Chapter 1: Bad Reputation

Crashing a golf cart was not at all how I planned on starting my day, but here we are! 

I opened my eyes to see how bad the damage was. I only hit a tree. No big deal. I stumbled out of the cart, in a fit of giggles. 

"Hands on the cart, Watson!" James, the campus policeman demanded.

"James, come on you can't be serious," I laughed. "It was a joke!" I laughed. 

"Hands on the cart!"

"Oh, this is so unfair," I did as he said, unable to believe my luck. "I'm gonna be late for Marketing. Professor Simon is expecting my brilliant marketing research!"

"Should have thought about that before you stole the golf cart." 

I was in shock when he slapped handcuffs on my wrists.

"James, you can't arrest me, you're not even a police officer. You didn't even cuff these the right way. They're supposed to go behind my back."

"I'm not arresting you, I'm taking you to the Dean's office."

"No, please don't do that, he's gonna be furious! I already got in trouble this week!"

"Sorry, Ms. Watson. This is the last straw."

I took off running before another word could be said. The leaves crunched under my Converse as I ran through the campus. 

Huh, it looked kind of pretty today. The first days of October are always the best. Orange trees, nice breeze. I tripped over a rock and fell. Wet grass.

"We'll be adding running away to your list of offenses." James helped me up and then threw me over his shoulder.

"Put me down!" I screeched. "You are taking my rights from me! I pay to go here!"

"You're on a scholarship," He laughed as he continued walking. 

I yelled the whole way, hoping one of my fellow Wrenford Business School peers would help me out, but they went on with their day. I guess they were used to me getting in trouble. 

It's an extremely low populated school. There's only about one hundred of us. Most of the people who attended were eighteen to twenty-somethings who graduated top of their class and were in families that either own businesses or have deep connections to the business world. 

I was the daughter of an adulterous alcholic English teacher and a seamstress. I had absolutely no connections and not anywhere near as much money as the rest of these people. 

I just loved business. I found it so fascinating. The marketing, the statistics, the high risks and the even higher rewards. I wanted to be a CEO some day.

I know it's wildly ambitious and the goal of pretty much every student here, but I had been working towards this since I was fifteen. No one made me do this. I just wanted it more than anything in the world.

My hard work so far had paid off. The family that founded Wrenford saw something in me and offered me a scholarship and completely paid for me to attend. I was the first and only recipient of the Wrenford scholarship.

I was quite the special case. I was also a bit of a trouble maker, and had a bad reputation. It made my peers dislike me even more. Not only was I an outsider that's actually competition in the business world, but I also had fun?

Unheard of.

I knew they were surprised I'd lasted four years here. I wasn't expected to make it past the first semester. 

When we reached the Main Building, James plopped me down on the first chair outside of the Dean's Office. 

I easily recognized the two other students waiting outside of Dean Wyatt's office. 

"You're the worst," I grumbled to James. 

The Asian boy across from me chuckled. Lee Windsor. He was the richest student at this school. He was one of the few students here who I thought for sure would become a CEO. Mostly because he was due to inherit it. 

He was also one of the few students who clearly didn't want to be here. Business did not seem to interest him at all and it was clear that he was only there to appease his father. 

He's kind of a troublemaker too, so we get along pretty well. Not to mention he's wildly hot.

Lee cocked his eyebrow. His golden brown eyes sparkled with interest. "Handcuffs? Kinky."

"Shut up, Windsor." I muttered. 

"What did you do now Scarlett?" The voice of my best friend Lulu Dejoria asked.

Her dark hazel eyes were filled with amusement and eagerness as she brushed her honey brown hair out of her glowing brown face.

"Just went on a little drive," I shrugged. 

"How are you always in trouble?" Lee chuckled.

"I'm sorry are you not also outside the Dean's office?" I shot back. "You're trouble too Lee."

"And you love trouble, right?" He grinned. 

"I'm sorry Scar, is there a reason you're in handcuffs?" Lulu questioned. 

"The man is trying to keep me down as usual!" I exclaimed. 

"You're a trouble making thief!" James snapped. 

"And you're a mall cop that they let have a pair of handcuffs, let's calm down with those accusations buddy." I stated.

"You're so mean," Lulu shook her head.

"What are you guys doing here?" I questioned. 

"I got caught in kind of a compromising position with...a boy last night." Lulu looked down.

"Saucy." I grinned. "Lee?"

"Professor Stone asked me what was more important than doing my Entrepreneurship homework and I said getting laid." Lee laughed slightly.

"You guys do stuff like this and yet I have the bad reputation." I shook my head. "So unfair."

"Worry about the fact that your shirt is filthy." Lulu laughed. 

"I fell in the grass, it was a weird morning, okay?"

The door to the Dean's office swung open. Carter Chambers walked out with his head down.

Well I think I figured out what boy Lulu had been with.

"Ms. Dejoria, please come in." Dean Wyatt stated. 

Lulu rolled her eyes and got up.

Dean Wyatt did a double take when he saw me. I waved through my handcuffs as his face fell, realizing he'd have to deal with me today. 

Lee and I just stared at each other. I didn't mind the silence. He was just nice to look at. He seemed to feel the same way about me. 

I heard a lot of shrieking from Lulu while she was in the office before the door opened again and she stomped out. 

"See you Scarlett," She huffed. 

"Mr. Windsor," Dean Wyatt sighed heavily. 

"Did you miss me sir?" Lee asked as he entered the office. 

I also heard yelling from Lee. What the hell was the Dean telling them?!

"Can you take these off now?" I asked James. "I can't reach my phone."

"No," he muttered barely looking up from his phone.

"Jerk,"

Dean Wyatt didn't get a chance to walk Lee out. He stormed out on his own. 

"I'll text you later Scar," He practically snapped.

"Ms. Watson. You're back."

"Nothing could keep me away, sir." I smiled.

James hopped up. "Dean Wyatt, you won't believe what I caught Ms. Watson doing this morning!"

"Why is she in handcuffs?" Dean Wyatt questioned. 

"She stole a golf cart and crashed it! She destroyed public property!"

"I crashed into a tree! I think I got more hurt than it did." I declared. 

Dean Wyatt sighed. "Thank you for bringing Ms. Watson here, I will deal with her."

"I hope to see consequences. She should be expelled."