CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Olivia had this whole operation planned out the night before. Makeup? Check. School backpack? Double-check, thanks to the servant. But seriously, the speed these guys moved was like something out of a cartoon! Zoom! Bam! Done! Olivia figured they were more scared of Ryan than a cockroach in a shoe, so they weren't about to mess up her orders.
Then came the fancy car, all thanks to Micheal. Olivia hopped in and watched the world go by through the window, feeling like a VIP on her way to school.
Now, this wasn't just any old high school. This was a "special" school. You either had a brain the size of a planet or your family had pockets deeper than the ocean. Either way, a diploma from this place was like a golden ticket to the best universities on Earth.
Think of their "special class" as a tiny sneak peek into a super famous university. If you aced their entrance exams, BAM! Direct entry, no waiting around with sweaty palms hoping for an acceptance letter.
Now, you might think Olivia was some kind of super-genius, right? I mean, scoring five subjects out of fifteen exams sounds... well, not exactly Einstein-level. Nope! Olivia's entry was more "who you know" than "what you know." Her family connections got her in, but guess where she landed? The absolute bottom of the barrel: Class F. Meanwhile, her stepsister Matilda? Brainy as a bunch of owls and chilling in the top-notch Class A. Talk about sibling rivalry!
Most folks at school were clueless about Sora's murder. Olivia's dad wanted to keep things hush-hush. So, everyone just thought Olivia had a little accident with her legs and needed a four-month vacation from school. "Poor thing," some might have mumbled, probably not meaning it.
Even the Class F students, the ones who knew a thing or two about bad grades, wanted nothing to do with Olivia. Why? Well, according to them, Olivia was about as pleasant as a cactus hug. Trouble seemed to follow her around like a lost puppy. She'd been chasing the school's dreamy heartthrob like a lovesick bloodhound, even declaring her undying love for him in front of the entire school. But it ended up badly! 'Public rejection alert!' But did that stop her? Nope! She kept bothering his admirers, driving some to quit school or, even worse, do something really sad.
And to top it all off, she was always bringing down the class average faster than a sinking ship. Oh, and did I mention her family was loaded? Like, Alpha-level rich. So everyone pretty much pretended not to see her bad behavior, which made people dislike her even more. It's a complicated web of teenage angst and daddy's money, folks.
Olivia strutted through the school gates, her backpack slung over her shoulder. The security guards in the little communication booth spotted her and immediately perked up. "Hey there! You're finally back! How's the leg doing? All healed up?"
Olivia gave him a small, genuine smile. "Yep, all good! Did you miss me?"
Now, this security guard? He was a rare gem in the school's opinion of Olivia. He didn't mind her... let's call it "unique" style. He figured that under all that interesting fashion, she was a decent person. Plus, she sometimes slipped him a few bucks. When he heard about her "accident," he actually felt bad and wondered how she was recovering.
"Glad to see you looking so well! Better hurry in before you're late," he advised with a friendly nod. Olivia thanked him and headed into the school building.
First stop? The principal's office. After a four-month hiatus, you can't just waltz back in like nothing happened. Time to officially un-cancel that leave.
The principal of this special school was Mrs. Elizabeth Johnson. Picture a grumpy bulldog in a pantsuit. She didn't take any nonsense from anyone, especially students. They knew better than to cross her path. Let's just say she wasn't winning any popularity contests.
Elizabeth peered down at Olivia, her nose practically wrinkling. If Olivia wasn't the daughter of the Sunflakes Alpha, she would have been expelled faster than a hiccup. The fact that Olivia was rocking enough makeup to paint a small house first thing in the morning? Elizabeth's disgust was practically radiating off her. Thwack! She slammed her hand on the desk. "Miss Olivia," she began, her voice sharp enough to cut glass, "how many times do I have to tell you? This... this look is completely unacceptable and against school rules!"
Olivia blinked, trying to look as innocent as a newborn puppy who just chewed up your favorite shoes. She tugged at her clothes. "But... I thought I wasn't wearing something appropriate?"
"Are you talking back to me now?" Elizabeth snapped, her eyes narrowing. "Have you even looked in a mirror lately?"
Olivia tilted her head. "Well, I heard that putting on makeup can make you feel more confident. I know I'm not exactly the prettiest flower in the garden, but makeup helps me feel... well, pretty."
Elizabeth couldn't help but smirk. If that was her idea of pretty, Elizabeth shuddered to think what Olivia looked like without the makeup. She remembered Olivia had been piling on the makeup since day one, almost nine months ago. Nobody had ever seen her natural face. Elizabeth figured it must be a sight that would curdle milk. She decided to drop the makeup issue for now. "I suppose you've returned just in time for our school meeting today. I believe it would be best if you offered an apology for... your troubles."
Olivia's jaw practically dropped. "Excuse me? With all due respect, I literally just walked in the door. I haven't had a chance to cause any 'troubles' yet. Why on earth would I need to apologize?"
Elizabeth sneered. "You haven't caused trouble yet, perhaps. But what about before your little 'accident'? Let me be perfectly clear, Miss Olivia. Finna's incident is far from over. Your family might have more money, but she wasn't born to be bullied. You practically drove that poor girl to attempt suicide. Do you honestly think that's just going to be swept under the rug?"
The moment Olivia heard the name Finna, a sly smirk crept onto her heavily made-up face. "I hardly think the school wants to make a big spectacle out of this, do they? You want me to apologize in front of everyone so the whole school can gossip about Finna's little drama?"
SLAM!
Elizabeth's hand hit the desk again. "What is with this new, insolent attitude? You did something terrible and you still have the audacity to talk back?"
Olivia let out a short, sharp laugh. "If she claims I 'forced' her to attempt suicide, why didn't she go to the police? What proof does she have that I pushed her to do something so drastic?"
Elizabeth was now visibly fuming. A vein in her forehead throbbed ominously. "She was kind enough to not escalate this to the authorities. She was clearly deeply affected by your actions and didn't want to create a larger disturbance. You should be grateful for her restraint!"
Olivia scoffed. This was the same old song and dance. If Finna actually had any real evidence, Olivia knew that girl would have made a scene bigger than a school play gone wrong. This was just ridiculous, especially on her first day back.
Seeing Elizabeth's face turning a shade of purple that didn't exist in nature, Olivia decided it was best to stop trading insults. Elizabeth, equally fed up, shoved a printed paper across the desk. "I am not going to discuss the Finna matter any further at this moment. However," she continued, her voice dangerously low,
"we will be addressing your repeated harassment and stalking of Damien. This has had a significant negative impact on his physical and mental well-being, causing his grades to plummet. An apology to him is most certainly required."
Olivia stared at the letter, her painted eyebrows shooting up in disbelief. "Why on earth would I need to do that in front of everyone in school? I was simply expressing my... Feelings."
Elizabeth practically roared, "Olivia! If you refuse to apologize publicly, then you can refuse to attend this school any longer! Now, choose wisely."