CHAPTER 2 MY OTHER HALF

[ANIKA HODGENS POV]

I watched her take a deep breath, clearly trying to composed herself. I couldn’t help but sneer internally. The world is full of these two-faced hypocrites who can’t afford to be honest, hiding instead behind a mask of virtue.

"I’m sorry, but as long as you study here, you must obey the rules," Jaz said, her voice dropping into a stern, authoritative register. "If you aren't willing to comply, feel free to drop out."

The sleeping dragon inside me violently woke up. A sudden heat flushed through my ears at her words. She was pulling the string now, deliberately testing my patience. Colliding with me was the biggest mistake she could ever make. If it weren't for the fact that I absolutely had to finish this school year, I would have broken this girl right then and there.

"And what exactly are these rubbish rules?" I asked, my voice dripping with irritation. I leveled a sharp, lethal glare at her, the kind most people couldn't stand to meet.

"Once you are inside the classroom, you cannot leave to skip class."

I let out a mocking giggle and looked her up and down. "Who the hell came up with that? They manage to be incredibly smart and profoundly stupid at the same time." I made no effort to hide my disgust.

"I did," she countered, her posture straightening. "Are you complaining? Since you’re new here, I’ll let this pass and exempt you for today. But you still cannot skip class."

She kept pushing, practically planning her own early funeral.

"Who told you I was going to cut class?" I challenged, a smirk playing on my lips. "I just need to use the restroom. Or would you like to come and hold my hand?"

A satisfying flush of crimson crept up her neck. Her cheeks turned bright red, looking exactly like a pair of ripe tomatoes.

"Oh... sorry. Okay, you may go."

Finally, the girl used her brain. Of course, I had absolutely no intention of returning anytime soon—maybe by the second period, though I hadn't decided yet. For now, I wanted to explore the campus. It wasn't my problem that the professor was late. I wasn't going to sit in a boring room just waiting for the clock to tick down. There ought to be some perks for the students; if the teacher isn't around, we should be allowed to hang out.

[JAZ AMANDA]

That girl is pushing my patience to its absolute limit. If I find out she lied to me, I will make sure her first day at this school turns into an absolute disaster.

The fact that our professor hasn't arrived yet is a rare anomaly. I just hope that new girl doesn't think our institution is subpar and regret transferring here. Even so, she will be held entirely accountable for her actions if she dares to skip.

I waited for her, but ten minutes ticked by with no sign of her return. Driven by suspicion, I went to check the restroom. As I walked down the corridor, several students called out my name from the open windows. That is simply the price of being beautiful and brilliant in the eyes of everyone. I kept my gaze fixed straight ahead to avoid the distractions, quickening my pace toward the restroom.

When I pushed the door open, the room was completely empty. What the hell... she lied to me. Where did she go?

Thirty minutes passed. Still unable to find her, I had no choice but to return to the classroom.

"Ms. Amanda! Where have you been? Since when do you start skipping class?"

My eyebrows knit together in shock. I couldn't even form an immediate response. Sitting comfortably in her chair was the new girl, a subtle, mocking smile playing on her lips. What the absolute hell? I was suddenly the one looking guilty in the eyes of Ms. Gonzales.

"But Ma'am—" I started, only for the newbie to cut me off seamlessly.

"Ms. President went out to scout the campus, Ma'am," the new girl piped up, her voice dripping with artificial innocence. "Since our professor hadn't arrived yet, she thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to sneak off and spend some quality time with her boyfriend."

My blood boiled instantly. What on earth was this girl talking about? She was actively destroying my flawless reputation.

"But Ma'am, that's not—" I tried to defend myself, but Ms. Gonzales cut me off before I could offer a coherent explanation.

"No buts, Ms. Amanda. I am incredibly disappointed with this class, but I never expected this behavior from you. I will see you in my office later. Take your seat."

My jaw clenched so hard it ached. This new girl had entirely ruined my day. She stared at me, her eyes tracking me as I walked back to my desk. I forced myself to breathe, desperately trying to keep my composure to avoid making a scene, but this girl was going to regret crossing me. I will teach her exactly where she belongs, who I am, and who she needs to respect. Nobody had ever dared to mess with me until the moment she arrived. Argh!

"Oh, Ms. Amanda... I thought there was a rule?" she whispered directly into my ear. Since she sat right behind me, her hot breath caught me off guard. I absolutely loathed it. She is dead to me. Today might be her day, but tomorrow will be her living nightmare.

[ANIKA HODGENS POV]

I hadn't gone anywhere near the bathroom. Instead, I had been out back behind the school building, enjoying a cigarette. I had been pleasantly surprised to find two other students doing the exact same thing. As I thought—perfect schools don't exist. I'm always right about these things.

On my way back, I spotted a professor hurrying down the hall. Guessing she was our teacher, I quickly slipped ahead of her and beat her into the classroom. Safe and sound.

When five minutes passed and Jaz still hadn't returned, I knew exactly what had happened. She had followed me to the bathroom because she didn't trust me. I have people like her entirely mapped out. They are always desperate to find a stain on someone else's record just to make themselves look pristine. As I always say, these people crave attention. They need constant praise from everyone around them to fuel their popularity, milking sympathy and support from their environment.

Now, Jaz got exactly what she deserved for meddling in my business. Hopefully, she won't bother me again. Now she knows I am completely untouchable.

"Okay, class. You will be working in pairs for this activity," our professor announced, launching into her lecture. "Cooperate closely with your partner. If one of you fails, the other goes down too. Teamwork is critical here, so you had better avoid having any personal issues with your significant half."

She paused, letting her gaze sweep across the room. "This activity accounts for 70% of your final grade, so I trust you understand the stakes. Fail this, and you fail my subject. And if you fail my subject, you will not be walking across that stage on graduation day."

The very first day of class and it was already suffocating me. I absolutely despise group work, forced socialization, and mandatory communication. But as I looked ahead at the rigid back of the class president, a malicious thought crossed my mind.

Picking Jaz as my partner would be the perfect move. It was 99.9% guaranteed to absolutely ruin her.