Matilda's plan of attack wasn't one I necessarily liked, but she was right when she told me to find closure. My added frustrations with Khaleel was not going to help me regain control over the school. Whether I was attending Jackheights or not, my intensions were going to be made crystal clear. I had to find a new way to get the answers.
Arisa's head snapped back from staring at Matilda and Khaleel to me. "Do you really think he picked sides? Because all he's done over the summer is worry about you. And stress over your family situation."
I raised my brow, annoyed by the fact that she wasn't lying. "What are you? His spokesperson? I'm not in the mood to talk about what Khaleel did or didn't do over the summer."
"Well, then what would you like to talk about?" Arisa asked, crossing her arms.
"What exactly did you mean when you said students could ask you for help without fear?"
Arisa didn't break eye contact. "Exactly that."
"So, you were implying that they didn't need to cheat to graduate," I scoffed. "You were giving them an out."
"Maybe."
"Using what?" I probed.
Arisa shook her head. "Come on, Loyal. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what these students really need."
"Tutoring?" I laughed. "You're going to tutor them? Wow. That's a really...bad idea, Arisa."
She didn't humour me with a response. Probably because she knew I was right. I leaned against one of the cafeteria tables. "You're not thinking like your consumers," I said. "For them, paying people off is a lot easier than having to put in effort."
"And what happens after they graduate?"
"That's not my problem."
"Oh, it's not your problem?" Arisa scoffed indignantly. "So, you get what you want but you have no consideration for what they need?"
"That's right," I retorted. "As long as they make their payments, it's not my business. Most of them have nepotism looking out for them anyway and the rest want to waste their lives on social media. The students that actually want to succeed and do well in school are not my clients, Arisa. You know that."
"What I know is that not all your clients have the money to pay you off anymore," the smart-mouth said. "Yeah, I've heard how your consumers have emptied their entire bank accounts because of your insane prices. Sums big enough that their parents have started to question things."
I couldn't help but smile. Her research was both impressive and infuriating. It was a bitter reminder of why I wanted to make Arisa mine in the first place. But...she was too righteous, too good for me to corrupt, and turn against the school. She also had the privilege of living a fairly protected life with no strict obligations to her family. The more I thought about it, the more I realized we were polar opposites.
"This will be fun," I said, standing up straight, and stuffing my hands into my pockets. "We were never able to go toe-to-toe last year. I was too busy being intrigued to properly deal with you."
Arisa rolled her eyes.
"But this time will be different," I said, walking up to her."This time the Devil will give you everything he has."
"You're referring to yourself as the Devil now?" Arisa faked a laugh. She looked like she was ready to fight me, fists clenched, but I knew better than to put a target on my back. Khaleel wasn't happy with me at the moment, and if I so much as laid a finger on his tiny woman, he might wreak havoc.
"Isn't that what you've always wanted?" I beamed, suppressing my jealousy. "You said I was choosing to be the villain everyone made me out to be, and so, here I am...embodying that."
"I have never thought of you as the villain..."
"Sure you have," I shrugged. "But it's okay, I'm not holding grudges. In fact, I should thank you for letting me see the silver lining. Being the Devil means holding power. It means having a reputation...and a legacy to protect."
Her resolve weakened. I saw it as her clenched fists quivered for just a second.
"Your perception of me has always been right, Arisa," I grimaced. "So, get ready because I'm about give you hell."