ANASTASIA:Lara kindly offered to give me a tour of the campus, and I eagerly followed her. She denied any attraction against Mark, although I could sense, she was maybe lying there. "That's the B wing; it's usually filled with professional athletes and hosts major sports facilities. We girls sometimes can't resist drooling over those impeccable physiques during their training sessions," she chuckled. "Over there is where the computer nerds and language classes are held. To the right, you'll find the law and business classrooms."We strolled along the vast corridors of the campus as she pointed to the first floor, which was primarily dedicated to arts. Lara turned and pointed to the opposite side, where she gestured toward a building. "That's the library. You'll often find me there engrossed in the smuttiest romance novels forgetting about my regretful life choices."She was loud about her feelings. And I couldn't help but laugh at her vibrant description.As we continued exploring the campus, we took a flight of stairs to reach the second floor. Inside a classroom, I noticed three girls meticulously applying makeup. A few others stood around them, lending their support and makeup kits. One held a mirror to the perfect angle, and others helped with brushes, lipsticks, and all.What the hell?I furrowed my brows at the sight. Why would someone spend their time doing that instead of other tasks? It seemed as if they were acting like personal servants.Lara filled me in, "That's Mia," she pointed at the girl in the middle. The girl she has been feeding information about since morning. I wanted to take a good look at her, but due to the crowd before her, it was a little difficult."And beside her, Gweneth, and Blakely—the campus goddesses and among the wealthiest. You might want to steer clear of them.""Oh, trust me, I would love to," I laughed. I had no intention of drawing that kind of attention to myself."But I really wish for you to dethrone her, you know," she said with a fake pout. "You have the potential." This time, I rolled my eyes at her. Taking another look at them, I witnessed how they were treating the other students as if they were her personal slaves, which seemed odd because why would anyone agree to do such kinds of tasks willingly?Suddenly, someone collided with me, breaking my attention, but I caught her before she hit the ground. "Thanks," she breathed hurriedly as she got back on her feet."No worries," I smiled at her. She had black hair, porcelain skin, freckles, and braces. She looked sweet and timid, but for some reason, she didn't look well. "Hi, I'm Anastasia. I'm new around here," I introduced myself.Looking up, she tried to smile, but it faltered as she glanced the other way. She looked scared, specifically frightened of someone. Before I could ask her anything, she turned and fled. I then glanced to the other side of the corridor, where I observed a group of boys joking and teasing a younger and seemingly weaker boy, more like bullying him. I frowned. The tallest and the meanest among them grabbed his bag, emptied it, and ridiculed him in front of his friends—mocking and laughing at him.In stark contrast, the weaker boys only stood before them, heads down. The blond among the mean guys said something, which was difficult to hear from here. Still, it was clear that they were laughing at him.What the fuck?I couldn't help but wonder who they were. By the time Lara came back, she said, "That's Miley. The girl you met earlier. She's really weird. Likes to stay alone."I could guess why that wasn't actually the case. Gesturing towards the group of boys, I asked, "Who are they?"She sighed, her expression conveying disappointment. "That's Oliver, Kevin, Shawn, and Sam. They're the Richie Rich crew, the troublemakers, and the notorious bullies of our college.""Bullies?" I repeated, surprised.She nodded and explained, "It's been a long-standing issue. The more affluent and powerful group takes pleasure in toying with the weaker students." She elaborated on how these wealthy kids practically flaunt themselves as if they own the campus, treating other students like mere toys.Had it always been like this? How could no one have reported them in the first place? But Lara informed me that, no matter how hard someone tries to take them down, the kind of money and power they possess makes them untouchable.As we proceeded toward the cafeteria, I couldn't help but be curious about their wealth. "Just how rich are they?" I inquired.Lara gave me the lowdown. "Well, apart from Oliver, the rest of his gang are nothing more than hangers-on who've latched onto him for the power he wields. Oliver, on the other hand, doesn't have a particularly strong family background, but he has an uncle who's a billionaire and always has his back." She then revealed, "His name is Alessandro Russo, the CEO of Russo Securities."The name Russo tickled a memory in my head, but I couldn't quite place it.My eyes briefly met with a lecherous gaze from Oliver, who sported a suggestive smirk. I quickly averted my gaze and walked away.****Upon passing through the cafeteria, I noticed a particular section of the room being swarmed by a group of girls. They were all infatuated with a boy in a hoodie who was focused on his laptop. His hoodie concealed most of his face, leaving me a bit frustrated that I couldn't get a proper look at him.But the grin on Lara's face was not unnoticed. But she quickly changed her expression as we walked in."That's Mark. Lorenzo's brother. The ass one," she said, fixing her gaze on him. I saw something flickered in her eyes. Something different. "He is the definite devil. Everything about him was extraordinary, you know... from his tempting moves in the boxing ring to his intelligence, and those beautiful lips..." Lara abruptly stopped, realizing she might have overshared information."I can see you are totally whipped," I teased her. I noticed a few shades of pink on her cheeks."Oh please, I hate him," she replied, rolling her eyes. "I am just giving you a headstart. So that you won't get lost on your way."I raised my hand in mid-air, surrendering myself as I replied, "Oh, I'll be aware not to touch your man.""He's not mine," she shot back, rolling her eyes.We stopped before the counter to order another round of Latte. We handed the cash and were about to leave when the rhythm of our conversation was abruptly disrupted by an unexpected collision. Lara's shoulder collided with someone.It was none other than—Mark, almost towering over us as he casually passed by. He was an unexpected interruption to our casual stroll. I noticed Lara's face turned a shade of pink, but she was quick enough to hide it. I on the other hand, just took a sip of my latte, enjoying the view.Lara waited for Mark to apologize, but he simply walked away from there."Watch where you go, asshead!" Lara erupted in irritation.Mark, the epitome of indifference, came to an abrupt halt and turned from his shoulder to meet her gaze. I observed Lara gulp, her previous bravado faltering in the face of Mark's composed demeanour. But she wasn't a quitter.She held his gaze with hands on her hips, ass slightly out with her brows cocked.But the man was too strong to just melt away. Turning away from us, he responded in a voice as calm as a tranquil lake, "I don't watch liliputs."Mark walked away, his presence lingering with an air of nonchalance, leaving Lara and me exchanging wide-eyed glances.And honestly, this time, I couldn't control my laugh.