Chapter 1644
Boom-
The name âZavierâ struck like a bolt of lightning, exploding into Skylerâs mind and paralyzing her entire body. She stood frozen on the stage, not daring to move an inch.
Below, applause roared like thunder, but Skyler heard nothing. She was just standing there in a daze. It had been ten days since she had enrolled at the school. During that time, she had no interactions with Zavier, and the Rivera family hadnât sought her out.
Just as she was beginning to forget the reason her family had sent her to the Capital, Zavier reappeared before her eyes, and panic was an understatement.
Emma and Amanda were beside themselves with excitement. âOh my gosh, I canât believe Skyler is sharing the stage with Zavier.â
In the Capital, Zavierâs name was known to all, especially within the walls of their school, where his presence was akin to celebrity status.
Everyone craned their necks, scouring the crowd for a glimpse of Zavier, to no avail. Reluctantly, the host called out again, âPlease welcome our outstanding student representative, Zavier.âe2
It was then that Zavier emerged from backstage, approaching the host and Skyler with deliberate, unhurried strides.
The host, noticing Skylerâs distraction, nudged her gently. âSkylerâ¦â
Jolted back to reality, Skyler scrambled to compose herself.
As Zavier closed in, the host quickly passed him the mic. âZavier, why donât you introduce yourself to everyone?â
Zavier didnât take the mic, instead casting a cold glance at Skyler.
Skyler thought, âWhatâs he looking at me for?â
It wasnât like she asked him to come. It wasnât like she wanted to be paired with him!
With that thought, a realization struck her-could this all be a setup by the Rivera family? It didnât make sense for her to represent the new students; she wasnât that outstanding. And being paired with Zavier was news that had only reached her two days ago. It was highly possible, then, that this was all orchestrated by the Rivera family.
If her speculation was correct, Zavierâs apparent âresentmentâ towards her was no surprise.
To avoid an awkward silence, the host quickly offered the mic to Skyler. âSkyler, why donât you start?â
Taking the mic, she pushed down the nervous flutter in her chest.
When she turned back to face her classmates, her composure was impeccable. âGood day to our faculty, staff, and fellow students. My name is, Skyler, a freshman from the class of 2014, hailing from Southern Portâ¦â
Skyler delivered a concise introduction and then handed the mic back to the host.
The host turned to Zavier, extending the mic but whispering, âZavier, would you like to introduce yourself?â
Zavier gestured for the mic, and upon receiving it, he spoke indifferently. âDo I really need an introduction?â
No introduction was necessary; there wasnât a soul in the school who didnât recognize him, and some knew more about him than he knew about himself.
Skyler thought, âHow can someone be so full of themselves?â
Without looking at Skyler, Zavier continued, âI have no interest in being an âoutstanding student representative, and I donât know who insisted on me speaking. But since Iâm here, I might as well share my thoughts.
âGood grades arenât always about hard work; often, itâs a matter of innate talent. Some are born with everything, while others struggle in the mire their whole lives. My life, for all of you here, holds no relevance.â
His words were a harsh truth. Some were born in Rome, while others spent their lives dreaming of it.