𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒 | SPINOFF

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

STELLA
RUSSEL

It had been a long day of meetings with Papa Crist, our ever-intense principal, discussing locations for the new school we were scouting in Paris. The work was tedious, but necessary, and after hours of trying to impress him with our choices, I was more than ready for a break.

As the meeting finally wrapped up, I suggested we head to the pool—just to unwind a little, to prevent the day from turning into nothing but heated arguments. It was supposed to be a relaxing escape, but somehow, even the calm of the pool couldn't ease my mind.

The hotel was massive, and with size came crowds. We weren't the only ones enjoying the amenities. A group of young girls—maybe our age—were hanging around the pool, their eyes fixated on Grayson. I could hear their giggles, muffled behind the low hum of the pool's sound system, but it was enough to know what they were thinking. The way they glanced over at us, whispering behind their hands—it was obvious. They were all too aware of him, and he was enjoying it.

Grayson, ever the attention seeker, caught my eye and smirked. I rolled my eyes and tried to focus on my drink, though the laughter of those girls grated on my nerves more than I wanted to admit.

We were sitting a few chairs apart, and to them, it must've looked like we weren't together. That pissed me off. Not that I cared what anyone thought, but there was something about them eyeing him like he was a trophy—something they could casually claim. And Grayson? He was eating it up. I saw him wink at one of the brunettes, a sly grin on his face.

"I love how you ignored her blonde friend," I muttered, louder than I intended, grabbing my cocktail and taking a long sip. My words were half-bitter, half-teasing, though the annoyance beneath them was undeniable.

Grayson leaned back, stretching his arms above his head, clearly enjoying the attention. "I hate blondes," he said nonchalantly, "You traumatized me enough. Blondes are psychopaths."

I snorted, shaking my head. He had a point, but that didn't make it any less infuriating. Without another word, he stood up, his eyes glinting mischievously as he walked toward the pool, preparing to jump in. I couldn't just let him leave me behind, especially with those girls hovering nearby like vultures.

I shot up from my chair, quickly walking to intercept him. As I got closer, I could see the girls whispering to each other, eyes darting between Grayson and me. One of them, a brunette with a mischievous smile, asked if he wanted to join them in the water.

Perfect. That was all I needed—another distraction.

I stopped in front of him, blocking his path. I didn't even look at the girls directly, but I could sense their stares boring into the back of my head. "Can you swim with me?" I asked, deliberately faking an annoyed tone, then pointed toward a group of teenage boys by the poolside who were eyeing me way too closely for my comfort. "I don't want to swim alone in front of those guys." I lied. I just wanted you to stay close and not with those evil bitches.

Grayson didn't miss a beat. Without hesitation, he nodded, his gaze briefly flickering to the girls before it landed on me. "Yeah, sure." He walked with me toward the pool, as if he hadn't even thought twice.

As we walked, I glanced over my shoulder at the girls one last time, flashing them a sly, invisible middle finger. My mouth curled into a small, vindictive smile as I watched their faces drop, realizing their attention had shifted. Maybe they'd learn that I wasn't someone to be messed with so easily.

As we reached the edge of the pool, Grayson and I both stepped into the cool water, the sudden chill cutting through the heat of the day. I slid in, my legs kicking slightly as I let the water rise to my waist. Grayson followed suit, easily gliding into the water beside me, his usual cocky smirk still firmly in place.