CHAPTER FIVE

When I joined this elite school two days ago, my plan was to stay low under radar, until Robert found out who was threatening me so we can deal with the problem. Now looking at my  business class which has all of my group and the Royal elites, I could only smell disaster. 

"Settle down children, today we have a new student". I waited by his desk as the class quietens down and rests their eyes on me. 

"Introduce yourself child", Mr Smith says softly. He was in his late thirty to early forties and by the permanent laughter lines on his face, anyone could tell he was a happy soul. 

I turn to address the class in front of me and speak monotonously. "Avalon Gracia"

"Uh- do you want to add to that?", Mr Smith asked hesitantly.

"I'm seventeen". He sighs. 

There were different expressions that rose through the class and one kid opened his mouth. "I just googled 'sexy' and a picture of you came up", he winks at me with a smirk whilst his friends whoop in the background. 

I wait for the noise to calm down, "You'll get the same result if you googled 'not interested'" I say in a bored tone. The whole class laughs, I swear someone fell on the floor. The kid's gone red in embarrassment. 

Mr Smith chuckles before turning back to me, "You can sit next to Mr Easton, Miss Gracia". 

"Thank you", I nod before taking my place next to him at the back. His group surround us, and I can also see that my group was in close proximity. 

"Good morning cupcake". Elijah turns on his chair and observes me. 

"Good morning". I say as I don't even look into his eyes.

Poke. I turn my head to my right to look at him. 

"Have you got a pen?", he was holding the pen that he used to poke me with. 

I give him a pen so that he would not talk to me. 

Poke. I look at him again blankly. 

"Have you got a pencil?". Was he serious?

I give him a pencil and turn away to the front. I could hear Austin snickering in the background. 

Poke. I ignore him. 

Poke. Poke. Ignore. 

Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke. Pok-

"What?!", I whispered harshly, glaring at him. 

He lets out a smirk. "Thanks cupcake". Jerk. 

"So today I will be giving out a project to you all. As majority of you will either be taking over your family businesses in the future, I would like for you to choose one business and study how it became successful. You will be working in groups, five minimum and ten maximum, no more and no less. The project will be fifty percent of your final grade, so make sure it's good. Okay, you can start". 

I look over to my group to find them already looking at me, so I guess we'll be five people. As I gather my belongings and get up someone holds my hand and stops me. Lena's eyes widen. 

"We're only four people, do you mind working with us?", Elijah's deep husky voice sounds behind me. 

I turn back towards him and decline his offer, "I'm sorry but I'm already in a group". I was not about to work with this annoying jerk. 

He looks to my right as his eyes land on my group. "They can join too". I look at the Royal elites in question and they all nod slightly in agreement. 

Didn't someone say that their group nerve interacted with anyone?

"I- uhh, I don't kn-" I begin only to be cut off by Lena who jumped next to me and answering for our group. 

"We'll join you, it'll make us nine people. Right Ava?", she's smiling again. I don't want to talk to them! It will only make things difficult, they were known in the school. 

"Right". I say dejectedly. 

He smirks at me. 

A few minutes later, all nine of us were seated around two desks that we combined and our introductions well over and done with. Aspen Walters, Jaxon Walters, Austin Cooper and Elijah Easton were childhood friends and the richest teenagers in America. They were well known not only at Lakeview but also to paparazzi. I would have to be extra careful. 

The only good thing about Lakeview was that it was on private property and hence no media was allowed. 

"So what business shall we choose?" Aspen questions. 

"How about Finley's Corp? Max is their child and is a pretty successful business." I suggest. 

"Nah, we'd need something more successful than that" Jaxon immediately dismisses my suggestion as Max's face drops and pouts at Jaxon as he looks back down at his phone in front of him. 

The other's start to fire business names at each other, all of them getting rejected before Tyler looks speaks, "What about Kingston's Ltd?"

I choke on my water as I hysterically hit my chest to calm down. My eyes scan their appearances before looking back at Tyler, "No way!". At this point I was rejecting his idea but they all seemed to have misunderstood this as enthusiasm. 

"Oh my God, it's perfect. Wasn't the owner declared the richest person in the world like last year?" Lena screeches near my ear.

"Uh... I don't think that's good idea. I mean no one knows how the owner looks like and by the looks of this project we have to visit their company and maybe get an interview. What if they don't agree or something? We should just choose another business". I tried to stay calm about this situation but I was rambling. 

I was actually flattered that they would want to study my business but this would be a disaster. How could I explain my situation when we visit the company?

Austin speaks up, "I think it's the best business here. I mean isn't the rumour that the owner Avalon Kingston is around our age or something?"

"Hey Ava would you look at that, the owner even has the same name as you!", Oh Max...

"Well then it's sorted. Our project will be based on Kingston Ltd". Elijah concludes for the group. 

Karma was sure a bitch. 

                                                                    _____

My group were now currently sitting at our table in the cafeteria eating lunch discussing the business project, or more specifically the Royal elites. 

"I actually can't believe that they would want to work with us!" Lena says with wide eyes. 

"They actually had no choice. The minimum requirement was five people and there was only four of them", I say in a slightly annoyed manner. If she opened her mouth once more....

"Well whatever it is, they're in our group. I bet they're nice people".

I give her a deadpan look, "Weren't you the one saying that they were all pricks yesterday?"

"Hey! people can change" Selena argues crossing her arms. 

"Right", I mutter only for Tyler to chuckle next to me in amusement. 

I ignore her then and start to eat my food, only for four more chairs to be dragged across the floor and more people sitting at the table. I take a glance and hold back a groan of frustration at who was here. Could they not leave me alone?

"Hey cupcake", Elijah steals a fry from me as he settles next to me. I slapped his arm in return. 

"Stop that, it's my food. Get your own", I glare at him. The jerk chuckles before taking another. I narrow my eyes further. 

"Sooo..." Austin starts off.

"So?" Tyler looks at him with guarded eyes. 

"We came to spend some time with you guys", Aspen finishes off shrugging for Austin quite bluntly. 

"What!" Max spits out his half-chewed pizza as Harp hands him a tissue and water. Aspen repeats her previous statement. 

"Why?" I say emotionless as all eyes turn to me. 

"You guys are alright, and treat us like normal humans and not some kind of royalty". Elijah responds to my question as I hold his gaze. 

I search his eyes and find that he was telling the truth but there was something else in them. He was hiding something. There was another motive. 

"Welcome then", Lena smiles at them.  

I glare at her.