Reborn as the Villainess

Chapter 17

The next morning, as soon as Eleanor stepped into the classroom, she could feel the shift in the atmosphere. Eyes darted toward her and whispers fluttered through the air like leaves caught in a gust of wind. Something was definitely up. She hadn't even settled into her seat when the girl in front of her, Katie Foster, spun around with a look of concern. Katie was a petite girl with a round face, glasses perched on her nose, and an air of innocence that made her seem even younger than she was.

"Eleanor," Katie whispered, her voice trembling, "have you checked the school forum?"

Eleanor frowned, adjusting the heavy glasses on her nose. "No, thaven't, she said honestly.

She'd been so engrossed in cramming English Language Arts over the past few days that she barely had time to drink water, let alone scroll through her phone. "What happened? Is something wrong?"

Katie bit her lip, hesitating. It was clear that she didn't want to be the bearer of bad news. After a moment of internal debate, she finally pulled out her phone, clicked open something, and handed it over. "It's better if you see for yourself." Eleanor took the phone, her heart sinking as she skimmed through the forum post which had been posted last night. It had blown up overnight, racking up hundreds of comments by morning.

The title alone was enough to make her blood run cold: "The transfer student Eleanor Vanderbilt scored only into Class A. Is Aloria High School's strict grading really meaningless in the face of wealth and power? Is money all it takes to 600 and got beat hard work! How is this fair to the rest of us who studied our butts off? We demand answers!"

The comments were brutal. She wasn't surprised, but it didn't mean the jabs were any less sharp.

"600 points and she's in Class A? 1 scored 670 and I'm stuck in Class C. That is so unfair!" one comment read, oozing with indignation

Another chimed in right after, Tm calling BS on that 600. No way she magically hit the exact cutoff. Something fishy's going

on."

And then there was always that person who loved stirring the pot. "Come on, are we all pretending we don't know why she's there? Her last name's Vanderbilt. Money talks."

Someone else snarked, "If it's all about cash, why didn't she go to Willowpark High? They don't care about grades, just bank

accounts.

With each comment, Eleanor felt the pressure building, like a vite tightening around her temples. She handed the phone. back to Katie with a calm expression, but inside, the storm was already brewing. "Thanks for showing me," she said quietly.

Katie blinked, wide-eyed. "Aren't you going to say something? They're being so cruel, Eleanor. You should defend yourself."

Then, in a hushed tone, she added, "For what it's worth, I believe in you: I mean, if you can solve those crazy hard math problems, there's no way you don't deserve to be in Class A. There must be some kind of mistake." Eleanor gave her a small, appreciative smile as she calmly put down her school bag and pulled out her English Language Arts study guide. "Thanks, Katie. But they're not entirely wrong. I did score 600,"

Katie's jaw dropped. "Wait, then how did you

Eleanor said coolly, "Because that's what I wanted to score. I don't waste time on things I don't care about, not because that's all I could score.

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Her voice was steady, but there was an edge to it, like a blade glinting in the sunlight. "And as for the rumors... everyone can talk all they want. When the next set of exam results come out, we'll see who's really got what it takes. Her words hung in the air, sharp and clear, leaving the class momentarily stunned. Those who had been snickering a moment before now found themselves staring, caught off guard by her confidence.

Katie's eyes practically sparkled with admiration, her gaze glued to Eleanor as if she were watching a superhero unmask herself. "Eleanor, that's so cool. Don't worry, I've got your back. I believe in you, always"

But despite Katie's support, a chorus of scoffs still rippled through the room. To nearly half the class, Eleanor's bold statement was nothing but hot air, and only someone as naive as Katie would fall for it.

Felix sat at his desk, gripping his pen so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Around him, whispers and murmurs filled the classroom, all focused on Eleanor. His mind seethed with frustration. 'Don't these people have anything better to do? Are their assignments too easy, or do they not have enough exam preparation? Why are they so obsessed with other people's business?

With a sharp edge to his voice, Felix suddenly announced, "Five minutes left to turn in your chemistry assignment. If you're not done, it'll count as a missed assignment." The effect was immediate. The idle gossip and chitchat vanished, replaced by a frantic scramble as everyone rushed to finish their work.

The chemistry teacher, who was also the class adviser, was notoriously strict. Missing his assignment meant at best a stern warning and, at worst a humiliating public call-out at the next grade assembly. No one wanted that.

Felix couldn't help but smirk as the classroom descended into frantic silence. But Felix's satisfaction was short-lived. His smirk quickly faded, and he thought to himself. This isn't about helping Eleanor. I just happened to be enforcing the homework deadline, that's all. But if she thanks me for it and maybe apologizes for yesterday, well, I might consider forgiving her.

I mean, we do see each other every day. I am her brother. Can't be too petty. But given how harsh she was, yeah, I'll hold out for at least ten minutes, no, make that three minutes... or maybe one minute. Yeah, I'll wait for one whole minute before I forgive her. Let her realize her mistake.

Felix took a deep breath, already preparing to maintain his cool demeanor when the inevitable apology came. He glanced out of the corner of his eye towards Eleanor, fully expecting some sign of gratitude. But instead, there she was, calmly flipping through her textbook by the window, utterly unbothered.

His teeth clenched. "Seriously? After everything I just did? Not even a glance? His chest puffed with anger, his thoughts a tangle of irritation. Fine. From now on, I won't help her. Let her handle things on her own. Even if she ends up in tears, don't expect me to care. Just then, the classroom door burst open with a loud bang. Felix barely had time to react before Liam strolled in, as casual and unconcerned as ever. He swaggered into the room like a lion surveying his kingdom with his head held high, his bag slung lazily over his shoulder.

But something shifted in his expression as he caught sight of Eleanor. His arrogant posture crumbled, and to everyone's disbelief, the proud lion morphed into a loyal puppy in the blink of an eye.

Liam practically bounced over to Eleanor's desk, plopping down beside her with a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Hey, boss. I brought you a Caramel Macchiato. It's so good, you've gotta try it."

The sugary-sweet scent wafted toward Eleanor, making her wrinkle her nose in distaste. She leaned back, putting some distance between herself and the overly sweet drink. "No thanks she said coolly. "I don't like anything too sweet. You can have it Liam didn't seem the least bit fazed by her rejection. He shrugged and, without missing a beat, handed the drink off to the boy sitting in front of them before turning back to Eleanor enthusiastically. "Boss, are you reviewing notes? Want me to quiz you?" A beat later, he added, "Hoss, are you working on problems? Need any help? I'm great at chemistry, you know."

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Chapter 17

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And then, not two seconds passed before he piped up again. "Do you need water? I can get you some. Warm or cold? Just say

the word."

He didn't stop. "Boss, do you need-

That was it. Eleanor couldn't take it anymore. She shoved the test paper she had been holding into his mouth with a firm hand. "Shut up. Stop calling me boss. We're not that close, and need you to stop bothering me."

Her patience was already running on fumes from the endless cramming sessions, and Liam's constant chirping was the last straw. "How on earth is this moron the heartthrob of the school? Are all the girls here blind?' she wondered, genuinely baffled.

Liam pulled the paper out of his mouth, undeterred as ever. He looked at her with mock seriousness. "But we're on the same team now. Yesterday, we formed an alliance. You're my war buddy, and war buddies don't abandon each other. You can't just be a deserter and walk away now.