*Bianca*
I woke up to the soft warmth of my fiance’s lips against the side of my neck. I humd happily and rolled over to face him, snuggling my face into his bare chest.
I squinted toward the window across the room, barely able to make out the first signs of sunrise. I was surprised that Leo wasn’t gone yet but I was more than grateful for it as well. After his doubts because of his parents, I wasn’t ready to wake up with him gone right away.
I moaned and buried my face against his smooth skin again, knowing that we both needed to get up and get ready for the day but unwilling to do it.
“I’m sorry for my behavior yesterday,” Leo said, his low voice a murmur in the dimly lit room. “I nearly ruined your perfect day.”
“You didn’t even co close to ruining anything,” I told him firmly. I leaned away from him slightly so I could stroke his cheek. “Besides, it was our day. We both made this baby, rember?”
He smirked lightly at my words, much to my relief. He seed to believe what I said yesterday. We didn’t need him to have parents. He already had a family and I was going to make sure he felt all of the love to feel his worth and then so.
He stroked my cheek lovingly and I leaned into his touch. “You sure you don’t want to just drop out?” he asked. “I hate how tired and stressed out you’ve been. You need all the rest you can get.”
I had been trying to hide just how stressed I was but it was impossible to completely hide it from Leo. I was spending nearly all of my free ti in Professor Krar’s class, studying and working hard on the assignnts so that there would be as little chance of failing as possible.
“I’m not going to drop out,” I told him, rolling my eyes and shaking my head. “Besides, I’m too far into the sester to just quit now. I have to see this through. And it’s not like I have a difficult commute anyway. Or did you forget that my classes are online?”
Leo rolled his eyes as well but I saw a defined tick in his jaw. “Of course, I haven’t forgotten,” he said needlessly. “The fact that your classes are online is the only reason I have agreed to let you do this.”
I smirked at him. “Like you could stop from doing sothing once I’ve put my mind to it.”
Leo let out a long breath and I could feel the fight leaving his body. He pressed a kiss to my tight lips. “Yes, I’m well aware of that fact,” he said. He patted my hip. “Alright, my little scholar. We should probably get up.”
I groaned but followed Leo’s lead, shifting until I was at the edge of the bed. Leo got up before carefully helping to my feet.
“You be safe today,” Leo said once we were both dressed.
I gave him my best pout, slightly offended by his stern tone. “I’m always safe,” I told him.
His stern expression didn’t change exactly but it softened ever-so-slightly at my pout. He tapped my chin. “I wouldn’t say always,” he said, rolling his eyes.
I winced, thinking about the tis he had to save my ass. “I’ll be safe,” I told him. I laughed and shook my head. “How much trouble can I get into during my online classes anyway?”
Leo pressed a kiss to my forehead, my nose, and then finally, my lips. “Hate to break it to you, love, but trouble tends to find you.”
I didn’t have an argunt to that.
I did feel like chasing after trouble when I got on my laptop and saw the results to the most recent test I took.
My blood froze over as I looked at the little letter that was causing my palms to sweat.
Another D.
I scanned the page, noting that there were hardly any comnts on this one. There was no explanation for the low score.
This made the bias that much more obvious.
I sucked in a sharp breath before standing from my desk chair and making my way downstairs.
I was just barely able to stop Darion before he went out the door.
Darion blinked up at as I descended the stairs. “Bianca, what’s wrong?” he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. “You look like shit.”
I ignored his words and stopped directly in front of him. “I need a favor,” I said, feeling desperation start to close up my throat.
Those furrowed eyebrows rose and the way he narrowed his eyes expectantly actually reminded of Leo. “What’s going on?”
I explained in sowhat hushed tones, knowing that Leo would not approve of what I was planning. I knew that my fiance wasn’t ho but I still felt the need to take every precaution so he never found out.
Darion listened patiently as I explained the new test score and how I had already tried to speak to the headmaster with no luck.
“I can’t do this the formal way,” I said finally. I looked up at him pleadingly. “Which is why I was hoping you would be alright with using your na when I act later today.”
“It could work,” he said after a mont. “But I don’t know, Bianca. You’re playing a dangerous ga. I’m going back to work today after what happened with the drugs but I’m not completely up to strength. If sothing were to happen to you, I don’t know if I could get there quickly enough to protect you.”
