Hello everyone, you might know me from my previous story "Stop that Hacker" or even some of my other stories.  If you are new, welcome! You're part of the besties circle now haha.

Enjoy reading darlings 💖

Aleksei was leaning over the school's rail, barely hanging on, and was considering jumping, not because he had any issues with life but because his crush Tai was being hit on by yet another student and he needed to get downstairs, pronto.

This would be a great time to have a blowgun and poison dart to shoot straight into the student's neck before he got any more ideas to hit on his Tai.

Luckily, before Aleksei made that leap the student thanked her for something and then left the premises. It seems he would live to see another day.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Aleksei leaned more comfortably on the rail. She was as beautiful as heiresses came. Long dark curly hair, a beautiful smile, and a perfect posture that was obvious as she walked with grace down the halls.

Her clothes always pronounced her figure and anything she ever wore was burned into his brain for later use in his imagination. She certainly knew what she was doing with those skirts. There were many beautiful girls in the school, but there was no one like his Tai.

As he headed further down the hall for recess one of his classmates stopped him.

"Aleksei do you have a moment please?"

He turned towards Nina, the polite Swedish girl, who always secretly glanced at him during class. She was making her advances, every day a bit more intense than the previous one. Never fully rejecting the girl, Aleksei decided to toy with her a bit. He gave her a gun-stripping smile.

She nervously played with the sparkling heart ring on her hand. "I wanted to talk to you about something.."

"What?" He touched her chin playfully.

Nina faced him, her eyes glued on his lips, feeling a bit feverish from his touch. "If you need to copy anything for class. I can help you out. Any day. Any time Just tell me. "

He leaned closer, smirking. "And what will you want in return?"

"Nothing I.." She stuttered. "I didn't have that sort of um..intention." Her look said completely another thing.

"What happens if you ask me to pay with my body later?" He said smoothly and her eyes widened from the shock.

She immediately laughed, giving him a wink. "I won't. I promise."

He caressed her head gently. "I'm just kidding. Thank you for offering help."

She gave him a wide grin and melted into a puddle of embarrassment watching him place his hands back into his pockets and head outside.

Talking to everyone else was so effortless for Aleksei. When he was calm it was so easy to play with people however he wanted. The more he understood the psychology behind their behavior, the more he wanted to play around with it, manipulate people and have fun at their expense.

It had just become a part of who he was. Teasing was fun and he never quite felt bad about it because he was simply irredeemable. He came to terms with the undeniable consequences of his personality very young, so why fight it.

He never considered himself to be a romantic, nor he cared for others' feelings, in particular, so he always wondered what sort of payback his karma would come in. Turned out it was the worst sort of punishment he could have gotten.

He was doomed the moment he fell for Tai.

Thinking of talking to Tai was an anxiety attack on its own. He'd screw it up in a second, for sure. He had a feeling that if he would open his mouth in front of her she would be able to see the sort of person he was. She would be disgusted, mortified, and leave without giving him a chance.

Yet he knew if he would be given a chance, he'd treat her like women dreamed of being treated. He would be her greatest lover, someone she could lean on, he'd protect her and give her his heart. He even imagined a million scenarios in which she would approach him first.

But she barely noticed him. He had himself to blame for that as well. He kept a stoic expression on when she was around, made sure she never caught him looking at her because then she would obviously know he liked her and that would be detrimental unless it went according to a previously constructed plan. Which he never dared to make.

Pathetic as it was, he had decided to just like her from afar and keep his little obsession to himself. It hurt no one, except the students who made moves on her. Only sometimes.

But the future nevertheless, looked bleak.

Once outside the school halls, he laid down on the short, cut grass, looking at the cloudless blue sky. It was a beautiful day in May.

He inhaled the fresh air as the breeze softly ruffled his hair. It was his last year in high school and he was nearing the end of fun and freedom.

When his brother shipped him off to Switzerland's best elite private school two years ago, Aleksei had very little hope he'd like it. He was angry, bitter, and revengeful. But it turned out it was the escape he needed. He met his two closest friends and they started their business.

