episode 2
Leila Pérez
I'm a disaster this morning. 📱
Rosie (Leila best friend)
Fill me in 📱
Rosie (Leila best friend)
I heard a bunch of grunts and cursing 📱
The spilled drink on the ground brings a sigh out of me as I head towards the classroom
Leila Pérez
I wasn't looking where I was going, is what happened. 📱 *let out a breath*
Leila Pérez
Bumped into some guy; he fell over; I died of embarrassment. The end. 📱 *let out a sigh*
Rosie (Leila best friend)
That's the last time I hook up at a party 📱
Leila Pérez
Fine, it's the last time I leave so late 📱
Rosie (Leila best friend)
Who did you leave with? 📱
Leila Pérez
*chew on her bottom lip* Some jock 📱
Rosie (Leila best friend)
Nice name 📱
Rosie (Leila best friend)
Has a ring to it. 💭
Leila Pérez
*let out a laugh*
Leila Pérez
If only I had snuck out a little earlier, I wouldn't be in this mess 💭
Leila Pérez
I can't believe I forgot to turn my alarm on 📱 *walk a little faster, pulling her phone away from her ear to check the time*
Leila Pérez
Now I'm late, and I lost my green smoothie. 📱
Rosie (Leila best friend)
You still went to get a smoothie when you're late? 📱
Leila Pérez
I need all the energy I can get if I'm going to be bored to death for an hour. 📱
Rosie (Leila best friend)
*laugh*
Rosie (Leila best friend)
So dramatic. Is it really that bad? 💭
Leila Pérez
Remind me again why I haven't dropped out? 📱
Rosie (Leila best friend)
Your mom would kill you? 📱
Leila Pérez
Right. Well, it's not like my mom doesn't have another daughter she prefers, anyway. 💭
Leila Pérez
And I care because? 📱
Rosie (Leila best friend)
Because even if you try to not let it affect you, you know you care about what she thinks 📱
Leila Pérez
Well, damn. She's right again. 💭
Rosie (Leila best friend)
Are you sure you want to go down the designer route? 📱
Leila Pérez
You'd be a good therapist. 📱
My shoulders drop when I I see the door to my impending boredom.
Rosie (Leila best friend)
Of course I would, but then who would dress you? 📱
Leila Pérez
*snicker, reaching for the door handle*
Leila Pérez
I've got to go; I'm about to go in. 📱
Rosie (Leila best friend)
Have fun. 📱
The line goes dead, and I pocket my phone. My breath shortens before I take the plunge and pull the door open, heading inside.
The room quiets when over 50 heads turn to look at me. This, right here, makes me want to die.
Their eyes on me feel like a huge spotlight of judgment. You would think with my line of work, I'd be used to the attention, but I'm not.
My confidence slips a little, the roaring in my stomach an indication of the anxiety brewing inside of me.
Professor Wilson
Leila. I see you don't value my time
Professor Wilson says, making the spotlight on me even brighter.
Leila Pérez
*swallow, blink, and slip her mask back on, squaring her shoulders and give him a smile*
Leila Pérez
Sorry, sir. Won't happen again
Professor Wilson
Doubt that
Leila Pérez
*eyes drop, seeing Jordan Wright sitting at the table closest to the door*
He doesn't look my way, though. He never does.
The one and only person I can stand in this class, Mia-who happens to be sitting near him-shoots me a smile and calls me over. I take a seat next to her, placing my bag on the floor.
Mia
Where were you? *whispers, nudging her on the shoulder when the professor turns back around*
Leila Pérez
Forgot to set my alarm. *offer with a shrug*
Mia
*With a smile on her lips, she shakes her head*
Probably knowing there's more to the story.
Professor Wilson
Having a great product isn't always the end result
Leila Pérez
*look her professor*
Professor Wilson
Marketing is the main focal point of any business.
Professor Wilson
You could have the best product in the world, but no one would know if you didn't market it.
Yeah, I've heard it all before. It would be easier to figure out what exactly I preferred over business, but there in lies the problem.
I've always admired my dad running a business. It seemed so cool when I was younger, but then my mom got me into modeling, and that became my life.
She stopped pushing me into modeling once I had gone through puberty and gained a lot of extra pounds that made me inadequate for the modeling she wanted.
Modeling was fun and I loved dressing up and posing for the camera; so I didn't give up. I found a plus-size modeling agency and haven't looked back since.
But by then, my mom had already made up that I wouldn't go anywhere if I didn't lose weight, so she pushed a college degree on me.
I didn't mind it, I could do both, but the problem was, I didn't know what I wanted to do once I got here, so I settled on something I already had knowledge of. Business. Too bad it's a bore.
Professor Wilson
The papers on the end of the table have the assignment on them
Mia
*reaches for the papers on her end, handing one to Leila and Jordan*
She hands one to the guy sitting next to her, Toby... something. She tucks her straight hair behind her ear, smiling at him when she hands him the assignment.
Leila Pérez
Hm, little Mia has a crush. 💭
Leila Pérez
New boyfriend? *tease, dropping her voice so only she hears*
Leila Pérez
I could smell the sexual tension from here.
She shushes me, a small laugh escaping her while she stuffs the assignment in her bag. When the door opens, everyone's head turns to the noise.
Redfield's basketball captain.
I grew up watching basketball.
Every Sunday, when my dad was home, we'd sit on the couch and watch the game while he snuck me some alfajores from his food truck. My mom would have slapped me on the back of my head if she caught me eating them.
And when I came here, the tradition still stood. Even though I couldn't be with my dad on Sundays, I would still attend every basketball game I could, which means I've watched Aiden play. A lot.
And as much as I don't like admitting it, he's good, like really fucking good.
It could be an advantage because the guy is as tall as hell, but it's not; he has skill. I can appreciate that.
But what I'm not a fan of? How everyone treats him like he's a God around here.
Girls fall at his feet, fanning themselves whenever he's near, and he eats it up; of course he does.
A guy like that can get any girl he wants with a snap of his finger.
Professor Wilson
Aiden *sighed*
Professor Wilson
Class started thirty minutes ago
Aiden Pierce
I had early practice this morning. It ran over.
Professor Wilson
*sighs again and turns back around*
Add that to the list of things I'm not particularly fond of.
Leila Pérez
He gets special treatment. 💭
Professor Wilson
We've already assigned assignments
Professor Wilson
Grab one from the table closest to you.
Leila Pérez
Which would make it mine. 💭
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