An Admission of Ambition: A Sexy New Adult College Romance (Chronicles of Chambrun Academy Book 1)

by Olivia Quint

  “Who do you think you are, anyway?” she asked me in return, through bared teeth.

  I couldn’t help but grin back at her. It felt so strange meeting someone who didn’t already know who I was. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m genuinely a bit surprised you don’t know who I am…”

  “Oh, you’re so full of yourself, that much I do know!” she grunted in my face.

  “No, no, it’s just that everyone always seems to know who I am before I’ve even met them!” I explained in a calming tone, hoping to pacify her.

  “Then I’m afraid you’re just dead wrong this time. You can be a bloody prince for all I care…” And having said that, she simply walked away without giving me the slightest chance to reply or defend myself.

  “What the hell just happened?” I asked no one in particular. For the first time in my life, I was the one left standing in the middle of the road, looking like a complete and utter fool.

  Chapter Five

  Sophie

  “Argh!” I groaned in frustration immediately after I shut the door to the apartment with my back. Closing my eyes shut, I slid helplessly to my haunches like a worthless sack of bricks. “Why is this happening to me…”

  “Hey, are you alright?” a stranger’s voice said just to my right.

  I hadn’t been expecting anyone else there, so I literally jumped up in surprise. Just a few feet away from me was a girl that looked to be about my age, standing in the short hallway with her laptop still on.

  “I’m very sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you!” she apologized in a soothing tone. “I’m guessing you must be my roommate, right?”

  Oh, so I had a roommate after all!

  “I guess I am… The name’s Sophie, by the way,” I replied, walking up to her and offering a handshake. The girl took my hand with an honest smile.

  “I’m Fleur, Fleur Auclair,” she said, and soon my face mirrored her mirth.

  “I apologize about earlier,” I couldn’t help but chuckle, “but my first day here’s been… well, not what I expected at all.”

  My roommate gave out a cheerful laugh at hearing that, and in some weird way, it actually made me feel better. “Chambrun didn’t turn out to be quite as grand as you’d imagined, huh?” she winked before waving me through the hallway toward the living room.

  “Oh no, that’s not it,” I shook my head as I followed her. We both took a seat next to one another on the inviting couch by the window. “The Academy is amazing, perfect even. It’s just the people here that are my problem, it would seem.”

  “Really?! That quickly?” she squinted her eyes at me in disbelief.

  “Uhmm, as it turned out, yeah…” I nodded, looking down at my hands. A thousand thoughts were still racing through my mind, and suddenly I came to realize something. “Auclair… wait, I think I’ve seen your name around campus!”

  “Yup, that’s my last name, plastered on top of the grand library here,” Fleur waved away my comment like it was nothing.

  “That’s unbelievably impressive, Fleur!” I exhaled, my eyes as wide as saucers.

  “No, not really. I think you’ll actually see that a lot more soon enough. Most of the students here are either direct descendants or related in some other way to the noble families that shared a history with the Academy.”

  “I see…” I mused, finally understanding the place I’d had the fortune of being accepted to. Fleur continued to eye me carefully, almost like she was waiting for something. Ah, she wants to know my last name too!

  “My last name’s Miller… Sophie Miller,” I introduced myself again, pointing awkwardly at my sorry frame.

  “I’m afraid I haven’t heard that one here before. Are you related to someone I should know?” Fleur asked me, raising her eyebrows.

  “Uhmm, no, I don’t think so… It doesn’t really matter, though,” I replied quickly. “I’m just happy to have finally met at least one person who isn’t a total jerk,” I added, trying to shift her attention away from myself.

  “That’s very nice of you to say, Sophie, and the feeling is mutual, actually. Most of the people here let their pompous names get to their heads,” Fleur sighed audibly before smiling at me again. “So, what happened to you earlier that got you so upset, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  “Ugh!” I groaned again, then leaned further back on the sofa. “I came across a childhood friend after not having seen them in years…”

  “And, isn’t that supposed to be a good thing?” Fleur interjected in an attempt at picking up my spirits.

