Appointed by a Billionaire to be his Heir's Girlfriend

-Athena Vanderbilt POV- Where is Chloe? I have been waiting for her for an hour now and she still hasn't showed up. She texted me a message telling me to go to the bar of the Palace Hotel at exactly seven o'clock and it's already late and I've got studying to do. You see, even though I am in this luxurious place, I am not in of the elite crowd. I am just a scholarship student, junior, at Sta. Catalina's School for Girls. It's a prep school actually, and an expensive one at that. And to tell you the truth, I can't even understand why my parents do everything just to send me at that private prep school wherein I could do in a public one. So now you might be wondering why am I here? Chloe asked me to accompany her to go to Times Square and hang out. It's sort of our Friday night tradition. I agreed, even though I know the midterm exams are coming up. It's the only thing I could do for her anyway. Chloe is a rich kid. To be honest, I don't even get her why did she choose to befriend a poor girl like me when there are lots of rich girls around our school. She stayed by my side and we both knew a lot of girls are questioning our friendship but she still stuck to me until today. Without Chloe backing me up, I might just be labeled as the school's biggest loser. I sighed and emptied the glass of mango juice I ordered. "Athena!" called by a familiar voice that made me turn around. Then I saw the familiar wavy blond hair making its way from the crowd of brunettes standing at the door. She quickly ran and stopped in front of me. "What took you so long? You just live a few floors upstairs!" I asked her. "Long story. Sorry. I can't. I know it's our Friday ritual but I really can't. Mom just forced me to attend a dinner party and that will be in forty five minutes!" she told me as she panted, catching her breath. I blinked and tilted my head in disappointment or relief, I don't know."Oh, sure. Run along now or Eleanor might be furious." I suggested as I gave her a weak smile. "Thanks. Just order anything you want." "Mister, can you please serve this lady a salad and refill her glass. Just charge it on me: Chloe Dupont."she said to the bartender in a hurried way. "Call you tomorrow. And go home early, okay?" she reminded me as she hugged me briefly. "Sure. Have fun." She smiled before turning to disappear to the partying crowd. I sighed and observed the people in the bar. I saw a bunch of girls in my school hanging out with a few boys from Oswald's, the brother school of Sta. Catalina's. They were drinking a colored drink. Beer, I guess? These people's got nothing to do with their lives. Anyway, why do I care? They didn't notice me. Not that I'm saying I'm so noticeable. Maybe I'm just really a shade in the background. I'm so not popular in the school. Maybe people only know my existence because I am the poor friend of the pretty Chloe Dupont. I'm fine with that, as long as they leave me alone. The bartender served my salad and I realized I didn't eat dinner yet. Thank God Chloe was so kind to buy me a dinner. I need to pay her back someday. Soon. I ate it for just a minute and emptied my glass. I was famished. I ignored the bartender's weird look when he saw me take down my dinner in a minute. Should I go home now? Maybe I should. I never fit in this place anyway. I stood up and went out to the lobby where a lot of people in their evening gowns lounged. Maybe there's a party later? I was staring at some woman's beaded gown when some guy grabbed my hand. "What the..." I trailed when I saw who was the one I was about to yell at. I immediately shut my mouth. I felt my heart stopped for a nanosecond. His mysterious blue eyes pierced mine and I recognized him instantly with untidy glossy brown hair. No girl in the entire teen society of New York would not know him. Even I, the least sociable person on earth, knew him. Yes, he was that popular. He is the son of the man behind the power of New York. A son of a multi-billionaire, needless to say. A lot of magazines featured him and tabloids follow his daily life. It's kind of impossible not to recognize him. And to say I saw him during our assemblies at the auditorium every Monday morning. You see, he study at Oswald's. And he's just like any other guy. He drinks and has a lot of girlfriends. Typically a jerk and a player. Nathaniel Van Warner. I shook his hand away and he gave me a big smile. What the hell is he doing? "Mr. Van Warner, do you need anything?" I asked him. We never talked so it must be kind of rude to call him by his first name. "Ahh. The scholarship student in the Palace hotel." He muttered in some husky voice that could tell me he is drunk and totally not sober at the moment. I rolled my eyes at him and walked away. I hate alcohol more than anything. I