Chapter One

“Lindsey Marie Jordan!” my Mom yelled from downstairs.

Okay, so I was in major shit, first because I skipped school on the first day of resumption without telling my mom and second because I had paid my deceitful twin brother Leo, twenty bucks to help convince my mum that I had left for school early this morning while I had been hiding in my room the entire time. I know I shouldn’t have trusted the deceiver to cover for me.

 I grumbled under my breath as I rolled off and out of my bed, no need to hide now since the cat was already out of the bag.

“Coming” I yelled back hoping to sway her from the issue at hand. My Mom hated skipping because for some reason she believed that skipping one day of school would mess with my perfect grades and affect my life and I would end up a loser, right? Yeah I know, I should be used to her theatrics by now because having spent seventeen years of my life as her daughter, I'm used to all her exaggerations already. As I reluctantly came down the stairs I knew that my plan had failed woefully because I could practically see the steam coming out of her ears and sitting beside her was Cassie my best friend since first grade. I guess Leo’s not to be blamed this time.

Cassie and I have always had each other's back for as long as I can remember, well except for today when I skipped school alone without informing her. Her presence in our kitchen is evidence that Leo has not been the one to fail me, nope, it was all Cassie showing up unannounced after school hours and probably inquiring from my mom about my whereabouts.

“You better have a good excuse as to why you skipped school without telling me Lin, you practically stood me up,” Cassie said before my mum could even open her mouth all the while ignoring the look I tried giving her which was meant to communicate “shut up girl” to prevent her from exposing me further and digging my grave even deeper. I know my mom was probably already aware of my little skipping stunt, but there was honestly no need for Cassie to refresh all our memories, I mean there is a good chance my mom already forgot about my stunt of the day within the two minutes it took me to get up from my bed and come down the stairs, right? Ugh, I'm giving desperate and delusional now, damn.

“I just wasn't feeling up to it, and besides it's only the first day” I replied defensively, avoiding my mom's gaze by developing a thorough interest in the blender that sat atop the kitchen counter

'Look just whatever okay, I've got better and more interesting things to tell you' Cassie said wiggling her blond brows at me in a way that should convey that there is fresh first day of school gossip to be told because there is always gossip on the first day of resumption. Something dramatic must have happened over the break, like Meagan Halloway getting knocked up by her family’s gardener, or Tom Osborne finally growing some actual facial hair as opposed to the fake mustache he steals from the costume room of the drama class which everyone knows is fake. Still, he refuses to admit it, I guess faking it till you make it is the dream here, and who am I to judge?

Cassie practically detaches the tendon connecting my hand to my shoulders as she pulls me towards the stairs and I let her because escaping my mom's fiery glare that threatens to roast me on the spot is the plan of the hour here.

I was about to mutter a “Thank you Jesus” for the narrow escape when my mom spoke, halting our movements.

“Not so fast young ladies, I am not done with you Lindsey,” Damn it

“Want to properly explain the reason for your sudden desire to fail school and end up surviving on my retirement fund? Because I’m not sharing that money, it will be funding my trip to the Bahamas when I’m sixty and touring the world”

See, just like I said earlier, dra-ma-tic.

“The Bahamas is not the whole world Mom, and I would recommend France, Spain, then Greece” I retort trying to distract her

Mom arches her brow at me, which lets me know she’s aware of what I'm attempting. I mentally start preparing myself for a scolding but she surprisingly lets me off easy.

“You're on dish duty until month's end” Mom finished after sending me another heated glare.

Or it is not so easy, I wouldn't say I like dishwashing duty.

Damn Mom I thought to myself not daring to curse out loud with Mom's ears within hearing distance. Immediately we entered my room Cassie spared no time getting comfy on my queen-size bed and throwing her bag pack on the floor right in front of my doorway.

“Cassie pick up your stuff, you know how much I hate clutter” I scolded.

“We have two new transfer students at Rixon High” Cassie stated, pointedly ignoring my scolding and relaxing on my bed, to my greatest annoyance.

“Roman and Robyn Masters” she continued, like I was supposed to care. Grinning broadly like this was such entertaining news, sadly I didn’t share her amusement.

'Yay! How exciting' I replied in the most bored and disinterested tone I could come up with.

Cassie snorted at my obvious displeasure and continued speaking slowly at a snail's pace like she had all the time in the world.

“First, I don’t know if you didn’t recognize the surname but they are part of the Masters family that moved to Rixon Hills last week. Yep, that Masters” She explains further, laying thick emphasis on the name or surname which I recognize because everyone in Rixon High, senior citizens, and infants included, is well aware of the Masters family. The prestigious billionaire family that moved to our city out of the blue has been the trending gossip for days. The majority are suspicious of what their arrival will bring, with Mom leading the group of doubting Thomases and negative Nancys. While others are excited about the new development and the changes bound to occur.

“The boy whose name is Roman Masters, -he’s the heir to the mogul billion-dollar empire owned by his family- well he may have sat on your spot in English and carved his name broadly, on your seat might I add” she added cockily

“Uh, what?” I whispered, shocked. I could hear her clearly but my brain was unable to digest and believe what she was saying probably because my spot and my chair in English were for my use, alone. And no, I'm not being spoilt or anything by making such a claim, because I made the chair myself when I took wood and furniture making in my junior year, last session. I hated the subject at first because I'm not a handy person in any way but I somehow managed to construct a perfectly useful chair and why waste such good carpentry, or wood? I turned it into my chair for English, my favorite subject because seeing it always puts me in a motivated mood, if I can do such excellent work on the first try, I can accomplish any task I set my mind to.

“Yeah, ya' heard me” Cassie confirmed mockingly like she didn't just deliver the ultimate blow, and as for me well, I saw red. Billionaire or pauper, there was no way I’d be letting that slide.