The Salvador Legacy

04 | Just Great!

I jolted upright, my heart racing as I tried to process Max's frantic words. Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I groaned, "Max, calm down! What time is it?"

Max shot me an exasperated look as she continued to flit around the room like a tornado. "It's already 8:30, Selena! We were supposed to be out of the house fifteen minutes ago!"

My mind raced to catch up with her. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and quickly raked my fingers through my tousled hair. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"I tried, I thought I'd have better luck waking up a hibernating bear."

I grimaced, feeling a pang of guilt for not setting an alarm. I jumped up, grabbed my clothes from the chair, and darted into the bathroom.

As I frantically brushed my teeth, Max's voice floated in through the open bathroom door. "Hurry up! I've already packed your bag and made some toast for you."

I rinsed my mouth, spat, and rushed out of the bathroom, hastily pulling on the clothes. "Thanks, Max. You're a lifesaver."

Max shot me a lopsided grin as she handed me a plate with a half-burnt piece of toast on it. "Don't mention it. Now eat up and let's get moving."

We both scarfed down our breakfast, grabbed our bags, and practically sprinted out of the house. As we locked the door behind us, I couldn't help but chuckle. "You know, Max, your morning energy could power a small city."

Max shot me a playful glare.

We reached the car and piled in, Max still radiating a mix of excitement and chaos. As we sped down the road.

Sitting in the car, the rush of wind and the hum of the engine couldn't drown out the whirlwind of thoughts spinning in my mind.

Max's chaotic energy seemed to infect my thoughts too, as I began to contemplate all the potential excuses I could conjure for being late to school and absent for a week.

Max parked the car, and we both got out, heading towards the school entrance.

The grand entrance of Beverly Hills High School still retained its aura of grandeur, but the freshly painted sign gave it a new gleam.

I strode confidently towards the entrance, Lost in my thoughts, I pushed the entrance doors, expecting them to swing open, only to realize they were automated. My face flushed with embarrassment as I stumbled through, earning a few smirks and chuckles from the students nearby.

Trying to shake off the awkward entrance, I walked through the bustling corridor filled with students at their lockers.

I felt like a fish out of water, with my disheveled appearance and borrowed clothes from Max. I could practically feel the curious gazes and whispers swirling around me.

My gray hoodie hung loosely around my frame, and the denim shorts I wore seemed to cling to me more than they should've, probably thanks to Max's smaller size.

I tugged at the hoodie self-consciously, trying to make it look less like I was drowning in it. I had barely managed to run my fingers through my hair, leaving it in a state of controlled chaos.

I finally reached my locker, and as I fumbled to retrieve my glasses, a sudden hush swept through the corridor like a wave.

Confused, I turned to Max, who was beside me, and she nudged me with a grin, urging me to turn around.

I followed her gaze, and my eyes widened as I saw what grabbed everyone's attention. The reason for the abrupt silence was standing right there.

My jaw practically dropped to the floor.

What is McDreamy doing here??

The realization hit me like a lightning bolt - he must be the new kid everyone had been buzzing about, including Max herself.

It all made sense now. His charming looks, his effortless confidence - no wonder he had garnered so much attention in such a short span of time.

As my eyes followed his path through the corridor, I couldn't help but overhear the hushed whispers from a group of girls nearby.

"Omg, that's Jameson Cartier"

"God, he looks..." The sentence was left unfinished, probably due to the sheer magnitude of his attractiveness.

"You're right he's a God."

The audacity of McDreamy's actions struck me like a slap in my face. The memory of his car nearly colliding with me was still fresh in my mind.

Dude, you might be a walking dream, but last time I checked, my dreams didn't involve a near-miss with a four-wheeled metal monster.

My eyes followed his retreating figure, a mix of disbelief and annoyance clouding my thoughts.

"Ugh," I muttered under my breath, Max shot me a sympathetic look, clearly understanding my frustration.

Ain't nobody got time for dealing with entitled jerks.

I marched straight to what looked like my Spanish class. Conveniently located right across from the school cafeteria, the aroma of freshly baked donuts had the power to make even the toughest of days seem a bit more bearable.

I positioned myself by the door of the classroom, which happened to be in the back of the corridor. My master plan was to waltz in unnoticed when he inevitably turned his attention to the blackboard, allowing me to sneak in like a ninja and claim my seat at the back of the room.

Finally, the golden moment arrived. I tiptoed into the classroom, trying to make my footsteps sound as dainty as a feather floating on a breeze, when-

"Hola, Ms. Estrada"

Busted!

It's like Mr. Gutierrez had eyes in the back of his head.

My heart pounded as I mentally prepared for whatever consequence my tardiness had in store. But then, like a twist in the plot, his expression softened, and he seemed to remember that I was the quintessential straight-A student.

With a raised eyebrow, he leaned in slightly and cleared his throat. "Ms. Estrada," he began, his tone a blend of mock sternness and genuine curiosity,

"You know, this is quite an unprecedented event. However, I might be willing to overlook this minor hiccup under one condition."

The suspense was killing me, but I braced myself for whatever condition he was about to lay down.

He continued, his lips curving into a sly smile, "I would love for you to assist our new student, James, with a few introductory classes. You know, help him get acquainted with the ropes."

My eyes followed the direction of his nod, and there, seated on the last bench of the first row, was the guy named James. It hit me like a ton of bricks - his name was awfully familiar.

I turned my head to the right and met his gaze, only to find myself locked in a moment of surprise.

Blue eyes, messy ash-brown hair, and a smirk that could rival any teenage heartthrob's - he was the infamous McDreamy from earlier.

My heart raced, not entirely due to his good looks but because I realized I was trapped in a situation that seemed straight out of a teen drama.

And to add a cherry on top of the awkwardness sundae, the entire class of girls looked like they were about to burst from sheer jealousy.

Just great, now I was officially tangled up in the McDreamy web of chaos.

[A/N]

McDreamy's now at school!! More chaos awaiting for y'all in the next chapter. Don't be shy, leave a comment. I would love to hear from you!