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 was just trying to grab my phone. That's it. One quick trip to Adri's room so I can get back to playing with Eros, Alejandro, and my dad. We were in the middle of a competitive game of FIFA, and I left my phone charging in Adri's room like an idiot.
As I walk down the hall, I'm thinking it'll be an in-and-out mission. Just sneak in, grab the phone, and get back before they notice I'm gone. Easy, right?
I knock lightly on the door just to be polite, though I don't expect much chaos to be happening behind it. It's just Adri and her girl talk with my sisters. No big deal.
I open the door slightly, just enough to peek my head in—when suddenly, I'm met with a chorus of loud voices.
"Nick, get out!"
I blink in confusion. Adri's voice hits me first, though I can't see her. She's somewhere deeper in the room, probably buried under a mountain of laughter and gossip. But before I can even process that, Katerina is there, blocking the door like a bouncer at an exclusive club.
"Out, Nick. Girl time," she says dramatically, giving me the evil eye.
Before I can argue, Amara pops up behind her, backing her up. "Seriously, Nick. Not the time."
I'm just standing there like an idiot, holding the door slightly ajar, trying to figure out why I'm being exiled from my own girlfriend's room. "I just need my phone—"
Suddenly, a tiny voice pipes up from somewhere behind Katerina. "No, Nicky, no boys allowed!"
It's Daphne. Sweet, innocent three-year-old Daphne, who's now clearly turned on me, too. I catch a glimpse of her little pigtails as she peers around the corner, holding one of her dolls.
I open my mouth to argue, but then Adri's voice comes again, firm but teasing. "Nick, seriously, get out. We're having a meeting."
A meeting? What kind of meeting needs every female in my family, including Daphne, involved? I squint, trying to see past Katerina, but all I get is a firm hand on my chest pushing me back. Katerina's standing there like a soldier on duty.
"This is girl territory. No boys allowed, and especially not you," she says, like this is the most serious matter in the world.
I huff, trying not to laugh at the absurdity. "Can I at least grab my phone?"
"Nope," Amara says, crossing her arms. "It's too risky. You'll hear classified information."
I lean against the doorframe, utterly defeated, but still trying. "Come on, it's just a phone—"
"Nope," Katerina says again, this time with a mischievous grin. "Go back to your video games, Nick. You can't handle the heat in here."
Before I can respond, the door swings shut, and I'm standing in the hallway, staring at it like an idiot. From inside, I can kinda hear Daphne giggling and Adri giving more instructions I can't make out.
