Hearts and High Scores (Academic Rivals)

Chapter Two - She's Going To Regret Every Second She Spends Here.

VINCENZO
My year was already off to a rocky start. First day of school, I was exhausted, and of course I got a shitty roommate.

But it was okay, this was going to be MY year. I was going to score that awesome scholarship to Yale, and it would all be okay.

You see, I've gone here for the past 3 years. And every year, I walk to my first class and everyone is always staring at me and talking about me.
But this time? It was different. Everyone was talking about someone else..and it wasn't me.

My friend Kairo, walked up to me. "Hey, Vincenzo. Did you hear?"
I looked at him, shaking my head. "What's going on?"

"There's a new girl this year. But she's not just any new girl. She's a super genius. Like you." He pointed.
Super, genius? That was my thing.

"What do you mean?" I stopped in the hallway, "Just how smart is she?"
"You know how you've been number one in the school for three years? Well she's number one in her country, Switzerland. I think her name was like..Serena Everhart?"

That sounds awfully familiar. Where have I heard it?
Then it hit me.
Serena Everhart.
She was that stupid roommate I had.

"Vin? Vincenzoo." Kairo was waving his hand in my face so I'd snap back to reality. "Do you know her or something? You stopped when I said her name."

"Yeah. She's my fucking roommate. A total bitch." I scoffed.
"You sure about that?" Kairo smirked.

The two of us walked into our first period class, and there she was.
Serena fucking Everhart was laughing her ass off with the other students. Everyone loved her.
"There's no way.."

She stopped laughing once she looked at me. I sat in the desk beside her, taking a deep breath.
"Someone looks unhinged." She smiled, pointing at me with her friends.
I didn't really know the girls she was talking to, I mean. I knew their names, but we had never really communicated. I think they were..Mackenzie Sinclair, and Jazmyn Panwar.

The two of them slapped Serena's shoulder, "You can't say that." Mackenzie whispered.
"So? Just because he's the son of the chairman doesn't mean he's the shit." She was saying it loudly on purpose, so I could hear.

I turned to her, biting the corner of my lip. "Not the shit? I'm loved by everyone in this school. You're new here, so I'll take some pity on you. But nobody fucking messes with me, got it? Everhart."

"Ooh, scary. I'll say whatever I want, Shelby." She grinned.
That stupid grin. From that moment on, I knew I wouldn't forget it. Damn it.

The teacher walked in, and everyone sat down. "Settle down everyone." He set his briefcase on his desk, and turned around to the chalkboard. "Welcome to Foundations of Mathematics 101, I'm your teacher for this semester, Mr. Rzazewski. Pronounced, John-Jeff-Ski. Got it?" He turned around. "Many of you already know me, but for those who are new, Shelby High is not just any school. We take grades seriously. So step up your game. It's no longer play time, especially for you Seniors."
He pointed at Serena, "You. Get up, introduce yourself."

Serena looked around, "Uhm. Okay." She got up.
I grinned, and I put my foot out. She tripped over my foot, and the whole class laughed.
"Ouch, that one's got to hurt! Need some help?" I lent my hand out.

She grabbed my hand slowly, and then twisted it. "Fuck you, Shelby." She brushed herself off and walked to the front. She cleared her throat. "Hi, I'm Serena Everhart. Uh, I'm not exactly sure why I'm introducing myself since there's probably a lot more new students. But I guess the main reason is something you all know. I'm an exchange student from Switzerland, where I was ranked number one in the country in academics."