Taming Dylan Winthrop

RIELE’S POINT OF VIEW“Call me immediately if anything happens,” Mom said for what felt like the hundredth time that morning as she pulled the car over in front of Blackwood Academy.“I will, Mom,” I laughed softly while unbuckling my seatbelt.From the backseat, Jane suddenly grabbed my arm dramatically.“And if you see Dylan Winthrop........”“Oh my God,” I groaned instantly.“Please marry him for the family’s financial stability,” Jessie finished seriously and I stared at both of them in disbelief.“You two are actually insane.”They burst into laughter while Mom shook her head tiredly.“Ignore them,” she muttered before turning toward me again, her expression softening immediately. “You’re going to do amazing today, honey.”The nervous feeling in my stomach returned instantly.“Hopefully,” I mumbled.Mom reached over and squeezed my hand gently.“You earned your place here, Riele. Don’t let anybody make you feel differently.”I nodded slowly before stepping out of the car.C

RIELE’S POINT OF VIEW After Dylan walked away, I just stood there for a few seconds, completely frozen. My heart was still pounding painfully against my chest while laughter and whispers echoed around me. Students continued staring openly as if I was some kind of entertainment for the day.“Poor scholarship girl.”“She’s already getting destroyed on her first day.”“Did you see the way Dylan looked at her?”I swallowed hard and quickly bent down, stuffing the rest of my books back into my arms while trying to ignore the burning humiliation crawling across my skin. This was a disaster......An actual disaster and school had barely started.I exhaled shakily before forcing myself to move. Slowly, I walked back toward the classroom while people continued staring and whispering behind my back. The second I entered the room again, conversations lowered slightly.Great,even better.I quietly walked back to my seat beside Dylan’s empty chair and sat down carefully before placing m

RIELE'S POINT OF VIEW The final bell rang through the classroom, and instantly, students began packing their bags. Chairs scraped against the floor, and conversations filled the room.I quickly shoved my notebook into my bag, eager to get out of here before another disaster found me... Honestly? One day at Blackwood already felt like a whole month.The moment I stood up, most students immediately started leaving. Vanessa stormed out first, with Chloe and Shelly trailing behind her. Not once looking in my direction, which honestly gave me relief.Meanwhile, Dylan remained seated for a few seconds longer before lazily standing up. Without a single glance at me, he grabbed his bag and walked out.The girls nearby immediately followed him like lost puppies, and I immediately scoffed and rolled my eyes... Rich people are so weird."Hey." A soft voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I looked up immediately to see a girl who stood awkwardly beside my desk... Great, just when I th

DYLAN'S POINT OF VIEW For a beat, the room was utterly silent. The chandelier above the dining table cast a soft glow, glinting off silverware and wine glasses, yet the air felt thick, like time itself had hit pause. Father's words were still ringing in my ears: *The Hart and Winthrop families have agreed that you and Lisa will be formally engaged.* Engaged???? The word felt alien, absurd, impossible. I scanned the faces around the table... my father, President Hart, Lisa,Mom and then back to my father, searching for a flicker of amusement, an explanation, anything to suggest it was a joke, but no one laughed.The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating. Finally, I managed a choked, "What?" It came out softer than I intended, almost calm. Almost. My father laced his fingers together."You heard me." No, I definitely hadn't. If I had, then everyone at this table had collectively lost their minds. A short, humorless laugh escaped me. No one joined in. My stomach plu

#BLACKWOOD ACADEMY # VANESSA'S POINT OF VIEW This morning was supposed to be perfect. The sun was out, my makeup was on point, and my outfit screamed expensive. School was waiting......So why was I so annoyed? Probably because I was stuck in the back of my dad's Mercedes, and Chloe, my friend, was glued to her phone. We hadn't said much for five minutes, and honestly, I was still fuming about yesterday. That scholarship girl managed to embarrass me in front of everyone. Seriously, every time I opened the Blackwood group chat, there was another video of her acing that physics problem. People just wouldn't stop talking about it."You're thinking about her again, aren't you?" Chloe suddenly piped up. I just rolled my eyes. "Who?" "The scholarship girl." "I'm not." "You're literally glaring at the window." Okay, fine, I stopped glaring. Chloe smirked. "Thought so." I crossed my arms. "She's annoying." "She's smart." "Same difference." Chloe actually laughed. "You're