The Billionaire Student's Secret.

2

Charles felt fireworks go off in his brain, and he had to clench his fist to stop himself from saying what was on his mind. Processing what Jade had said to him left him in shock. Who knew the mouse had so much spine in her?

Charles had noticed Jade in the first class of the semester. She'd been a transfer student, and taking a look at her dull brown dishevelled hair, and her crappy fashion sense which consisted of huge outdated blouses, full-length straight skirts and ratty faux fur coats, he had promptly written her off as one of those hippy earth-child creatures who didn't know their purpose in life.

When he had seen her answer questions correctly in class and get high grades, he adjusted his outlook and began to see her for what she truly was; a stumbling block in his path to best graduating student glory.

Since he was little, Charles had been one to go for first place, nothing less, and Blossom College was no different. Upon getting admission into the university, he had pledged to his parents to be the best graduating student of his set. If he didn't win the prize, he had promised to start his bachelor's degree all over again until he achieved his goal.

Upon seeing how smart Jade was, Charles had been tempted to come up with a distraction to get her out of his way, until he had seen the way most of the class went out of their way to make her as uncomfortable as possible.

Although Charles knew the bullies took things too far on many occasions, he never intervened. Bullying and being bullied took up the time both parties would have spent studying, which made achieving his goal much easier.

Charles had half a mind to reply Jade. For some reason, he wanted to continue their banter. He held himself back so Professor Clarke who was explaining Othello's gullible nature wouldn't think him to be distracted.

Charles looked at his notebook laying open before him and cursed silently. For the first time in his life, he had not taken down a single word of what the lecturer had said.

He was distracted, dammit, and it was all thanks to the mouse who sat before him, scribbling away furiously on her own notebook.

“And that's all for today's class.” Professor Clarke finally announced with a smile. The class let out hoots and shouts of joy as he switched off the projector.

“Just before I go, I wish to remind you of your mid-semester quiz holding next week. I hope you know it counts for ten percent of your cumulative grades.”

The class erupted in groans of frustration and disappointment, and a few curse words. Professor Clarke smiled with satisfaction, gathered his materials and left.

Charles growled at his empty book and broke his pen into two. He needed to have something to read for the quiz holding next week.

There was nothing Charles hated more than asking people for their notes because most of his course mates jotted down arrant nonsense, and also because he never gave out his notes to people who asked for them, and so they might refuse to give him out of spite.

Meanwhile, Mouse had scribbled more than two pages full of notes.

Life was not fair, Charles concluded, grabbing his notebook and heading out. To make up, he would have to put in six extra hours of study. Time he would have used for something very important.

On his way out, he saw Mouse rushing out and wondered what was up with her, she was almost always late for classes and was always the first to leave after lectures. Not that it was any of his business, he had enough troubles of his own.

He could not believe he had to cancel the appointment that had taken him weeks to schedule. Taking out his phone, he quickly sent out a text:

I won't be able to make it today.

Some seconds later, his phone pinged and he checked the message, which was a reply to the one he'd just sent.

Oh, I'm so sorry you couldn't. I really had something special planned.

Charles read the message and cursed long and hard at Mouse, blaming her for his predicament. If she hadn't distracted him, he wouldn't have cancelled the appointment.

He put his phone into the pockets of his jeans and resumed walking.

Immediately he stepped out of the classroom, he bumped into Darin, and choked when her perfume hit his nostrils. She had probably used a whole bottle, Charles thought idly.

“Oh my God!” Darin exclaimed in that high-pitched voice of hers he found to be very annoying.

“I totally didn't see you there,” she continued, fluttering her fake eyelashes at him and rubbing her palms on his pectorals.

Charles snorted loudly, he could bet his very large birthright that Darin had planned the encounter. For someone whose father was a movie director, Darin could not act to save her life.

“It's fine,” Charles said and made to brush past her.

Darin held onto his hand, “What's the rush?”

Charles released himself from her grip, “I wasn't able to make notes in class. I want to head to the library before it closes and borrow a few textbooks.”

Darin smiled, her brown eyes twinkles twinkling, “I made a few notes, you can have them if you want.”

Charles visibly blanched at the idea of collecting Darin's notes. It would be nothing short of a nightmare.

“Don't worry,” he assured her hastily, “I'm good, thanks for offering.”

“You're welcome,” Darin replied coquettishly before adding, “Speaking of which, would you like to walk me back to my apartment?”

Charles sighed inwardly, the girl was persistent, he'd give her that. Since the beginning of the semester, she'd had her sights set on him and while there was nothing wrong with that, he was tall, dark, smart, insanely rich and handsome after all, but she'd been blatantly trying to get him to sleep with her.

He decided to end Darin's little game once and for all, “Darin, do you want to have s*x with me?”

Darin's eyes widened for a moment before she regained her composure, “Yes, I'm very attracted to you.” Her words were accompanied by a wink and a lip bite.

Charles chuckled and wondered how shocked Darin would be if she knew he had not had penetrative s*x in three years; since he had gotten admission into the university. Charles was of the opinion that s*x would only serve to distract him from his studies.

She would of course spread the news, which was something he could do without. So instead of telling her about his self-imposed celibacy, he told her something else that was entirely true, “Well, I'm not attracted to you.”

Darin's countenance hardened, “So you're gay and in the closet? Is that it?”

Charles laughed out loud for a long period of time before he deigned to give Darin an answer, “You think any man who doesn't find you attractive, gay?”

“Of course,” Darin answered, her voice as hard as granite.

“I mean look at all this,” Darin pushed her breasts forward and turned around to jiggle her ass in her mini skirt, “which straight man would turn me down?”

“This one,” Charles shoved past her, continuing walking. After taking a few steps away from her, he stopped.

Without turning, he added, “Your ego is larger than it should be, Darin.”

After that, he continued to walk, leaving behind a dumbfounded Darin to stew in rage.