THE BILLIONAIRE HEIR and A SCHOLARSHIP GIRL

Nathalie’s P.O.V

No one moved. No one spoke.

“Fuck, my baby,” I heard his voice shout.

I didn’t bother looking at his expression. Instead, I turned and bolted. Shoving past the slowly moving students, I sprinted towards the admin block where I needed to begin my admission process.

I didn’t stop until I was inside the building. Leaning over with my hands on my knees, I gasped for breath, my chest heaving. Thank goodness the boy didn’t chase me. Still, I glanced around nervously, relieved to find the hallway empty and him nowhere in sight.

Surely, the odds of running into him again were slim. With thousands of students at Reinfield Elite Academy, the chances of us being in the same grade or worse, sharing a class felt almost nonexistent.

Straightening up, I ran a hand through my hair, trying to fix the wild mess. That rich rat's words echoed in my mind, his mockery of my “tacky” look cutting deeper than I wanted to admit.

Pulling out my phone, I used the screen as a makeshift mirror. Unfortunately, he wasn’t wrong.

Compared to the polished students here, I looked completely out of place. My curls, left to air-dry this morning, were frizzed and untamed which was a clear sign I hadn’t been able to afford a trip to the salon or any proper styling equipment. The sprint across campus hadn’t done me any favors, either, leaving me looking even more disheveled.

I sighed, tucking my phone back into my bag. Scanning the hallway, my eyes landed on a familiar name etched on the plaque of an office door. Adjusting my hair and uniform as best as I could, I approached and knocked twice.

“Come in,” a woman’s voice called out.

Pushing the door open, I stepped inside. The administrator’s office looked more like a luxury suite than a school office. It was at least five times the size of my tiny downtown apartment, with gleaming white surfaces, a plush black rug, and elegant furnishings.

“Good morning, Mrs…” My voice trailed off as I glanced at the nameplate on her desk. “Mrs. Johnson,” I said, bowing slightly, unsure of the proper etiquette for someone like her.

The woman seated behind the mahogany desk barely acknowledged me, her sharp, no-nonsense demeanor fitting her name perfectly.

“You can sit down,” she said, her tone brisk and serious.

I approached, careful not to trip over my own feet, and took the chair in front of her desk.

“Nathalie Bricksyon, the new student,” she said, her tone matter-of-fact, her eyes still fixed on the computer screen in front of her.

“Yes, Mrs. Johnson,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

Finally, she looked up, and I swore I almost melted under the intensity of her piercing blue gaze.

“I still don’t understand why you’d apply for a scholarship in your senior year,” she said, her tone sharp and probing. “Were you involved in some sort of... issue at your previous school?”

I shook my head quickly. “No, I just... I was advised to do so because of my high grades and—”

“Miss Bricksyon,” she cut me off abruptly, her voice as cold as ice. “You should know that Reinfield Elite Academy does not tolerate violence or bullying.”

Her words caught me off guard.

“I don’t understand what you mean, ma’am,” I said cautiously.

“Well, Miss Bricksyon, you’ve barely arrived, and yet there are already videos circulating of you arguing with Mr. Austin,” she said, her tone tinged with disapproval.

My chest tightened. Was that his name? Austin? And how could there already be videos of that encounter?

“Mrs. Johnson, I did that because he almost ran me over, and—”

“Last year,” she interrupted, her tone making it clear she wasn’t interested in my excuses, “there was a student. Her name was Maria. She came here on a scholarship, just like you. She thought she could handle things here, but…”

I didn’t like where this was going, but I felt compelled to listen.

“In the end, unfortunately, she took her own life just two months after transferring here.”

I gasped. “What? Why?”

Mrs. Johnson’s face remained unreadable. “No one knows for sure, but it’s suspected that she couldn’t keep to herself and ended up crossing the wrong people.”

A chill ran down my spine, settling deep into my bones.

“That’s... terrible,” I murmured, my voice barely audible.

Mrs. Johnson arched an eyebrow, her expression as stoic as ever. “It is indeed terrible, Miss Bricksyon. This school isn’t for everyone. Some rise to the challenge. Others... don’t. My advice is simple: don’t let yourself become another cautionary tale. Stay in your lane, keep your head down, and graduate without causing any trouble. I don’t want another ‘Maria incident’ or the media turning this school into a spectacle again.”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. I forced myself to nod. “I understand,” I said softly, though I didn’t understand at all.

“Good.” She handed me my schedule and paused for a moment. Her sharp gaze softened slightly.

“Focus on your studies and avoid unnecessary distractions. I hope you take my advice, Miss Bricksyon. You seem like a promising student, so I trust you’ll do the right thing. Welcome to Reinfield Elite Academy.”

Her words felt more like a warning than a welcome, but I forced a polite smile. “Thank you,” I murmured, taking the paper from her hands.

Without another word, I turned and walked out of her office, my heart pounding. As soon as the door clicked shut behind me, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

The academy’s hallways were quiet, almost unnervingly so, as I made my way to my first class.

I clutched the schedule tightly, my hands trembling slightly when I tried to focus on the neatly printed list of subjects and room numbers but no matter how hard I tried, Mrs. Johnson’s words about Maria kept echoing in my mind.

Was it the pressure of this school that made her take her life or could Mrs. Johnson be implying that someone else might have been responsible? Was she warning me to stay away from the wealthy, untouchable students like Austin?

Goosebumps pricked my skin and I fought the urge to run out of the building entirely but I took a deep breath, forcing the thoughts away. I couldn’t afford to get distracted by conspiracies and mysteries.

