Billionaires Don’t Fall For Awkward Girls by Emma Dalton

Chapter Nine

During first period history class, I frantically write notes as the teacher talks a million miles a minute. My hand’s in so much pain it’s burning.

When there are twenty minutes left to class, she closes her textbook and instructs us to do the same. Then she tells us about a project she’d like us to work on.

“I want you to find a topic in history and relate it to a current event. It can be something happening in the world or your personal life and how it affects you. The point of the project is to make history relatable. You will work on it for the remainder of class and continue the rest as homework. Be ready to present it to the class tomorrow. All right? Please split into teams of two.”

I glance around the room, watching all the kids pair up. There is an uneven amount of students here, so of course the invisible awkward girl is left with no partner. But that’s okay. I’d rather do the project on my own anyway.

A few minutes pass before the door opens and Easton Knight saunters into the room like he’s royalty. Ms. Young looks up from where she’s tapping the keys on her laptop and slides off her glasses. “Mr. Knight, I’m so glad you could join us.”

Seriously? The guy comes when there are literary twelve minutes left to class and he doesn’t get detention?

“We need to find you a partner.” Ms. Young glances around the room and her gaze settles on me. “Danielle, you don’t have a partner.”

“It’s okay. I can do it myself. I’d rather do it myself.”

She waves her hand. “Nonsense. You and Easton will work on this together.” She smiles at him. “Danielle will tell you the requirements for this assignment. Please sit next to her so you may begin. And remember, you need to present it to the class tomorrow.”

His eyes latch onto mine and they fill with amusement. I narrow mine at him. Why is this my life? He comes late to class, somehow gets away with it, and now I’m forced to be his partner all because no one wanted to team up with the Awkward Girl? Life sure loves torturing me.

He drops down in the seat next to me and pushes it forward so we’re closer. “Hey.”

I glare at the floor. “Look, I don’t want to do this with you any more than you want to do it with me. So how about I work on the project and you put your name on it?”

He squints as he thinks. “Ms. Young said we need to present it to the class.”

“So?”

“So I need to work on it as well. Can’t afford to fail any classes, you know.” He winks, leaning back in such a cool and carefree way.

“But I can’t do this with you,” I blurt. “I don’t want to do this with you.”

“Mhm, okay. Doesn’t matter what you want, though, does it? We’re stuck together and I really do need an A. You ace all your assignments, right? This should be pretty standard for you.”

My mouth opens and closes, but no words come out. Only gibberish. Is he implying he’ll get an easy A because he’s teamed up with me?

“What? That huge brain of yours will come in handy right now.”

Is he serious? There’s no way he’s getting a free ride to an A. No way.

My hand shoots in the air, waving around to get the teacher’s attention, but she doesn’t notice.

With a chuckle, Easton bends forward and lowers my hand. “Looks like you’re stuck with me, Wood.”

Stuck would be an understatement. But it seems like I have no choice. I’m not letting this guy drag down my grade.

“Fine, let’s get this over with.” I tell him the requirements for the assignment, then we both open our textbooks to find a topic in history to cover.

He studies the textbook, brows furrowed in concentration. I flip through the pages, trying to search for something relatable. I mean, anything can be relatable, can’t it?

“Any luck?” he asks after a few minutes.

I shake my head. “You?”

He shrugs. “Got some options.” Before he can say another word, the bell rings and everyone shoots to their feet, collecting their things. Easton and I are the only ones still seated.

I look at him with a raised brow, as if asking why he’s not jetting from here like our fellow classmates. He gives me the same look.

“What?” I demand.

“You tell me. You’re the one staring at me.”

With a grunt, I shut my textbook and gather my things. I was not staring at him. I’d sooner stare at the tiles on the floor than at him.

He closes his book and gets to his feet, swinging his book bag over his shoulder. “We should get together after school to finish the assignment.”

Spend more time with him? No thank you.

“Wood?” he prods.

I look at him. “Fine.” Only for the sake of the grade. “Your house?”

He searches my eyes for a few beats. “Nah. Yours.”

I snort. Sure. As if I’d bring this rich guy to my house. Why give him more ammunition to use against me?

Crossing my arms over my chest, I say, “Not scared you’ll get contaminated?”

His eyebrows knit. “What?”

“We’re not going to my house.”

“We’re not going to mine,” he counters.

I stare into his eyes. Am I that low class that he won’t allow me to grace his precious mansion with my presence?

“The library?” he suggests.

I hug my book to my chest. Actually, that’s not a bad idea. The library is a safe space and I don’t have to hide just how poor I really am. “Yeah, okay. After school? Shoot. I’m busy after school…you know what, I can push it off.” Dance practice will have to wait until after homework.

He nods. “After school. Meet at the public library?”

“Uh huh. Try to make it on time.” I grab my backpack and head to the door, feeling him watching me. As I leave the room, my foot gets caught in another kid’s forgotten school bag and I trip, flying out the door and nearly slamming into a wall.

Darn it.

***

I drop my tray on the table a bit too harshly, making Ally jump.

