The Heiress Club

Chapter 26: There, and Then Not

Es woke up to the sound of her alarm going off for the fourth time. She groaned, rolling over and smacking her phone. Was that the last alarm? Maybe she should get up now.

Blearily, she sat up, checking the time on her phone. It was 7:30. High time to get started with the day.

She put on her uniform half-asleep. It was always terrible waking up on Monday once the weekend was over. She had flown down to Spain that weekend and the flight hadn't gotten back until late at night. Plus, she was never a morning person in the first place. That was something left for her sisters to do. She had always been the last one to wake up back home.

"Good morning," Es said, tugging on her blazer as she walked into the common room.

Noelise didn't say anything, just side-eyeing her. She was wearing these chunky black platform boots with at least a hundred buckles. Es gave an awkward smile. She always needed Valentina to mediate between her and Noelise. They just didn't get along.

"Where's Valentina?" Es asked.

Noelise just shrugged.

Okay. Very friendly.

She was probably at breakfast already. Sometimes she did that, if she woke up earlier than Es. Es hated mornings but most of the time, she had to drag herself out of bed to practise tennis or golf or go on runs.

When Es got to breakfast, Valentina wasn't there either. Maybe she'd already gone to class. Es was late to class herself, having to scramble after waiting in a long line for coffee.

Valentina wasn't in Es's philosophy class, which was strange. Neither was she at lunch. Valentina generally didn't skip classes, even if they didn't do much to boost her terrible grades. "Have you seen Valentina?" Es asked Seung-jun.

Seung-jun looked at her strangely. "I was just about to ask you that. She wasn't in theatre."

"You two haven't seen Valentina?"

Es turned in sync with Seung-jun to look at Jasper. He was handsome—Es would give him that—but he was meaner than she'd like. She never knew how he ended up with Valentina. She had thought Valentina hated him. Honestly though, the only person who ever knew what Valentina was thinking was Valentina herself.

"You haven't seen her either?" Seung-jun asked.

Es watched as all the blood seemed to drain out of Jasper's face. He went pale as a ghost. Without any other words, he spun on his heel and left the lunch table, heading for the cafeteria exit with long strides.

"What's up with him?" Es commented, looking at Jasper's receding figure curiously.

꧁꧂

"Have you seen Valentina?" Jasper asked Noelise, falling in step with her as she headed towards the library.

Noelise looked at Jasper strangely. He was the kind of asshole she hated. Rich and privileged and completely unaware of all that. Noelise at least had the decency to feel bad about being rich. "Why do you want to know?" she asked, immediately on guard.

"I haven't seen her at all. Nobody has."

Honestly, Jasper didn't look the best today. He kept tapping his finger against his leg, fidgeting with nervous energy. Noelise could see some kind of peculiar light in his blue eyes. Was it fear?

"Well I haven't seen her either," Noelise retorted. "Shouldn't you know where she is at all times? Aren't you guys a thing?"

She heard Jasper mutter a curse word under his breath. Quickening his steps, Jasper outpaced her easily and hurried into the distance. Noelise frowned. Like it was any of her business where Valentina was. Boys should learn to mind their own business.