This scholarship was my only chance at a better life. If I wanted to survive here, I had to stay focused, avoid trouble, and stay clear of people like Austin.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t even realize I had reached the door to my first class until I looked up.

"You can do this," I whispered to myself before pushing the door open.

As I entered, no one bothered to look my way. The room buzzed with chatter, students engrossed in conversations. They all looked so polished and rich, with their pristine uniforms, gleaming shoes, and jewelry that probably cost more than my family’s rent for a year.

Since the teacher hadn’t arrived for Literature, I took an empty seat at the back, determined to keep to myself and avoid any unnecessary attention. I pulled out my earphones to block out the noise and opened my former school literature notebook, flipping through its pages to pass the time.

I was mid-page when I noticed a hand on my desk. Looking up, I saw two girls standing over me, their features so identical they had to be twins.

I pulled out my earphones just as one of them spoke. “Are you the girl in the video who got into an altercation with Austin in front of the school building?”

I suppressed a groan. That name again. It hadn’t even been a full day, and he was all anyone could talk about. Can’t I stay out of his orbit for just one moment?

“It wasn’t me,” I lied, trying to brush them off. I reached for my earphones again, but the second twin leaned in, her smile sugar-sweet but anything but kind.

"You need to be careful, newbie. There are a lot of things you don’t know about Reinfield Elite Academy, and you’d be better off leaving them that way. Maria thought she could handle it too, but... well, you’ve heard what happened to her, right?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, despite myself.

“She stepped on the wrong toes and got bullied for it. That’s why she ended up... well, you know. You don’t want to be like Maria, do you?”

The words sent a chill down my spine. So Maria had been bullied? I was already counting the minutes until I could leave this place, and it was only my first day.

“She’s already on that path,” the first twin said with a shrug. “Wait until the BBB see that video of you and Austin. I bet they’ll make this school a living hell for you.”

“BBB? Who’s that?”

“The BBB consist of Beauty also known as Alice, Bella, and Berrily. They run this school,” the second one explained with a smirk. “A word of advice? Stay far away from them. Especially Beauty.”

Without waiting for a response, the twins sauntered back to their seats, leaving their words to swirl ominously in my mind.

I rested my head in my hands, muttering curses under my breath. Why had I spoken back to Austin? Why had I let myself break his car window? And why did one impulsive act seem to be ruining my entire future?

I had to find a way to stay out of trouble. No more mistakes. No more run-ins with Austin or anyone like him.

Sitting up, I shut my notebook and hit play on my phone. Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” filled my ears, and I let the music wash over me, hoping it would soothe the anxiety swirling inside. I closed my eyes briefly, allowing the melody to calm my nerves, but I remained hyper-aware of my surroundings.

I couldn’t afford to let my guard down, not here, not now.

A scream tore through my music, jerking me out of my thoughts. Startled, I yanked out my earphones and glanced around. The girls in the class were practically glued to the windows, their voices a cacophony of squeals and gasps.

I caught a girl passing by my desk, grabbing her attention before she could rush to the window. “What’s going on?” I asked, trying to make sense of the commotion.

Her face lit up with excitement as she squealed, “Two members of the K.A.S. are in school today! Sadly, the third one isn’t here, but he’s still on vacation with his parents!”

K.A.S.? Seriously, was everything in this school abbreviated? And who on earth were these guys to cause such a frenzy?

Curiosity got the better of me. I stood, intending to peek out of the window like everyone else when the classroom door swung open. The screams abruptly died down, replaced by muffled squeals and the frantic shuffling of students returning to their seats.

And then I saw him.

My skin prickled as awareness crept over me. It was him. The boy whose name had haunted me since morning. Austin.

I quickly sat down and buried my face in the desk. Then, I slowly lifted my head, grabbed the book I was pretending to read, and held it in front of my face to hide from him. Still, I couldn’t help but sneak glances at him over the top of the book, making sure he didn’t notice.

The rude brat walked into the classroom, hands in his pockets, looking completely uninterested in everything around him. It was a stark contrast to the sharp attention he had given me earlier that morning, as if nothing here was worth his time.

To my surprise, he didn’t even glance at the group of girls practically swooning over him as he made his way to his seat which was thankfully at the opposite end of the room.

What were the odds that we’d end up in the same class, let alone the same grade? I was screwed. Big time.

I could only hope he didn’t recognize me. How was I even supposed to repair his car? The very thought sent a wave of panic through me.

‘Please let this be the only class we share,’ I prayed desperately.

T.B.C

Noeline.

Nathalie’s POV 

Close behind Austin was another boy, equally handsome but with a softer, friendlier vibe. Unlike Austin, he had an ounce of decency because he smiled and nodded at the students who greeted him.

“That’s the K.A.S.,” a voice startled me. I turned to see the girl from earlier seated behind me. She grinned and leaned closer, her tone dripping with awe as her gaze stayed locked on them.

“They’re the hottest and most popular guys in school. The friendly one is Kelvin. Then there’s Sebastian, who’s not here today. And lastly…” Her voice dropped to a dreamy whisper. “Austin. He’s so hot I have to remind myself to breathe whenever I see him. But he’s also a total playboy, rumor has it he tosses girls aside like they’re nothing.”

Her expression faltered for a moment, and she sighed wistfully. “Not that it matters. I’d still give anything to be one of those girls, even for a day. But he only dates the elite crowd, and I’m nowhere near his league.”