The Billionaire's Tomboy

Chapter 7

Rachel

I quieted down and silence reigned in the car.

My phone's blaring ringtone shattered the silence to pieces.

I took a glance at the screen and saw that it was Ryan Jenkins, the class monitor of our group of students.

Back in our time of schooling, there was only one class monitor for all departments but nowadays, there are separate class monitors for each departments.

Ryan was the only class monitor we have.

He was an handsome hunk and I was friends with him. Our friendship started with a chance encounter.

That fateful day, I dropped a slip of paper while I was hurrying to the library to cram for the exams. I had read before the exams began but I still had to do last minute cramming. Those few moments of cramming does wonders in the exam.

He tapped my shoulder but I was absentminded and the next thing I did was to go into a defensive stance.

It was awkward when I found out that he was just trying to help me. I released my hold on him and I treated him to a coffee outing.

Our friendship bloomed from there and we didn't drift off. We did not grow distant from each other either.

Even with my new found talent in computer science and programming. I was still willing to learn so we hit it off well.

He liked to read and study books as well.

When I wasn't hanging out with my brother and Chase, I would spend some time with Ryan.

In return for my caring gestures, he always looked out for me academically.

Although we rarely got into contact because of the different lives we are living, our friendship was still there.

I answered the call.

"Are you not coming to the school reunion?" His deep voice asked from the other end of the phone.

I nodded but then, I realized that he wasn't able to see me. I facepalmed.

"Yeah, I am going to be there. I am on my way right now." I replied and I audibly heard him heave a sigh of relief at my answer.

"Okay, we would all be waiting for you." He said before he ended the call.

Norman and Chase wasn't in my academic year. Still, a difference of one or two years between the students did not matter.

For example, year one and year two would still be considered as one generation. It was why Norman and Chase are free to come to the school reunion as well.

In the school's perspective, we are all in one generation so there was no need to be too uptight.

It was why I was happy to skip a grade in college.

After skipping a year, I was considered to be in the same generation with my brother and Chase.

That was euphoric.

The car returned to its previous silence.

"So, that would be Ryan right? You are too close to him." Norman said with his eyebrows scrunches up.

The car was too quiet when I answered the phone so he heard every word I exchanged with Ryan over the phone.

He was clearly unhappy.

Any time boys or men outside the males in his group of friends approach me, Norman always behaved like a lioness protecting her cubs.

I rolled my eyes.

"Norman, stop behaving like a thief is about to steal the cabbage you planted with all your might. Chill. There is nothing between I and Ryan." I said with a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

Norman always looked funny when he was like this.

He was guarding against intruders, he did not know that the threat was going to come from within.

The boys from outside his friend group would not have a chance but Chase, his best friend occupied my heart.

Rather than thinking I was a cabbage that someone was going to start away, it was better to think Chase was the cabbage.

He should not mind the threat others pose to me, he should be wary of the threat I pose to others. To be specific, I pose the greatest threat to Chase.

"That is what you think. Do you know Ryan's thoughts about you? Are you a psychic?" Norman gave me a side eye that was filled with meaning I did not want to interprete so I looked away.

I stared out of the window.

I did not want to reply because the more I talk, the more Norman would find mistakes.

When Norman enters protective brother mode, he is not to be underestimated.

I felt like his thinking and actions upgrade when he was in that mode.

It was better to keep quiet.

When Norman saw that I had no intentions of speaking, he shut up too.

I heaved a smile of relief.

This was better.

It did not take too long before we arrived at the school.

The school reunion was going to be hosted in one of the halls the school used to do tests on a large scale.

The hall had two large doors. Ryan was standing in front of the door.

The moment Norman and I arrived at the hall's entrance, his eyes lit up.

"What are you wearing?" Ryan's happiness had clouded his eyes the first time he saw me because he only commented about my change now.

I glared at him, "Hope you are not going to behave as if I had turned into a female pig? I would not be able to hold my fist back then."

After I was done with my words, I looked at Norman pointedly.

