“Everything will be getting split between us, equally.”
“Damn,” she mutters. “Are your parents looking to adopt a third kid?”
My parents, Valeria and Jason, come from old money. They’re in the oil industry, but in the recent decade, they also opened up different restaurant chains all across the United States. Given the success of their business, next year, they’re expanding their branches into Europe as well.
“Nah, they were done as soon as they were graced with a perfect kid,” I grin, and Avalon smacks the back of my head.
“God, I wish I were rich.”
“You will be,” I smile. “I know it.”
She rolls her eyes, then flips me off. “Right.”
Saint Valley Academy is one of the most prestigious private schools in the world. They have elementary, middle school, high school, and the academy, which is the university. Each year, only seventy students from all over the world are accepted into the program, as well as two scholarship students. In my year, one of them was Avalon. The tuition itself for the school is over a hundred thousand a year, which is why it’s seen as unreachable by most people.
I attended Saint Valley for both middle and high school, and since I had perfect grades, I passed the entrance exams with flying colors. My parents, and even my grandparents, went to Saint Valley; it was only natural that my brother, Sawyer and I would follow in their footsteps.
“Hey,” Avalon turns to face me, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Since you’ve been too busy nerding out, I take it you didn’t hear the latest bit of gossip?”
My ears perk, and I’m immediately intrigued. “No? Whatgossip?”
“Apparently, a certainsomeoneis fucking one of the teachers.”
My eyes bulge, almost falling right out of the sockets. “You mean Soren?!”
Avalon nods enthusiastically. “Yup! And get this, if we’re trusting the word going around, it’s getting serious.”
“No,” I gasp. “Listen, I need proof of this.”
Avalon nods. “I’ll try getting it. Are you going to blackmail him?”
I shrug. “I haven’t decided yet. Soren’s been… too quiet as of late. I don’t like that at all.”
Chills run down my body at the mere thought of what the bastard might be up to. The two of us met in middle school, and have hated each other since. His parents are also in the oil industry, and the two companies are always competing with each other for first place. Well, the competitiveness transferred to us, too.
It was when we were twelve that things really started going south. He cut my hair during recess from waist length to a bob because I scored higher than him on our English exam. Well, twelve-year-old Sophia didn’t like that at all. So, I took a pen and stabbed it into his hand — I think he still has the scar.
It only got worse from there. Soren would pick on me, and I’d pick on him right back. It all died down at one point during our high school years because he got himself a girlfriend, so he was busy. Once they broke up, he went right back to tormenting me. The older we get, the worse it becomes.
He often spreads rumors, fucks with my assignments, and once he even slammed me into the lockers for looking at him the wrong way. To be fair, I was glaring at him, but it didn’t warrant violence. It seemed as though that was the trigger for everything because after thatincident, we started fighting physically, too.
My father put me into boxing classes, so I’d be able to defend myself. Soren is taller than me by a lot, and obviously, a lot stronger, too. However, I don’t think he anticipated that I’d be able to fight back. He probably expected me to lay down and take it — but I didn’t. My pride would never let me.
Once Soren realized I was not like his usual victims, he backed off. Well, physically at least. But not before he broke my nose, and I knocked his front tooth out. Now, he has a fake one, and I have a better nose.Thank god for cosmetic surgeons.
“But why has the son of a bitch been so quiet?” I ask, walking back into our dorm. Each dorm houses two people, spacious, with matching furniture on each side. Avalon’s been my dorm mate since our first year, and we have a lot of fun together. I flop on my bed, taking the stuffed animal I brought with me, hugging it on my lap. “It makes no sense.”
Avalon lifts a brow, half-curious, half-amused. “Isn’t that a good thing? It means he’s too busy with his new girlfriend to bother you.”
I pause to think. Something gnaws at me on the inside, and although it would be the second time he’s backed off because he’s in a relationship, something feels different. A chilling sensation spreads through my body, and for whatever reason, I just know Soren’s not done tormenting me.
Not by a long shot.
???
A yawn slips out as I roll over on to my side, glancing at the clock on the bedside table. It’s seven in the morning, and my alarm hasn’t gone off yet. I’ve spent the past two weeks working my ass off during the exams. I had seven in total, and they’re announcing the results today, after breakfast. With a sigh, I push myself into a sitting position, stretch and walk into the bathroom to take a shower.
Avalon’s missing again. It’s something she’s been doing since the beginning of the year and although I am curious, I’ve yet to start questioning her about it. She’s a grown ass adult, she can do as she pleases, but it worries me.
