~~~~ THE WHITE'S ACADEMY~~~~
"Please make notes on the economic needs for survival that we discussed in the previous lecture. You could use some more explanation...."
"Hi, Gaby." He whispered a greeting. Gabriela cleared her throat, facing the professor before them.
"Gaby, did I do something wrong?"
Fuck. Could he even hear his own voice right now? He was making her shiver.
"N-no. I'm just trying to take notes." She wrote, blinking multiple times nervously.
"I know you're lying. Can I see you later? For a proper apology?"
"Miguel, you didn't do anything wrong but...we could talk later. What was the last economic need?" She asked, still whispering.
"You could use my notes."
Gabriela read through and her eyes widened madly. She was shocked to see her name written in his notebook as 'his' economic need.
"Are you nuts?!" She yelled in a whisper. Miguel shrugged.
"Are you surprised? You look...a little jealous right now. I should have put you first on the list. I didn't remember sooner." He chuckled.
Too hot to handle. She thought.
"You don't have to worry, Gaby. Its just a rough sheet." He tore the paper and crumbled it in his fist. The professor's eyes fell on them.
"Your whispers are kinda distracting..."
~~~~~~
Professor Jennie was scribbling away in her office, listening to loud music as she hummed along to the tune.
She was irritated when Professor Luke barged in.
"Learn to knock next time."
"Knock? This used to be a general office for all lecturing professors. We don't know how it turned all yours. Your castle!" His tone was sarcastic. Professor Jennie wore an angry scowl on her face.
"Anyways, your music is disturbing the school environment."
"I can't hear you!!" She sounded childish, increasing the volume. Professor Luke sucked his teeth.
"Shit. The business students needed you a few days back. There was a newbie." He pulled a seat for himself and relaxed, his gaze not leaving her.
"Newbie?" She stopped the music suddenly.
"Yeah. You weren't around to introduce her, or submit her file. Professor Paisley did all the work. Poor her. She needs a break."
"Who is she?"
"Veronica Lander." She almost screamed. The name made her voice shake.
"R..real..really?"
Her lips were quivering.
"What happened to your lips? Did you catch a cold suddenly?" Professor Luke's tone was making her pissed.
"Don't stare at my lips. Get out of here. I was working before you came in." He giggled and got up.
"That's the door," she pointed, "Just so you know."
"I only came to remind you of your duties. Next time, don't laze around listening to music. Do your job." He leaned in.
"Or...could it be that....those rumors are true? Mr. Alejandro's sweet wife and Mr. Eric White?" She slapped him across the face.
"Get lost, lass!" He smirked and left the office, slamming the door.
"I'd like the fruit drink, please."
"Which one?"
"Pineapple. Its my favorite." Carissa grinned.
"Oh cute. My daughter also loves pineapple drinks. You look so much like her, though." The attendant said.
"Wow. How much is it?"
"$7 dollars."
"Oh..." Carissa stared at the money hopelessly. She had just $5 dollars.
"Diana has rendered me the most broke student in The White's. I can't believe this." She mumbled. Before she could speak, someone came to her rescue.
"I'll pay for both." He also picked out a pineapple drink.
Carissa was surprised to see him moving swiftly and already choosing a table.
"Sit." Easton pointed to a chair. She was hesitant, but sat.
For the drink's sake.
"You saved my life, yunno." They both laughed.
"Diana and I went shopping and she spent every penny. I can't even tell Dad how broke I am right now. He'd be so mad."
"You both must have had a lot of fun." Carissa nodded.
Her mood swung.
"Easton, why – why did you pay for my drink? Why did I even sit on this chair?"
"Hey. Don't you want us to talk?"
"We have nothing to talk about!" She half yelled.
"Of course we do. We could talk about Marissa." Carissa smiled wistfully.
"Marissa. I know she's what you've always wanted to talk about. Tell you what, I don't like talking about Marissa. It hurts me deeply that she's dead and the boy who likes her is all over me...."
"Carissa. I never liked Marissa." She was shocked.
"What? You never liked her? That's a lie! You wanted to confess your feelings to her back then. You truly liked her! You're lying to me just because she's not here anymore and you've chosen me as your next target. I'm not someone you can have sex with and get away. I'm not the naive girl I used to be. I'm stronger. And the reason is to avenge Marissa's death and get rid of the fuckers who killed her. That's all I'm doing."
"Why do you think I came back to USA? To visit Marissa's burial site and confess my feelings to it? You're hilarious. I came back for you. I came back to tell you how I really felt about you."
"How do you feel about me?" She snapped.
"Do you have any proof that you never felt anything romantic towards Marissa? All I had on you was...a harmless crush...I don't even know who you are. I only view you as a neighbor. When you told me you liked Marissa, I was really sad but...I was glad. At least someone fell in love with my sister for who she was, and now you're telling me you never liked her?"
