Page 4 of I Don't Need Your Love
She shakes her head. “We don’t need money from students. We want commitment. We want sacrifice. When was the last time you gave up a fun night with friends to study for a test? Or when was the last time you lost sleep to finish an essay?”
Um…never?
“We expect a lot from our students, Carly. And you are no exception.”
“You want me to jeopardize my health to prove I belong here?” I ask incredulously.
“Heavens, no,” she says with a light chuckle. “We don’t want to harm our students. We just want you to show us that you take your studies here seriously.”
“I, um…well…”
“It doesn’t only have to be through grades,” she explains. “You don’t participate in any extracurricular activities. You’re not part of any clubs and you don’t tutor any students.”
“So…you’re saying if I join a club, that can be counted as a form of commitment?”
“Yes. That would be a great idea, considering how poor your grades are.”
She’s always finding an opportunity to stick it to me, huh? I bet she regrets offering me the scholarship when I was in eighth grade.
“I guess I’ll look into it,” I say as I get up and once again lift my backpack.
She hands me a late note. “Everyone has potential here, Carly. You just need the motivation.”
I nod and leave her office. Once I’m outside, I lean against the wall and bang my head on it. Not only am I being forced to give a tour to The Fiend, I have to join a club? Sophie doesn’t have that problem because she’s a good student and she tutors. Addie is a good student, too, and so is Raven. None of them are in clubs because we scholarship kids tend to be ignored here. Now I have to force myself into a club that no one will want me to be part of? So unfair.
It feels like my luck has started to shift ever since Ryder arrived. If he ruins my life here, I promise things will not be pretty.
Chapter Two
Carly
Classes usually move as slowly as a turtle for me because I dread every second of them, but it’s different this morning. I actuallywantclasses to go by slowly because I don’t want to spend a single moment with The Fiend. Why oh why did I volunteer to help new students settle into the academy? I’m normally a good, kind person, but when Ryder Bennett is involved? He makes me turn into the worst version of myself.
But eventually, the bell for lunch period rings. I sit in my desk for a few extra minutes as the students around me grab their stuff and rush to lunch. Would Principal Harrington really be upset if I didn’t show up? I can handle detention, and she’ll be forced to ask another student to show Ryder around. I mean, she wouldn’t actually kick me out for something as silly as that, would she?
Fine, I’m being ridiculous. It’s not worth getting detention or possible expulsion. As if I’d let him have that much power over me. I stand and throw my backpack over one shoulder, marching out of the classroom with my head held high.
My stomach releases the loudest grumble I’ve ever heard in my life. Ugh, I’m starving. I can’t believe I have to sacrifice my lunch for a dude who doesn’t deserve for me to give him asecondof my time.
My eyes survey the area. Harrington didn’t tell me where to meet Ryder. But would the obvious place be in the hallway? We were supposed to meet at his locker this morning, so I decide to head there.
I stop dead in my tracks when I catch sight of the guy standing at his locker. I almost don’t recognize him because…well, I’ve never seen him in a uniform before. My cheeks heat upas I take in how handsome Ryder looks in the black pants, white shirt, green blazer, and matching tie. He’s pretty buff because he plays football.
As much as I hate the guy, even I have to admit that he’s one of the best-looking guys I’ve ever seen in my life. He has these really pretty brown eyes that light up when he laughs, and his blond hair that he’s starting to grow out frames his face in this sexy way.
He’s surveying the masses of students flitting through the halls. When his eyes land on me, a lazy smile spreads across his lips and he says, “Enjoying the view, kid?”
I blink and tear my eyes away from him. With a scowl, I march over. “You wish I was staring at you.”
He chuckles softly as he smooths his hands down his blazer. “I do clean up nicely, don’t I?”
As much as I try to stop them, my cheeks catch fire again. Because he sure as heck cleans up nicely.
Rolling my eyes, I say, “Maybe in Ryder’s World. Population? One.”
He chuckles again as he tilts his head to a girl, a senior, who waves at him as she talks with her friends. “I think Rachel would very much want a one-way ticket to Ryder’s World.”
“Grr,” I groan as I spin around and slam my arms over my chest. He always has a comeback—it’s been like that since we were kids.
