“And future business partner,” Jess joked at the time. “Don’t forget, I’m going to write all your video games.”
I laughed, but I couldn’t deny that the idea appealed to me. A lot.
I take out my phone when I see that Jess is standing behind a few people in the line. It’s a reflex, going to social media and scrolling mindlessly. Sitting here on my own shouldn’t make me feel like a loser. This isn’t high school anymore and no one cares about that crap…
“Hey, Maddie.”
I stifle a groan, certain the universe is playing a trick on me. Just as I’m thinking this isn’t high school, a ghost from the past pops into my life.
Dirk Jenkins was the football star and the prom king, and, by some twisted trick of fate, he won a scholarship to the same college Jess and I attend. Of all the people from school who could’ve ended up here, it’s a bittersweet pill that it was the girl I love most and the boy I liked the least.
Looking up, I offer him a friendly smile. “Hi, Dirk.”
Dirk the Jerk, Jess calls him. It might not be her most imaginative nickname, but I think it might be my favorite.
He’s wearing his football jacket, as always, looming at almost seven feet. His body is packed with muscle and his lips are twisted into a mean smirk, as if to say, I’m better than you. And I always will be.
“How’s class going?” he asks, still with that better-than-me smile on his face.
“It’s going fine, thank you.”
“Good, that’s good.” He looks around, as though making sure no one’s eavesdropping, and then takes a step forward, leaning down. “It must be nice, walking onto a computing course because your daddy donated all that money to the college.”
I cringe, fists clenching. “My dad has never donated to this college. In fact, I insisted on it.”
“Hmm. That’s odd. Then why have I been telling everyone that your rich daddy donated to the college and that’s the only reason you got in? I must’ve heard it somewhere.”
“I’m sure,” I say sarcastically, wishing I was Genevieve right now.
She wouldn’t put up with any of Dirk’s crap. She’d shoot him with a laser and that would be the end of it.
I glance over at Jess, but her back is turned to me. She’s second in line, tapping her foot impatiently.
“Ask me how many bones I’ve broken, Maddie.”
I sigh. “Dirk, I’m really flattered you feel the need to talk to me every time we run into each other. Honestly. But I don’t care how many—”
“Six, six bones. My collarbone healed all funny, and now it pokes out of my skin. You can touch it if you want.”
I feel a shiver run up my spine at the thought. He might’ve been the king of high school, all the girls gushing over him – Jess even went through a Dirk phase before she wised up – but he’s never been anything but repulsive to me. He’s just another example of how immature boys my age can be.
He grins, chuckling. “Six bones and I’ve probably taken years off my life with brain damage, all to earn this scholarship. But it must be nice, having daddy pay your way—”
“Yes, my dad worked hard when he was younger. Yes, he made a successful company. And yes, he paid my college fees. Would your parents have done any differently, if they’d been able to? I didn’t choose my family, Dirk, any more than you chose yours.”
“Sure.” His eyes become hard. “But it doesn’t change how unfair it is. So he definitely didn’t donate millions of dollars to the college to get you in?”
“No.” I push the word through gritted teeth.
“Huh. Maybe I’ll stop telling people that then. Maybe.”
He swaggers off, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
“What was that about?” Jess lays the tray on the table and drops into her seat. “I hate that guy.”
“Just the same old crap. He thinks my dad got me into college,” I tell her.
Jess groans. “As if his parents would’ve done any different if they’d had the opportunity.”
“That’s what I told him.”
“Did you tell him about the application?”
I shake my head. I’d used my mom’s name on my application, hiding the fact I was related to one of the biggest video game design success stories of all time.
Dad – along with his business partner, Maxton – had worked their butts off to build a multinational company. He’d worked long hours and I’d rarely seen him, and I’d only met Maxton once or twice when I was young before mom and dad divorced. I went through a phase where I had a mega crush on Maxton when I was a teenager.
And, honestly, the sight of his massive muscular frame and his gleaming ice-blue eyes and his silver hair still sends tremors through me… followed by insane misplaced guilt when I think about Smolder, and how he’d feel if he knew how badly I wanted to be with Maxton.