The Heiress Club

Chapter 7: Revenge

I bite down on my pen, squinting at my essay notes. It's a bad habit I've picked up during English. I'm not great at writing so more often than not, I waste large chunks of time just trying to make sense of what I've already written down. I can hardly decipher my own handwriting.

"You should just type your notes," Seung-jun says, noticing my frustration.

I shrug. It's a habit I've gotten into; I try not to store documents digitally unless absolutely necessary. "It works," I say.

"Suit yourself."

Seung-jun returns to work on his maths assignment. I scribble down an important quote, finally remembering what I was saying about John Gatsby. We've been reading The Great Gatsby in class; it has been entertaining to say the least. Sometimes I wonder how oblivious my classmates really can be. Are they just that dumb, or are they not picking up on some subtext here?

Regardless, we have a timed essay writing, and I kind of need a good score on this one. It's not looking too hot for me in terms of grades. We're allowed to bring in a page of notes so that's what I've been putting together for the last hour. I just hope I can read whatever this chicken-scratch is during my essay.

If you look at our study table, you would see a very clear distinction. Near one end of the long table, Jasper sits talking to his Manners House girlfriend in low tones. Teddy, Nandika, Mikhail, and Cyra sit towards that end. Towards my end of the table is Seung-jun, Manon, Es, Diamond, and Cahyono. Our group isn't fractured, per se, just naturally attracted to different personalities.

Jasper says something wildly funny to his girlfriend, and they both burst out laughing. I glare at them and try to tune them out, focusing on my work. He's been more annoying than normal lately, probably because of the poker game. Seung-jun is a poor secret-keeper and word has probably already spread to him that I cheated.

He says something else and this time it must be even more funny, because their entire end of the table starts laughing wildly.

I shove my chair back, grabbing all my stuff and just leaving. I can't work in conditions like this, and my schoolwork actually matters now. "The fuck is her problem?" I hear Jasper say as I walk away.

When I get back to my room, I know Noelise is there too because I can hear her clumping around in her platform boots. I toss my study materials onto my desk, groaning. I don't like looking too pathetic in front of other people but once I'm here in my own room, I can admit that school is killing me.

My room feels a bit stuffy so I open a window, breathing in the fresh air. It's just rained; the October air is crisp and cool. The tennis courts are wet, but I've promised to go play with Es some time. She loves the outdoors; she's been playing golf on Arbourne's course day in and day out. I can tell she's not a fan of being cooped up. Me personally, I don't really care. Whatever's more fun.

I finish up my notes for the essay tomorrow and start working through maths practise problems. My head is swimming with numbers and variables by dinnertime. "I'm going to die from too much maths," I announce melodramatically at the dinner table.

Es giggles. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

"It is. Studying is so boring."

"If it's any consolation," Cyra says, scrolling on her phone, "it's Halloween soon. We're going to have a party."

I cough. "Sorry, did I hear party? Count me interested."

"Halloween parties are the best," Seung-jun jumps in. "The prefects are always tight about rules around the start of the year but after Halloween? You know it's going to get lit."