send he went offline but I was happy because I learned two things, he was jealous when I posted that picture and he wanted me tonight.
• Was that too easy?
• Maybe for some people but I wouldn’t expect you to understand and no I’m not going to tell you a sob tale just so that you do. I understand Rhys, he understands me and we know what we have.
• I tucked my phone into my handbag and settled back against the seat excited to get to school.
• It was evening when the black limo Dad had his men hire to take me to school rolled into the parking lot of the Senior’s quarters.
• So you’ll understand this later on but students in junior class 1 through senior class 2, have the general hostel. Senior class 3, final year students, get to stay in a different set of accommdations; the Senior’s quarters and it is basically apartments that we can either choose to stay in alone or share with a roommate.
• Aaliyah and I decided to stay together while Monica chose to stay alone.
• Oh I should mention that Monica is actually the most intelligent girl in class. Followed by Olivia.
• I on the other hand, well, it’s not like I would be needing my Secondary School degree for anything since I won’t be going to College anyway.
• If I told Dad I didn’t want to go to school, he would have no problem. Mom on the other hand, ugh, you’d think I asked for the impossible when I said I didn’t want to go to school anymore.
• Anyway if I didn’t come to Princeton I wouldn’t have met Aaliyah.
• Or Monica.
• Or Rhys, my baby.
• “Here Miss Castello?” Emiliano, my designated driver asked.
• I looked up at the black gate securing the Senior’s quarters. “Yes, right here, Emiliano. Get my bags from the trunk please.”
• And while he did just that, I stepped out and immediately locked eyes with Olivia. She was just getting her bags out of her car and handing them over to a woman dressed in suit and dark sunglasses.
• Olivia Dean, blonde hair, blue eyes, slender with endless long legs. She is pretty, no doubt about that and trust me I still wonder why I got voted hottest in class. But then again maybe it isn’t just about looks but about character because while Olivia is a snake, I am not. And I will not be giving her a second of my time in this final year.
• I’m here to have fun, graduate and go back home to Tuscany.
• She looked me up and down and I could just see the envy burning in those eyes. I rolled my eyes, turning away from her as I lead the way for Emiliano to the gate.
• I have been to the Senior’s quarters once last year when a senior who had a crush on me invited me for a party.
• Rhys was not happy about that, even though I didn’t even like the senior, I only went out of courtesy and we didn’t even do anything.
• The apartments, the pool, the gardens and the general set up didn’t look new to me.
• The only thing that did look new was the new standalone apartment that hadn’t been there last year when I came for the party.
• Not only was it new, it was also bigger.
• “Think it’s a teacher’s apartment?”
• At the sound of that familiar voice I turned back and threw my hands around Aaliyah, a huge smile on my face.
• “Oh my gosh!” I shrieked.
• “Whoa!” she laughed as she hugged me back. “Baby girl! Nice to see you too.”
• I stepped back unable to contain my excitement as I looked her from up to down. Aaliyah has always been beautiful – she is the daughter of a former beauty queen after all but she looked great.
• “Did you get taller?”
• “Did you get sexier?” she gushed. “Damn girl look at you going out with a bang this year.”
• I did a little spin for her, laughing.
• We hugged again.
• “Oh my gosh I couldn’t wait for you to come, I have so much to tell you!” she shrieked. “I’ve put my things in our apartment, we can talk while we…”
• Just then my phone buzzed in my bag. “Oh my gosh, sorry,” I said to Aaliyah and was prepared to put my phone on DND when I saw that I had gotten a text from Rhys.
• ‘I’m waiting for you babe.’
• Excitement ran down my spine as I texted a reply back.
• ‘Okayy. Coming!’ hopefully, I’ll be doing more than ‘coming’ tonight.
• Aaliyah saw the look on my face. “Okay you look excited.”
• I tried not to grin like an idiot as I said, “Can you show Emiliano to the apartment? I need to see Rhys first.”
• Aaliyah predictably rolled her eyes. “Girl, we’ve only just started the term and you’re already…”
• “Aaliyah,” I said in a warning tone. She has never liked Rhys for me and one thing about Aaliyah, she is never going to hide how she feels about anything or anyone.
• She rolled her eyes again. “Fine. Whatever. I just can’t believe this is still happening. Hurry up and come back because I do have interesting stories to tell you about my holiday.”
• “I’ll be back soon, I promise,” I told her, kissing her cheek.
• “Whatever,” I heard her say as I skipped away toward Rhys’ apartment.