Eat the Rich

Chapter 6: History sucks

Dina sat at the outdoor table, the thick, old book splayed out in front of her. The sun was warm on her skin as she flipped through the pages, scanning for anything interesting about La Rose High's history. So far, nothing has stood out—just standard dates, names of past headmasters, and details about the campus architecture. She sighed, leaning back, slightly disappointed. She had been hoping to uncover something significant, something that would give her a better understanding of the school's mysterious past.

A sudden whoosh of air broke her thoughts, and she looked up to see Miles riding toward her on his skateboard. His easy grin made her smile as he came to a smooth stop and hopped off, flipping his board into his hand with practiced ease.

"Hey, Dina," he said, sliding onto the bench opposite her. "You find anything interesting?"

Dina shook her head, closing the book with a soft thought. "Not really," she admitted, her cubican accent coming through. "I've been reading about La Rose High for a while now, but it's all just boring school history. Just the usual stuff about headmasters and building renovations."

Miles leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Hey history can be fun." He grabbed the book Dina has been reading and skimmed through some pages.

Dina chuckled. "Sometimes it can be. But no, it's mostly just... how long this place has always been for the rich and powerful, and apparently, it's always been prestigious."

Miles shrugged. "What made you start digging into the school's history, anyway? I thought you were into science and all."

Dina's smile faded slightly as she thought about it. "I don't know... I guess when you do something you love for a long time, you tend to be interested in other things. The Watch, Kelly Owen's death..."

Miles grabbed the book and also skimmed through it, his fingers flicking through the old, worn paper. As he reached the back of the book, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"The very first headmaster of our school has the same surname as our current headmaster...?" he muttered, his voice trailing off as he furrowed his eyebrows. He tapped the page lightly, showing it to Dina.

Dina leaned in, reading the name under his finger: Arthur Hart.

"Arthur Hart... that's the same surname as Headmaster Beaumont Hart, right?" Miles said, still frowning. "That can't just be a coincidence."

Dina's eyes widened. "You think they're related? Like, some kind of family legacy?"

Miles nodded slowly. "Maybe. It's not uncommon for schools like this to have a legacy system—I mean, the Sage family has one. Families passing down power or influence. But it's weird that no one ever talks about it, right? You'd think something like this would be a big deal."

Dina frowned, thinking about it. "It does seem strange... especially since they never mention it. If it's some kind of legacy, why keep it quiet?"

"This was 1880, when the school was first founded." Miles ran his fingers down to the section that detailed the later years of the school. "Look at this," he said, tapping the picture of the first headmaster, Arthur Hart, standing alongside a woman dressed in formal attire.

Dina leaned closer. "Who is she?"

Miles read the caption aloud. "Elizabeth Hart—wife of the first headmaster. After his untimely death in 1912, she took over as headmistress, continuing his vision for La Rose High."

"Another Hart," Dina muttered. "So, not only was Arthur Hart the first headmaster, but his wife, Elizabeth, ran the school after he died? This family's influence goes way back."