Chapter 4

When Alex came out of the rink, Mia looked up and smiled at him.

"Hi."

"What are you doing here?"

Alex dropped his gear bag at his feet and sat beside her.

"Studying."

Mia waved the book.

"I just finished running and got tired, so I'm taking a break here."

"It's harder to find a good place to study once I get home tonight."

Alex tilted his head.

"Why? You still have chores?"

She turned a page, her voice carrying exactly the right amount of exhaustion.

"I trim the flower beds Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays, I help clean the tool shed."

Alex didn't answer, but he didn't leave either.

He opened a bottle of Gatorade and sat on the steps watching her turn pages.

A few minutes later, when he stood, he said, "You can study over here from now on. There are tables and chairs in the rink lounge."

Mia looked up at him with a shy smile.

"Really?"

"If I say you can, you can."

The next day at lunch, I crouched in the hallway to pick up a notebook that had been knocked from my hands.

I wasn't sure who had done it. At least five people had been in that rush of footsteps.

"Hey! Isn't that the Sterling family's new princess?"

Alex's drawling voice came from above me.

I stopped picking things up and stood.

He leaned against the lockers with his arms crossed.

Two bulky hockey players stood behind him.

"I heard you and Mia knew each other before?"

"We did."

"Same orphanage?"

"Yes."

"Adopted on the same day?"

"Yes."

He gave a cold laugh and raised his voice.

Several nearby students turned toward us.

"That's strange."

He tilted his head.

"Same place, same day. So how come you're the one who ended up with our family instead of her?"

His friends snickered behind him.

I looked at him.

"So? What's your point?"

"You know what I think?"

Alex stepped half a pace closer, his gray-blue eyes fixed on mine.

"You stole her place."

"She was supposed to be adopted by the Sterlings. You must've pulled something to get yourself in instead."

"Go on."

"A girl like Mia is kind and hardworking. They work her to the bone and she doesn't even complain."

"But someone like you—"

His eyes swept over me.

"You got lucky and can't even be bothered to pretend you're grateful. Why do you deserve any of this?"

I met his gaze without flinching and raised my voice too.

"Alex."

"All I want is to study, get into the school I want, and do what I want with my life."

"If you want to date Mia, have tea with her, talk to her at the hockey rink—"

"Do whatever you want. It's none of my business. Just stay out of my way."

"And one more thing."

"If you think being adopted by a rich family means you've hit the jackpot, then your world is unbelievably small."

Alex looked momentarily speechless before giving a disbelieving laugh and nodding.

"You've got quite a mouth on you."

"My advice? Learn to behave yourself. Let's go."

He waved and left with his friends.

On his way out, he deliberately stepped on my notes.

He ground his shoe over them before walking away without looking back.

Once his footsteps disappeared around the corner, I crouched and began gathering my notebooks.

A few people glanced over, then turned away.

Things like this weren't exactly news at Windermere High.

Everyone was used to rich, powerful kids making someone else's life miserable.

Suddenly, a hand reached down beside me and picked up the calculus textbook on top of the pile.

I looked up.

A dark blue student council badge, polished to a shine, read:

President.