The Billionaire High School Bully

10 - The knight in shining armor

I decided to give her one last intense look before heading out, joining Charles and Rex for our economics class. I didn't need to get points deducted from my performance for coming late.

"We'll see each other again." I turned to her before crossing the doorstep. Her face was hidden as her head was bowed. Serves her right!

"Sophie!" Michael ran inside. The knight in shining armor? You must be kidding! For that creature?

"You got a seriously poor taste, Michael." I scoffed and continued walking behind Charles and Rex. Why did he even become a vice-president if he's joining the side of that low-class scum?  He should think about it hard. The student council is here to solve issues for the students but also to see that the school code of conduct is observed by everyone. Maybe I should make him read it again?! I raised my eyebrows, looking back in the corridor, but they weren't following us.

Sophia

That demon! He's not human! How dare he! That lowlife! Dirty pig! p*****t!

"Sophia, are you... are you alright? Is everything fine?" Michael's voice sounded very soft and worried. I looked up. He looked very pitiful. But that was only because of the state he saw me in. I instinctively covered my chest with my arms.

"I'm... I'm sorry! I'll wait outside until you dress properly!" He exclaimed and hurried out of the room. The door closed quickly and the whole place became quiet. I felt like I could finally breathe without anyone watching. I fell down to the floor, trying to catch my breath. What did just happen? I didn't just sign a war declaration against him, did I?

I took a deep breath to digest the situation.

"I have to put the clothes on properly. Don't want anyone else walking in here and seeing me like this." I got up and started slipping into the other sock and dressing myself properly. I had an important presentation of my canvas in the class. I checked the time on my phone. Oh no! I'll be really late!

I rushed out of the class, grabbing Michael's arm and pulling him behind me, running.

"Wait! We'll make it on time! Let's use the elevator!" He was chuckling the whole time I was trying to pull him harder. But he was heavy, so instead of running, we were walking.

"Elevator? There's one?" I turned around, surprised. I was only walking the stairs yesterday!

"Yes, this way. We'll make it! Come!" Now he was the one grabbing my arm and pulling me behind him, running. He was laughing the whole time, apparently having a lot of fun. Even though we were running quite fast, which I wasn't used to, he was making me smile. In the end, when we reached the elevators, I was giggling with him. His laugh was just contagious. It was the kind of kind laugh, which was making people feel better and warmer. It would even warm up icy cold hearts. I bet it would even warm up the heart of that devil, who calls himself Benjamin. His heart had to be frozen for centuries, being wrapped in thorny branches of the thorniest of bushes. The thorny roses were cotton compared to his heart.

Michael pressed the button and we were waiting for the elevator to come. In fact, this was a part of a corridor, which had at least six elevators, three on each side.

"I didn't know there was something like this before. Even during the tour of the school, they didn't show us anything like this." I tried breaking the silence by saying something. I was really happy Michael brought me here. Being late was the last thing on my to-do list today.

"Well, it's because there were probably too many of you to take them. We have this kind of room around each corner of the building. But sometimes it is faster to take the stairs. We're lucky that the art classroom is just above us, we'll only walk a few steps around the corner and we'll get there! We should be there earlier than the teacher today. They called a meeting in the morning, so we can get there a few seconds earlier!" He wasn't looking at me, yet his hand was holding mine, not letting go. My heart was beating fast. At this point, I didn't know if it was because I was running or because I was excited. I was staring at his hand holding mine. My cheeks were getting hotter and I could feel myself blushing. I shook my head. There was no time for this! I had an important presentation ahead of me!

"Here it comes!" Michael joyously exclaimed and pulled me into the elevator quickly. He then pressed the closing button as soon as we entered. Now I was staring at the side of his face. He looked content with himself and what he had achieved. Then I became conscious of his eyes turning to me. His face was facing straight but he definitely knew I was staring at him! I flipped my face straight and started staring at the door, not saying anything. He slowly let go of my hand. Now it became awkward. We were taking the elevator for less than a minute to the top floor, yet it was so quiet. I swear I can even hear the tiny cogwheels turning and clacking! Every single one of them!

Ding! Oh how I am happy to hear this sound!

"I... I'll go ahead! Thanks for showing me the elevators!" I hastily stuttered and ran out of the elevator.

"You're welcome." The tone Michael used for saying this one sentence made me turn around. He had a hand on part of his face and looked as if he was... Blushing! He's blushing! I'm not seeing things, am I? He's blushing! And looks so unsure about things! It made my heart race. I could feel my heart beets getting faster and faster each second.