"Your grandma wanted Marissa and I to be together. We met on the street and I helped her with her luggage. She said I was so kind, on taking me to her house, was the day I met Marissa. Marissa didn't like me at first but we started hanging out at leisure time, and that's how we stuck. But we were nothing but friends. It was all for your grandma. She advised me to ask her out on a real...date but I refused. You weren't on good terms with her so she asked me to tell you I was in love with Marissa so you could burn. She wanted you to see that poor people could also find their true soulmate. That was it."
Carissa sighed.
"Accepted. You never liked Marissa and she was just your friend. Then...leave me alone. Let me live my life executing plans until one of them work. Let me live my life trying to get my sister's killer arrested."
"I can't. That rose on Valentine's Day. Do you think any other guy would leave it in your locker?"
"Miller would." Her voice hinted arrogance.
Easton mocked her.
"Miller. He turned you down during prom. He was into someone else. He wouldn't drop a rose in a weirdo's locker."
"Weirdo?"
"I dropped the rose in your locker that morning. And the note."
"What was in the note?" She wanted to be sure he was telling the truth.
"Happy Valentine's Day.You are simply my dream girl, and I hope you'd make it easy for me!"
_ Anonymous _
She was gazing at the table, her heart leaping for joy in her chest. She played with her fingers excitedly.
"Can we please have this juice in silence?" Carissa requested.
"Yeah. If I say one more thing, you might not feel comfortable with it. But can I stare at you?"
"Sure you can. Social media lovers stare at me for a living."
~~~~~
Professor Jennie was leaving the office. Someone knocked.
"Who's there?"
"Claudia!"
"Come in." Claudia walked in, a hint of urgency in her steps.
"Mom. I want to make my move tonight."
"What move is that? Did we discuss it?" She shook her head.
"I'm telling you now. And I promise you...it's an idea you'd love."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah. You see, Gabriela has gone way too far. Miguel doesn't even look my way. He's always ignoring me. I'll change that with one night."
"One night? What do you plan to do in one night?"
"Sandra has gotten me an expensive, sexy lingerie just for tonight. I'll wear it, along with her mother's special scents and cosmetics, he'll never be able to resist me. I want him to kiss my red, dangerous lips. After tonight, I'll make sure he desires more!" Jennie was impressed.
"Wow. That's a brave move, Claudia. Then??"
"I'll have the whole thing recorded. Apart from desiring more, he wouldn't dare go back to Gabriela after the horrible blackmail I'm planning. Become my fuck mate or have his nudes all over the internet. He'll be ruined." She smirked.
"Hm. Sounds so great. I'm proud to hear that you're finally doing what you were supposed to. Gabriela will be shattered. After that, I'll work on getting her out of the way in my husband's company."
"Not to forget, I'll need your help to get him."
"Easy task."
Claudia stared at her watch.
"Oh! I should leave now!" She exclaimed and turned to the door.
"Alright, bye! Stay safe and be the best temptress!"
"Miguel! Hi! Did you see the notice board earlier?" Professor Jennie was walking side by side with him.
He was increasing his pace.
"Wait up!! You shouldn't be so fast. I'm talking to you."
"Did you see the notice board?" She asked again.
"Yeah."
"You must have seen the picture day event." She faked a chuckle.
"I did. Why are we having picture day? I thought it was meant for first graders. I mean...I did that in first grade, sounds cringe."
"Its not cringe, my dear. We want nice pictures for the yearbook. They'd look better than your pictures when you were enrolled." Miguel nodded.
"Hm. Sometimes you talk like you're a part of the college management. You're nothing but Mr. White's little plaything. Don't think too highly of yourself." She clenched her fist, but controlled her anger for Claudia's sake.
"Fortunately, your database was submitted to me and I noticed a few errors."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You need to be at my house in the evening so we can correct it. I forgot the file at home. So stupid of me."
"I'll be at basketball practice in the evening."
"You'll have to be at my house after your practice, Miguel. Failure to correct those errors, they'd be in your photobook. And most certainly, you wouldn't want that. It'd be horrible for a high profile student like you." Miguel nodded.
"Alright. I'll be there...probably 8pm."
"Okay."
~~~~~
Gabriela was heading home after school and as her car sped through the streets, she was lost in thought.
She wondered how her sister was doing.
She was also bothered because she hadn't spoken to Miguel after the kiss and it'd be weird to call him to check up on Daniela.
She also thought of the dream. Suddenly, she saw Veronica sitting on a street bench.
"Stop." She ordered the driver.
"Hey, Veronica!" She waved. Veronica waved back, looking tired.
"Why are you sitting here?" Gabriela asked curiously.
"I'm...I'm waiting for my driver and he's taking so long. I decided to sit for some fresh air."
