Opposite Attract

Chapter 5: The Heated Exchange

Zara's pov

My hands trembled as I collected the rest of my strewn notebooks and papers. I couldn't believe that annoying man! After knocking everything out of my arms, he hardly helped me pick everything up before walking away without an explanation. A nonchalant "watch where you're going" was flung over his shoulder as he set off across the quad while still talking on his phone.

Unbelievable. I heard this school was full with entitled jerks, but I didn't expect to collide with one on the first day.

Fuming, I hurriedly put everything into my bag and leaped back to my feet. The cocky athlete walked away over the grass, without even bothering to look back.

Oh no. No way was I going to let this go. My dignity was already dented by my new roommate's cold welcome this morning. Was I really going to simply take this nonsense from Random Rude Dude?

"Are you serious?" I called after him. "You almost just flattened me, and you can't even say sorry?"

He halted mid-step and tilted his head. The guy then had the arrogance to glance back and give me an annoyed sneer, as if I was the one wasting his valuable time.

"Not now," he said hastily. "I have class, okay?"

My eyesight became crimson. Oh, so His Royal Highness was too important to admit to almost killing a commoner? Please.

I rushed up to him across the grass, getting all up in his perfectly sculpted face. "What is your problem?" I demanded. "I understand you're late for your party planning committee meeting or something, but don't act like you didn't just smash into me. "I dropped all my belongings!"

His scowl changed to a glare. Up close, his athletic good looks and preppy grape vine polo were even more irritating. Who did this overprivileged, attractive youngster believe he was?

"Look, Princess, I've got econ in five minutes," he said in a rasping voice. "So I'm sorry about your books or whatever, but I don't have time for this."

He pushed me turn away again, but I grabbed his unbelievably powerful arm.

"Princess?" I repeated it with skepticism. "I'm not the one swanning around here like he owns the place!"

Okay, maybe I was being a bit loud and heated on school grounds. But this pretentious, entitled jerk face earned it, if only for almost flattening me and then behaving dismissively. Nearby students had halted their campus crossings to observe with obvious curiosity. Let them gaze!

The hot-headed athlete yanked his arm from my hold, blazing daggers. If we hadn't been making a scene before, we certainly are now. As we faced off, students openly stared and murmured.

"Listen, I understand that you are used to people kissing your buttocks all the time," I fumed at his foolish, handsome face. "But tone it down a notch. You ran into me, too, friend."

"Unbelievable," he mumbled. "Crazy scholarship kids, I swear."

My outraged rage turned to ice. "Excuse me?"

He rolled his eyes. "You're obviously one of the scholarship kids they allow in to make the school seem 'diverse.' But do me a favor and return your attitude to whatever inner city pit they dug you out of.

A frigid stillness fell between us. My hands trembled. I knew this pricey institution would be full with snarky elitists. But having someone so clearly look down on me still took the wind out of my sails.

Around us, the audience had gone completely quiet. Everyone was outraged by this cruel, prejudiced sportsman. No one sprang to his defense, however. Small wonders.

I gently unclenched my shaky hands. "You don't know anything about me," I responded with tight teeth. "Now get out of my way."

I pushed past him over the grass. To my relief, he let me pass the time by being quiet. Everyone cleared a path as I rushed away. Furious tears hurt my eyes, but I refused to cry any farther.

It was just the first day, and I already despise everything about this dreadful school. I just wanted to go back to my small but comfy dorm room. Maybe my nasty roommate will soften toward me now that we have a common adversary.

I wasn't leaving Bexley without showing that arrogant, bigoted athlete what this scholarship student could accomplish.