At Luxford Academy, the elite boarding school for the ultra-rich, Adriana and Nicholas have been bitter rivals since childhood. Forced to live in the same dorm, their once-friendly pranks have escalated into daily clashes-sharp insults, constant bic...
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I toss another dress into my suitcase and zip it halfway, trying to mentally calculate if I'll need a jacket for the cooler nights in France. Nick's been pacing around the room for the last ten minutes, sighing dramatically every few seconds, like a kid who's been told he can't have dessert before dinner.
"You're gonna be gone forever, Adri," he groans, leaning against the doorframe with a frown. "Spain, France... that's two countries. That's too long."
I roll my eyes but can't stop the smirk tugging at my lips. "It's not like I'm leaving for months, Nick. It's just a couple of weeks. You'll survive." I fold another top and add it to the pile of clothes on the bed, trying to focus, but his constant whining is starting to crack through my concentration.
He lets out another exaggerated sigh, louder this time, and flops onto the bed beside the suitcase. "You're going to take forever. And you know how much I hate waiting."
"I'm sure you'll manage. I'll be in touch, and it's not like you're going to be bored while I'm gone. Don't you have a million things to do, Mr. Serious Businessman?" I glance at him and raise an eyebrow.
"Yeah, but none of them are as interesting as keeping an eye on you," he mutters, reaching out to grab my hand and tug me closer to him.
I laugh, pulling my hand free and grabbing a pair of shoes from the closet. "Flattery won't get you anywhere, mister. I need to go to Spain. The festival at the orphanage is happening soon, and I... I just want to see it, you know? It's La Fiesta." My voice softens as I say it, thinking about the orphanage and the kids there. I may have sponsored the festival anonymously, but that place still feels like home, and I want to be there when it happens.
Nick tilts his head, studying me quietly for a second. "You're not going to tell them it was you who sponsored it?"
I shake my head. "No, I like staying in the background. I don't need the attention. I just... want to see the kids happy. Plus, Spain is always beautiful this time of year."
He sighs again, but this time it's softer, more understanding. "Okay, fine. Spain's important. But what about France?"
I pause, folding a scarf as I think about Addy's family. "It's... it's just a check-in. I haven't seen them in a while, and I want to make sure they're okay. Things haven't been easy for them lately, and they're family. I can't just ignore that."
Nick watches me carefully, his usual cold demeanor softening like it always does when I let down my guard. "Alright, I get that," he says quietly. "But you are coming back, right? You're not going to get sucked into some dramatic family crisis and leave me hanging here in the cold, right?"
I smirk, walking over to him and lightly flicking his forehead. "As if I could stay away from you for too long. Who else is going to put up with your constant complaining?"
He catches my hand, pulling me down onto the bed next to him, and I can't help but laugh. "It's not complaining, Adri," he says, his voice low and teasing. "It's... expressing concern. Deep, heartfelt concern."