never had a taste of it and I'm not planning to. "Wait, Athena!" he called, still in his husky voice, as he grabbed my arm again. He know my name? Since when? What the hell. This is getting weird. I sighed and turned around and firmly shook his hand away, "What exactly is your problem, rich boy? I need to go home and in case you forgot, I'm not one of your girls." He smiled warmly, like a little kid smiling to Santa Claus. He must have had lose his sanity so bad. I am really confused with what's happening and why me, of all people, had this bad luck of encountering this badass. I'm really unlucky in this particular Friday night. He touched my right shoulder again. Oh God, why is this man so touchy? I glared at him and he didn't even seem to realize it was a glare. He became paler and, unexpectedly, puked his guts to my ten-dollar top. Oh my God. This is going to be a smelly night. ... I immediately pushed him away from me but he continued vomiting on the glossy polished marble floor. A lot of people were now looking at us and I heard whispers starting and a few silent laughters. What exactly did I do wrong for this to happen to me? Now how can I walk back home with this disgusting top? Geez. It's this stupid guy's fault! With a firm hand, I grabbed him by his jacket and dragged him all the way to the comfort rooms. I sighed and with a tight controlled voice I said, "Mr. Van Warner, get your butt in the men's toilet and there, you puke everything." "Athena, I'm gonna tell you a secret." He muttered and I knew he's not yet in his right mind. I pushed him to the men's C.R. and slammed the door shut. I went into a cubicle at the women's toilet and took off my top. Good thing I wore a trench coat. Annoyed, I walked back home and I did not think twice of going home. I have to take a good bath. But I knew what is waiting for me at home. No one. Dad got in a car accident and now he's in hospital now, in the ICU. But we weren't the one paying for the bill. It was his family. Okay. Let me tell you about my family. My father, Marcus Vanderbuilt, is from a rich family. My mother, Hera White-Vanderbilt, is from a rich family too. So now you might be wondering why am I so poor that I need to study with a scholarship and FYI, I live in Brooklyn. The Vanderbilts and the Whites are clan enemies. I know. My parents's story is like a Romeo and Juliet. A modern Shakespeare story: Capulet and Montague. That's just it. They were both disowned by their families for falling for someone that come from their enemy family. Personally, I find everything so stupid. It's just not logical to disinherit your own child for something as trivial as that. But when dad got into an accident, my grandfather got him in the hospital and is paying for his med bills. The Vanderbilts do not allow my mother to visit him and we were running low. Dad was the breadwinner of the family and when he was at the hospital, mom had to work. She couldn't get any job and I think it's got something to do with her being disowned by the known Whites. So now my mom went to Connecticut to find a job there. She set off a week ago, together with my sister, Eirene Iris. And now, I'm living alone in that little apartment. It's no fun at all. I just felt so abandoned and lonely. I felt like crying. And now as I walk the avenues of the city that never sleeps, I felt lonelier as ever. It's like I'm alone in the midst of the ten million people. *** My alarm clock went off and now I stood up and got ready for school. Another day to face. Alone. Sta. Catalina's is one of the schools that require you to wear a uniform. And being in New York, skirts are for the girls. A necktie too. I hurried up or else I have to take a costly cab just not to be late. I ran and ran and ran until I reached my school and ran straight to the auditorium. Good thing I was still not late. Chloe was already there and I sat beside her, "Good morning, Selene." "Good morning too, Soleil." And we both laughed. During our morning greetings, we use our uncommon second names. The headmistress muttered something about a mixer of the girls of Sta. Catalina's and the boys of Oswald's these coming Saturday night. It will be like an acquaintance party. I sighed though I felt Chloe got excited by the news. I never fit in parties. I never know what to wear. And I never attend a party before. I never go, even to school parties. "The theme will be formal. So please, I don't want to see anyone wearing jeans. And at the end of the mixer, there will titles: Knight and Lady of the Night. Please dress appropriately. Assembly dismissed." Said the headmistress and the students of Sta. Catalina's and Oswald's dispersed from the auditorium. I looked around the crowd and I caught a glimpse of the Van Warner's icy blue stare and I immediately looked away and grabbed