Billionaire's Childhood Love

XXXVI. American Spaghetti-o

"Want to be my date for the Golden Party?" His voice echoed in the nearly empty hallway.

Immediately, a broad smile dropped across my face, and I nodded eagerly. Josh smiles and waves me goodbye, a little whistle dangling in the air while he resumes his mission towards his class.

Entering my classroom, I noticed how my classmates were no longer looking at me oddly. I returned to being invisible. I place my backpack down and pull out my books. I was avoiding Taniyah's eyes the whole time. We've been ignoring each other ever since the minor bickering in the hallway weeks ago.

Mr.Timberland entered and placed down his books. "Now, students. I'm quite certain you've heard the rumors in regards to our new student." Don't tell me. "Please, put your hands together for your new classmate, Ricardo Winston."

Ricardo walks into the classroom and a good amount of the girl's eyes sparkle.

"Ricardo, please, introduce yourself."

"Didn't you already do that?" Ricardo said, causing some laughter to jerk into the air.

"Watch yourself," Mr.Timberland warned him.

Ricardo cleared his throat, "Hello. My name is Ricardo," he half-heartedly introduces himself.

"Why don't you tell us more about yourself?" Mr.Timberland encouraged him.

Ricardo released a deep breath through his nostrils. "I am a 15 years old male. Half Italian. Quarter Japanese. Quarter some other European blood that my mamma refused to talk about."

"Keep going."

"I dislike long walks on the beach. I dislike having dinner beside a glass window. I dislike birds chirping in the morning. I dislike talking to people. I dislike talking in front of people. I dislike people being too nosy. I dislike-"

That's a lot of dislikes.

"Why don't you tell us something you do like doing in your spare time," Mr.Timberland cut him off.

Ricardo opens his mouth but slams it shut before lifting his eyes to the ceiling to think about what he slightly enjoys in life. "I like...baking with my mamma."

The room was quiet.

I notice how a guy in the corner of the room opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it realizing he wants to live another day.

Mr.Timberland nodded, "What else?" He pushed Ricardo further.

There was a brief silence before Ricardo responded, "I like...American spaghetti-o."

Is that even a thing?

Mr.Timberland smiled, a genuinely heartwarming one that I never witness from him. It was different from his usual ones, more loving, much more memorable. I noticed how Taniyah was no longer staring at her notebook; instead, she was staring at him. I look back at Mr.Timberland, then Taniyah, and back at him. There's something off between them. I can feel it in my soul.

"Mister Winston, why don't you take a seat beside Miss Vaughn and Miss Sosa."

Immediately, the blood withdrew from my face as Ricardo made his way towards my table. He settled himself beside me and grinned, a huge cunning one.

I lower my gaze momentarily before drifting it back upward to see Ricardo and Taniyah in an intense stare-off. Not too long after, she scoffed and looked away.

It seems like she dislikes many people.

"Moving forward," Mr.Timberland said, settling himself in front of his desk. He folded his arms, "I want to inform you all on a project."

I prayed that it was an individual's project.

"For the next three months, you will be working with those at your table. You will compete with other classmates in and out of this classroom. The goal of your project will be to build a company. Each group will be given a hundred thousand, of course, the money isn't real. You and your peers will build something; anything legitimate-" he glared at Ricardo, "that profits. The more you profit, the higher your grade will be-" he stood up straighter, walking around the room, "and who knows. Pandora Academy may invest in your company and make it into a reality."

Ricardo glanced over at me and wink.

I'm going to pretend he has allergies, and his right eye is itchy.