As the school day progressed, Louisa found it increasingly difficult to focus on her lessons. The image of her mother's determined face, coupled with the thought of Jayden's potential reaction, kept intruding on her thoughts.
How was she going to broach the subject? Should she be direct, or try to ease him into it? The idea of bringing Jayden, with his privileged background and confident demeanor, into the cramped reality of her apartment felt like a daunting task.
Meanwhile, a subtle tension simmered beneath Jayden's usual composed facade. He found himself replaying their encounter in the art studio, the lingering kiss, and Louisa's cryptic promise of something to discuss after school.
What could it be? His playful question about breaking up had been partly a joke, but a sliver of genuine unease lingered. He knew their worlds were vastly different, and the thought of some unforeseen complication arising gnawed at him.
During the brief break between classes, a small crowd had gathered around the bulletin board, where the exam results had been posted.
Louisa, Ellie, and Scarlett squeezed through the throng, their hearts pounding with a mixture of anticipation and dread.
A collective shriek of joy erupted as they located their names – Louisa at the very top, securing the coveted number one spot. Ellie had come in third, a respectable ranking, and Scarlett a solid fifth.
"We crushed it!" Ellie exclaimed, throwing her arms around Louisa.
"Top of the class, Louisa!" Scarlett cheered, her eyes sparkling with pride.
Louisa, still slightly dazed by her achievement, couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. She had been so preoccupied with Jayden that she had almost forgotten the importance of her academic success.
"Let's check Jayden's ranking," Scarlett suggested, her voice laced with curiosity.
They scanned the list, finally locating his name at number ten. While a top ten ranking out of a hundred students was certainly commendable, Louisa couldn't help but wonder what his father, with his relentless expectations, would say.
"Tenth place," she murmured, a slight frown creasing her brow. "That's… good, right?"
"Good for a normal person," Ellie quipped, "but for Jayden King Walton? Who knows what his dad expects."
The thought of Jayden facing potential disappointment from his father only added to Louisa's growing unease. She needed to tell him about her mother, and she needed to do it soon.
The weight of her two worlds colliding felt heavier than ever.
Thea, her usual air of effortless elegance radiating from her, spotted Nicolas Merico by his locker in the hallway.
"Oh, there you are," she said, her smile bright and seemingly genuine. "I've been looking for you."
Nicolas slammed his locker shut, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He admitted he had seen her at the Mall Mart in the Upper East Side where he worked, during her wild shopping sprees.
But he would have preferred if she acted like he didn't exist like she did to every scholarship student. "And why would you be looking for me, Thea?" he retorted, his tone guarded.
"Oh, don't be so cold, Nic…" Thea began, a playful glint in her eyes. "Oooh, I saw you ranked 2nd after Louisa. You're so smart." She reached out and lightly touched his blazer sleeve.
Nicolas, however, swatted her hand away, his expression skeptical. "I'm surprised you're talking to me, Thea. Shouldn't you be hanging out with your usual elite friends? Marcus Adino?"
"Are you jealous?" Thea countered, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Look, Marcus and me…"
Their conversation was abruptly cut short by a loud, sharp slap that echoed through the hallway. Every head turned as the bustling noise died down, all eyes drawn to the source of the commotion.
It was Mrs. Blackwood, her face contorted with fury, and Cassia, standing before her, her expression a mixture of defiance and pain.
"I am so disappointed in you," Mrs. Blackwood spat, her voice trembling with barely contained rage.
Cassia, her eyes flashing with a dangerous glint, gave her mother a tight, almost manic smile. "I should be the one saying that. You are equally a big disappointment as I am to you."
Mrs. Blackwood raised her hand to strike her daughter again, but a voice, clear and commanding, cut through the tense silence.
"Mrs. Blackwood, please," Jayden said, his tall frame moving to interpose himself between mother and daughter.
His voice, though calm, resonated with an undeniable authority. "How about we take this to the office? Everyone is watching."
Cassia offered Jayden a small, grateful smile, a flicker of thankfulness in her eyes for his unexpected intervention.
Thea, who had been watching the dramatic scene unfold with a mixture of morbid fascination and discomfort, turned back to continue her conversation with Nicolas, only to find that he had vanished.
.....
Marcus approached their usual table in the cafeteria, his usual confident swagger replaced by a noticeable tension. "What was that all about?" he demanded, his gaze fixed on Thea.
"Your sudden interest in the scholarship kid?" His tone betrayed a hint of possessiveness, a subtle warning in his voice.
Thea shrugged, her eyes still fixed on Nicolas as she dug into her burger. After chewing for a moment, she replied with a nonchalant air, "He looks yummy. And he's cute... it's only now I'm noticing."