Though after graduation, he would have to face reality and he doubted he could continue his business. But fair enough he wasn't going to just succumb to his circumstances, He could always move to more adult games once he was out of high school.

Lev, one of his best friends laid down on the grass next to him taking a smoke out of his cigarette.

"If they catch you, you'll get in trouble." Aleksei glanced at Lev with a smirk. "Or are you looking to get detention for some vacation days?"

"I'll get a vacation when I'm dead. You know I hate feeling bored." Lev took another hit exhaling the smoke through his nose. "And I have my ways of not getting caught."

"I knew it since you managed to get us out of trouble after I got a tattoo and you and Zakhar dyed your hair."

Lev nodded. "I told you. I will always make sure we're safe despite the risky shit we do."

Aleksei smirked. Lev was their best support including his computer-savvy skills and great connections. Zakhar on the other hand was their group leader. He called all the shots. Aleksei and Lev had no problem with it since Zakhar was the one who got them into the business and had given them assignments, a goal, and a respectable reputation in the school.

For Lev who had no goal in life, only played around, and was bored out of his mind, Zakhar knew how to motivate him and put him to work. For Aleksei who hated his own twisted personality, Zakhar made it his most useful trait. And so they created their little business that's been earning them independent money aside from their trust funds. Zakhar's marketing strategy was simple. He used his previously terrifying reputation earned from his great fighting skills and kept their business underground. That way they only dealt with people who meant business.

Considering how dangerous Zakhar was before meeting his girlfriend Arya who turned his life around, Lev and Aleksei had nothing but respect for him. Even though they knew Zakhar's secret that they wished they didn't.

"So where is Zakhar?" Aleksei asked.

Lev turned towards him with the palest face like he remembered something he shouldn't. "You don't want to know."

***

The chaos raged on, in the third villa on the north side of campus as the never-ending drama in the household included Tai and her three roommates Hada, Diana and Mei.

"Those were my favorite slippers, Hada."

Diana ran after the murderer and almost slipped down the stairs trying to catch her.

"I was only going to wear them for a bit. I said I'm sorry." Hada yelled out breathlessly. She never meant to rip them, but she had slipped on the bathroom floor since someone forgot to wipe the floor and ended up ripping the left slipper.

"I'm going to kill you." Diana had a mission.

Hada expertly glided on the living room floor gaining speed.

She accidentally nudged Mei who was on the ground, earphones in, humming to her favorite songs and doing her meditation.

"Aaaaa. What the hell!?" Mei tugged her earphones out.

Tai was trying her best to ignore them while making her cookies on the counter. She had spent all morning thinking about these cookies and the peace they were going to bring to this household. It was important as she was the peacemaker in the house on more than one or two occasions. It started from purely selfish reasons as she couldn't get through one episode of her favorite show without them wrecking the villa apart. But throughout the year it had become a challenge, a mission of a sort to find a new way to calm them down.

It was a new way of philanthropy. A way of the 21st century.

Now they were in the kitchen and Hada grabbed Tai's shoulders, to hide behind her. The wind she brought in with her, was enough to make the flour fly off the table all over Tai and her flower apron.

"Heeeeeeey," Tai complained. Not cool.

Diana was trying to get closer and to stop her, Hada dipped her hand into the cookie dough, grabbed some, and threw it at Diana.

To Diana's fortune, she missed.

Tai's painful scream turned silent mid-way at the utmost horror of someone putting their fingers inside the perfect dough that she's been working on.

She grabbed the rolling pin ready to attack whoever came close. "Back you monsters." She waved the rolling pin and Diana and Hada jumped back not to get stricken.

Diana extended her hand to grab more of the dough but Tai extended her arm with the rolling pin. "Don't you dare!"

After they calmed down Tai placed the rolling pin down and took a deep breath. "Enough is enough. How can you do that to my unbaked cookies?"

The girls were quiet and owned up to their mistakes, with guilt on their faces. Tai had been the household leader and the girls respected her since day one when she made Hada cry. Not because she was some terrifying girl, but because Tai had a way with people. Tai could start a lighthearted conversation and next thing she knew the other person was telling her their deepest secrets, traumas, or having a long deep conversation. She always managed to make the most carefree person have a serious conversation and reflect on their whole life.

