The Heiress Club

Chapter 22: Things Happen

"Valentina?"

I turn around. It's after school hours and I've just been relaxing in the Manners lobby. Cyra and Diamond are working on a group project that I'm not in right next to me, so I've turned to actually doing my homework.

"Hi Nandika," I say, waving. "What's up?"

Nandika shifts from foot to foot. She's taken to wearing thick hoodies and pants all the time, even if it's beginning to get warmer. Right now, she's positively drowning in fabric. I can see her picking at the edge of her cuffs. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Totally."

I stand, following Nandika as she begins to climb the stairs. Once there's nobody around, she turns to me. "Um ..." she begins, seeming uncomfortable. "You're good friends with Teddy."

So is that what this is about? "Not exactly," I say.

"Well—I'm just—you should just ... watch out for him," Nandika says weakly.

Okay. Okay. Is this confirmation?

"It's okay," I reassure her. "I know. I have a plan."

Nandika's eyes widen a little. She fidgets with the hem of her sweater. "I—but he's—"

He's Teddy. He's the one who did this to her. He's Teddy Rivera. He's one of our group. But just because he's some hotshot old money type doesn't mean that he's untouchable. I lean forward, hugging Nandika quickly. "His life will be ruined by summer," I whisper to her.

Then I pull away, and everything's as it should be. Nandika seems to have a mix of nervousness and hope. "I—that's—okay," she says quietly. "That's good to know."

"So," I say, smiling like everything is normal. "Do you want to help me with my maths homework?"

꧁꧂

Everything is blissfully golden. That's all I can think, honestly. Our entire little club was in an uproar about me and Jasper dating, but they seem to settle into it. And we settle into it too. I like it so much more than I should. Jasper can be a nice boyfriend when he's not busy being a dickhead. He never lets me win at football though, which is annoying.

He helps me with my homework too. That's the best part. I'm actually not failing my classes now, because Jasper just has to be smart on top of being rich and handsome.

He takes me snowboarding in Aspen. Sparky is delighted that I've made friends with Jasper, and he spends the entire trip chatting cheerfully with Mr. and Mrs. Rochester. He's kind of busy lately—something about business and investments—but I'm sure it'll get cleared up soon.

Snowboarding with Jasper is crazy, crazy risky. He likes double blacks and terrain parks. Even though I'm not half-bad myself, it's still difficult keeping up with him, but I guess that's part of the fun.

When we get back to school, I find that I'm still craving that kind of rush from snowboarding. Snow season has basically stopped too, so it's just dreary and cold back at Arbourne. Jasper makes up for it by letting me passenger princess in whatever car he feels like driving. The adrenaline from that is almost as good as snowboarding.

Correction: the adrenaline from Jasper, just being around him and loving him, is ten times better.

"Where are you going for the summer?" Jasper asks me one day, as we're speeding down the empty roads near Arbourne. Even though it's still cold, spring is beginning. Jasper looks unbothered in just a linen shirt—he's used to England weather—but I'm freezing. He's lent me his jacket, warm and oversized and navy blue. I like it. I think I might keep it, just because. It reminds me of him and everything about him.