THE ICE-COLD CEO IS OBSESSED WITH ME

CHAPTER 3:CHAOS AND CAMPUS DRAMA

SARAH'S POV

The moment I stepped through the grand iron gates of Royal Woods High, the chaos hit me like a slap from reality. Not the painful kind. The dramatic kind. The kind that reminded you every single day that this school was less of an educational institution and more of a reality TV show with overpriced uniforms and trust funds.

The campus was alive. Students poured through the school space in every direction like a human flood.Car doors slammed shut with loud bangs. Laughter rang through the air. Gossip floated from every corner like perfume. The sweet smell of blooming flowers mixed with the sharp scent of freshly cut grass, while somewhere nearby someone had way too much cologne on.

Typical. The morning sun cast a golden glow over the school grounds, making everything look almost beautiful. Almost. Because beneath all that shine was the usual madness.Girls in tiny designer outfits strutted across the quad like it was a runway show in Paris. Their makeup was flawless, their hair perfect, and their confidence almost offensive. The rich boys weren't any better. Luxury cars lined the parking lot like a car exhibition. BMWs, mercedes, a few sports cars,and of course, the ridiculously loud ones driven by boys who thought horsepower was a personality trait. Groups were scattered everywhere.

The jocks stood near the football field, laughing too loudly and flexing muscles nobody asked to see. Drama club kids were already rehearsing lines under a tree, hands flying dramatically through the air. The debate team stood in a corner arguing over politics before first period, because apparently some people enjoyed stress. Gamers had laptops open on the benches, completely detached from the real world.

Then there were the rich girls. The queens of Royal Woods. Their smiles looked sweet enough, but every glance they threw could cut deeper than a knife. Royal Woods had a system. A social ladder. And everyone knew exactly where they stood. At the top were the rich kids. Untouchable, beautiful,dangerous. Then the athletes, the party animals, the so-called "it" crowd. Below them were the scholarship students, the invisible ones everyone pretended not to notice.

And somewhere in the middle, there was me. Sarah Evans, certified nerd, professional overthinker, full-time daughter of impossible expectations. I adjusted the strap of my bag and sighed. Another day. Another performance. Another round of pretending I had my life together. Because the truth? I didn't. Not even close. My mind was already racing through everything waiting for me. Upcoming exams, assignments, my parents' expectations, the suffocating pressure of being perfect.

Sometimes it felt like my life was just school, grades, and endless reminders that failure was not an option. I was so lost in my thoughts that I nearly jumped out of my skin when someone yelled my name. "Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!" I blinked.

Oh God. Was I hearing voices now? Had school finally pushed me over the edge? Nope. Just Rosella. My loud, dramatic, absolutely unhinged best friend. She came strutting toward me like she owned the entire campus, hips swaying, curls bouncing, lips glossy enough to blind someone in sunlight.

Rosella was the type of girl who could turn a boring hallway into a red carpet. "Girl, where the hell did your soul go?" she said, snapping her fingers in front of my face. I rolled my eyes. "Still inside my body, unfortunately." She gasped dramatically. "Wow. Morning depression already? It's not even first period." I laughed. "That's because life is a cruel joke." Rosella clutched her chest. "Damn. Starting early with the poetry."

Before I could reply, Angela appeared beside her like an angry storm cloud in designer sneakers.Angela was beautiful. And terrifying. Mostly terrifying. She crossed her arms. "You better not be thinking about some boy." I smirked. "Says the girl who nearly killed a senior for flirting with her crush." Angela's eyes widened. "He was not my crush." Rosella and I exchanged a look. Liar. Big liar.

The biggest liar in Royal Woods. Rosella grinned wickedly. "So what's the plan for today, ladies?" "Survival," I said. "No," Rosella replied. "After school." "Oh." I thought for a moment. She leaned closer. "Mall." Angela instantly lit up. "Shopping."Now that was a language she understood. Rosella nodded excitedly. "The girls are getting outfits for the party this weekend."

Party. Right. I had almost forgotten. A weekend party at one of the rich kids' mansions. Loud music. Questionable decisions. Probably emotional damage. Basically a normal Saturday. I sighed. "Fine. I'm in." Rosella squealed. "Yesss! Finally, we're dragging you out of your books." Angela smirked. "She needs it. Girl's one exam away from marrying her textbooks." "I'd choose the textbooks over most people here," I muttered. Honestly? Still true.

The three of us began walking toward the main building, talking nonsense the way we always did.Rosella was busy spilling tea about some breakup that had happened over the weekend.Apparently Jason dumped sandra because she liked his best friend's post too quickly. Royal Woods problems. I was just about to laugh when— HONK! HONK! HONK! A car horn blared behind us so loudly that Angela nearly jumped into Rosella.