Thea, unfazed by his displeasure, simply raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem, Marcus?"
"Is there a problem?" Marcus scoffed, his voice rising slightly. "You've never even looked twice at Nicolas Merico before. Now, suddenly, he's 'yummy' and 'cute'?"
Thea rolled her eyes, a hint of irritation in her voice. "Don't be ridiculous, Marcus. I can talk to whoever I want."
Meanwhile, at their usual table, Ellie leaned closer to Louisa and Scarlett, a curious glint in her eyes. "Did you guys notice anything… weird going on between Nicolas and Thea Devereux?"
Louisa, still preoccupied with her upcoming conversation with Jayden, shrugged. "I haven't really been paying attention."
Scarlett, however, had a keen eye for social dynamics. "Marcus doesn't look too happy about it," she observed, nodding towards the brooding figure across the cafeteria.
The trio exchanged knowing glances.
"Knowing Nicolas," Louisa said with a sigh, "he'll probably want to stay far away from anything involving Thea. He avoids conflicts."
Cassia held Jayden's hand, her gaze locking with his blue eyes, a silent wave of gratitude passing between them.
"Thank you for today, King," Cassia said softly.
"Cass, will you be okay?" Jayden asked, his voice laced with genuine concern. "If you ever want to talk, I'm here."
Cassia offered a small, brave smile. "I got suspended for a week. I'll be fine," she said, trying to mask the fear and hurt that still lingered beneath the surface.
"Cassia," her mother's sharp voice cut through the air, interrupting their quiet exchange. "Let's go."
Cassia looked back at Jayden, a hint of pleading in her eyes. "I hope you'll be able to make time for me when I call."
With that, she turned and walked away with her mother, their figures stiff and unyielding.
Jayden sighed, a knot of worry tightening in his chest. Yes, he cared about Cassia, his past still holding a fragile connection, but Louisa was his priority now.
Don't put me in a position where I have to choose between the two of you, Jayden murmured under his breath, a firm resolve settling within him, knowing full well who his choice would be.
*****
When the final bell rang, the hallways surged with the exodus of students, eager to escape the confines of Charterhouse.
Louisa and her two friends strolled slowly towards the grand gates. "Jayden said I shouldn't run away. We agreed to meet after school," Louisa recounted, a hint of nervous excitement in her voice.
"Oh, okay," Ellie replied. "But are we still having that fashion sleepover at your place tonight, Lou?"
"Of course!" Louisa confirmed. "Meet you guys by 8 pm."
"Be grateful we aren't on evening shifts at the diner today," Scarlett noted dryly, earning a burst of laughter from her friends.
Just then, the sleek, matte-black BMW honked softly behind them.
"Prince Charming is here. Goooo girl," Ellie said, playfully pushing Louisa towards the passenger seat.
As the BMW pulled away from the curb, Ellie and Scarlett linked arms, heading towards the bus stop.
"How did your day go?" Jayden asked, stealing glances at Louisa, his hand resting on the steering wheel.
"It went well," she replied. "Did you check the bulletin?"
"Nahhh," he drawled. "Not ready to face what I ranked. But I heard my girl ranked number one. And I thought, ooh, my baby made me so proud. She deserved a gift."
Jayden chuckled, a warm sound that made Louisa's heart flutter.
Louisa laughed. "Don't change the topic. I checked your ranking, and you didn't do so bad. You ranked tenth. That's really good, considering there are a hundred students in our grade."
"Hmm, thank you, mademoiselle." Their eyes met, a silent understanding passing between them, a comfortable intimacy that had grown between them.
Jayden reached his right hand over and gently placed it on Louisa's. He then stretched his left hand towards the back seat and retrieved a gift- a large, square, white box with a familiar red and white logo.
They were parked in a secluded spot overlooking a valley, the engine idling softly.
"A little something for my smart kid," Jayden said, a tender smile gracing his lips.
Louisa's eyes widened as she took the box. "Awwnn, you've been getting me so many gifts, and I haven't really given you anything yet," she said, a hint of guilt in her voice.
"Just give me your heart, Wren," Jayden replied, his gaze earnest. "And love me as much as I love you. That's all I need. Your love and support. Knowing you're there for me, despite all the pressure from my family, is enough for me."
Louisa leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. "You're sweet." Then, a thought struck her. "Wait, what about Lily? How is she?"
"She misses you," Jayden chuckled. "She wants to hang out. She specifically said, 'For Girls Only.' She's trying to steal you away from me."
"Don't be such a baby," Louisa teased, playfully nudging his arm.
"Oh," Jayden said, his brow furrowing slightly as he remembered their earlier conversation. "You said you had something to tell me after school too. What is it about, Wren?"