"I..." I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what to say. He stepped out of the elevator, taking a deep breath next to me.

"Don't mind it! As a vice-president of the student council, I am glad to help any student in need!" He put up a smiling face, his eyes squinting small. He didn't mean any of this. He had to be doing it because he wanted to help just me! I'm not that stupid! I don't think I imagined things a while ago! This doesn't feel sincere at all... He was sincere before, but not now. This is just a mask. I hope it is just a mask. My confidence was getting smaller. The more I saw of his face right now, the less I became sure I saw things right. Or that I was feeling the things right.

"Let's go for the class, shall we?" He didn't grab my arm nor hand this time. Instead, he used his right hand to politely show the direction we should go. I nodded. I was speechless, too stuck in my own thoughts, trying to figure this out. There were so many ways to grab this whole situation and all of the possibilities were just running all over my brain, leaving no space for any other activities. Let alone speaking.

Michael wasn't saying anything, either. We silently entered the classroom, which was full of students. I went to put my things at my own desk, while Michael went to the back of the class to do the same. He didn't look at me. Even though I occasionally glanced at him, trying to not let anyone notice, he wasn't doing the same. The moment we entered the classroom I was getting ignored. By everyone. Even him. I was prepared for not making friends at this school, not making any friends at all at worst. But I didn't think that a person could change from being so friendly, holding my hand and blushing, to a huge piece of a menhir.

I managed to pick up my canvas and place it on the desk in front of me. Many students had their works already in front of them. There was an empty easel placed in front of the board. One of the skills we were supposed to learn in this class was also the art of presenting our work to others. It was way past the beginning of the class and the teacher was still nowhere to be found.

"Class president, is our class canceled today?" One of the girls from the front rows asked him. I turned back to look at his face to see him. At least I wouldn't look like a creep doing this as everyone was turning back.

"Not that I know of." His answer was short, stern, and felt... cold. Unlike how he was before with me in the corridors. When he was helping me get dry uniform or when he was showing me the way to the elevators. He was like a completely different person. Which one of them is the real one? This stern one or the one with a warm and kind heart? Did he just play with me? Was he always like this, same as the student council president? Well... Not that I would be surprised. Everyone from the student council was like that. The badges on their jackets always showed their upper position above the other students. You could actually see their badges from the end of the corridor, which was longer than forty meters. Depending on their position in the student council, the sign on their badge changed. The vice-president had an eagle on it, the president a lion. The accountant had an owl. And that guy with red hair, Rex... What did he have exactly? What was his position anyway? Maybe an event organizer?

I stopped staring at Michael's face and turned to face the board again. He was fake like the others. The short time when it felt like he was his real self was probably just him making fun of me. I shouldn't waste my time on him. I shouldn't waste my time on anyone here. I have to graduate from this school and make enough money to take care of my grandma well!

"Dear students! I apologize for coming this late. However, we had to attend an emergency-called meeting. I wish the French madame would stop making a big issue out of everything! Keeping us busy and tip-toeing all the time... Did she make any trouble for you in the French class recently?" She sighed, putting fingers on her forehead to rest her mind.

"No, miss Nantz. The French class didn't have any hiccups at all. Everything went fine." Michael stood up while speaking to her as the class president.

"I see. Thank you for telling me. I will relay that message to miss Kirchoff, so she doesn't ask you the same. She is still in the meeting. Well, we lost a good twenty minutes of the class, so let's speed things up a bit, shall we? I'm afraid you will have to make up for those twenty minutes at home with your works. Now, let's see how you managed to get the first few things done for this review! Miss Reed! I believe you are new here, so you could come up here to present your work to others." Oh no, really? Why do I have to go first? Alphabetically I am not even the first nor the last one in this class! I'm not even in the middle!

"I believe you should still prove your worth to the students here, who don't think you should be attending. Please. The stage is yours. Take your canvas and introduce it to us." The teacher showed me the way to the empty easel. My soul shrank. I didn't want to do this! Sweat was spreading all over my body. My heart wanted to jump out of my chest. Calm down, calm down! It's just a stupid presentation! You made this painting! Be proud of it!

I felt something gently hit my back. I turned around to see a little ball of paper on the floor. Everyone was doing whatever, their heads bent down to their phone screens. The only one, who was straight-up looking at me...