A red Dodge Charger came speeding into the parking lot like it had been personally sent from hell. It swerved way too close. Way too fast. And nearly knocked Angela off her feet. Angela spun around. "What the actual hell?!" The car stopped.Silence. Then the driver's door opened. And out stepped trouble itself. Timmy Trevedy. Of course.Who else would drive like a maniac and still somehow make it look annoyingly attractive?

He stepped out slowly, like the entire world was waiting for his entrance. Tall. Broad shoulders. Lean, athletic build. Messy brown hair falling across his forehead. Sharp green eyes that sparkled with pure trouble. And that stupidly perfect face. Honestly, it was offensive. The guy looked like he had been handcrafted by the gods during a particularly generous mood. He clicked the lock button. The Charger's headlights flashed behind him.

Girls nearby actually gasped. One literally squealed. I had to physically stop myself from laughing. The boy hadn't even spoken yet and already had half the female population malfunctioning. Timmy looked around with the confidence of someone who had never heard the word no in his life. Then his eyes landed on us.Specifically Angela. A slow grin spread across his face. Oh no. Angela muttered under her breath."I hate him."

Rosella leaned closer to me. "She says that every day." "And every day she sounds more emotional about it," I whispered back. Timmy walked toward us. Girls followed behind him like a loyal fan club.Some kissed his cheeks. One touched his arm. Another actually fixed his collar. Good Lord. Was this a school or a dating show? He stopped in front of us. "Morning, ladies." That voice. Smooth. Cocky.Annoyingly attractive. Angela glared at him hard enough to set fire to his expensive shirt.

"You almost hit me with your stupid car." He tilted his head. "Almost." Angela looked ready to commit murder. Rosella was barely holding in her laughter.I, unfortunately, found the whole thing hilarious.Timmy smirked. "You're welcome, by the way."Angela blinked. "For what?" He leaned in slightly."Waking you up."Rosella lost it. She burst into laughter so hard she had to grab my arm.I bit my lip. No. I would not laugh. I absolutely would not. A snort escaped me.

Angela turned to us in disbelief. "Whose side are you both on?!" "yours," Rosella said between laughs. Angela folded her arms. "You're insufferable." Timmy smiled. "And yet you keep talking to me." Angela looked ready to explode. "I'd rather date a monkey." A voice suddenly came from behind us. "Okay, if you say so." We all turned. Raphael. The jovial girl in our female group. Tall, dark-haired, and constantly looking amused by the chaos around her.

Angela groaned. "Great. There are three of you now." Raphael grinned. "Good morning to you too, sunshine." Rosella leaned toward me. "I ship it." I nearly choked. "Rosella!" "What?" she whispered. "Enemies to lovers." Angela heard that. "Absolutely not." Timmy chuckled. "I don't know. I think she likes me." Angela's face turned bright red. "With every cell in my body, I despise you." He placed a hand dramatically over his chest. "Ouch. Painful."Rosella laughed again.

Honestly, at this point she was getting too much joy out of Angela's suffering. Timmy's gaze shifted back to me. "And what about you, Sarah?" I frowned. "What about me?" He smiled slowly. "You've been awfully quiet." I crossed my arms. "Some of us don't enjoy being a public nuisance before first period." Raphael let out a sharp laugh. Timmy raised an eyebrow. "Well. Someone woke up violent." Rosella whispered, "Ooooh." Angela immediately recovered. "Yes, Sarah. Finish him." I sighed. "I'm just saying some people confuse attention with personality."

Timmy stared at me. Then, to my surprise he laughed. A real laugh. Not the fake charming kind. The genuine kind. His green eyes stayed on mine a second too long. "Well," he said softly, "this just got interesting." Before anyone could say anything else, the warning bell rang. Saved by the school system. Angela grabbed my wrist. "Come on before I actually punch him." Rosella waved dramatically at Angella. "Try not to ruin anyone's life before lunch." "No promises," Angela said.

We walked away, avoiding Timmy's tactics. Rosella nudged me. "So." "No." Angela turned. "Oh my God." "No." Rosella gasped dramatically. "Sarah Evans." I glared at both of them. "There is no conversation happening right now." Angela smirked. I groaned. "Can we not do this?" Rosella threw an arm around my shoulders. "Oh, baby girl, we are absolutely doing this." Angela grinned wickedly. "The player finally found someone who doesn't worship him."

Rosella wiggled her brows. Raphael hummed. "Exactly." Angela laughed. "And that is why this is going to be fun." I stared at both of them. Sometimes I really questioned why these girls were my friends. Then again… they were the reason school was bearable. The reason the pressure didn't crush me. The reason I could laugh even on days when life felt too heavy.