Chloe's hand and we walked quickly to Sta. Catalina's classrooms. I really do hope he forgot it was me who threw him to the men's C.R. of the Palace Hotel. Though I know that glare of him states the opposite. *** It was Calculus period, last subject of the day, and I have been listening intently to what the teacher is saying as I notice a lot of my classmates gossiping quietly, putting lipgloss through hidden mirrors and some were even sleeping. I shook my head in disbelief. Do they even know the teacher is here? But the teacher doesn't mind them. She just continued teaching without a bother. I'm guessing money is behind it. Not that I care. I'm getting the right education I need and that's what important anyway. Chloe was looking at the teacher's notes on the blackboard with creased eyebrows. I laughed quietly to myself. I know she never did understand Calc. That's the subject she asked me to help her with. I continued taking notes. I've got a lot to study later. I admit Calc is not a piece of cake. And I briefly thought of my empty home and shook the unpleasant thoughts away. "Athena Vanderbilt!" yelled a guy's voice. The whole class was silenced, even the teacher stopped talking. We all looked to the guy in the doorway. And the whole class gave startled gasps. A lot of ooohs and aaaahs. It was the person I dreaded to see- Nathaniel Van Warner. I swallowed. I smell trouble. What possibly could he want? "Mr. Van Warner, it is class hours and I suppose you know that even though we're brother schools, boys from Oswald's school are f*******n to go to Sta. Catalina's during class hours and vice versa." Said Mrs. Rockefeller. I admired her courage for sticking with the rules. Other teachers would have had let him do his own thing. "Athena Vanderbilt." He called once more in a venomous voice and the whole class looked at me in surprise. Oh right. They might have been surprised they have a classmate named Athena Vanderbilt. Great. My existence was already revealed to them. I looked at Chloe who was looking at me, curiosity burning in her blue eyes. Shoot. I forgot to tell her. I've got some explaining to do later. "Mr. Van Warner, please do not interrupt our classes." Mr. Rockefeller said once again. My classmates started murmuring. And I'm betting they are not for my benefit. I even caught one. "Did the scholarship student hook up with him?" Ew. Like I would do it with him. I am never been kissed, hello. I did not look at Van Warner. I'm sure his icy stare would pierce my eyes again and his glare is just terrifying. "I won't leave." He said and he leaned on the door of the classroom. The teacher sighed and said, "Ms. Vanderbilt is attending a class and please go back to your own class or else I'll call the headmistress." I heard Van Warner snorted and I kept looking at my notes. "Sure. I'll even help you with that." What an asshole. Who does he think he is? Even disrespecting a teacher, so proud of himself. Tss. I think he deserves a little humiliation. "Mr. Van Warner, are you here to apologize for vomiting on my shirt last Friday night?" I stated in the dead silent classroom and the whole class burst to laughter. Nathaniel, the guy whom everyone though a strong drinker, puked in front of a random girl. I know he will make me pay for this later but at least I have avenged a little bit and that made me felt a bit good. He gave me a very cold glare. Anguished blue eyes are piercing my browns and I can't help but feel nervous. "Oh. How are you then? I remembered you throwing to the Men's C.R. too and letting you lie down there, unconscious. Did you get home safely? You were so out of it when I left you lying on the floor, facedown." I shot another and the class roared again in laughter. He went inside the classroom and went straight in front of my desk. He grabbed my hand, so much firmer than he did last Friday night. He started dragging me out of the classroom but I shook his hand away and he glared at me some more. I felt twenty nine pairs of eyes staring at my back. "Sorry but I have a class to attend." I said firmly and went back to my seat. "Please go back, Mr. Van Warner." Mrs. Rockefeller said. Van Warner contemplated for a moment and with too much humiliation I inflicted on him, he strode out of the classroom. "We are not yet finished, Vanderbilt." He threatened me before going away completely. Then I sighed in relief and the whole class was back to their usual stupor when the teacher started talking, like nothing even happened. -Nate Van Warner POV- I cussed as I went back to Oswald's. That scholarship girl was surely something, even daring to embarrass me in front of the junior class of Catalina's. Who does she think she is?! Hah! She doesn't know how I do revenge. You better prepare for it, Athena Vanderbilt. You just invited hell to your life.