The Billion Dollar Girl

Ͼ Ella Castillo Ͽ

It was the end of the school day. I packed my bag, sighing. The subjects here were a little different from my last schools. Everyone in my year had started Economics, Sociology and Latin since last semester. I mean, I was going to be alright. Most of it was easy, and so I just had to learn it, plain and simple. And there was no way around that.

My bag now weighed down with the thick volumes of the new subjects I had to take on, I managed to follow the general flow of the students, and made my way towards the exit. Most students were getting into the various limos and shiny BMVs that were slowly filing in through the school gates. A couple rebellious-looking tough guys had bikes. There were only three people who rode bicycles – the scholarship students. I watched them pedal home.

“Hello.” Ash was suddenly behind me, one of his arms pulling me close to his chest. How did he do that? It was so unnerving.

“Get off,” I yelled, pushing him away. I glaring at him, desperately hoping he wouldn’t notice the fact that I was blushing red. I’d smelt his cologne, again.  I didn’t know why I was so mad at him. I just knew that I was. I would never admit it was because he hadn’t kissed me. Because it wasn’t. It definitely wasn’t. But deep down, there was a voice inside, asking: Didn’t he find me attractive?

I shoved away my insecurities, and glared at him with renewed vigor.

“I don’t want to see you ever again.”

“We live in the same house,” he pointed out, looking amused. “It might be kind of hard to avoid. And we have to go home together.”

I smiled at Ash. “No, we don’t, actually.”

I ran over to Zack, past Ash. I could feel his gaze boring into my back, but I carried on running.

“Zack,” I said, smiling a little too strangely. He looked at me, like I’d just grown an extra eye, or something. “Can you give me a ride home?”

“What?” He looked confused. “I don’t think I live anywhere near you.”

I glanced back over my shoulder at Ash, who was still looking pleasantly amused. I shot him a vindictive smirk, before turning to Zack. “Please, Zack. Just this once.” I batted my eyes, the way I’d seen girls do at guys in bad cheerleader movies.

He blinked, and looked even more dazed.

“Uh, sure. But I don’t understand –”

I threw my head back and laughed, like he’d just said the funniest thing ever. A quick glance told me Ash was still watching, and was no longer looking happy. With a smirk on my lips, I climbed onto the back of Zack’s bike, making a show of wrapping my arms around his waist, and pulling him close.

“Shall we go?” I asked.

“Uh…yeah…” he fumbled with the controls, and we were away.

Ash glared at us as we left.

***

I jumped of the bike, and fell to my knees, resisting the heavy urge to throw up the lunch I hadn’t eaten. Bile rose up my throat, and I retched, but luckily nothing came out. Zack patted my back.

“Are you okay?” he asked, sounding concerned.

“Yeah.” My voice was strained, but it was my fault. I’d been trying to make Ash jealous. It was stupid and immature, and probably didn’t work, since Ash didn’t like me.

I stood up, breathing in the fresh air heavily. That’d been one of the worst experiences of my life. How can any girl like boys who ride on motorcycles? It was terrifying, the sheer speed of it… I was too busy screaming to actually tell Zack to stop.

The worst part – Zack didn’t seem have helmets, which meant that throughout the whole ride I was convinced that we were going to crash, smash our skulls, and die.

“Is this where you live now?” Zack asked, giving out a low whistle of appreciation. “It’s amazing. I’m guessing the penthouse.”

I nodded, still feeling sick. “Thank you,” I mumbled, before turning away. Zack grabbed my wrist, stopping me from leaving.

“Ella…did you ride with me because you were trying to make Ash jealous?”

I winced. He’d caught on. “Uh, maybe…” A look crossed his face, and I immediately felt guilty. “I’m sorry about that. I just –”

“Do you love him?” The question caught me completely off guard. Why did everyone ask me the same question? His eyes stared intensely into mine, trying to read my mind.

“Uh…No,” I said, rolling my eyes like he’d just asked the stupidest thing in the world. I tried to laugh off the shock. “Have you met him? I would never fall for someone like him.”