billion book
Chapter 37
“Hey, Summer, check out this pic. Summer’s desk–mate and self–appointed sidekick, Madeline, thrust her phone into Summer’s line of sight. The girl on the screen was the talk of the town, Mirabella.
“This is the new girl in The Advanced Class. Pretty hot, huh?” Madeline couldn’t help but add a bit of gossip to her
observation.
Summer’s gaze landed on the phone. Even though it was only a profile shot of Mirabella and the picture was a tad blurry, it was clear that she shone like a lone star in the sky of the ordinary.
A shadow flickered across Summer’s eyes for a moment. From the first day she laid eyes on Mirabella, she knew that face would turn heads–it was just happening sooner than she’d expected.
She couldn’t wrap her head around why Mirabella was nothing like she’d anticipated. She was supposed to be shy. insecure, and a bit of a drama queen!
Summer let her eyes drop, tucking away her questions. Lifting her head, she kept any sign of unhappiness from her face and replied in her usual soft voice, “Yeah, she’s pretty.”
Upon hearing this, Madeline suddenly realized her faux pas. How could she praise another girl in front of their own queen, Summer? Wasn’t that like an insult?
With that thought, Madeline hastily pocketed her phone, face down on the desk, and chuckled, “I mean, come on, no one’s got anything on you, Summer. You’re the undisputed queen bee of this school Some country bumpkin transfer doesn’t stand a chance.”
Summer’s eyes flickered down, and she gently chided, “Madeline, don’t talk like that. Even if Mirabella comes from some small town, she’s truly got the looks.”
“Mirabella? You know the new girl?” Madeline perked up like she’d stumbled upon a major scoop.
Summer covered her mouth, seeming annoyed at her slip of the tongue. After a moment, she murmured, “Sort of. She’s, uh, the foster daughter of the Gilbert family.”
Madeline’s eyes widened. “So she’s the one who’s been living it up with your identity all these years?” The tale of the school’s beauty with a bizarre background was well–known around campus.
“Shh, Madeline, keep it down. It wouldn’t be good if others overheard,” Summer said, irritated.
Madeline pouted, “There’s nothing wrong with people knowing the truth. She’s been living the high life as a fake heiress for
years while you’ve been stuck in some poor household… I take back my compliment!”
Summer’s gaze softened, her lips curving into a sardonic smile, but she quickly patted Madeline on the shoulder and said, “You absolutely can’t tell anyone about this. I mean, Mirabella is Innocent in this, too.”
“Innocent? What about you?” Madeline scoffed, dismissing Summer’s earlier plea. “You’re just too kind–hearted, Summer. Just don’t let yourself get walked all over and not even realize it!”
“That won’t happen. Mirabella’s not like that,” Summer continued to defend her.
“Well if I catch her slipping up, I won’t let her off easy.” Madeline said icily.
Summer just smiled and let the conversation drop.
Before Mirabella left school in the afternoon, Annette called her into the office to complete her enrollment papers and handed her a temporary student ID. As she gave Mirabella the ID, Annette remembered Anthony’s notice.