09 I collide

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Chapter 9

I couldn't believe I was doing this. Four years of my life were going to be subjected to this awful proposition.

It wasn't just the thought of going to college that made me feel uneasy, it was the place I was going to. Arcadia wasn't just any university, it was a university specially designed for the heirs and heiresses of the top one percent of the world. And, putting up with pretentious bitches and snobby rich assholes wasn't exactly my scene.

It had been founded and funded by the richest families of the world to train their children to handle their family businesses in the most proficient way. Life at Arcadia was quite different from other universities, we had to concentrate more on active simulation activities than assignments and research. Despite being the perfect place for dirty scandals, no news of what happened in Arcadia reached the public. It was inaccessible and heavily secured the exclusive secrets that could taint the reputation of the elite, future generation.

While we were in Arcadia, the world outside ceased to exist for us and vice versa. Obviously, we could go home during breaks and excuse ourselves from this place if needed. But matters such as undertaking new business ventures, attending charity galas and enjoying activities outside this place were prohibited, while we were here.

Half of the town of Woodbury was occupied by the freshman campus, and it had everything you'd need, enclosed within its walls: libraries, sports complexes, malls, restaurants, spa, bars, and clubs. Arcadia had one campus for each undergraduate year in adjacent towns, with an equally competitive lifestyle.

Well, one couldn't really complain, considering it provided us with everything we would probably desire for. From sailing on our private yachts and making excursions to the Arcadia's Ski Lodge to attending auctions or art exhibits, from enjoying wine collections to throwing wild parties in our apartments, from traveling around the world to hosting horrid luncheons and ballroom dances. An everyday scenario of our vain entitled life.

I'd rather spend my free time painting and reading books in my room or lounging in my beach-house in Malibu. Shocker, I know.

The good part about being here was that fewer people cared about who you were, or so I thought. Plus, I had Alexis with me, and as long as I had her, I could survive. I was glad that she had taken a gap year, because it gave me the chance to be by her side right now. We were both majoring in Business while I would minor in Hotel Management and Architecture, Alexis would minor in Politics and Real Estate. 

The apartment complex was huge, and its architecture was oddly fascinating. It was extremely modernized from within, yet the outside structure was a romantic interpretation of Gothic ideals, with terra-cotta gargoyles and flying buttresses. It resembled a Victorian-era palace.

"I'm so happy right now, nothing can ruin it," Alexis said with a bright dimpled smile and sprawled on the couch in our living room. We had just finished settling our apartment, and Alexis was exhilarated at the idea of being away from home. It had been a while since her house could be considered as a happy place for her.

While her mother had suffered from cancer, her father indulged in an affair with her now stepmother. Not long after her mother's death, her father had married Nicole, who had used evil tactics to create a wedge between them, so that she could take away Alexis' inheritance. That was the reason she was never home, she was tired of mending a relationship with a man who couldn't believe in her and accept her love.

That was the moment Jace chose to enter the room with a box in his hands. His eyes moved towards Alexis, and a small smile took over his face.

"Guess, I spoke too soon," Alexis muttered under her breath. Jace rolled his eyes and placed the box on the table before us. In the past month, Jace and Alexis had hardly made any progress. He had tried appeasing her with grand gestures at which she had always scoffed and walked away. He wasn't willing to share the real reasons behind his departure, and she wasn't willing to let her anger go. Rightfully so.

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