Chapter 2

"Geraldine!" Mr. White was so anxious that his voice cracked. "The tuition for over 2,000 students is at stake here. This isn't the time for you to throw a tantrum!"

"I'm not." I lowered my head and checked my phone. "The competition starts at 8:00 am, but I don't get to school until 8:30 am every day. The time doesn't work for me."

Louis said, "You can just wake up earlier on that day."

"My face will be puffy if I don't get enough sleep."

"Is that more important than the school's survival?"

"They're equally important."

Mr. White clutched his chest in frustration.

Sasha didn't rip into me, though. She picked up the competition rules and flipped through them. "Does she have to be present throughout?"

"Yes."

"Can she just sit through the first three rounds without answering any questions?"

"She can."

"And in the final round?"

"If the other three team members have been eliminated, she has to step in."

Sasha frowned. "If we can stick it out until the final round, she won't need to do anything."

Louis blinked in thought. "In theory, yes."

Mr. Brown said, "As long as she's willing to compete, I can arrange for everyone to adjust to her schedule. We'll have breakfast sent to the lounge, and we'll put her seat somewhere out of the sun."

Louis frowned. "Mr. Brown, you don't have to spoil her like that. This is a competition, not a beauty pageant."

I twisted open a bottle of mineral water, took a sip, then set it back down. "It's too cold."

A few of the teachers' faces darkened at the same time.

Sasha finally snapped. "Geraldine, can you please get your priorities straight? On a normal day, nobody will call you out when you complain about the wrinkles on your uniform, that the classroom's too sunny, or that a light breeze will mess up your bangs. But this time is different. If the foundation pulls out, many students won't even be able to finish senior year."

I said softly, "If I do compete… I won't necessarily make you lose."

Sasha didn't expect that. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I opened my mouth, then just shook my head. "It's nothing."

I didn't explain further. I wasn't actually an airhead. As the Walker family's sole heiress, I'd been forced into one lesson after another ever since I was a child. My schedule had been so packed that I practically had to squeeze in time to breathe.

Two years earlier, I'd finally managed to transfer into Greenwood High School with Mom covering for me. To avoid being dragged back home to take over a multibillion-dollar family empire, I'd started handing in blank tests on purpose and playing the dunce.

But this competition would be broadcast nationwide. The second I showed what I could really do, Grandpa would track me down. At that point, forget a carefree life—I probably wouldn't even make it past Greenwood's front gate.

If I said any of this out loud, everyone would just think I was bragging to make myself look good. It wasn't time for that yet.

Louis checked his watch. "We've only got two hours left before we have to submit the roster. If Geraldine doesn't sign the form, Greenwood won't even have the right to step onto the stage."

Mr. Brown was quiet for a moment. "Try the organizers one more time. Ask if we can swap her out, or at least let the fourth member just sign in without actually participating."

Louis nodded. "Got it. I'll call them right now."

He stepped aside to make the call.

Mr. Brown didn't push me anymore, but the entire student body remained where they were out on the field. Not a single one walked away.