Disguised As A Boy To Attend Belmont High School
Chapter 104: New Term, New System.

Chapter 104: New Term, New System.

Olive could only let out a light chuckle as Lara’s mouth hung open in shock, unable to process everything happening before her. The moment she stepped into the scholarship students’ cafeteria with Olive by her side, she was taken aback.

"Hey! Come on!" Henry’s voice cut through Lara’s thoughts. Excitedly, Olive waved at him and dragged Lara along to Henry’s table, where they both took a seat.

"I literally thought you guys were skipping breakfast," Henry said as soon as they sat down. "You should grab some food before it runs out. Once it’s gone, that’s it until lunchtime."

"I’m not interested in eating anymore," Lara replied, stopping Olive as she began to stand up to order food. "I’ve lost my appetite."

"Why? Didn’t you come here because you were hungry? I mean, I wasn’t hungry, but I came here because of you," Olive said, her expression puzzled.

"I’m just not interested in eating," Lara sighed, frustration evident in her voice. "But seriously, I can’t believe Belmont has turned out like this. How do you and Henry cope?"

"Oh, I see. That’s what’s bothering you," Henry said, his mouth full of salad. "But you should try to get used to it as soon as possible. Besides, you’re Mark’s girlfriend. You’ve got nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about? Or now I have something to worry about," Lara shot back, her face red with anger as she stared at her phone. "I mean, I don’t see Mark in class or even in the cafeteria. When are we ever going to see each other?"

"Your phone," Henry said with a chuckle.

"Huh?"

"You’ve got a phone, right? You can chat with him. Besides, you’ll see each other around campus. He might even skip lunch sometimes to see you," Henry said, his tone more serious, which only seemed to frustrate Lara further. She face-palmed but didn’t reply. "Just don’t get on the bad side of the rich kids. That’s the only way you could end up in trouble."

"They better not get on my bad side either," Lara replied, folding her arms over her chest as she rolled her eyes at Henry. "You guys might have gone soft, but I’m not."

"Who said we’re soft? We’re just avoiding trouble. Why waste our energy on those spoiled brats?" Henry laughed. "Besides, I want to try to get along with the girls this term. Maybe I can get a rich girl to fall for me."

Lara and Olive exchanged disdainful looks before bursting into laughter.

"What rich girl would fall for you?" Lara asked with a smirk. "She’d have to be really foolish to fall for someone like you."

"Stop playing, girl. I’m a catch," Henry replied, lowering his voice to a whisper. "From what I noticed last semester before vacation, those girls love guys with big... you know. Guys who can satisfy their... needs. Do you think I went to Aiden’s house just for fun? I made inquiries about the girls and their families. Peace, Rachael, Anna...they’re all resuming today, along with others I didn’t mention. They’re hot commodities, and I want to make sure at least one falls for me."

"Oh, I see...so you want to become a sex worker?" Lara exclaimed, raising her eyebrows in shock. "I thought going to Aiden’s house was for studying and hanging out. I didn’t know you were studying the girls."

"Don’t use that term, ’sex worker,’ please," Henry said, dismissing the label with a wave of his hand. "Fine, I’ll sleep with them for money. I’ll enjoy myself and fill my pockets at the same time. No love involved."

"I always saw you as that innocent guy. I never knew you were like this," Olive said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"We all change. I never knew you could become this soft either," Henry replied almost immediately, rolling his eyes away, leaving Olive speechless. "You said you only changed because you wanted to focus on your studies. I’ve changed too, for the girls, for the money. It’s a new term, a new system for me."

"Those rich kids wouldn’t even be proud to show you off. You’d only be their sex toy," Lara said, her tone full of disdain. "But it’s your choice, none of my business."

"Exactly! It’s none of your business," Henry confirmed.

"Anyway, since you’re no longer interested in eating, we might as well head to class. There are some classes the 3RM have to attend with other paid students as well as scholarship students," Olive said as she stood up, grabbed her bag, and waited for Lara and Henry to follow.

As they walked to the classroom, Lara couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast between the scholarship students’ cafeteria and the rest of the school.

"So, only the paid and scholarship students’ cafeterias are different?" Lara asked Olive, trying to shake off the lingering frustration from their earlier conversation. "Other parts of the school are shared, right?"

"Well, yes. Apart from history class, which is taught separately, other subjects are taught by the same teachers, so the 3RM, other paid students, and scholarship students attend classes together. There’s no separation," Olive explained, her gaze fixed ahead as they walked. "Just remember to keep a low profile and avoid any confrontations."

"The scholarship cafeteria was only introduced when Anabella first arrived at this school. I’m sure Lucas’s mother agreed to separate the paid and scholarship students’ cafeterias after Anabella pleaded that she might get sick if she ate in the same cafeteria with us. She said we’re already adapted to diseases, that we’re poor and dirty, but she’s from a rich home and can’t afford getting an infection from eating with us," Henry chimed in with a heavy sigh.

"So she won’t get an infection while she shares the same class with scholarship students?" Lara asked, raising her eyebrows in disbelief.

"Well, she wears a face mask whenever she comes to class. Perfume for odor, gloves, disinfectant for her hands," Henry explained further. "She just doesn’t want to have anything to do with us. It’s as if we’re a pandemic to her."

"This is madness. She should be taken to a psychiatrist before her illness gets out of hand," Lara exclaimed, her voice laced with seriousness, prompting Olive and Henry to burst into laughter.

As they approached the classroom, Lara could feel the tension building inside her. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what lay ahead. Henry opened the door, and they stepped inside.

Upon entering, Lara’s eyes scanned the room, taking in the sea of unfamiliar faces. The paid students sat in clusters, chatting and laughing among themselves, while the scholarship students kept to themselves, looking like outsiders.

"We’ve got new students already," Henry murmured under his breath with a smirk. "Interesting."

Mr. James, the English teacher, was already in the classroom, ready to begin.

"Hurry up and find yourselves a seat. Your history teacher said he won’t be teaching you after the 3RM today; he has something urgent to attend to. But he’ll be teaching you another time," Mr. James said, while Olive, Lara, and Henry nodded in acknowledgment.

"Let’s grab a seat," Henry whispered, nudging Lara toward an empty desk near the back.

As they sat down, Lara couldn’t help but feel like an outcast, stuck between two worlds that seemed to be colliding.

Lucas, Mark, Aiden, and Anabella soon entered the room, their presence sending waves of unease through the scholarship students.

Lucas quickly settled beside Mark, and Aiden joined Henry.

Anabella then walked over to Lara, who was sitting beside Olive. "I want to sit there today. Stand up!" she demanded, her voice edged with authority.