Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Nico’s study table was suspiciously neat: textbooks stacked, notes arranged by subject, an interactive tablet powered on and waiting. It looked more like a catalogue spread than a teenager’s desk. Bea silently credited his mother.
Technically, it was winter break. They shouldn’t even be here. But Nico’s grades had finally started climbing, and his parents weren’t about to let him lose momentum.
Across the table, Nico leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, wearing a smirk so self-satisfied it practically deserved detention on its own. He looked like he’d already won whatever argument they hadn’t even started yet.
“I just think,” he voiced, “this whole school thing is a little unnecessary. You know, in the grand scheme of things.”
“Oh?” Bea tested, eyebrow quirked. “And what grand scheme would that be?”
Nico stretched his legs out beneath the table, his smirk deepening. “El Jefe says all the important people in the world hire people to think for them.”
Bea blinked. “You’re sixteen. You’re not a millionaire yet.”
Nico’s smirk faltered, just for a second, before he recovered. “Yet.”
She exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. “And what exactly do you plan on doing until your first mil rolls in? Just vibe?”
“That was kind of the plan.”
Bea gave him a withering look. “Does El Jefe also think tutoring is a waste of time?”
Nico shrugged, completely unfazed. “Not a waste. Just…optional.”
“Pfft. Sounds like a convenient excuse to be lazy.”
“It’s called strategy, Bea.”
“It’s called not doing your homework, Nico.”
He groaned, slumping theatrically.
Ignoring him, she tapped the open textbook. “You’re going to study. And you’re going to do it without whining, because the only thing worse than a spoiled rich kid is a spoiled rich kid who brags about not working.”
Nico dragged a hand down his face. “Ugh. Fine. But I want it on record that I’m doing this under extreme duress.”
“Excellent. I’ll add it to your long list of heroic sacrifices.”
He flipped open his notebook, muttering, “El Jefe is going to hear about this oppression.”
“I’m shaking.”
Nico grumbled something unintelligible, but the glint of amusement in his eyes gave him away.
Bea shook her head and grinned to herself as he finally got to work.