Chapter 2

I glanced repeatedly at Axel wondering what was he up to. He walked behind each registration table, chatting briefly with campus personnel and looked over the heads of the students there to register. He’d always been a little cold and aloof, but now... now there was a whole new level of frigidness about him.

The way he had his hands clasped behind him, like a stern schoolmaster, an unrelenting cruel one, gave me warning vibes. Instead of getting the warm fuzzies, I felt coldness. Not at all the kind of feels I expected from seeing an old friend or even an acquaintance.

Three students remained before it was our turn. With each step that we took closer to that registration table, the stonier Axel became.

“I can’t do this,” Layla said, her voice shaky. “Let’s change line.”

“That won’t do any good,” I countered. “He’s quite capable of wandering around back there, or haven’t you noticed.”

“Oh, what am I going to do? He’s the son of the owner of this school, and he looks like he hates me. I have no idea why.”

“Layla, you have nothing to worry about. You have a right to be here and whatever his problem is... well, it’s his problem.”

Two students remained.

“I come from a warm-hearted state where people say hello to one another. They say have a nice day and they smile and are helpful to their neighbors. I have never had anyone stare me down like this before.” Layla shivered. “It’s downright hostile.”

One student now stood between us and the registration table. Poor Layla. I could almost feel her shaking as she stood beside me.

As I looked around, I noticed how all the other girls were staring at Axel, admiring his beauty, and trying to get his attention.

But Axel... his cold glare never wavered. It was on Layla, so cold and heartless it even left me with a chill up my spine. As hot and sexy as he was, the absolute dead stare was disconcerting.

Layla swallowed loudly as the last student left and it was our turn.

“One at a time, please,” the campus director said.

“We’re rooming together,” I said. “Katrina Lee and Layla Tyler... Room 37.”

She looked at me with a blank face, then opened a small box on the table in front of her, found what she was looking for and handed us each a key to our room. “Here you go.” And without further delay, she proceeded with the welcome speech. “I am Mrs. Brighton; campus director and it is a pleasure to welcome you to the Academy. We aim to make every student feel special and valued and I have no doubt you will grow greatly from your experience here. After all, you will be learning everything there is to know about the culinary arts and you will be doing so with the best of the best.”

“I can’t wait to get started,” I said.

For the first time since getting in line, Layla smiled. “This is a dream that I never thought would come true.”

Stone-faced, Axel, standing a little to the right just behind Mrs. Brighton, let out an unusual grunt.

“Oh,” Mrs. Brighton let out as if noticing Axel. “And of course, if you need to be shown around, this is Axel King, campus ambassador who just happens to be the founder’s son.”

While Layla forced a weak grin, I smiled openly and broadly at Axel, wondering if he remembered me. But he didn’t even glance at me. He simply gave Layla a disgusted up and down glare. I almost wanted to blurt out, What’s wrong with you, Axel? Why are you being such a jerk?

“It’s about time you two arrive,” he growled as he turned to walk away.

What the hell are you talking about? I wanted to growl back. Instead, I took a deep breath and glanced at my watch. “Hang on a second,” I said. “Aren’t you supposed to show us around?”

He turned and looked at me for the first time. “You’re with her?”

“Yeah.” And what the hell is wrong with that?

“Like I said, you two are late. I don’t have time to sit around and wait for newcomers who can’t even arrive on time.” He glared anew at Layla. “Besides, I don’t have the stomach to be seen with such trailer trash.”

“Axel!?”

“I, as a second-year student, cannot be late to my classes,” he went on, his eyes on her. “Also, I am the son of Errol King... the founder of this academy. Hell, if I’ll be seen walking around campus with a hick who just hopped off the proverbial turnip truck.”

“Axel!!” I gasped.

“And you,” he said, looking straight at me and I could’ve sworn he recognized me. “You should know better to hang around such cheap trash.” He glared down at Layla’s luggage. “Just look at the hand-me-down ratty, pink suitcase. Damn, girl, did your old bitty of a grandma give you that?” he said with a mocking twang.

“You can’t talk to her like that,” I said, aghast at his behavior.

He smirked at me. “I can pretty much do what I want here. And if a hick in thrift shop heels thinks she’ll get me to show her around, she needs an education that this school is not equipped to provide. Damn, I can’t believe we’ve sunk so low as to allow someone like her into this establishment.” He shook his head and tsked. “We sure have let our standards fall, but I’ll see to it that that changes.”

Throughout the exchange Layla had remained silent, but a sidelong glance was enough to tell me that she was fuming. Her cheeks were red all the way to her ears and her big blue eyes were narrowed in fury.

“Come on, Layla,” I said as I grabbed her arm and tried to steer her away. “I think I can manage to show you around.”

She looked at me and forced a tight smile, but her eyes remained furious. Being the warm-hearted girl from Texas, I thought that she would take the high road and turn the other cheek.

But Layla broke from my hold, stormed up to Axel and slapped him across the face so hard, the sting of the slap could be heard by everyone within a hundred feet of us. Axel’s head whipped to the side under the force of the blow.

“Layla,” I whispered, stunned by her unexpected reaction. Then again, I didn’t really know the girl. She just seemed like a nice, reasonable girl. But to slap the son of the academy’s founder...

Axel brought his hand to his red cheek as he faced Layla once again. He quickly wiped away the surprise and pain of the blow, then pulled out a handkerchief to cleanse his cheek of her touch. “How dare you lay your filthy, grubby little hands on my clean shaven and expensively cologne cheek.”

Layla artfully ignored him, turned to me, and led me away.

“Don’t walk away from me, you piece of trash.”

But Layla didn’t falter. She walked on; her head held high.

“You’ll regret the day you stepped foot on this campus,” Axel shouted. “I’ll teach you where you belong... in some small-town community college, that’s where.”

Still, she walked on without missing a beat.

“I’ll make your life a living hell!” he went on.

We walked out and as the door closed behind us, we could still hear him shouting.

“Are you okay, Layla?” I said after a moment.

“I can’t believe I did that,” she muttered. “I’ve never hit anyone in my life. I don’t know what got into me.”

“Well, Axel did give you plenty of reasons to get upset. I don’t know what got into him.”

Layla stopped walking and looked down at her clothes and suitcase, then she looked at me. “Do I really look that bad?”

“Of course not,” I said.

“But I know we weren’t late,” she said. “Oh, maybe a minute or two, but... He was so... so mean and cruel and... He called me the worst things ever, and in front of so many people.”

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m sure everyone takes your side. He was clearly out of line talking to you that way.”

Again, she looked at her attire then at me. “That’s Chanel, isn’t it?”

“Well...”

“I may be a hick, but I know nice clothes when I see it.”

“Layla, that has nothing to do with...”

“Your outfit alone probably cost more than everything I have in this ratty old suitcase and then some.”

I bit my lip and looked at her. “Look, none of that is important. What counts is that we’re here, we’re at the must exclusive culinary school in the world and we’re going to show them what we’re made of. If you’re here, Layla, it’s obviously because you have talent.”

“Nice pep talk, Kat,” she said with a hint of a smile.

“Come on. You know I’m right.”

“Yeah... well...”She resumed walking.

As we walked on, I thought of Axel and his unexpected attitude. He’d always been difficult but this...

And how did I look in this scenario? I tried to brush off the entire incident, but it gnawed at me.

I’d always been a good student. Not only were my grades always exceptional, but I’d always been the nice girl in class. I was the model student that teachers praise. And now, my first day at the academy and I’d been singled out with my new friend... and for what? Tardiness?

It was such a load of bull.

I hope you have a good explanation for this Axel King.