Isla scowled at the sight in front of her.
Elias had a girl on his lap, his lips locking onto hers like they were going to get at it right then and there. She wasn't usually bothered by public displays of affection—which happened a quite a few many times with Sabatier—but now that she knew for what he was, she was almost ready to knock that bloke's head off.
Both Isla and Amber had a hard time touching their food.
"Blimey," Amber muttered beside her, hand frozen gripping her sandwich. "They're really going at it, aren't they?"
"It was worse in the library." Isla recounted the tale of earlier that day, when they had a session during a free period. Elias and the same girl had been snogging, right there in the middle of the library. Even when she slumped on the seat in front of them, their mouths latched onto each other like they were ready to shag and get on with it.
It was only when she banged the table that they decided to acknowledge her presence. That earned her a glare from the girl, and a satisfied smirk from Elias.
Apparently that wasn't the end of the show.
"Speaking of, how's the tutoring?"
"Miserable." Her nose scrunched up. "He's a slow learner at best, and sometimes I know he knows the answer, but I find that he fancies being an idiot."
"I hope you weren't talking about me," a familiar voice said nearby.
Isla's eyebrows raised, recognising the mischievous tone she'd only encountered a few days ago. Charles Graham was, indeed, standing over them, a loose hand in his pocket and a dashing smile on his face.
"Sorry to disappoint," Isla smiled tightly.
To her bewilderment, instead of walking to Elias's table—where he was seated with most of his lacrosse teammates—Charles sat on the seat right across from them.
"Uh," she blinked. "What are you doing?"
"Making new friends."
"I can see that." Beside her, Amber had gone still, staring at Charles like he had grown horns and a tail. Isla sighed, realising she was alone to fend for herself. "Listen, Charles, I think you're a great guy and all—"
"Why does it sound like you're breaking up with me?"
"—but unfortunately, you're friends with Elias. And while I do enjoy our one-on-one conversations, this shouldn't be a good time right now. I mean, your mate's sitting right there."
"Which is exactly why I'm here." He grinned. "I like getting under his skin, and from what I've heard, you do, too."
Registering his words, Isla let herself form a slow grin. Being friends with one of Elias's best mates did seem like the perfect counterattack to Elias flaunting his new popsy around.
It was working, in fact. Elias started noticing their table, his eyes strayed away for once while the girl tried pulling him into another kiss. His eyebrows were furrowed and he just looked baffled for a moment.
She savoured that look.
"I'd also like to apologise on the idiot's behalf for his rude behaviour the other day. It wasn't very chivalrous of him."
Isla turned her attention to him. "Chivalrous? That's the last word I'd use to describe him. Wanker would be the first in the list."
Amber let out a surprised squeak that almost sounded like a laugh.
Charles turned to her, his eyes sparkling with interest. "I don't think I've formally met you before." He extended his hand. "Charles Graham."
The blonde just stared at the open air. Isla nudged her to react, but the bloody girl wouldn't move an inch.
"Lay off her, Graham," another voice cut in, but one she couldn't exactly pinpoint. "You're frightening the poor girl."
"I'm doing no such thing!"
Nolan Parrish rolled his eyes. "She's Amber Davenport." Everyone seemed shocked that he knew her name, especially the subject herself. He only raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, unlike you and Elias, I actually take time to remember the names of my other peers."
"Touché," Charles mumbled.
Then, noticing that the latter was not by Charles's usual side, Nolan whipped his head around. When he found Elias, he looked back and forth between him and Isla's table, and his eyes lit up with realisation. With the way Charles and Elias were looking at him expectantly.
Nolan hurried over to Elias's table.
Charles dragged his bag at the last minute and pulled him down to the seat next to him. He let out an incoherent grumble of words.
"Whatever you and Elias are playing, I don't want to be a part of it, you immature buffoons—"
"I don't know what you're on about, Parrish."
This time, Elias wasn't even being discreet on his irritation. He just stared at his two best friends and spread his arms out like what the hell? as if the whole dining hall wasn't gaping at him at this point. Then he pulled out his phone. Charles's phone let out a ping! at the next second.
Isla, Amber and Nolan all leaned in to see Charles's text.
"What did he say?" Nolan's face was grave.
Charles cringed. "Nothing I should say in front of the ladies."
Then his phone actually rang. Charles picked it up, flinched at the aggressive voice on the other side of the phone, and, to everyone's surprise, passed the phone to Isla.
"He wants to speak to you."
She raised her eyebrows, already wary. But judging by Elias's glare at her right through this second, she thought it would be best to pick up the damn phone anyway.
"Yes?" she answered sweetly.
"Why are you stealing my friends?" he snapped.
"I didn't steal them, you knob. Stop calling me like a freak."
"Whatever it is that you're playing," he ignored, "you better stop now."
"I can be friends with whoever I want, Elias. And it seems like you've got someone else to warm your seat."