“I won’t need protection,” I assured him. I lowered my head. “Please, Darion. I don’t know what else to do.”
I could see the war raging across his face. He knew what helping entailed. He wasn’t just risking my safety in his eyes. He was also risking his own well-being. If Leo found out about this, he would be angry with Darion for seemingly putting in this situation.
Darion shook his head in exasperation. “Fuck it,” he muttered. “Alright. You have my permission. I owe you one anyway.”
I blinked. “No, you don’t-”
He cut off. “Don’t think I don’t know that you convinced Leo to let stay even after I fucked up so bad,” he said. “I owe you. I’m going to do this for you. Just don’t ss up and stay safe, for both of our asses.”
I looked him in the eye and nodded seriously.
A couple of hours later, I was standing just outside the headmaster’s office, my hand raised so that I could knock on the door. My courage faltered and for a mont, I just stood there, breathing heavily as I tried to gather myself.
It took another minute or so but I finally rapped my knuckles against the wood, pausing for just a second before I pushed it open.
The headmaster’s face was hard when he saw . “I don’t believe you have an appointnt, Miss,” he said sternly. “So you can just turn back around and-”
“I think you’ll be very interested in what I have to say,” I interrupted him coolly. “Considering that I have enough data on the misconduct of this institution to take to the board.”
The headmaster’s hard expression didn’t change but he was actually looking at now, really seeing . “Shut the door and have a seat,” he finally ordered tightly.
My heart leaped into my throat, amazed that this was actually going sowhere. It shouldn’t have surprised since I could really do so damage,and ruin the school’s reputation if I wanted to.
That’s not what I wanted though but I wasn’t going to let him in on that fact. He would hardly see as a real threat if he learned that all I wanted was to pass Professor Krar’s class.
I crossed the room, feeling too riled up to sit but I did just that, lowering myself into the chair across from the headmaster.
“I have spoken with several students, all claiming that Professor Krar graded them unfairly just because they are won.” I pushed the folder forward.
The headmaster opened the folder, dumped out the docunts, and looked them over. He pushed them away. “These could have easily been forged. Most of these are just statents, not enough to make an actual claim.”
I felt my temper flare but I reminded myself that if I wanted this to work out in my favor, I was going to have to reign in my emotions. I lifted my chin. “I didn’t want it to have to co to this but I am acquainted with Darion Astor. I’m sure you are familiar with his family.”
There was no question that the headmaster was very much aware of Darion’s family. His parents were extrely influential and well-known throughout the university. A huge chunk of the school’s donations co from them.”
The headmaster narrowed his eyes, his jaw clenching. He picked up the phone and put it to his ear without another word. “Hello Professor Krar,” he said tersely. “I’m afraid I need an imdiate audience with you. Yes. Thank you. I’ll see you soon then.”
I tried not to show my surprise and straightened my shoulders. “Thank you,” I said sincerely.
“Don’t thank ,” he said and it wasn’t a kind tone he used.
It wasn’t long before Professor Krar showed up. His eyes flashed dangerously when he entered and spotted , causing to kind of regret this plan.
“Professor Krar,” the headmaster said. “I must request that you reconsider the grades you’ve given Miss Bianca.”
Professor Krar’s jaw dropped, his eyes narrowing into slits. “Absolutely not,” he said. He looked at the headmaster. “Surely, you understand, sir. I have a grading scale to abide by and can’t give students special treatnt.”
I wanted to scream at his words. He was making it sound like he would be doing a favor.
The headmaster glanced at . “I must insist, Professor,” he said. “If you refuse, I’m afraid there will have to be repercussions.”
Krar’s face froze and then he slowly looked over at , raising a finger and pointing it at accusingly. He was practically shaking with rage. “You conniving little bitch,” he seethed. “I can’t believe that you would go so far as to attempt to cause trouble for a professor.”
I stood up as he started to stalk toward , getting right in my face. I stood my ground. “You’re the conniving one,” I spat, unable to believe that I was finally able to speak my mind to the bastard. “How dare you flaunt your power around and use it to degrade won. You should have no place in this university. You’re nothing but a coward.”
It felt good to spit all that in his face. I didn’t even regret it when Krar’s face reddened considerably and he started to tremble with rage. He stalked toward , raising his hand, and preparing to slap across the face.
My eyes rounded but I stayed right where I was, bracing myself for the inevitable pain.
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