C H A P T E R   2

T H E    H A N D S O M E    D E V I L

( Part I )

Author: Raven Orthodox

Outside the cafe, I saw muscled football players running in the 120-yard fields. Astonished and amazed, it was bewildering for me to realize how beautiful the scenery was. I wasn't even talking about the boys, but the Saucer Magnolia and Dogwood trees complimenting outside the field.

The players, however, were glistening with sweat. Making them shine under the heat as they were shirtless after practice. It was beautiful to look at, but don't kid yourself. These hot men could make any girl sit on their laps from the first whistle.

Back at Kraznys High School, athletes rule the campus like lords, so we the rest, feel inferior in comparison. But not on my case, since I always make sure that I am beyond their worth, not under them as if I am another the side-chick slave. I've even dated a few of them, and in reality, they are so hard to tame. But I am fortunate enough they keep me pleased with gifts and sugary confectioneries. Girls should lure boys, not chase them.

I'm the new bad guy in Arkskye University. But still, I need protection from the even-more bad guys by having at least one of these football players as a temporary boyfriend for provisional protection.

I walked from the hallway to the dormitory building; It's a residential quarter for students here. I tell you, almost all amazingly well-dressed girls didn't seem too prideful, unlike me. Some of them even cared to say hello to me, which I returned the favor.

"Alexis Frostfyre, please," I said to the Front Desk Receptionist name-tagged as Carla to give me a key for my room.

I grabbed a small hand mirror to see if the lip gloss I put might have smudged. "You know what, Carla, I'm having a bad hair day. Assuming that Diana's boy toy put on a tantrum, which I guess you already know who these dunderheads are, they are getting the best of me." I chatted as she was looking for my files and search for my dormitory key.

"Well, you might be the best gossiper in town darling, I must-"

"Well, of course, I am," I bring out my best smile at her. "You must mean I'm the evil Wicked Witch of the West in my situation, but fear not, you are right."

I sprinkled myself some Belladonna X perfume, just a spritz on my neck to smoothen the quality of my day. "They thought they thought could wield me, ha! I would never apologize for being so dramatic."

With all the roller-coaster thrill, I sighed in desperation. Damned heels and sweltering weather, these feet are getting sore already. But I didn't give the impression of being tired or exhausted. I wouldn't want anyone to see me weaker than Diana's cry-me-a-river boyfriend.

Well, I was tired and exhausted, but it's the first day of school, and it's a must to deliver a glorious impression!

"Ow!" A large man with hard, broad shoulders bumped on me. "Hey, watch where you're going."

"You deserve it." He told me as he simply walks by, not even saying sorry.

Excuse me? Does he think he can simply get away with that? No!

"Hey, crackhead," I yelled to the six-footer guy with the blessed body like that of a Greek god.

Gee, why is everyone looking like from every Wattpad story my stepsister Raven have always read?

"Yes, babe?" He joked. As he turned around, I realize he's just another footballer, only with the sculpted and gifted of all faces. I've had quite enough model-looking boyfriends and wild hunks I dumped and rejected so far, so I am just immune to this nonsense.

"So. . ." I stepped coldly towards him. "Allow me to assume the worst in you. You may already have a thousand fans or maybe even millions, to which I don't give a damn even if you vomit your own time waiving the crowd. Yet here you are who had the nerve to call me baby and bump me in the shoulder and tell me I deserve it."

"Yes."

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"And you think you have all the followers in the world and unknowing of the big ego inside your head that you think you could simply bump me. It wasn't even an accident, I can tell. See the difference? My instincts have more sense than your senseless ego."

"Yes."

"I bet you must have the most active sex drive that you'd get to flirt all the girls on campus, maybe even boys too."

He studied me for a bit and then smiled with a frown. "Uhm. . . not really. Girls, yes, almost. But you, baby, must be an exception, I wonder how that thick juicy bundle would taste like." He winked and looked over my bountiful rear, sounding like he was joking. Yet he's objectifying rather than complimenting.

"See?" I flushed, but I hide the inner rage impulsing within me. I am a teeny tiny bit shaking, and I think he noticed.

But if that's what it is, then it's only fair since I did make a personal judgment on him. So now we're even. But that doesn't mean it's only fair because he's good-looking. No, never.

"Hmm. . ." He studied me for a second, "-you're adorable."

"Yeah-uh, thanks a lot, perv."

"Alexis Frostfyre? Your keys are ready. Fourth floor, room number twelve." Carla, the receptionist, had ended our little fight to my fortunate luck.