Norman scratched his head and cleared his throat. He began looking for something he never lost in the sky.

Ryan chuckled, "No. I was about to say that you look pretty and sweet."

I nodded in appreciation.

"Good. You survived this ordeal." I said before I pushed the door open so we could enter.

The school hall had gone through a revamping and everywhere was decorated in cream and red colors.

Everyone turned to look at us the moment we entered the hall. It was like they have been waiting for us.

"Wow! Who is this? And I thought the school dean was coming? Why else would Ryan make us wait?" A sneering voice broke the silence.

I knew where the voice was coming from and I knew who spoke.

I looked in the direction the voice came from to see Julie. It was no surprise.

No one wanted to go against me so bad in our department. I don't know if she thought trying to badmouth me and bully me is an excellent pastime.

"So we have been waiting for Rachel to come before we start anything. Ryan, you should have told us that this was Rachel's celebratory banquet instead of a school reunion. We would not have said anything." Julie said with mockery hanging on her every word.

On reflex, my fingers twitched and the urge to beat Julie's face in rose again.

I calmed the urge when I remembered mother's advice.

I should not settle everything with my fists. Warring with my words was better.

"This is a school reunion. We are supposed to wait for everyone to be present before we do anything. That is basic courtesy." Ryan said in a stern voice.

His aura changed and the authority he had when he was a class monitor in college spilled out.

His words calmed the crowd.

"Oh. If you are able to, why don't you get Ryan to wait for you also?" I retorted.

I can't even wrap my head around the reason she was picking on me. I wasn't a soft persimmon that she can knead however she wants.

Besides, I was not obligated to help her get Chase.

I remember that I felt uncomfortable when I discovered that her end goal was Chase. Now that I was wiser, I knew that feeling was jealousy.

I think my jealousy had a hand in how I told her off. I did not hold back any words when I exposed her wretched intentions.

Chase might not like her even if I introduced her to him, not that I would ever introduce her to him.

I preferred letting her steep in her unrequited affections.

Julie's face contorted into something hideous.

"I thought my mother told you to get a similar dress so you can try to outshine me?" I said.

I was not willing to let Julie off.

She had ruined the good mood I brought to this party by half.

"You! How dare you mention that? Your mom was abusing her right and respect as a senior to satisfy her depraved thoughts but you are proud enough to mention it?" She rested one hand on her hip as she used the other hand to gesticulate, "How shameless!"

All my mother's teaching flew out of my mind. All her words about using my mouth to fight instead of my fists seemed to disappear from my mind.

Julie dared to insult my mother! That was a big mistake.

"Oh! I did not know my mother had depraved thoughts. Why don't you show me." I said as marched towards her.

I did not want Norman to go so he would not acquire the label of a boy that was picking on girls.

It was better for this to be a one on one fight between girls.

Besides, I wanted to teach her an unforgettable lesson myself.

"Rachel and Julie, stop! Julie, if you do not want to be here, you can leave. Nobody's gonna stop you." Ryan spoke out and I stopped my march to give him respect.

That did not stop me from glaring at dumb Julie.

Julie scoffed, "If you guys want me to leave, I would go away. It is not like you people payb me to be here."

Ryan's tone of voice softened, "Nobody's asking you to leave but if you are going to be causing chaos, you have to go."

"Stop trying to pretend as if you are impartial. I was just joking with her, you do not have to come after me like an hound." Julie snorted before she blended into the crowd.

She went to her clique.

"She got lucky." I said as I watched her talk and mingle with her friends.

"Just stay calm Rachel. This is not the time to.settle grudges." Ryan consoled.

I did not pay any heed to him.

I just focused on staring at the door.

When I entered the room, I scanned the hall for Chase's figure but he was not here yet.

My efforts was rewarded and his dashing figure strode in.

He was dressed in a white shirt that had the top buttons unfastened. This caused a hint of smooth wheat skin to peek though as he walked.

His right arm had a suit jacket hanging off it.

Somehow, his deep eyes met mine the moment he entered.