"Nice. Well, hop in." She offered. Veronica's eyes lit up and she agreed. Slamming the door, she took off her sunglasses and Gabriela was taken aback. The driver ignited the engine.
She had seen Veronica somewhere before.
Apart from social media.
"Why are you wearing sunglasses?"
"I don't want people to recognize me. Else, they'd ask questions..." She remembered.
Veronica's rich dad Mr. Lander got paralyzed overnight, found in a hotel room, the smell of orgasm and a woman's underwear with reporters all over wanting to know how he got there.
There was pandemonium when the hotel management was trying to get the reporters out of their environment.
"Oh. It trended on social media for weeks then. Do you want to share how your dad got paralyzed? What was he doing in the hotel?"
"That doesn't really matter now, Gabriela. When I met you, I – something in me sparked that I've seen you before. I've come across you..in person and not in the pictures only. I don't want us to talk about that too. Claudia and her mother. They are trying everything possible to bring you down. Tonight, Professor Jennie is planning to invite Miguel to their house somehow and Claudia is going to seduce him. Please, go and stop them. If Miguel falls for this, things...things will go wrong." Veronica sounded tensed.
"Things will go wrong? Seduce him? Has Claudia gone insane?"
"She's even going to record the whole thing and threaten to let it out."
"How could she do that to someone she claims she's in love with?" Gabriela thundered. She bit her lower lip, unable to believe what she was hearing.
"Gabriela, I want you to stop Miguel from going there. You might be wondering why I'm telling you this...it's because I know you're his...true love." Gabriela was confused.
"T-True love?"
"Don't ask me what it means. I beg of you. Stop this from happening."
When Veronica alighted, Gabriela felt her heart racing and her head spinning.
True love?
It echoed in her head.
The car stopped at her apartment and she alighted, running as fast as her legs could carry her.
"Gabriela, you didn't even take your phone to school today..."
"Where is it?!" She yelled at Diana.
"In your room." Gabriela dashed inside and picked her phone. Her hands were trembling as she typed.
"Miguel, please. Don't go to Professor Jennie's house. She's up to no good."
She sent it but thought she didn't sound convincing enough.
"Trust me, I'll explain everything, much later."
"Hello, Claudia?"
"Hey, Mom." She sounded sad.
"What happened? Is Miguel there yet?"
"No, Mom! Its almost 10pm and I've been sitting on the bed for so long. My hair is well curled, my curves seem to be in the right places, my lips and nipples are waiting to be touched and kissed. Why is he taking so long?!"
"I don't know. He should be away from basketball practice now. I wonder what's keeping him waiting."
She heard the door creak open.
"I'll hang up now. I think he's here." She whispered excitedly and hung up.
Tossing the phone aside, she ran her fingers in her hair and crossed her legs.
"You must be waiting for someone to thrust into you." Claudia's eyes widened to hear a feminine voice.
The room was dark and the candle behind her wasn't lit enough.
"Y-yeah. Who are you? Where's Miguel?"
"Miguel isn't coming. What a – pity. At least there's something you can thrust into yourself." Claudia got up angrily.
"Who the fuck are you? I was expecting someone else!"
A knife shone in her sight and her eyes widened. Gabriela pounced on her and they both fell on the bed.
Gabriela was on top of her, pinning her wrist with one hand and raising the knife with another. Claudia was horrified.
"Gabriela!"
She gave her a death glare and a triumphant smirk before she kept the knife in her pocket and got up.
Claudia sat, still not believing her eyes.
"You look beautiful, by the way. But you smell like shrubs. Try to get a better scent next time." Claudia was embarrassed.
"If Miguel was here, he wouldn't wanna make out with a dead wood. Your underarms smell like that. Get better perfumes. Sandra's mom sells shit."
"How do I smell? Like pleasureable hell. That's the scent you need if you're seducing someone. Did your mom forget to teach you that?" Her sassy whispers sent fire down Claudia's throat.
"You say you're in love with Miguel yet you wanna let his nudes out? You're so shameless, classless and stupid. You know I always tell you that. I'm not scared of you, Claudia. Thinking you could kill my sister after this meeting? Heck, no. Because your love interest is doing all he can to protect my sister. Sounds killing, right?" Gabriela winked.
She started pacing around the room.
"The room scent's like nature. You've planned everything to get Miguel inside you tonight. Unfortunately, I was faster."
"How did you know about..."
"Shh. Don't ask. If you want Miguel here, I can call him. And the tables will turn." She suddenly leaned closer to her with a wicked smirk.
"You'll sit and watch while he's banging into me and - " Claudia slapped her hard with gritted teeth. Gabriela laughed evily.
"You wouldn't enjoy watching that. How about this? Stop trying to have Miguel. It's an advice from a great sister like me."