"Ha!" I chuckled with angst, but not that loud, or else that would cause an even more awkward attention and situation. "I'll be on my way now, straight to my palace."

"So, Alexis Frostfyre, huh?" He challenged me. "What are you, the ice-blooded transferee on campus?" He made a smile, a slight grin as if he could do any damage by making fun of my full name just like Diana and the rest did at the cafe.

"Whatever, loser."

"Now you listen to me, baby. You are talking in front of the most notorious and richest sports player in camp."

Duh!

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Funny guy. Now take my advice: cut that ego at the ends of your tail and stay dead." I scoffed and executed a classic hair flip, turning away from him like the diva that I am.

As I took my bag and the dormitory key, he looked at me like a boy confused solving a math problem. No, I didn't think he likes the sight of me, I think he's studying me as if I was complex pain in his butt that needed thawing or else I could ultimately damage his star-sized pride. "I'll see you again, hottie. You're a wildfire." He winked as I simply ignored him and walked away.

Calm yourself, Alexis, he's just another guy who possibly just wants what's between your legs. He's not even worth it. You understand?

"I know you're playing hard to get Lexi. Sooner or later, you're going to come right back into my arms," He barked, but those words didn't affect me that much. I raised my middle finger and didn't look back.

Some people's jaws are agape, shocked as they see me standing up for my own. But it just pains me to see poor souls getting taken advantaged of and bullied by people who seem superior to them. That's why I always stood up against disrespect by disrespecting them back!

To be honest, I am way out of his league. But I had to say something poison to dissolve that arrogance imbuing up inside him. Otherwise, people like him, and even people below him, would just take my worth as a woman for granted, so better him intoxicated than me.

I reached the fourth floor and room number twelve.

Opening the door with my dorm key, I see the elegantly carved post of me and my roommate's name. 'Dominica Vixen' was tagged on it. I knocked on the door first, so she could prepare herself when I enter. As you can see, she was doing deep squats with work out clothes. Her beautiful dark skin glossy of sweat like those hot idols on the field.

"Allow me to enter this domain." I smiled as she looked up to me, shocked. "Dominica, right?"

"That's right." Dominica stopped her squats and stood up to meet me. She gave me a genuine soft smile, "And you must be Alexis."

With immediate ease, I shook her hands despite the sweat.

I wanted to share a strong bond and partnership as years would pass by. She could be a potential best friend. I took long feminine steps over the counter and searched for something in my bag. "Well, I guess you must be hungry." And finally, I found my DIY sandwich. "Aha!"

I grabbed a knife to slice it. "This one's yours."

"Thanks, sis. I could eat a man right now." She took a bite and stopped herself to savor my snack. "Delicious. Anyways, I like your school profile quote in the school halls. You quoted: 'I am Queen, I slay' and I like you even more now."

"Ah, ha-ha. Obviously yes. You see, queens like us always slay." I winked as I uncovered myself from the small black coat I wore during my diva walk. "Where's the bathroom? I need to pee."

"Right over there." She pointed.

"Thanks, love."

"Uhm, one more thing. I uh," Dominica stopped mid-sentence, as if hesitant to blurt out something. It's something that would mean the death of me, clearly so.

"Yes, Dominica?"

"You might not know this, but," She kept her poise and took one deep breath. "You are a target."

"What?"I tossed my hair to the back of my shoulder. Confusion and fear had drawn on my brows.

"I mean the Champions. The Champions are the rich snobs in Arkskye, you must know. They party like hell, make other people feel economically worse compared to them. And they'd start flexing their cash guns on Instagram stories as if money is the last thing they needed, it's annoying.

"And now they are against you the moment you stepped in. I just saw it on Twitter and Arkbook, which is the school's social media."

"Oh." I touched my lip, an unconscious gesture of my nervousness. "It's fine, I know. I just thought it was an assassination-type of a target. You got me there." I wanted to laugh but failed nevertheless.

"Exactly, they will try to destroy you. And will fulfill it in a way that you'll feel like you're going to give your life up. It's just an animal food chain concept they've built.

"But this is a social construct, so they will squander your lifestyle, your education, your reputation, everything for which they can get away with."

"Hmm, that's threatening. But it's nothing to worry about, sister." I assured her.

"I just want you to be careful."

"Yes, of course. I felt like I started it since these so-called Champions, first off, blubbered mean things on me, you know. They deserved what triggered them. But anyways just wish me luck, I will handle this." I said as I blew her a kiss, which she caught it.

"Okay, I am glad. Now take your bath and be ready on the battlefield." She joked and chuckled.

But it doesn't sound like a joke to me.