  “I thought so too at first,” I complained. “We used to be such close friends in middle school. All I wanted was to catch up with her, but Marceline didn’t even want to hear about it. She even told me right to my face that she’d outgrown me and that I should know my place around here.”

  “Oh, that sounds a lot like the Marceline I know,” Fleur nodded, rolling her eyes.

  “Wait, you’ve met her too?” I asked, turning my head in her direction.

  “Well, growing up the way I did, I’ve must have already met everyone,” Fleur commented, setting her laptop aside.

  “I’m not sure I understand…” I said, silently asking her with my gaze to continue.

  Fleur played with her own hands while explaining. “For most of us here, our families have attended Chambrun since forever. Still, our ties actually go way past the Academy. On paper, we’re all a happy, aristocratic extended family. But then you stumble upon people like Marceline.”

  “So you must’ve spent a lot of time with her too, then?” I asked with a bittersweet smile.

  “Oh, yeah… We’ve been friends since we were little, and we used to hang out together a lot, actually. As we got older, though, she first moved to the U.S. with her parents, attended middle school there, then returned to France, and somehow got into Chambrun before I did. Now, though, it seems like she won’t even give me the time of day…”

  “Exactly!” I couldn’t hide my excitement at finding someone who understood how I felt. “Does Chambrun really change people that much?”

  “Everyone is chasing their own lofty goal here. The only problem is that most think they have to sabotage others to get at it,” Fleur shrugged while smiling sadly.

  “That’s what I was afraid of…” I sighed, closing my eyes. The couch’s backrest was so comfy I could have fallen asleep right there and then had I not been so upset. Marceline’s malicious grin flashed once more behind my eyelids, and I suddenly remembered something else she’d said. “You won’t believe the nerve on this one, but she also encouraged me to read her blog, can you believe it?”

  “Oh, yeah, she keeps going on and on about that stupid thing…” Fleur puffed, opening up her laptop again and clicking at it before turning its screen toward me. “Lo and behold!”

  “She wasn’t kidding then,” I remarked, drawing closer to her to see exactly what it was all about.

  “It’s a far cry from a personal blog, though. Rather, it’s more like the Academy’s filthy gossip rag,” Fleur laughed nervously before continuing. “I’m guessing the Marceline you met today was just as far removed from the good friend you used to know…”

  “You want to know something really crazy?” I peeked toward her over the open laptop.

  “Always, shoot!” Fleur replied without missing a beat.

  “Marceline’s a major reason I’m here, actually,” I confessed honestly.

  “What do you mean? Did she help you get in or something?” Fleur asked, straightening herself in her seat.

  “No, no,” I motioned her to calm down, “it’s nothing like that. Marceline’s the one who told me about Chambrun in the first place. I might’ve never learned about it if it weren’t for her… After we met, all she ever talked about was getting good enough grades for her to get accepted here. It was her life-long dream, and because I believed in her friendship, it soon became mine too.”

  “Well, she’s not wrong about that at least. I mean, the A
cademy is definitely worth it for the higher education it provides,” Fleur nodded her head pensively.

  “What about you, though?” I prodded her on. “Why did you choose to come here to study?”

  “It was never a choice for me to begin with,” Fleur smiled, her cheeks turning slightly pink. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you, but I guess I didn’t grow up with a special passion for Chambrun or anything. It’s just I’ve always been told I was going to come here when I was old enough…”

  “By your family, right?” I grinned.

  “Yeah,” she sighed, looking me in the eye. “I’ll be honest with you, I’ve never felt like I fit in among the rest of them. But, for better or worse, my family is important to the Academy, regardless of whether I like it or not. That’s one of the main reasons I’m happy to have met you, Sophie. You seem different, like you’re not one of us, and I mean that in the best possible way. Honestly, it’s… refreshing!”

