Chapter 2

Cyrus Blackwood

I stretched my arms as a yawn escaped my mouth. I noticed a couple students look my way, either to ogle me or out of annoyance, either way I didn't care. They knew better than to approach me like a fool. Normally, people respected me. It’s not something I demanded, it simply happened. People leaned toward certainty, and I learned early that confidence passed for truth when it was delivered without hesitation.

I noticed the way people watched me, looking up to me as if I were a saint. It annoyed me to an extent but I would have to just smile and move on; they can’t do anything beyond following me blindly. Most of them only worried about getting on my good side because of my family’s influence over this college but I wanted to keep the dynamic clear. If they wanted to praise me, fear me or hate me; they would have to do it for me.

I passed a casual smile to my spectators and looked around the class. None of the students were familiar, mostly because I don't pay attention to them but a certain short-haired girl stood out to me. Her back was facing me. She was sitting upright and her frame was short and very skinny. Though from her oversized clothes, it seemed to swallow her whole.

Then it hit me.

She was the very same girl that bumped into me this morning.

Her audacity amused me more than it should have. Most people avoided me entirely, yet she had shoved me aside without a second thought. There hadn’t been hesitation in her eyes either, just dislike. Interesting. I’ll be the judge of how long that audacity lasts.

All kinds of thoughts swirled in my mind as a smirk formed on my face. I nudged Lucas to my right, but he was busy typing away on his phone. His smile creeped me out as I turned to Ethan on my left.

“Another one?” I asked. Ethan was sitting with his headphones on, clearly not listening to anything.

He shrugged. “You know him. A new week, a new girl.” 

I let out a huge sigh before slumping on the table. I was itching for a smoke but I just had one before I entered the class.

Today was going to be one boring and long day.

My attention wandered back to the girl. I assumed she was new mostly because either she was a nobody until our encounter or she had just transferred. Most of the mid-semester students that transferred were usually scholarship-based students. I noticed how most scholarship students tried too hard. This one didn’t try at all. She sat there like the room didn’t intimidate her in the slightest.

The lecture dragged on for almost an hour now. I had tuned it out a long time ago. It was always fun to mess with the professor so I decided to add my input. Maybe that ought to give the professor a signal that we’re done for the day. I had to assert dominance every once in a while. More so with an esteemed, audacious guest amongst us.

“I believe people always try to reach self-actualization first rather than anything else.”

My voice was firm. I felt pretty confident about my opinion. Murmurs of agreement and acknowledgement rippled through the room. The professor nodded and deemed it right because of course he would.

But the acknowledgement was short lived as a firm voice cut through the class.

“Respectfully, the theory doesn’t work like that.”

My eyes twitched as I turned my head toward the speaker.

Of course.

The scholarship student.

She spoke with such confidence, it made me seem like the dumbest person to exist in this world. Even as she corrected me, she was looking at the professor in a measured way as if she had rehearsed it all and didn't care how it ended. She didn’t even look at me like I wasn’t even worth acknowledging.

Silence followed. Everyone seemed to hold their breath, as nobody had ever dared to speak over me or correct me.

I tapped on the table, patiently waiting for the professor to shut her down. The professor also knew where to draw the line. Hence, he knew this transfer was overstepping. However he only hesitated and coughed once before announcing it correctly.

Something shifted.

I didn’t feel embarrassed or angry. Just aware. Heads slowly turned in my direction, waiting for my reaction as they always did. Then she turned too. Her expression didn’t waver.

I smiled, but it wasn't an inviting smile. I accepted her challenge.

“She sure got guts,” Lucas murmured beside me.

I leaned back in my chair and held her stare until she turned around.

“Interesting.”

After the class was over, I shot a look at the professor, who hastily packed his belongings before leaving the class, not wanting to meet my eyes. The room buzzed back to life and the tension was evident but my attention was fixed. I had to counter that somehow. Few others started gathering around our row, all chatting but glancing my way.

I immediately thought about showing intimidation. I was the one everyone angled toward, not the other way around.

As soon as she got up, I grabbed a notebook nearest to me and tossed it toward her. Not intending to hit her. Just to startle her.

“Whoops! I dropped it,” I said with a sly smile. The crowd around me chuckled lightly. “Mind getting that for me?”

She bent to pick it up but I didn’t miss the way her eyes sharpened before she crouched. She grabbed the notebook. Instead of handing it back, she started flipping through it.

Unexpected but very amusing for me.

She tossed the book back toward me. “You should be careful with your notes,” she said with a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Wouldn’t want them messier than they already are.”

The room stilled. I heard Ethan cough as if stifling his laugh. My smile faded before I could stop it. That was new. Not once but twice she had decided to challenge me.

As she walked out of the room without looking back, one thought settled in my mind. She had just made it impossible to ignore her. 

I’ll make sure to burn my existence into her mind forever.