Chapter 44

She was still wearing the same outfit from yesterday. It looked a little worn, but it was spotless.
“This… this is for you.”
Shirley hurriedly pulled two steaming hand pies from her bag and pressed them into Charlotte’s arms, her cheeks turning pink. “My grandma made them. I hope you don’t mind.”
Last night, Shirley had searched all over her house for something valuable to give in return, but she couldn’t find anything that felt good enough. Then she remembered how everyone said her grandma’s pies were the best.
Charlotte held up the bag and gave her a small smile. “Are they meat?”
“One’s meat, one’s veggie,” Shirley said, her bright eyes shining with hope as she waited for Charlotte’s reaction.
Charlotte took a bite. Mushroom filling. It was seriously good.
Watching her take that first bite, Shirley let out a breath she’d been holding. “Thank your grandma for me.”
Shirley nodded, grinning. “Okay! I’ll tell her.” She peered down the hallway, suddenly shy. “Um, Charlotte, I should get going.”
Charlotte watched her skip away, the smile fading into a thoughtful line. Girls as sweet as Shirley deserved a little kindness from the world. The ones who weren’t, well, they belonged in the trash.
She tucked the rest of the pie into her bag and headed for class. She hadn’t even stepped inside when a group of boys in matching uniforms blocked the door.
“You’re the new girl, right?”
Charlotte looked up, her voice calm and crisp. “Did you want something?”
“If you want to stick around Vanguard High, you’d better keep your nose out of other people’s business.”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, her expression turning cool. “Is your dad the principal or something? Since when do you get to decide who stays?”
One of the boys snorted. “This new girl’s got a real attitude.”
“Do you even know who that stammerer pissed off?” the leader sneered. “Help her again and see what happens.”
Inside the classroom, a few students glanced her way with pity. Too young, too brave for her own good. Of all people to help, she picked Shirley. The girl who’d stepped on the wrong toes. The same toes that belonged to the honorary board member’s son. His father donated millions to Vanguard High every year he was practically untouchable.
Charlotte didn’t look the least bit worried. “And what exactly is going to happen?”
The boy faltered. She was supposed to be scared by now. She had no idea how things worked here.
“You’ll get kicked out of Vanguard High!”
Charlotte smirked, her voice flat. “That’s it? I thought you were threatening something serious.”
The boy stared at her like she’d grown a second head. Was she crazy?
“Fine. You just wait,” he grumbled, his face darkening. “I’ll be waiting for you in Class C. Move it.”
Charlotte didn’t budge. “You should get out of my way.”
He scowled, rolling up his sleeves and clenching his fists. “Did you just talk back to me? You’ve got a death wish.”
He stepped forward, menace in his eyes. Charlotte didn’t flinch. Her gaze was icy, her fingers casually pinching a pebble shed picked up outside. She was ready to defend herself, but before she could move, the boy went flying, knocked off his feet by a swift, hard kick.
“You looking to die, picking fights outside Class C?”
The boy looked up, dazed, and saw Andrew looming over him, hands in his pockets, his glare sharp as a
blade. It was Parrish who’d delivered” the kick.
At Vanguard High, Andrew was the real boss. Nobody dared mess with him.
“Get lost,” Parrish said, his voice cold.
The boy scrambled to his feet and bolted down the hall.
Andrew glanced at Charlotte. She was standing there in her uniform, lips pressed together, looking clean and composed, almost like a doll on a shelf. Was she frozen in fear, or just surprised?
Andrew felt her eyes on him and, for some reason, his heart skipped. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this awkward.
“What are you staring at? I’m not interested in you, so don’t get any ideas.”
Charlotte just looked at him and said nothing.