Blackmail

I was called to the principal's office for sleeping in class of our bald math professor, Clint. So now, I'm sitting on the chair in front of our 45-year-old principal, Lorna, who looked displeased, and boy, did she make sure that I could feel that.

"For the nth time, Beauty Smith," she started. "For the nth time, you slept in class." she raised a brow. Although she said that in a calm demeanor, I could feel the rage in her aura.

Just then, I heard a knock on the principal's door behind me. "Mrs. Smith is here." Said the voice owned by Professor Clint behind the door.

"Great, come in." Principal Lorna said.

I didn't dare look over my shoulder to see my mom, but I could hear her footsteps getting closer until I found her sitting on the vacant chair next to me. Even though I wasn't looking, I could feel her gaze on me, and then she shifted her gaze to Principal Lorna. Professor Clint walked and stood next to our principal, glaring at me.

"What happened, Mrs. Lorna?"

"Ms. Smith slept again in the middle of the class and it's not the first time she slept in class."

"I'm so sorry about her behavior." Mom said apologetically. Mom turned at me.

"Care to explain yourself, B?"

I looked at her and spouted the dangerous but honest response. "Mom, the class was so boring that I fell asleep, so it's not my fault!"

"Beauty Smith!" Mom almost yelled. "Apologize right now!"

"What? Why would I apologize for the truth?"

Professor Clint gritted his teeth and pointed his finger at me. "She is disrespectful and needs to be punished!" Professor baldy said. "She sleeps and never pays attention in class, so it's no wonder why she's not doing well too."

Principal Lorna folded her arms and smiled. "I think I know how to handle you."

"Are you going to suspend her?" Professor baldy said, sounding delighted.

I was expecting that she would suspend me so I am ready for the worst. Imagine my surprise when she responded, "No, I won't. There is a guy who can help her."

"Are you sure about that, principal? Because if I were you, I'd suspend her so she could reflect on her mistakes and change." Professor baldy said, dismayed.

Our principal looked at him and said, "Will she? Or will she just take that suspension as an opportunity to slack off and not do anything to improve herself."

I smiled, feeling victorious. "Does that mean that I can go now?"

Principal Lorna looked at me again. "We're not yet done talking," she said and took a breath. "The best way to deal with a stubborn student like her is to have someone watch over her — someone strict and cared about career."

And now, I am displeased by what I heard. I stood up. "Are you telling me that someone's going to babysit me?! I'm not a kid!"

"The takeaway in this context is that you're going to have someone push you to be better," the principal said. "You are not the only stubborn student I've handled and suspending them didn't work one bit."

"Are you saying that you are going to assign her a partner?" My mom confirmed.

"Bingo." Principal responded.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Nicholas Johnson is going to be your partner."

ʚ♡ɞ

I couldn't believe what just happened. I couldn't believe that I was paired with Nicholas Johnson. I tried to protest, but failed because my mom was there.

Nicholas Johnson.

The 'heartthrob' of MindValley University. He was popular for being a high achiever in everything he did. He was our school basketball team's MVP, and always aced his tests.I must admit that I was impressed because he didn't take advantage of his popularity and charm to get girls.

Some heartthrobs use their popularity to get girls and play with their hearts.

'Of all people, why him?'

While I was heading out of the school campus, lost in thoughts, I felt a hand on my shoulder that startled me. I looked over my shoulder just to see Nicholas Johnson.

"What do you want?"

"Our principal talked to me earlier and now, I just want to talk about our first project," he started. "We both don't want to be partners but we've got no choice but to cooperate for the sake of our grade."

"I don't care about grades. You can do it yourself since you sounded like obsessed with having high grades."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you heard me. I don't care about those stupid grades. They are just grades, you know?" I said, shrugging his hand off my shoulder. "And please, hands off. I don't like other people touching me."

"From now on, you should start caring about your grades because your grade is my grade!" He said, annoyed. "So if you fail, it would affect my grade too."

I turned around to face him and folded my arms with a smirk. "Now, look at that. The wise man gets manipulated by the principal. Sorry to hear that, but that's no longer my problem. Best of luck, buddy!"

To my surprise, he walked closer that made me step back, my back hitting against the wall, trapping me with his strong arms. He looked me in the eyes intensely which caught me by surprise.

He smelled like lavender perfume — a scent of perfume that a lady would usually wear. Up close, he was really handsome like what everyone on our school campus said.

It was annoying, I was not charmed. How can the girls swoon over him?

For a while, I was speechless by his gesture. No boys ever came up close to me like this. I saw his lips curved into a smirk.

He was probably thinking that I was shaken by his presence, or that he could convince me by using his charm.

"I thought you'd say that so..." he pulled out a notebook from his bag. My eyes widened after seeing the notebook. It was the notebook where I wrote my on going novel!

Our eyes locked, but not in a romantic nor lovable way like in romcom novels. Rather, a pair of eyes shooting daggers at each other.

"What the — ? How did you get that?" I tried to reach out for the book but he raised it in the air.

Nicholas Johnson was 6"3 tall while I am only 4"6 and there is no way I could get that."Give me that novel!

That's not yet done and I don't want other people reading that!""Cooperate and work with me."

"Never!"

"You could kiss your novel goodbye, then."

He was about to rip off the papers in my notebook when I said, "Fine! I'll cooperate! Just give my novel back!"

He smiled, still keeping my novel up in the air. "Now, look who's getting manipulated."

"Give my novel back!" I hissed, throwing him a sharp glare.

"I don't think so," he said and kept the notebook inside his leather bag. "You can get your novel only if you pass the tests and graduate college."

"You've got to be kidding me!" I reacted.

"I don't kid," he said. "And speaking of tests, we have one on Monday so tomorrow, we are going to study so we could pass the test."

"Tomorrow?! But tomorrow is Saturday! There is no way I am spending my weekend studying!"

"Well, you know what would happen if you don't cooperate, yes?"

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. But for the sake of my novel, I decided to calm myself down. "Ugh, fine. Tomorrow."

He smiled. "Great. Tomorrow. Bibliomanes Library. 10AM sharp."