Between Rivals

2

Chapter 2: A First Day Experience.

I stood in front of the magnificent gate of Ashford Academy, as reality dawned on me.

It was real. I had abandoned my dreams to come here, just to stay alive.

“I will send your corpse to your mother,” Sara’s voice echoed in my head.

She might not really kill me, but she might do something drastic to me. She had been torturing me since the very first day I came to the school.

“A ballad dancer? No way! I'm the only superstar in this school, there shouldn't be another,” she had screamed her lungs out.

That was months ago.

And now, here I was… standing in front of a new school gate.

“Get out of the way, you moron!” A masculine voice snarled behind me, jolting me back from my thoughts.

I turned and froze.

The most handsome creature I had ever seen sat on a sleek black bike.

“No way!” I muttered, “this school must be interesting.”

The girls around whispered, giggled, and stole glances at him, completely captivated by his looks.

“Yoh..” I muttered in between breaths. Is this a demigod or the school heir?

He stared at me like a piece of something trivial, completely ignoring the girls who were fawning over him.

“Are you daft or something?” He barked, his voice sent shivers down my spine.

“Get out of my way!”

I flinched aside as he drove past me, leaving a trail of dark exhaust which gave a faint mark on my new polished uniform.

“No way!” I screamed, as sudden fear enveloped me.

“Bullies again?” I muttered rhetorically.

I won't allow this to happen again. Never.

The trail of the exhaust led me straight to him.

He stood in front of what looked like a school library, exchanging pleasantries with some boys who I guess were his friends.

“Hey you!” My voice came out sharp, and unhinged.

“Your bike left a mark on my uniform, what do you have to say about that?” I asked, inwardly surprised by my own outburst.

He gave me a long deep stare, his friends stared too.

He smirked, and edged closer toward me.

“What effrontery?” He jeered, while his friends cackled.

“And you are?” He continued.

“Someone… someone who needs an apology for her ruined school outfit,” I stuttered.

I knew I needed to get rid of every iota of fear in me to survive Ashford. I had sworn to do everything I could to survive this school, even if it meant changing my identity.

“Nina, you must do all it takes to stay at Ashford, It's a prestigious one, you need it to secure a good job in the future, besides, I can't afford changing schools for you again,” mom’s words earlier that morning echoed in my head.

“This someone doesn't have a name?” He pressed further, this time, his voice sounded less harsh, like he was suddenly remorseful.

“That won't be necessary,” I muttered. “I'm not asking for much, just an apology”.

He arched and stared deeply into my eyes, then giggled.

“Well.., you won't be getting any, let's see what you can do about it,” he sneered, turned and left with his friends, leaving me standing like a lost sheep.

My heart pounded as I turned sharply and headed toward the enquiry block, to find out where my class was located, wondering whether it was a crime to be poor in this part of the world.

I cursed him under my breath, and prayed not to come across him again.

As I walked, memories of Dream High crept into my mind, and I let out a low hiss.

I was going to miss the staff there - their warm gestures, their support.

My thoughts drifted to ballad, and I sighed deeply. Would this school even accept it?

Before I could dwell on it any longer, something hard struck my head, it was a ball.

Pain burst through my head like a spark from hell, making me wince as I staggered slightly.

Clutching my head, I spun around, only then noticing the hockey pitch just behind me.

The players, about six of them, had gone completely still, their gaze fixed on me.

Then one of them broke from the group, and advanced toward me.

“Hi,” he said as he edged closer.

I gasped.

I had thought the rude psychopath was charming, but this guy in front of me looked like a god.

“I'm sorry about that”, he said, jolting me from my thoughts. “You are new here?”

“Yes.. Sure. I am,” I stuttered, completely ashamed at the way I was unconsciously drooling over him.

“Liam, Liam Carter,” he said and offered his hand for a handshake. I took it almost immediately.

“I'm Nina Hemsworth.”

“Grade?”

“Eleventh grade”

“Interesting!” He chuckled, revealing a set of sparkling teeth. “We are in the same class, I will take you there”.

He beckoned on his colleagues, indirectly telling them that the game was over.

They understood and dispersed immediately.

I kept staring and gushing as we walked, until he entered a classroom. I followed.

I froze at the sight before me, the classroom and the students in it screamed class and wealth.

Conversations died instantly. Heads turned. Eyes fixed on us as though we were a scene unfolding on a screen.

He ignored them all.

Without a word, he gestured toward an empty desk which I took immediately, followed by quiet murmurs.

“Good morning class.”

A voice cut cleanly through the tension as a female teacher walked in.

The entire room shifted at once, backs straightened, expression sharpened like a well rehearsed performance snapping into place.

She adjusted her glasses, and peered through them like she was looking for something, or probably someone.

“And where is Adrian Cole?”

“I'm here! I'm sorry I'm late.”

The voice came from the doorway. I turned and my stomach dropped.

Of all people… him.

“Wait… he is in this class too?” I muttered under my breath.

No way!.