The Billion Dollar Girl

(Chapter 21)

Ͼ Ella Castillo Ͽ

History being over, I managed to find Zack, so we could go to Lunch together. Ah, it was almost like old times.

"Hey, Zack," I yelled, waving an arm. He ignored me, again. I sighed. Were we back to playing this stupid game? I ran out in front of him. He didn't stop moving.

I glared at his non-responsive face for a moment, and then changed my tack. I arranged my face into a vaguely surprised expression, as I pretended to stare at something over Zack's head. It didn't work. He wasn't looking, and was still ignoring me.

"Look, Zack -" I said, angrily. I hated it when Zack was like this.

"Oh my God," Zack interrupted, staring over my head. I turned around. There was nothing. When I turned back, Zack was gone again.

I hated this game.

There was only one way I knew to get Zack out of this hissy fit. I didn't want to do it, but I had no other choice. I silently caught up with him again, my fingers reaching up his back.

"Argh!" Zack yelled, like he was having an electric shock. He started laughing, uncontrollably, squirming under my death-grip. "Stop it! Stop tickling me!"

"Promise not to ignore me, for ever an ever?"

"I promise! Stop it!"

"Promise not to ever have a hissy fit again?"

"Okay, okay! Stop!"

"Promise to call me the Ultimate Supreme Ruler of the Universe? For the rest of our lives."

"Fine!" he cried, and I relaxed my fist enough to get him squirm out of it. He pulled away, and awarded me with a long glare. "Why did you have to do that? It's not fair."

I stuck my tongue out at him, skipping along beside him as we started walking again. "Whatever, Zack. You were the one ignoring me. You know how I hate that. Why were you mad at me, anyway?"

He sighed. We were approaching a large building, roughly the side of football field. I guessed it was the cafeteria. He pulled open the door, and let me walk in first, which I considered kind of weird - I mean, he was treating me like a proper girl. He'd never pulled open doors for me. I practically had to beg him to do as much as pick up a piece of paper from the floor for me. What'd changed? Was it the "new" way I looked? Or was it just the fact that we hadn't talked to each other for so long, and his attitude had changed?

I walked in, and the smell of delicious food hit me. My mouth started watering. Wow. This was definitely quality food. In Charlotte, the food there was mushy and tasteless, as almost everyone there ate about ten calories a day. This meant we didn't have anything processed, with gluten, with wheat, and it had to be suitable for vegetarians. Basically, it was a lot of fruit.

I stared at the rows and rows of colorful, varied food. There were so many to choose from. Oh, God... I think I'm in total heaven. I unconsciously ran my fingers over grooves in the credit card in my pocket. A small smirk came to my lips. Ash, I'm going to put a good dent into your Billions.

I hadn't bought anything at all on the credit card. I wasn't used to it at all, and there was no need for me to go out. When you were poor, you could think of a million things to do with the money you didn't have. When you had the money, you couldn't think of anything to do with the money you did have.

"You've sold out," Zack said quietly, pulling me back from my reverie. He was so serious, I was kind of shocked.

"What?"

"That's why I was mad at you. You've sold out, Ella -"

"Ultimate Supreme Ruler of the Universe."