****We settled down at the nearest table and I tried to calm Lara down. Her face was reddened by anger, and I had absolutely no idea how to calm her. She cursed the man who left her flabbergasted by his unique way of insult.Lara had a good build of 5'4, an inch shorter than me and way shorter than Mark's imposing figure. But her anger and ego made her think she was equal to Mark."You must be Anastasia, the newbie?" A girl's voice suddenly brought us back to reality. I turned left to find the campus beauties approaching us. I had to admit, the entire campus seemed to be brimming with talent, beauty, and power, truly living up to the name Preston University."That's Mia Edwin, daughter of Leah Edwin. The crowned campus goddess, and she absolutely hates to share her limelight. Be aware of that. Like her mother, she only has her eyes on the best," Lara whispered.That's... Her."And... what have I done to piss her off?" I asked Lara in a low whisper.She thinned her lips, looking with pity as she replied, "You grabbed, Enzo!"What?I gave her a WTF look. I didn't know what she meant by that. By the time she stopped whispering, Mia stood in front of me."I, uh, yes, I'm Anastasia," I replied awkwardly.Mia smiled warmly and took a seat. "I'm Mia Edwin, the Mayor's daughter. Delighted to meet you, Anastasia."Really? But judging by your reputation, I doubt that."Uh, likewise," I responded with a slightly awkward smile. Mia had a sun-kissed complexion with short, curly hair, and her dimples added a sense of authenticity to her appearance. She seemed sweet, yet I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to her than met the eye. She was clad in a knee-length maroon turtleneck dress that accentuated her every curve."This is Gweneth and Blakely," Mia introduced, gesturing to the two girls who stood beside her. Both were wearing stylish outfits that reflected their vibrant personalities."Uh, nice to meet you," I replied, offering a polite but somewhat awkward smile."How thoughtless of me," Mia chided herself. "I couldn't come to welcome the new student. As the founder of the Preston community, I should have been more careful. I hope you had a warm welcome here?" Thankfully, Mia wasn't as intimidating as Lara had warned.Suddenly, I noticed a girl among them, and I remembered her! She is the same one I met a few hours ago during the tour. This time, she was composed, looking down as she held their bags. Mia turned around to see what I was looking at and replied, "Oh, don't mind her. She's pretty. I like to keep her around.""What?"She put on another sweet smile, saying, "Welcome,""Oh, uh, yes," I blinked awkwardly sitting there. For some reason, I felt a little insecure before her."She definitely has that," Gweneth, the blonde, chimed in, replying for me. "I saw her with Enzo this morning!""Oh, Is that so?" Mia said, a hint of surprise in her tone. Her eyes looked at Lara, beside me as she said with another sweet smile, "It's good to know Preston's peers are taking the initiative to make this place more hospitable."Lara forced a smile as she replied, "What can I say, I am not a moreon."I was shocked by her reply. I guess so was Mia. But she puts a smile across her face like a true actress. "Well, I am happy that your entry was hospitable. After all, my man has always been so helpful." I couldn't shake the feeling that she intentionally emphasized the 'my man.'Despite knowing I shouldn't be affected, here I was, feeling the impact. For some reason, I didn't feel good about the way she spoke about Lorenzo. But, what if I was wrong? What if he really had chosen Mia to be with? Who am I to judge?I tried to shake off the feeling.Could it be true? Was Lorenzo just a casual hookup for Mia, or did they really still share a history?"Oh, I—" I wanted to explain that it was just a helpful gesture, but I hesitated. For some reason, I sensed her annoyance at the news.Mia, however, switched her tone, her words carrying a hint of concern as she advised, "By the way, Lorenzo can be a bit of a heartbreaker, you know. My man loves to play. Just be careful; you wouldn't want to end up with a broken heart."I couldn't help but frown at Mia's concern. Why would she say that? If they really share a history, wouldn't she just try to get him on the right track rather than allowing the reputation he holds? But I assured her, "Oh, no, he was just helping me."I explained the situation to clear up the misunderstanding. I refuse to be someone who breaks another's relationship. Even though I have no idea what relationship Lorenzo holds with Mia, I wasn't ready to become a part of any complications."I see..." Mia sized me up, her eyes examining me from head to toe. I could tell I didn't quite meet her standards of beauty, but there was no malice in her gaze. With a sweet smile, she said, "Well then, if you ever need anything or have questions about the campus, feel free to ask me. Welcome to Preston University!"With that, Mia and her friends bid us farewell, leaving Lara and me in a state of surprise."Oh my god, I have to admit that was scary." Lara finally uttered, and I felt grateful to hear her normal voice rather than Mia's rich kid tone.With a sigh, I questioned, "What was that all about?"Lara chuckled beside me. "You've just been initiated into the 'Lorenzo Effect' club. But be aware, Mia seems friendly until her mask comes off.""Oh, trust me, I have seen beneath her mask," I replied with a chuckle. "And honestly, I have zero fucking interest in becoming her rival."As we strolled through the other side, something struck my head with a sharp thud, and I couldn't help but yelp, "Ouch!""Ana?" This time, thankfully, a familiar voice echoed from somewhere in my vicinity."Ben?"