Chapter 2 02

FLORA

My uniform looked weird on me. It was as if I'd gained an extra inch or two, making me look as if I'd borrowed someone else's clothes and was trying too hard to fit into them.

My white shirt was tight, the plain navy-green blazer refused to button, and the school's crest looked like it was begging for mercy. I had to suck in my tummy, so, I could zip up the plaid skirt to my waist which stopped right on my mid-thigh displaying my extremely thick thighs.

I felt exposed...

Definitely going to be the center of attention in school, and not in a good way. My former school didn't have uniforms, so I was comfortable in my XXXXL large round necks and Cinderella's skirts or baggy jeans.

I'd managed to get a glimpse of myself in the small mirror hanging on the wall of my room. My hair was packed in my usual style—two short ponytails. My nerd glasses were sitting comfortably on the bridge of my nose and a shining transparent gloss on my lips to keep them from looking chapped.

I didn't wear makeup, never bothered to because I didn't feel pretty enough to waste such products on my face. I let out a sharp breath and grabbed my backpack from the table.

Leaving the house without having to say goodbye to my dad felt right in every way. He didn't even know I'd gotten a scholarship in one of the elite schools in the State and he doesn't need to. He never cared about me anyway.

I hopped into the morning bus and sat next to the window, I plugged in my earpiece and enjoyed the view of the buzzing road and people going about their early morning business. 

The bus came to a stop at the station and people were impatiently trying to get off. I did too and that caused me to bump into someone who was entering the bus holding a cup of coffee which spilled on my white shirt.

"Oh, my god!" I screamed. It was not the hotness of the coffee that got me shrieking but the fact that it had spilled on my white shirt.

The lady I'd bumped into gave me an apologetic look, she looked old and frail. "I'm so sorry, I was rushing to get in—oh, goodness, let me help you clean that—" she tried to reach for a kerchief in her handbag.

My eyes widened in shock, I don't know whether I wanted to pour my entire frustration on her or just let it go. I'd been ironing this shirt all week just for it to get stained before stepping into the school that owns it.

I was running late and she was trying to clean the mess, which wouldn't solve the situation. "It's fine," I collected the handkerchief from her and smiled regardless. I got off the bus and started walking hastily.

Soon, the bus started to move. "I am really sorry, darling!" The woman apologized loudly from the bus as it drove off.

A curse left my lips as I stopped in my tracks. I looked down at my shirt and the annoyance started resurfacing, I used the silk handkerchief the old lady had given me but the brown stain wasn't vanishing. It stuck like that's where it was meant to be.

There's nothing I can do, I'd better get going. 

The Crownsworth Academy wasn't that far from where I dropped off. A few more steps and I'll be there.

Lamborghini, BMW X5, Audi A8, Porsche Panamera, and other exquisite expensive model cars to mention were what passed by me as I entered the school premises. I tried to use my blazer to conceal the stain on my white shirt which was surprisingly failing.

Instantly, the aura in the air made me realize I didn't belong here at all. Students walked into the main school building with designer shoes, bags, perfumes while I, on the other hand looked like I'd stumbled in the wrong place.

My throat felt dry as I approached the main building that could pass for a skyscraper. The glasses give a clear reflection of the sky. When I walked into the building it felt more like a five-star hotel than a school.

The floor was insanely polished marble, and you could almost see a perfect reflection of yourself as you walked.

I could see some students entering the elevator while others used the stairway. I didn't want to look at anyone's face. Staring at people to know if they noticed you could start something you would not want.

This place looks foreign and how would I get myself to class without knowing where to go? 

"Hello..." I heard a feminine voice behind me which made me flinch before turning around to see who it was.

A beautiful girl with long straight chestnut hair was gazing at me. Her brown eyes drifted to my shirt and I swore she made an irritated face but masked it with a polite smile.

"You must be the new student," her eyes stealthily scanning me from head to toe.

"Flora, right?" She tilted her head slightly.

"Yes-" I answered, trying to adjust my blazer to hide the stains but it was a long due failed attempt

"I'm Chelsea, your class president and I'll be showing you around." She introduced.

"Oh, thank you," I appreciated. She gave a small nod and turned on her heels.

As we kept walking, I could feel eyes on us but I think it's because Chelsea was greeting almost everyone that came her way. We got to the main hallway which seemed endlessly far stretched and wide.

