Chapter 4 The Ploy

Maria stiffened as she heard someone call out her name.

Nobody knew her by that name.

She had been at St. Jude high school for a few months now and she had successfully managed to keep a low profile despite her brother's flamboyant attitude. People knew her as Goretti because of who her father was.

She had always hated that.

She had always preferred being called Maria but no one knew her by that name and no one really cared to ask.

A large hand slumped over her small frame broke her out of her train of thought.

She frowned as she looked up ready to let out a load of expletives but the words died in her throat.

God, he was beautiful.

His smile was etched perfectly on his bronzed face, his hair cascaded down his face partially shielding his black orbs.

The stubble on both sides of his face gave him a rakish look. Her alarm bells rang out loud in her head, telling her to steer clear of the incoming tsunami she was about to hit head-on but her feet refused to move.

Never before had she been so smitten by a boy.

"Who are you?" She cleared her throat.

She bit back a smile as he feigned a dramatic gasp.

"You mean you don't know me?"

"Nope." She said, popping the p.

"And to be honest, I really don't care."

I watched her for a few seconds before bursting out into laughter.

Nobody had told me she was feisty and drop-dead gorgeous as a matter of fact.

The picture on my phone didn't do her justice.

She had a lively face, a full sensuous mouth with plump cherry lips, sparkling eyes that could change from a soft moss green color to dark jade in moments, depending on her mood.

Her skin was the perfect shade of caramel, accentuated by her petite figure.

Getting her to like me would be nearly impossible but I lived for challenges.

She shook my hand off her shoulder as she stared at me with a bored expression on her face.

"Let me introduce myself properly. I am Zimife Zorander. Everyone calls me Z."

I took her dainty hand into mine and kissed it, holding back my smile as she blushed.

"And you're going to be my tutor for the whole term. I thought it would be polite to pre-inform you before principal Adams did."

She opened her mouth to protest, but I held up a finger to silence her.

"He said it would look good on your scholarship application, you know, help you get more recognition and in return, I get good grades. A win for the both of us."

I put on my best smile watching her nose wrinkle as she bit her fingernails.

"So what do you say, Maria?"

"I'll have to talk to principal Adams during the break."

"Sure. He will give you the timetable as well."

I stepped aside as she walked past me, her hips swaying gently as she strode into the hallway.

I checked my watch and broke out into a little run.

I had to get principal Adams to let Maria Goretti tutor me for the rest of the term before she confronted him on the matter. I was pretty sure he would have no choice but to go along with my plan.

It was quite outrageous, but I was very good at convincing people, everybody loved a pretty face but above all, I was the governor's son.

Nobody could say no to me.