1 Chapter 1- Zain the campus hunk

Zain…The idol of the nation aka my biggest competitor.

I had to deal with him coming on top of me for years, from kindergarten to national competitions and now he`ll be doing that in HD since he transferred to my school. Erva high school. One of Johannesburg's biggest private schools and at the moment the top performing school of the continent. it is found in the centre of the city near the tall business buildings and large train systems. Erva high school is a difficult school to get into but because Zain is already an academic genius he had no trouble.

The principal held a school assembly for his arrival, girls made posters, teachers polished up their classrooms, and the walls of the hallways were filled with welcome banners. To much hype for a normal peer if you ask me, but Zain was everything but normal. He was the biker legend and had the entire racing industry wrapped around his finger. No wonder most of the nerdy ladies looked all polished up. After the long and boring praise speech was made by our principle made Zain walked down the stairs of the podium winking at me. The principal then went on with the usual program and the rules and because I was already irritated I decided to leave, so I picked my textbooks up and left for class. I found that my class had gotten the same idea because my desk was filled with plenty of pubescent females.

"You're in my seat," I said pushing away some of his fans.

He smiled taking his glasses off and as he looked toward me I pulled him of my chair.

He slammed my books onto the table glaring at me but before he could say anything the teacher arrived and I turned towards my books.

She welcomed everyone including our very special classmate and then did the register before telling me that I needed to give Zain a tour around the school. She left the classroom as soon as the bell rang and I found myself left with the precious newcomer.

"When did you get such a bad temper?" he asked pulling me toward him

When we were eye to eye he smiled tripping me. I stood dusting myself up and chasing him up the hallway. We were caught by our class teacher and punished with cleaning duty for the rest of the week.

"You didn't answer my question from earlier."

"Do your job please and stop pestering me…"

He smiled mischievously pouring the bucket of water onto my side. I swung my leg into the air pinning him to a locker nearby, "Don't you understand the words stay away?"

He laughed removing his hands from his pocket, then proceeded to go under my leg reversing the pin.

I punched his gut walking away…

~

Later that evening when I arrived home I found my house filled with guests. Zain was present as well. I walked towards my mother while smiling and waving towards the crowd. my mother pulled me in towards her squeezing me, "I heard that you terrorized Zain on his first day of school," she said, "we`ll have that chat later but for now apologize…"

She then slapped my head pushing me toward Zain. I bumped into his chest watching him grin.

"I'm sorry," I said rubbing my head where I had just got hit.

"LOUDER," he said.

his mother heard the commotion and came to my rescue, as it had always been growing up. while our mothers argued I slipped away from the crowd...

Did I forget to mention that besides him being my biggest competitor that he was also a family friend?

So after he`d defeated me at math or debate I was forced to have dinner with him and listen to the praise he got.

Zain as well seemed to have slipped out of the crowd cause I had found him standing on the balcony of my home.

"Why were you so rude today?" he asked handing me a can of coke

"Why did you have to transfer to my school?" I asked pushing his shoulder, "I already have enough competition, and now I have to deal with you…the one guy who always surpassed me!"

"I'm flattered but I didn't go there to steal your light, don't forget that your school is the best and we both have the same goal…"

"But we both can't be on the top," I said rolling my eyes, "so don't even try to make me look like I'm being ludicrous… "

"Who knows, you might defeat me this time…"

"Might…I know I will…" I replied going back into the house

I knew very well that it was not possible. He was a genius, one I could not beat no matter how hard I studied or the number of tutors I hired. He pulled my ponytail dragging me back onto the balcony.

"What did you just say?"

"I don't have to repeat myself to you," I responded with an angered brow

He held onto my hair for a little longer blowing his gum up, and as I tried to act tough I finally gave in begging for him to let go.

As he remained laughing while I searched for my hair clip I pinched his ear running away. After blowing another gum bubble he ran toward me and I felt like a child all over again.

Yes, I may have hated this campus hunk an idol that many ladies admired…but he was the only one who had ever been able to unlock the inner child within me. We always snuck candy together, crept each other out of unnecessary tutoring, and taught each other how to do normal child-like activities such as bike riding and swimming. Zain had given me many reasons to want to cut him off especially since he become so popular…but we shared a common trauma.

Both of us had lost our fathers during a plane crash.

I remember the day so clearly…his mother Roqsaar had come over to announce the bad news to us and as we peeked through the kitchen door Zain had pulled me in, not to punch me….he had hugged me. It was after that day that we had become inseparable and competitors as well. So even if sometimes I fling my leg up into the air in an attempt to intimidate him, or I bully him by chasing him around…I still will always want the campus hunk to be my friend.

After the shocking plane crash…our mothers build an empire or continued to run the empire that our fathers had left behind.

Our fathers were no blood brothers, but they called each other brothers because of the connection they had with one another. Having grown up together and getting their piloting license as a pair they have been with one another through each other's highs and lows. That I believe is the only reason zain and I get to go to this ivy league high school.

That aside…I'm still running for my life because of the pinch I gave him on his ear.