Students were hanging around. Cliques of girls doing their makeup in front of their lockers, boys hanging out with their cliques too. I felt so out of place as their attention drifted towards me. 

"Who's this?" I heard someone say while my heart started beating at a pace beyond what it should.

“New girl?”

"Gosh, this school is bringing in people below standards." My heart was crushed.

"I mean, she got thick laps tho."

"Yeah, right."

I felt conscious and it affected the way I was walking. I could trip and fall to the ground due to nervousness unlike Chelsea who seemed perfectly fine and composed. She’s tall, slender, and pretty.

"This is your locker," we stopped at the last locker in sight. The glossy locker looked custom-made because it had my name on it. When I opened it, I met a stack of new notebooks and a welcome note from the Academy.

"Classes will begin soon, but you'll be skipping morning class because I have other places to show you," Chelsea informed.

"Okay."

I like that she talked when necessary, I closed my locker and it didn't slam like the ones in my old school, just soft-close you could barely hear a sound.

Suddenly, the girls in the hallway started to squeal like fan girls and I wondered what was going on. A group of guys strutted into the hallway like they owned every inch of it. They were five and they owned the hallway, if not the whole school, and everyone knew that. 

One of them caught my attention that made my knees go weak.

Denji.

He was wearing a green letterman jacket and he looked so handsome and hot as fuck.

He was laughing with the guys who also wore letterman Jackets as they walked by. Denji's eyes met mine for a moment but he looked away almost immediately, as if I wasn’t there or he just couldn’t see me.

It's always the same, I never existed in his world.

"Hm, did one of them catch your attention?" I heard someone say as I jolted out of my trance.

"Ugh?"

Chelsea had a faint smirk on her lips as she stared at me. "You seemed particular about one of the boys."

"No, I'm not. Just wondering why everyone was fawning over them." I shrugged my shoulders.

“Well, what do you expect from the princes of the school?”

“Princes?” I asked, stunned.

“The one you were staring at is the King of the school, no one messes with him,” she spilled.

“Denji?” I tried to hold back my amusement.

Chelsea’s brow arched at me. “You know, Denji?” 

“No!” I said way too fast. If she were a lie-detector she would have caught a lie.

She didn’t seem convinced. “I saw his quarterback poster on the notice board with his name on it.” I cleared my throat.

“Oh…”

I couldn’t tell her I worked as a part-time nanny for Denji’s baby brother and I don’t think he’d be happy if I went about telling people that I’m close to his reach.

“Well, steer clear of them and their cock-sucking bitches.” She advised but the way she talked intrigued me. I’d expected her to be more reserved since she’s the class president.

“Bitches?”

"They're the big boys of the school, every girl would die to be in their pants and they have those doing that already," she rolled her eyes.

"Oh," I muttered.

"You don't seem fazed," she chuckled.

"Well, I'm only keen about graduating from college," I said truthfully.

"That's a good one," she smiled but I noticed she couldn't help her eyes darting to the stain on my shirt, like it icks a part of her and she's finding a way not to make it her business.

"Someone poured coffee on my shirt on my way to school," I told her. Her eyes shifted to mine.

"Oh, forgive my rudeness, I guess I've been staring a lot and you noticed. I was just wondering how your shirt got stained on your first day…”

"It's fine. I'm just wondering if the stain would ever leave if I wash it off." I let out a sigh.

"It won't unless you wash it off immediately, let me take you to the restroom, and you can wash and dry it off immediately there." She suggested.

My face brightened. "Really?" She nodded and began to saunter away.

"Thank you," I trailed behind her as she led the way.

Chelsea was about to push open the door to the restroom when it suddenly opened and the prettiest girl I'd set eyes on appeared. She looked annoyed, "Out of my way, bitch!" She growled, storming out. She made Chelsea almost lose her balance.

I caught a whiff of her perfume. I could tell it was very expensive as it made my senses go bizarre. "Maybe you should take a chill pill," Chelsea fired, making the red-haired girl stop in her tracks.

"The fuck did you just say," she threw back, turning to face Chelsea completely.

I could sense the tension in the air and I knew these two weren't on good terms. The red-haired girl seemed to have a domineering and mean spirit.

She looked like the girl you wouldn’t want to mess with.

"You heard me, Selene…” Chelsea stepped forward, her boldness engulfing the space.

“I. Said. You. Should. Take. A. Chill. Pill!”