Louisa took a deep breath, a wave of nervousness washing over her again.
"Uhm… uhm," she stammered, her gaze dropping to her lap. "Actually, I uhm…"
Jayden gently took both of her hands in his, his touch reassuring. "Come on, Wren, out with it. What's making you so worked up?"
Louisa instinctively closed her eyes and blurted out in one rushed breath, "My mum knows about you somehow and wants to meet with you. She's inviting you to our apartment."
Jayden paused, his expression unreadable as he processed the information. Louisa opened her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest, anxiously awaiting his reaction.
"Is that it? Your mum wants to meet me?"
Jayden asked, his tone genuinely surprised.
It was the complete opposite of the serious confession she had been bracing herself for.
Louisa's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes? My mum is inviting you to our cramped apartment."
"Jesus," Jayden breathed out, a relieved chuckle escaping his lips. "You had me there for a sec. Thought it was something very… serious."
"It is serious, Jayden," Louisa insisted, her voice laced with a hint of exasperation. "My world is vastly different from yours. My tiny apartment is not like your polished, decorated villa in Tribeca."
Jayden reached out and kissed her, a soft, silencing gesture. "Shut up, Wren. I will be happy and honored to meet my potential mother-in-law."
Her initial fear dissipated, replaced by a wave of relief, though she couldn't resist a playful eye-roll. "Mother-in-law, my foot?"
"But not today, okay?" Jayden said, his gaze softening. "I can't meet her empty-handed. I'll tell you the exact date in advance, okay?"
Just then, Jayden's phone buzzed. "Duty calls," he sighed. "Let me take you home."
As they arrived at the familiar street in the Lower East Side, the BMW glided to a smooth stop.
"I'd love to say hi properly, but… I need to run," Jayden said, leaning over to kiss her neck. "I'll call you, okay?"
Louisa nodded, a warm feeling spreading through her as she held the pizza box.
"Be good," Jayden called after her as the sleek car slowly executed a U-turn and disappeared down the street.
Louisa watched it go, her cheeks warming as she replayed his words in her mind.
The moment Louisa stepped into their small apartment, the aroma of her mother's cooking – a fragrant stew simmering on the stove – filled the air.
She placed the large Pizza Hunt box on the kitchen counter, a smile playing on her lips. It wasn't a grand gesture, but it was thoughtful, a gesture of comfort and familiarity amidst the whirlwind of designer stores and unexpected invitations.
Her mother, bustling around the kitchen, glanced at the pizza box. "Pizza? Your young man brought you pizza?"
There was a hint of amusement in her tone, but also a keen curiosity.
"He said it was for being number one," Louisa replied, a blush warming her cheeks.
"Ellie and Scarlett are coming over later, we're having a… fashion consultation."
Mrs. Wren's ears perked up. "Fashion consultation, you say?" She feigned disinterest while subtly positioning herself closer to the living room door, a prime eavesdropping spot.
Later that evening, the small apartment buzzed with the excited chatter of the three girls. Designer clothes were strewn across the worn sofa and armchairs, interspersed with empty pizza boxes and half-eaten bags of chips.
Ellie was draped in a shimmering Dior gown that looked hilariously out of place against the backdrop of the modest living room, while Scarlett was attempting a dramatic pose in a sleek, black skirt.
Louisa, feeling a sense of giddy joy sharing this unexpected extravagance with her closest friends, recounted the nerve-wracking invitation to Jayden.
"So, he's actually going to meet your mum?" Ellie asked, wide-eyed. "In this apartment?" She gestured around the room.
Louisa nodded, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "That's the plan. He seemed… surprisingly okay with it."
"Maybe he's not as much of a snob as we all thought," Scarlett mused, carefully examining the stitching on a designer blouse.
Meanwhile, a muffled cough came from the vicinity of the kitchen, followed by the distinct sound of a teacup being hastily placed back on a saucer.
The girls exchanged knowing glances, suppressing giggles.
Across town, in the hushed and opulent Blackwood estate, a heavy silence hung in the air. Cassia sat in her room, the notification of her week-long suspension stark on the official school portal.
Her mother hadn't spoken to her directly since the scene at school, the icy disapproval radiating from her palpable.
The weight of the anonymous messages pressed down on Cassia, the latest image – her mother's hand intertwined with a stranger's – a constant, sickening reminder of the betrayal.
She debated whether to call Jayden, a desperate need for connection warring with her pride and the knowledge of his deepening relationship with Louisa.
The suspension felt like a hollow punishment compared to the turmoil consuming her from within. The carefully constructed walls of her life were crumbling, and she felt utterly alone.