Tai hated this about herself. It was useful, it always gained her respect, but she could seldom have a fun lighthearted conversation without turning it into a therapy session. In fact, it bothered her most when she somehow managed to bring this talent on a date. Sadly.

But her mother had told her it was like a gift and a curse depending on the way she nurtured her talent. Today, fortunately it turned out to be useful.

"I'm so sorry Tai. I didn't mean it." Hada frowned.

"They were going to be my best cookies yet." Tai mourned over her cookies.

Diana nodded. "I'm sorry Tai, but I'm in pain too. Because someone ripped my favorite slippers after borrowing them without asking."

"I will buy you new ones. I promise." Hada took a step back keeping a safe distance.

"You promise?" Diana asked.

"I swear." Hada was serious.

"And you?" Tai turned towards Diana. "No more yelling and chasing?"

"I swear it on my trust fund." Diana smiled, letting go of the grudge.

Tai smiled to herself. Another victory.

The girls including her had been living together in the third villa, on the north side of campus for the last year of high school. It was their first year being roommates but they had quickly become friends.

The elite private school offered private accommodations to all students. Four students each in a villa with few exceptions, but most were split into four, separating the girls and the boys. Some could choose to be roommates with their closest friends in the school, but none of the girls in this villa decided to use that option. It was just more fun to network this way.

Hada was an African princess, Diana was the oldest daughter of two of the most world-famous philanthropists in the world and Mei was a daughter of a multimillion hotel-chain family company in China.

Tai came from two different working parents. Her mother was a self-made woman that ran a little witch shop for over twenty years and Tai's father came from old money in Italy, an heir to one of the largest automotive engineering companies that he took to another level with his visionary mind. Tai had never seen two more different people love each other so deeply.

She had taken a bit of both her parents and while growing up her home always was filled with love and warmth. It was a safe little haven, a bubble of protection that Tai realized would be her downfall if she didn't take a step into the real world. So with a heavy heart, she had decided to go to a boarding school and test herself and her limits, away from her family.

It had not been easy for her, and despite her earlier year's struggles, she was sad to see her high school life almost over.

Suddenly someone knocked on the door.

"I'll get it." Hada was quick on her feet, sliding to the door, excited to see who it could be. Everyone was usually studying at this time of day so she was curious to see who had shown up out of the blue.

The moment she opened the door, her eyes widened at the sight.

The handsome green-eyed guy she knew as Nikita was anxiously tapping his foot on their doorstep with a worried look on his face. He was Tai's closest friend.

"Taaaaaaaai" Hada yelled after her excited and she pulled Nikita inside, closing the door behind him.

Hada was glancing up and down at him like a lioness ready to pounce on her prey. Nikita was one of the most handsome guys in the school.

Tai instantly rushed over, tossing her apron aside and dusting off her hands from the flour.

"Oh, this is a surprise."

Before she knew it, Nikita hugged her and squeezed her tight. "I need your help."

Tai hugged him back trying to think what on earth could have caused this reaction. Nikita wasn't the emotional type. Rather reactions like these were rare.

The girls gathered around completely confused by this drama on a quiet Sunday afternoon.

They seated Nikita on the little blue couch in the living room and Diana brought him a glass of water.

Hada whispered to Tai. "Hey, has there been some progress between you and Nikita?"

"Huh?" Tai narrowed her eyes.

"Childhood friends gone lovers." She nudged her with her shoulder.

Tai sighed. "You got it wrong."

Hada pouted. "Girl you're missing out on the best guy out there. He is friendly, polite and so damn good-looking."

Tai pressed her lips together. "Emm..." Maybe it was better to change the topic. She sat down next to Nikita.

Nikita and her had both come from the same city in Italy. Their parents were friends which meant Tai had known and cherished him as a friend ever since she could remember. The slightly sarcastic, bit strict but always cheerful guy she knew, did not show up like this without a big reason.

"What happened?" Tai asked.

Nikita hesitated for a second in front of the girls before dropping the dreadful news. He couldn't keep it to himself any longer. The pressure was excruciating.

"I'm being blackmailed."