Chapter 1

"Run it again, boys!" Coach Segal roared across the tracks, my track team sprinting faster after his command.

Usually I would've been on the rounded tracks at 7 in the morning, suffering with my team as our coach ordered us to undergo more exercises, but currently, my grades were declining along with my will to repair them. If a student's grades had fallen drastically it was an unnecessary rule for said student to not participate in any sports. A stupider rule than our dress code.

I averted my eyes from my biology homework to my flushed, shirtless friends running laps around the hard worn-out track, rounding around a wide patch of grass.

"Coach," I groaned in exasperation, "when can I run again?" You know that feeling when you were a child, and your mother would set out her fresh cookies but wouldn't let you eat any? I was the child, and the cookies were running laps.

"When you get your grades up, Aurora," he responded after shouting at Tommy to quicken his pace. "Sorry, kid. If it were my way, I'd have you showing these boys exactly how to run."

I huffed in annoyance, blowing a hair out of my eyes.

"Practice dismissed," Coach shouted. The screeching sound of his old whistle that we had all become accustomed to following shortly after, and the boys made their way to the locker room to prepare for the beginning of the school day.

♛ ♛ ♛

As I walked through the doors into the silent campus library, the scent of old books filled my nose. Studying high school students, some faces I recognized and some I didn't, could be seen scattered around the desks, desperate to cramp in this lunch period before a test they had next.

My eyes scanned the sections and signs above each wooden shelf. I headed over to the Chemistry section. I was on the hunt for any book about the elements to help me through my chemistry course.

I mean, how does our teacher expect us to memorize every element and their locations?

I crouched down to the lowest shelf as I recognized some titles about the Halogen Family when I felt a heavy kick in my back, followed by a loud thump. Ignoring the aching feeling in the center of my back which would undoubtedly bruise in a few hours, I snapped my head to the right where the sound came from and realized a tall, broaded-shoulder figure had tripped over me.

"Sorry," I started hesitantly as he pulled himself back up. "I-I didn't mean to block your way." I stuttered as his intimidating aura immediately filled the aisle, immediately making me timid while acknowledging the other students observing our exchange with curiosity-filled gazes.

He bent down to pick up a notebook and pen he was holding before he fell, all while his entrancing silvery eyes burned holes into me. A deep grunt finally left his lips as a response before he proceeded to leave with a bland-look behind his eyes.

Suddenly, it was as if I lost control over my legs as they carried my towards the now retreating figure. "Hey. Wait up." I grabbed his muscular arm to pull him back. "Aren't you going to tell me your name?"

He yanked his tanned arm away from my grasp and shifted his body to face me. His cold, yet soft, grey eyes that seemed to be the keeper of so many secrets bore into my emerald ones. Amidst the temporary silence, I lost myself in a dark abyss that were his eyes and didn't realize his lips moving nor the sound emitting from them.

"Uh, what was that?" I asked, a sheepish smile painted on my face as I realized I was still holding onto his wrist but made no move to let go.

"Xander Kings." His deep voice said as his eyes flickered to my grasp on his wrist but didn't seem to yank his arm away this time.

"Wow, look at that. It speaks," I said with a tilt of my head, a mischievous spark igniting behind my eyes.

He rolled his ash-colored eyes in what I hope was a jokingly manner. "You don't know me?"

"No. Why would I?" I scoffed. This was one cocky son of a bïtch. I turned away and made a move to walk away from this douche, but like I did to him, he grabbed my wrist and spun me around.

He gave me an expectant gaze, his eyebrows raised. "And your name is?" I noticed his notebook was now opened with some messy scribbling on the front page.

"Aurora White," I curtly replied, jerking my wrist out of his hold and smirked at him. "Well I hope I won't see you later, Xandy." I turned yet again to meet my friends for lunch in the cafeteria.

"It pains me to hear you say that. I actually do hope I see you soon, gem."

My pride tempted me to turn around and shove his gems, but my head got the best of me since I just wanted to leave. I forced myself to keep putting one foot after the other, despite my pride.

Ugh, I forgot to get the book.

If he thinks he could just trip over random people and not apologize, he would be in for a rude awakening when we go into the real world outside our boarding school.

Slamming open my locker in frustration to grab my lunch then shutting it, students around were not-so-subtly staring at me as I attempted to get to the cafeteria in peace.

Seriously, I know I didn't spend as much time getting ready this morning, but did I really look that bad?

"If it isn't Aurora White," Joey, one of the guys on my track team, said with a wink."You're looking nice today."

"Thanks, Joey." I sighed and rolled my eyes. "You never fail to impress me with your shameful desperation, do you?"

"Ah, keep playing hard to get. I see. Fiesty." An outbreak of chuckles from his friends around us ensued at Joey's statement. We weren't actually flirting. It was just banter, our form of joking.

"I gotta go. And please don't be too much of a manwhore."

"I'll try not to!" He said as I began to walk away before he started laughing along with his friends.

I snapped my head back at him to narrow my eyes at them to make them shut up just as entered through the door to the cafeteria.

"Hey, bitchachos!" I said as I plopped all my things down on the cheap, blue cafeteria table which was peeling at the corners. For such a "prestigious" boarding school, you'd think at least the tables were in good condition.

Cooper, my number one best friend since our childhood, chuckled. "Bitchacho? Where do you even get this stuff from?" His parents had been friends with mine through business, and when my parents decided to send me to this boarding school, Cooper's parents sent him with me. We were inseparable since we practically grew up with each other.

I rolled my eyes at him with a small smile as I bit into an apple I brought.

"Is something, like, wrong with me?" I asked, leaning forward to Olivia. She was my second best friend when Cooper and I met her in ninth grade during one of our classes. Ever since, we'd been the three musketeers, I guess.

Olivia leaned forward to check around me before erupting in her high-pitched giggles. She flipped her gold hair behind her as she pointed at my back with a hand over her mouth.

I smacked my back and ripped a paper off my shirt. My eyes were wide with mortification while Cooper's and Olivia's were filled with humor.

"Property of Xander Kings?" I read off the paper, my cheeks heating in embarrassment. My jaw dropped as I averted my eyes from the paper to Cooper and Olivia. Their laughs strongly resembled the noises of the hyenas from The Lion King. "This is why everybody was staring! Who does this guy think he is?"

"Wait, you don't know who Xander Kings is?" Olivia looked at me with a surprised expression sketched on her blemish-free face, sobered from laughing.

I eyed her skeptically. "No, and honestly, I don't want to know." I finalized with a tight voice as I slammed my chair back and got up to begin my search of him.

"Aurora!" I heard Cooper behind me. "Come back here. You don't wanna mess with him, Rory!"

I was simply fuming. Steam could practically be spilling out of my head, and fire seemed to run through my veins.

He definitely will get his just desserts. And I was going to be sure of it.

♛ ♛ ♛

Well that was chapter one! I hope you liked it and didn't cringe too much. This is my first book, so I know it isn't the best lol. AND IF YOU TOOK THE TIME TO VOTE OR COMMENT, THANK YOU! When readers vote/comment it really motivates and encourages the author so, thank you.

Q- Cats or dogs?

A- I like both but I'm allergic to cats so...

i love you, undoubtedly.

-sophia ♡