She has a boyfriend

Zoey side eyed the man seated next to her. He was playing with his fork his face showing indifference as if he never heard his name being called out.

Confusedly, she exchanged glances with Ria and both looked down their eyes full of gossips.

The awkwardness was stifling!

To cut it short and save the girls from further embarrassment, like a fine gentleman, Ryan Hale offered them seats with a faint smile on his lips.

Sometimes he pitied the enthusiastic young woman for wasting her feelings on the wrong person.

" Thanks Ryan. " Sophie muttered softly reciprocating the slight smile.

" Hey, we've new friends around. I'm Sophie Reid, are you a friend of Ethan's?"

She averted her attention to Zoey who's eyes were locked on her food. Narrowing her eyes at her, she recognized her as the girl who had been held by Ethan a few days ago at a pool in Green spring resort. Romors of them being a couple were also spreading in the whole campus since the previous day's incident.

She clenched her fists under the table wondering whether Ethan had fallen for that lowly girl. She had never seen him paying attention to any female , certainly not even her.

Zoey was stunned when everyone's attention fell on her.

' Heck, whose friend? '

She was about to deny when the man extended his bony fingers below the table and pinched her soft waist.

Stung by the sudden pain, she unconsciously hissed under her breath throwing daggers at the culprit whose face was aloof and indifferent as usual.

He behaved as if nothing happened but everyone on the table didn't miss their silent interactions.

Restraining herself from stamping on his feet, Zoey took a deep breath swallowing her grievances.

" Zoey Tanner, nice to meet you. "

She extended her hand for a handshake wearing a courteous smile.

" Nice to meet you. "

Sophie replied brightly but was disdainfully sneering inwardly. She pretentiously ignored the handshake pouring a glass of water for herself.

In the whole campus no one was unaware about her feelings towards Ethan Hale. She'd destroy whoever that tried to get a meter close to the man she loved.

" Eat. "

Ethan said nonchalantly, placing a fork on her extended hand, fortunately pulling her from the awkward moment.

She turned her gaze downwards the tip of her ears turning pink due to the embarrassment. Her gaze shifting to the plate, her eyes stiffened and froze on the spot.

Instead of her juicy and mouth watering steak, her plate was filled with white and green leaves which looked so horrible that they almost stung her eyes.

Damned hooligan!!!!

She bared her teeth and shot a murderous gaze to the obvious culprit.

The man glanced at her and chuckled. His eyebrows and eyes were deep but clear and cold, though with a slight laziness laced in them. His thin lips looked like there was a remnant of gentle humor and mockery displayed there.

" Return my food! "

The others watched in bewilderment as two played push and pull with the poor plate of steak till Ethan relented and placed a few pieces of meat on a clean plate for her when she was about to cry due to anger.

What was more dumbfounding was watching the great Ethan Hale eating food from somebody's plate.

Not only that, it was his first time stepping foot in the school cafeteria where ordinary people dinned. It came as a shock seeing all the big shots gathered there for the first time.

Liam and Ria silently exchanged meaningful glances while Ryan and Jonas sceptically eyed Ethan wondering if he was real or an impersonater. They had never seen that side of him.

To break the awkward tension, Jonas glanced at Ria and asked, " last weekend we saw you with cameras, what were you doing? "

Ria stiffened not expecting him to suddenly speak to her.

" I... I usually host a food and travel show on YouTube. We had gone there for an interview. "

" Oh, " he nodded.

" That sounds fun. Sometimes I'm usually free and bored at home, can I join you guys? "

Sophie chimed in with a bright expectant smile on her face.

Ria glanced at Zoey hesitation flashing in her eyes then nodded, " yeah sure. "

*

Hours later after the lunch, Sophie was seated at the back seat of her white Bugatti with a gloomy expression on her face. Kelly Brooks sat next to her with an equally dark face.

" But there's good news. She has a boyfriend and she has applied for the contest. "

Sophie's eyebrows rose.

" One man is not enough for that sl*t to come after mine? Very well. Add my name in that competition. I hadn't planned to but I'm suddenly in the mood to teach that damned orphan a good memorable lesson. "

Her mouth formed a curve as a flash of range and malice shone on her almond eyes.