Page 107 of Filthy Rich

“I need this experiment to go well,” I said. “It’s my only hope of getting an interview for a scholarship to Harvey.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “Harvard from a bunch of peas? Yeah, right.”

“You idiot,” I said. “HARVEY.” I scoff. “It’s a private school for smart kids, so definitely not you. You can’t even hear right.” I grabbed my bag. “I’m going to report you for this.”

“What happens to your experiment if you do?” the girl asked.

“Just let her do it, Bea. Who cares what the nerd says?” Jake shrugged. “It won’t be the first time I get in trouble.”

“You peed on her stuff,” Bea said. “That’s pretty bad. It’s also public exposure.” She spun around. “Even if this isn’t exactly public, it’s not private.”

“Right?” I pointed at him. “You’re cooked.”

But Bea wasn’t done. “You—why do you need a scholarship? Most of the parents around here would die to send their kids there.”

I frowned.

“Your parents can’t afford it?” She didn’t look like she was trying to be rude.

“I don’t have parents,” I muttered. “My mom died.”

Bea’s face softened. “A scholarship would be good, but. . .” She glanced at the peas. “What if I could offer you something better?”

I wasn’t sure what she was saying.

“The boys will apologize, and they’ll promise never to come here again, and never to pee anywhere but in the toilet.”

“Hey,” Jake says. “You’re not my?—”

“What was that, exactly?” Bea frowned. “I’m not what, exactly?” She dropped her hand on her hips, and a flare of jealousy surged up inside me.

This girl was everything I wasn’t.

She had a family.

She was brave.

She was unapologetic about her demands.

“Go,” she said. “And if you ever argue with me again I’ll tell everyone you’re perverts.”

To my shock, they ran.

She turned back to me. “Now, let’s talk about this scholarship.” She smirked. “As good as it would be, and maybe you can salvage. . .” She frowned. “Whatever experiment this is.”

“Maybe,” I said.

My one hope was that I could still use the three mostly unharmed rows of plants. I ran over and watered the ones Jake just hit, hoping to wash away any damage. Three sets of plants wouldn’t be as impressive, but it might do alright. “You’ll keep them away, and I keep my mouth shut?” She’s right that if I handed them in, I’d also have to out myself for using school property without permission. They might not do anything to me, but they’d definitely throw the plants away, ruining my whole project.

But she didn’t threaten me like I expected. “I have some people I’d like you to meet. How’d you feel about sitting next to me for lunch tomorrow?” Her smile was kind, one of the kindest things I’d seen.

“Alright,” I said. “I guess.”

And then, I did. She was right. Meeting Dave and Seren was way better than a scholarship in every single way. It changed my life forever.

All I had to do was keep my mouth shut about the funnels. In a way, what Jake and Killian did was the best thing that happened to me after my mom died.

The funnels made me a Fansee.