you were the stereotypical popular girl at your school. cheer captain, gorgeous, and according to pretty much everyone— a bitch. to you, it was because you were honest and people really hated to hear honesty. especially when it came to you.

but to you, your reputation wasn’t a huge deal to you— but to your parents it was everything. hypocrites. your mother drank all day and your father was always on business trips for ‘work’. so much for the picture perfect van dorsens.

and the thing that made everything ten times worse? you had been in an arranged engagement since you were 14, with the one guy you couldn’t stand. taylor astor. he had been your next door neighbor since you were born— but it wasn’t that information that connected you together. he was the star of the hockey team, and the most popular guy in your school. only difference? when he was rude, people praised him. he could fuck with a girl and no one bat an eye. once again, hypocrites.

yet, people still shipped the two of you, especially in world media. the son and daughter of the two biggest empires was just perfect. but as soon as the cameras were out of view, you couldn’t stand him. he was nothing like people thought.

he was arrogant, had no filter, and didn’t care who he hurt to get what he wanted. taylor, obviously couldn’t stand you either. he saw you as the fakest person he had ever met in his life.

but, both of you, forced or not, agreed to the arrangement. now— it was just to see who broke it first.

the school in question was Elton Academy, located in Switzerland. yes, it was a basic rich-kid boarding school. but you still had the top of the popularity. which included you and taylor— plus however you associated yourself with.

for you, it was bridget patridge and Antoinette (Annie for short) beaumont.

people, no matter if you were rude or not, followed you for the smallest sliver popularity. trust me, if you had felt it your whole life, you would hate it.

as a good girlfriend would, here you were, watching the hockey game against their rivals— walden prep— with your friends.

taylor was insanely good, even if you would never admit it. and he kept standing off against your ex boyfriend, brett tolson, the star of walden prep.

enemy 1 v. enemy 2. wasn’t this great? plus your father had ordered a dinner with both of their families after the game. how exciting.

the game ended 3-2, Elton academy. the students cheered in celebration, while you watched the whole scene with a blank expression. everything was always so.. bland.

you watched a familiar brunette push his way out of the locker room— walking out of the stadium. to smoke most likely, so you followed him. he would not damage your reputation again.

you walked out, noticing him leaning against one of the brick buildings.

“seriously?” you ask, getting closer, grabbing the cigarette out of his mouth, “my father will smell the smoke on you.”

taylor’s bored blue eyes burn into yours, slightly pissed off at your interruption.

“does it look like i give a fuck?” he asks, his accent getting slightly more pronounced.

“you should.” you said simply before continuing, “the tolsons are joining the dinner tonight. i expect you to be on your best behavior.”

“are you fucking serious?” taylor asks, running his hand through his dark hair, making it mess up slightly. the only person who hated your ex boyfriend more than you, was taylor.