"This is about Sarah?" He grinned right at her from across the room. "Why didn't you say so, Red? You'll get your turn in bed."
She angrily hanged up the phone, throwing it to Charles, who caught it in one lucky grip. Oblivious to the publicity they'd just created.
He thought he had the upper hand, but oh, how wrong he was. Elias was going to learn that Isla Kingsley was a force to be reckoned with.
In the distance, Elias finally gave in to the girl's advances, capturing her mouth again. But he wasn't even looking at her; hell, his eyes were on Isla's. Thunderstorms swirling. Utter hatred radiating through him.
She gave him the same fire, ignoring the sudden pool of warmth in her stomach at the sight of Elias staring at her through an opened kiss.
—
It was later that day, after Isla had just washed her hands in the bathroom, that something interesting happened.
Two girls blocked her way, one in each side.
Isla looked up. It was two girls she'd never thought in her life she would converse with.
Blair Bradshaw and Sofia Kapoor smiled at her, resembling like twins at how similar their posture was. They were the Academy's It Girls, but Isla and Amber preferred to call them She-Devil Number One and She-Devil Number Two. They were more or less your typical tyrants; ran the Academy with their posse, paraded their barbie-doll appearances and getting invited to the most exclusive soirées.
And it wasn't a secret their skirts were shorter—Isla had a theory they had cut the sleeves themselves.
"So," Blair started, her voice as smooth as silk. "You're the girl."
Isla raised an eyebrow. "Uh, sure?"
She'd be lying to herself if she said she wasn't intimidated. At least with She-Devil Number Two, Sofia, she'd crossed paths before, if not unpleasant. But with Blair, she had no idea what she was capable of.
Sofia smirked. "Less charming than I thought. Elias could do better."
"I'm right here, Sofia," Isla gritted her teeth. "And for the record, Elias and I are not a thing. We never have been and we never will."
She wasn't daft. She knew the reason why the girls came to her, with one being most prominent: Blair Bradshaw was Elias's ex-girlfriend.
The girls laughed outrageously. Or, no, that wasn't quite it. They were chuckling like they knew a secret. "Oh, look at you," Blair patronised, wiping a fake tear out of her eye. "That's okay, honey, you're safe with us. We know a lot of girls like you, the ones who's been publicly rejected. I mean, I've never been through it, but I'm sure it feels horrid."
Isla blinked. Were they actually insinuating...
"Already replaced by another conquest." She clicked her tongue. "Might I say, though, that you may be the most determined one."
Blair plucked out her phone, opening her camera roll. To Isla's horror, she began showing her various pictures—of her and Elias in the library, of the dining hall argument, and even that day where he sought her out with her books. To which a third party would think Elias was helping her.
"Where the hell did you get those?" she let out.
She-Devil Number One ignored her question and just smiled, razor-sharp. "Doesn't matter. What matters is that Elias doesn't do relationships, darling. And you're certainly out of his league. So why don't you keep your hands to yourself?"
She blinked. Registered their words for a second.
Then Isla completely lost it.
"First of all, I'd try explaining again that we're not together, but it's obvious none of my words will ever get through those thick skulls of yours," she snapped. "Second, Blair, I don't even know you. Third, pardon me for saying this, but what are you—his mum? I think the bloke can make his own decisions, albeit daft. So go ahead and believe whatever bollocks you've concluded in your head. Just don't get your knickers in a twist and rain it all on me."
The words spilled out of her mouth before she could think twice, and she was left staring dumbfounded. Oh, bloody hell.
Blair and Sofia looked like they were already plotting her funeral.
"We know chavs like you, Kingsley," Sofia hissed. "We know you're all mouth and no trousers."
"I'm not scared of you." Half-arsed lie.
Blair smiled maliciously. "Oh, honey, then let me entertain you with a little story I've heard from an old friend." The hair on Isla's arms rose. That look... "Once upon a time, there was a girl who was forced to go somewhere far, far away. A sheep amongst the wolves. She was only put there for her... deviant behaviour... as an escape from it, you can say."
Her heartbeat was pounding.
No. Blair couldn't have known—
"She learned that a troublesome reputation would be her downfall. So the only way to get out was to give in—she had to prove herself worthy to the wolves. Only then would she be able to leave."
"Poor little princess, stuck in a castle that wasn't hers to begin with."
Isla opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She wanted to defend herself, say it wasn't true, show any reaction, but she couldn't.
When they left and she finally stepped out of the bathroom, her best friend was still waiting near the lockers, chewing a piece of gum.
"Are you okay?" Amber frowned. "You look rather ghastly."
Her mind was still reeling from what had happened. A little high school quarrel with a couple of mean girls, she could handle, but her future being threatened was more than just child's play.
This was a game of survival.
A/N: I'm so dramatic sometimes. I love it.