I Am The Queen

She wanted to get out of the place, but it had only been five minutes since the game had started. She couldn"t actually write a reaction paper without knowing what would happen at the end.

Evangeline sighed.

It will be much easier if I have someone to do my school things for me now that Daniel is out of the picture.

Like an answered prayer, a lean boy about six feet tall with messy dark hair and thick-rimmed eyegla.s.ses sat beside her.

The students watched with wide eyes as they gaped at Eric who nonchalantly put down his tattered backpack on the chair beside Evangeline and casually sat on the empty chair beside his bag.

Evangeline didn"t hide her amus.e.m.e.nt when the old smelly tattered backpack stumbled her view, slumping on the seat next to hers.

She raised her pretty purple eyes at that man with thick-rimmed eyegla.s.ses who was oblivious to his surroundings as he continued to scribbled on his notes.

Evangeline had a lingering interest on Eric ever since his silver eyes enamored her. His eyes weren"t noticeable at first glance due to that messy thick hair almost covering his sight and that thick-rimmed eyegla.s.s hiding his silver irises. One had to stare intently into his eyes to noticed that deep hypnotizing silver ores that glowed like the moon yet sparkled like diamonds.

But who would want to stare at a geek? A poor part-timer n.o.body?

None.

Evangeline ran her eyes on Eric"s body.

Simple black trousers and old leather shoes. White polo shirt underneath a black crosshatch V-neck sweatshirt.

Evangeline"s lips curved into a smile.

For a nerd, he has good taste.

Then her light purple eyes turned a shade darker almost violet as she roamed on Eric"s face, trying to pry at those silver orbs only to twitched her perfectly shape brows when she saw Eric"s busted lip and bruises on his right cheek.

Eric felt that someone was watching him. He glanced at the woman beside him while the latter was not one bit ashamed nor embarra.s.sed that she was caught staring. Instead, she smiled even more.

Eric didn"t know why Evangeline kept on staring at him.

"….."

"….."

"Yes?"

Eric finally asked after a moment of just staring at each other.

"You, my good gentlemen, have a mesmerizing pair of eyes." Evangeline gave out a smile but not quite a smile.

"....."

"....."

Eric was taken aback. He didn"t expect that Evangeline would complement his eyes.

"Err.... Thank you?"

"Eric, right? What are you writing, Eric?"

Eric, once more, was caught off guard when the Evangeline Heart was striking a conversation with him.

"Reaction paper."

Evangeline smile grew wider. Then she straightened her back and crossed her fingers on top of her lap while looking at Eric straight in the eyes.

"Tell you what, Eric. As an acknowledgment of your achievement at school, I"ll give you the honor of writing my reaction paper for me."

"....."

"....."

Eric blinked and continued to stare at Evangeline with an unreadable face while Evangeline continued to smile at him with face held high.

After a moment, Eric broke the silence and asked.

"How much?"

Evangeline smile grew wider.

The nerdy, geeky man p.r.i.c.ked her interest.

Even though Eric was poor and was always oppressed, yet the way he carried himself with straight iron back confidence and that unwavering deep husky voice especially talking to a woman like her – was amusing.

Little did she know that Eric"s character and personality would have a long-lasting impression on her more than she would ever know.

"A hundred dollar per page."

Evangeline smugly smiled, purposely letting Eric knew how rich and how rewarding it was to serve her.

Instead, Eric just blinked and gave out a nod without even smiling.

"Alright."

Then Eric resumed watching the game, no longer interested at the conversation while Evangeline"s long lashes flickered many times in incredulity.

Evangeline felt uncomfortable and oddly… she felt displeased for the first time that a guy brushed her off just like that.

A nerd.

A n.o.body.

Evangeline controlled herself. She reached for her expensive designer bag and handed a card to Eric.

"My email and contact number. I hope you can send the paper by tonight. Let"s say…. around seven?" Evangeline softly said while secretly smirking.

The reaction paper could be pa.s.sed when the interschool games was over which was a week from now, but she wanted to make it harder for Eric. Wanting him to waver and admit to her that he couldn"t do it.

After all, the reaction paper was no less than four thousand words, and by the time that the game was finished, the sun was probably set.

But Eric just glanced at her and grabbed the card, then he nodded and resumed to quietly watched the game.

Again, Evangeline secretly frowned.

This n.o.body sure has guts to brush me off – twice!

Calm yourself, Evangeline! You need this guy to do all your school work for you from now on. Nothing is wrong in giving rewards and leniency to deserving servants.

Evangeline slowly regained her composure. She clasped her hands before grasping her bag as she stood up.

"Splendid!"

Was all she said and stormed out of the stadium.

Evangeline hurriedly went out and didn"t notice Eric"s lips forming into a small smile, then he quickly went back to his regular unreadable stoic face.

----?----

Heavens" Tower, at precisely seven in the evening.

Evangeline smirked when she checked her e-mail and saw the Eric already sent her reaction paper. She downloaded the content and gave the man a clap for a job well done.

It was a twenty-page composition, and Eric exceeded her expectations.

Evangeline softly laughed as she stroked Spring"s chubby little chin.

"Looks like I have found a convenient p.a.w.n."

She immediately emailed Eric.

[A job well done, Eric. Well of course, coming from our department"s number one scholar, I expect no less. I have your money ready. Where will I deposit it?]

.....

.....

Evangeline raised an eyebrow when after a while, Eric still hadn"t replied.

She sighed and closed her laptop.

No worries, he has my number, he"ll call me.

Evangeline smirked once more, entertaining the thought that Eric wanted something else as payment or that he wanted to meet up so she could personally hand the money as an excuse to see her.

Same strategy as the men who wanted to date her.

Evangeline"s wild thoughts continued to fantasize the longer that Eric didn"t reply.

Eric probably is playing hard to get.

Evangeline didn"t even know that she was oddly getting obsessed at knowing what Eric"s response was that she continually stayed up until night.

And then finally, sleep consumed her, a small smile playing on her lips.

----?----

Meanwhile, at the construction site of a new shopping mall and residential building, Eric was working hard doing heavy lifting and a.s.sembly.

After he was done typing Evangeline"s reaction paper, he immediately sent it to her e-mail and paid the internet shop since he didn"t have the time to go home for his laptop because of his night job that was about to start. And since he didn"t have a cell phone, he didn"t bother to inform her.

After that, he stormed off to his night shift.

Eric had taken advantage of the whole one week break to work contractual jobs so he could earn more money.

So I can finally return to my own country.