More Than A Bet

ADINA

Five minutes.

That was all the time I had left to get to the East wing before professor Moretti closed the door. I rushed into Bocconi University, holding a stack of textbooks I had borrowed from one of the university libraries in my right hand, and in my left, a scorching cup of black coffee. My only fuel for the day, that I started at 04:00 AM doing a review on Professor Moretti's previous class.

“Watch Where you are going, weirdo!”

I jumped out of the way just as a sleek G-wagon drove past, sending a pool of dirty water spraying into the air. I wasn’t fast enough as the cold muddy water splashed across the arm of my white sweater and stained the text book I had borrowed from the library.

“Fuck!” I muttered, whipping my backpack around frantically searching for a towel, I wiped off the stain but the grey smudge only spread deeper into the wool.

“What was I thinking, wearing white on the first day of the semester?”

I looked at the time, I had two minutes left before professor Moretti shut the door. I adjusted my backpack, tucked my wet sleeves into my elbow and dash through towards the hallway, I ran through the crowd, eyes down like a moving shadow, when I suddenly lost my balance.

CRUNCH.

I collided with a solid muscle, my hand, which was holding the scorching cup of black coffee, shook violently, the lid popped and the liquid splashed directly across the chest of a pristine white colored silk shirt.

A loud silence followed and it was as if the entire campus had lost its breath.

“I…I'm sorry,” I stuttered, my heart beating fast. I reached into my bag for the towel I had used for my sweater. It was an accident.

“Are you blind? Can’t you see where you are going?”

The voice was smooth and cold. I didn’t need to look up to know who it was. The woody scene of cedar and earth filled my nostrils; raw and bold. I looked up and met the piercing blue eyes of the campus's most popular guy, Giovanni Atticus Malvetti.

His blonde hair fell into his face, and for a few seconds I was lost in face staring at him like he was a piece of art. He looked down at the sprawling brown stain on his shirt, then back at me.

“Here let me…” I stepped forward to clean the stain off his chest, my mind racing through the cost of the shirt and possibility of a dry cleaner being able to save the designer piece.

But his hands shot out, catching my wrist. The heat from his skin was startling, he looked at my hand, then at my face, his curling into sneer.

“Don’t touch me, ” he hissed, his lips curling. He looked at me as if I was a piece of trash. “ You’ve done enough damage with your clumsiness. Do you have any idea how much this costs? It’s worth more than your family makes in a year.”

“Cliche” his friends snickers from behind.

A hot spark of defiance rose in my chest and my apology died in my throat. I looked at my wrist in his grip, then slowly looked at him, my hazel eyes locking into his piercing blue eyes. I didn’t flinch. I didn’t lower my head.

I pulled my wrist out of his grip. He let go, his blue eyes widening in surprise.

“Excuse me?” I continued, straightening my spine. “I offered to help now, didn't I?”

“Besides, you were the one who bumped into me, not the other way round, I was running and you were walking like the entire world revolves around you. You could’ve easily stepped aside when you saw me running through but you didn’t. And now you’re blaming me.”

“ I know you think this is a huge disaster, " I said pointing at his coffee stained shirt. “But honestly it’s not that serious for you, but you decided to make a big deal out of it. Given your status, Giovanni, you could easily replace the shirt but manners seems to be something you can’t afford as it’s a bit over your budget.”

The snickering behind him ceased abruptly, and a collective gasp filled the air, No one has ever spoken to a Malveti that way.

His eyes narrowed, a flash of surprise crossing through his face before turning to a dark, intrigued simmer. He stepped closer, invading my personal space, his cedar wood cologne mixed with the bitter scent of my coffee hit my nostrils.

“Do you have any idea who you are talking to? he asked, his voice dropping to a predatory whisper.

“Listen here, Giovanni, I would have to stay and listen to your tantrums but I have a class to attend and I’m ten minutes late thanks to you. So why don’t you be a good boy and take your tantrums to mommy, I'm sure she’d probably love the drama.” I replied.

I didn’t wait for his reply, nor did I look back to see the expression on his face or the stunned silence of onlookers. I grabbed the textbooks, turned to my heels and walked away.

“Adina!”

I had barely gone halfway through the hallway when my best friend, Aurora, snaked her arm around me.Her high pitched voice was practically vibrating.

“Wow! What just happened? Was that you talking to… no, spilling on…the richest boy on campus?”

“He’s an arrogant, rude, pompous prick,” I snapped, walking faster.“ Can you believe he said his shirt cost more than what my family makes a year. Who the hell does he think he’s?

“He’s Giovanni Atticus Malvetti, the hottest, one of the richest, and popular guys on campus and of course heir to the Malvetti Empire,” Aurora giggled.

“You know everyone saw that, right? You’re officially on the radar.” Aurora muttered, as we got into the hall for our architectural Design class, luckily for us professor Moretti hadn't shown up yet.

“But I don’t want to be on the radar.” I murmured, taking my seat next to her and sliding my backpack off.

I had survived my freshman year by being invisible. I intended to maintain the same as a sophomore, but the universe seems very determined to drag me into the spotlight..