Violet told herself she wasn’t intimidated, but it was a laughable lie. Still, she decided to play it cool.
Sure, Natalie was rich. Really rich. But that didn’t mean Violet would treat her any differently than she treated anyone else. Natalie would get whatever attitude she showed her, plain and simple.
As Natalie finally let go of her hand, Violet noted that, so far, the girl didn’t seem arrogant. She wasn’t looking down on her or sneering, as some elites were prone to do. Atleast, not intentionally. But there was no denying Natalie exuded that natural aristocratic aura, as if power and influence came as easily as breathing.
Now that Violet thought about it, she had seen Natalie before. She was the first person to clap when Violet had bested Sharon during the dining hall fight. It wasn’t until Natalie clapped that the rest of the room followed suit.
A furrow creased Violet’s brow. Natalie clearly had a certain sway over the students here. And, more importantly, what was her intention? Violet couldn’t tell if Natalie was friend or foe.
At least Elsie’s hatred was open and obvious. With Natalie, it was harder to tell. Why was she being so nice? Was it genuine, or was it a calculated facade? Violet wasn’t naive; the rich didn’t befriend the poor unless there was something to gain.
Was Natalie trying to turn her into her lackey? If so, she was barking up the wrong tree. Violet wasn’t some rich brat’s ragdoll to use and dumb when bored. And never would. She decided then and there to be careful and observe Natalie’s intentions.
Without asking, Natalie plopped down beside Violet on the empty seat and leaned in, a sweet smile on her face. "Now, if I remember correctly, you owe me a tea party."
Oh great.
Violet went red from the embarrassment, fumbling over her words. "I forgot... I didn’t mean... Something happened..."
"Don’t worry, I know." Natalie giggled, clearly amused by Violet’s flustered state. "The news was everywhere..." She leaned in conspiratorially and lowered her voice. "Is it real? Did you and Griffin really do it?"
What in the actual—? Violet’s jaw nearly hit the desk. What in the name of the moon were they saying about her now?
She stammered, "I—I’m sorry, but—"
"Of course," Natalie interrupted with another laugh, her tone playful. "You wouldn’t tell me something private... Or would you?"
The sudden darkness in Natalie’s voice made Violet frown, her discomfort growing. Before she could respond, Natalie laughed again, dispelling the tension. Violet laughed too, though it came out awkwardly. She was officially freaked out.
"In that case," Natalie said with a mischievous smile, "I’ll hold onto the debt, Violet Purple. You still owe me one, and I can’t wait for us to get to know each other better."
And that was exactly what Violet feared.
Just then, someone cleared her throat. Violet and Natalie looked up to find Lila standing nearby, her expression tight as she stared at Natalie. It was clear she didn’t like the girl, eyeing her as if she were some kind of competition. Lila looked at Natalie like some thief who had come to steal the little attention Violet gave her.
Natalie must have picked up on the vibe because she rose to her feet with a grace that could rival a dancer’s.
"Until we meet again, Violet." She air-kissed both sides of Violet’s cheek and sauntered away, moving to the back of the classroom with the poise of a queen.
"She’s weird," Lila muttered once Natalie was gone.
Violet gave Lila a pointed look. "That sounds even weirder coming from you." It was like the kettle calling the pot black.
Lila spun toward her, eyes narrowing. "What do you mean by that?"
But Violet ignored her, pretending to busy herself with her phone—the same phone made by the Avax family. Violet didn’t know how she felt about that.
The classroom became a hubbub of activities as students filed in, chatting and joking while waiting for the teacher to arrive. There was a sudden shift in the air when the unmistakable presence of the cardinal alphas filled the doorway.
Griffin, Alaric, Roman, and Asher stepped in like a synchronized force, their dominant aura commanding all eyes on them.
Violet, who had been quietly going through her phone, froze. Her mind racing with thoughts.
What were they doing here? Weren’t they far beyond this course? They had three extra years of advanced education on everyone new. Were they so bored that they decided to crash her class?
As if sensing her thoughts, one by one, the alphas’ eyes found hers. There was an intense exchange, before they looked ahead and moved to their preferred seats at the back of the room. Except...
Violet’s pulse quickened as she noticed Alaric breaking away from the group. He was coming this —no. No way.
"What the—" Violet murmured under her breath, her voice tinged with panic.
Beside her, Lila noticed and looked equally stunned. "Is he...?" she whispered, trailing off as Alaric reached their row.
Before Violet could react, Alaric slid into the seat beside her with an air of casual confidence. Lila’s gaze darted between them, her shocked expression same as Violet’s.
"Uh, hi?" Violet said, unsure how to respond to the unexpected situation.
Alaric leaned back in his chair, his electric blue eyes settling on her. "How’s your hand doing?" he asked smoothly, his voice carrying a hint of genuine curiosity.
Oh. The hand injury. That must be why he was here. He probably just wanted to check on her before leaving her alone. At least, that’s what Violet told herself.
"Good as new," Violet replied, holding up her hand to show him with a forced smile. "Now go join your brethren." She shooed him away like one would a child.
But Alaric’s lips curved into a mocking smirk. "Who said anything about joining them? I hope you don’t mind my company for this class."
"I do mind," Violet shot back immediately, her irritation rising to the surface.
"Don’t worry, you’ll come to love my company soon enough."
For a split second, the way he smirked reminded her of Asher, and it sent an uneasy shiver down her spine.
Before Violet could formulate a response, the classroom door swung open, and the teacher entered, silence falling in the class as the lesson began.