Chapter 6

When Oliver came to, he was lying in a hospital bed. Sabrina and Mason were arguing nearby.

"Mason, what were you thinking? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to lock someone in a storage building overnight when they're soaking wet? Even in the summer, they could die!"

Mason gave a disbelieving laugh. "Seriously, Sabrina? You're getting mad at me over that pathetic lapdog?"

"I'm not!" Sabrina sounded tired.

"But do you even know what day it is? Westbridge University's early admissions assessment is today! The principal and vice principal have been looking everywhere for Oliver. What do you think will happen if they find out you locked him in there?"

Mason finally sounded nervous. "Sabrina, I can't get expelled! I've already got my performing arts exam results. I'm supposed to go to drama school and make my debut. I can't have something like this on my record!"

The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became.

Then, he turned and noticed Oliver was awake. His face lit up.

"Sabrina!" He grabbed her arm. "Oliver's awake! Go ask him to tell the school he accidentally locked himself in there. That way, I won't get in trouble! He's crazy about you. If you're the one asking, he'll definitely do it!"

"Mason, you…" Sabrina's first instinct was to refuse, but the moment she saw the pleading look in his eyes, the words died on her lips.

She'd never been able to say no to Mason. Even after he'd left her behind to pursue a music career overseas, she hadn't been able to let him go.

Finally, she turned to Oliver.

"Oliver," she called out stiffly. "Could you tell the school you accidentally locked yourself in the storage building?"

Oliver looked up at her. His dark eyes were unreadable. "Why should I?"

The early admissions assessment was the kind of opportunity countless students would give anything for.

If he hadn't already made up his mind to study abroad, Oliver would have done everything he could to get in.

But because Mason had decided to teach him a so-called lesson, he'd missed his chance and nearly died in the process.

He had no reason to let Mason off the hook.

Sabrina wasn't used to Oliver questioning her, and his response immediately got on her nerves.

"What do you mean, 'why should you'?" She frowned. "Your grades are already great. It's not like you need those extra 30 points. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?

"Fine. If you promise not to report Mason, I'll do one thing for you. Whatever you want."

She looked down at him as if she'd just done him an enormous favor.

Oliver almost laughed. Getting into a top college was fiercely competitive. An extra 30 points could mean the difference between getting accepted and being rejected, putting him ahead of thousands of other students.

But to Sabrina, he was apparently being unreasonable for caring.

He wanted to grab everything within reach and throw it in her face. He wanted to make that spoiled, sheltered rich girl understand what it was like to live in the real world without wealthy parents to solve all her problems.

But he held himself back. He'd learned a long time ago that getting angry or feeling sorry for himself wouldn't change anything.

What was done was done. The only thing he could do was find a way to use what had happened to secure his freedom.

He'd learned that lesson the night he came home to find his stepfather had beaten his mother half to death.

Instead of fighting him, Oliver had rushed his mother to the hospital. Then, he'd taken the medical report documenting her injuries to the police and pressed charges.

That was how he'd gotten his stepfather sent to prison.

And now, he looked at Sabrina and calmly said, "I'll let Mason off the hook, but you have to agree to one condition."

Sabrina stared at him for a moment before her expression darkened.

"Oliver, are you seriously trying to blackmail me?" she snapped. "Don't tell me you're going to use this to force me into dating you. Because that's not happening!"

"I'm not asking you to date me," Oliver said calmly. "I just want you to take your SATs seriously and get into a good college."