“Sorry,” I say as I slide onto my chair. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

Charlie glances at me from where she’s correcting a math exam. It looks like the student received a 67%. “A lot of anger in that throw,” she says.

“One second. Need some of my mom’s food to calm me down.” I gather a spoonful of rice and stick it in my mouth. My body deflates as the delicious and bold flavors explode in my mouth. I might not be able to talk to my mom at school, but her food brings me comfort. I take a few more spoonfuls before addressing my friends. “I had the worst day of my life.”

Charlie raises a brow. “Worse than the time you knocked into Ms. Chu last year and spilled coffee all over yourself and kids thought you pooped your pants?”

“Ugh.” I groan as I cover my face. “You had to remind me of that?”

“Just trying to help you look on the bright side.”

“Did that really happen?” Kara asks in a gentle voice. “That sucks. The kids here are so mean. Let me guess…was it Teagyn and her band of witches?”

“Is there anyone else?” Ally mutters.

Kara rubs my back.

“It’s fine,” I say as I lower my hands from my face. “That’s ancient history. What I’m dealing with now is almost as bad.”

All three of them move closer, eager to hear the news.

I flick my head toward the second popular table. “There.”

They look at the table, then glance back at me with confused faces. “What are we looking at?” Kara asks.

I flick my head toward the table again. “That.”

“We need a bit more syllables,” Kara says with a laugh.

“Are you talking about Easton?” Ally asks.

“Nope. I’m talking about the biggest jerk on the planet.”

Charlie sighs dramatically. “What did he do this time?”

“Came late to class,” I mutter.

They’re quiet as they watch me.

“What’s new about that?” Charlie shrugs. “He always gets excused for being late. Comes with the territory when your parents are super rich and pretty much keep the school afloat.”

My brows shoot up. “They do?”

“That’s what I heard.”

“Great.” I slam myself against the back of the chair. “Now he’s got the whole school wrapped around his finger.” I cross my arms over my chest so strongly I pinch myself. “Ouch.”

“You can’t get so worked up over him,” Charlie says with a chuckle. “I’m telling you, he doesn’t even think twice about you.”

“He does now,” I grumble.

They all raise their brows at me.

“He had to come late today of all days.”

“Dani, we’re like pulling your teeth!” Kara says, exasperated. “What’s got you so riled up?”

“I’m so mad I can barely talk right.” I glance at his table and find him laughing with his friends. Why do I steam up when he seems happy? I shouldn’t give two hoots about him. Turning back to my friends, I tell them about the debacle that happened during history class this morning.

They don’t seem to see the problem.

I throw my hands up. “Because he decided to come late to school, I had to be stuck with him. Ms. Young refused to let me do the assignment myself, even though she knows I do my best work solo. But no, this has to be a group project.”

Ally covers her mouth, trying to hold back a laugh.

I shoot her a look. “It’s not funny.”

“Sorry. I just can’t help it. You’re so funny.”

“Just get the project over with and then you won’t have to deal with him again,” Charlie says as she continues to correct the math exam.

“As if that’s so easy,” I mumble. “I have to meet him at the library after school. Of course he didn’t invite me to his fancy mansion. Wouldn’t want someone of my low stature to stain his precious marble floors.”

Ally and Kara exchange looks before bursting into giggles.

“For the millionth time, it’s not funny!”

“This is better than TV,” Kara says.

“Glad to be your source of entertainment.” I dig my fork into the rice and push it into my mouth. “The only thing that can calm me down right now is my mom’s cooking.”

“Hate to break it to you, but your sworn enemy is enjoying your mom’s delicious cooking as well.”

I drop my fork like it got diseased.

“Charlie!” Ally scolds.

She chuckles. “I couldn’t help myself.”

I glare at his table. “He’s a liar. He told me on the first day of school that he brings his own lunch. The heck he’s doing eating my mom’s cooking? He doesn’t deserve it.”

All three of them laugh again.

“I’m leaving if you’ll just continue making fun of me.”

Kara wraps her arm around me as she continues to laugh. “Sorry. We support you, Dani. It’s just so funny how upset you’re getting.”

“Especially because he doesn’t give you a second thought,” Charlie supplies.

“Tension, tension, tension,” Ally teases, almost chants.

“He must really love your mom’s food,” Charlie muses. “I’m sure the Knights have a professional chef who prepares their meals.”

“So he throws out his food every day?” I say. “That’s so selfish.”

“Maybe he asked the chef not to prepare him lunch,” Ally offers. “No one said he throws out food.”

“I bet he does,” I say as I watch him eat the rice as he laughs with his friends. “Someone like him can never know what it’s like to be strapped for cash.”

“You’re making a lot of assumptions here, Danielle Wood,” Charlie says.

“He’s making me devolve into some crazy monster.” I stand with my tray. “I’m going to eat somewhere else.”

“Wait for us!” Kara says.

“No, I’m not good company. Thanks, though.”

As I head toward the exit, I catch my mom watching me with a puzzled and concerned expression. I give her a quick nod, letting her know all is well in Dani’s World. Well, as long as I don’t have to look at Easton for the rest of the day. As for after school? I don’t want to think about that right now.