  “Well, good, because I’m not trying to be like one of you either,” I laughed merrily.

  “Really, this is one of the best things about you,” Fleur smiled earnestly. Even though we’ve only known each other for a few meager minutes, I just felt we were both in for a fantastic friendship together.

  “So, what are you majoring in, Fleur?” I asked to take our minds off of our troubles.

  “Architecture!” she answered straight away, and I could tell she absolutely loved her subject.

  “I hope pursuing that was your own choice, right?” I grinned.

  “Yes, that it was,” she replied with a nod. “I’ve always been drawn o Architecture – it’s the most interesting field of study in the world.”

  “On that front, at least, we’ll have to disagree,” I teased her playfully. “That particular honor has got to go to Ancient History!”

  “Oh, is that your major then?” Fleur asked, pleasantly surprised.

  “Yes, it sure is,” I nodded smugly. “It’s something I’ve wanted to study ever since reading Greek mythology as a kid!”

  “That’s fantastic!” Fleur replied, clapping her hands together in excitement. “They go so well together, History and Architecture.”

  “Of course they do,” I couldn’t help agreeing. “Architecture has continuously evolved and been refined all throughout human history. And there’s always something good to be learned from studying the past. That’s one of the reasons Chambrun fascinates me, I must say. The stories these walls must have witnessed throughout the ages…”

  “There are a lot of them, actually,” Fleur nodded, looking around as if seeing how our living room looked centuries ago. “You might not find them all on your own, but with some help, I’m positive you’ll be more than thrilled with what you’ll come to know.”

  “Oh, so where can I get help then?” I inquired, my interest suddenly piqued.

  “Were you around for orientation?” Fleur asked, turning her gaze back to me.

  “There was an orientation?” I shrugged, looking at her sideways.

  Fleur let out another mirthful laugh. “Of course, there was an orientation! I couldn’t make it in time for it, though, and it’s clear you weren’t around either. That must mean we’ve been assigned chaperones…”

  “Who would those be, and how are they going to help us?” I asked, curiosity evident in my voice.

  “They’ll sort of be like our personal tour guides, I guess? We’ll get shown around campus, and, in turn, they’ll get extra credit for it. Hey, I bet yours could totally help you with the Academy’s history!” Fleur exclaimed.

  “Extra credit… Wait, you mean these chaperones are going to be students like us?” A bit of trepidation crept into my voice at the prospect of meeting someone else like Marceline.

  “Yeah, but it’s usually third years that do stuff like this. Why, is that a problem?” Fleur asked concernedly.

  “No, I can’t see why it would be,” I replied, waving my fears away.

  “Great, then let’s see if I can recognize who our chaperones are,” Fleur mused while turning the laptop back around and typing dextrously at her keyboard. Her face visibly brightened when she found what she was looking for. “There we go! Mine is apparently Jacques Leroux, whom I believe I know by sight, if nothing else. And yours is– Oh my…” Fleur’s smile suddenly disappeared from her face.

  I shot her a terribly confused look. “So, who’s been assigned to me then?” I pulled myself even closer to Fleur and peeked at the screen over her shoulder. “Zayn Courtenay. Courtenay… Hey, that’s the name of the other estate I just came in from!”

  “Oh, no, it’s waaay more than that,” Fleur added, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. “Everyone here knows that Courtenay is one of the oldest and most important names in the Academy’s history. Their family is the richest of them all, and they’ve sponsored the renovation of most of Chambrun, actually. The youngest of them – Zayn – is treated like a freaking prince by all his peers. He’s not only the captain of the Academy’s tennis team, but he’s also got to be the most popular guy here.”

  “Wow…” I whistled, marveling at the possibility of being shown around by someone as high-profile as him. “Have you even met Zayn before? What is he like?”

  “I have, and he’s just so… incredibly handsome,” Fleur sighed dreamily.

  “Okay, apart from that, please tell me more about him. I need details!” I said, getting more and more excited about my good fortune. “Where did you two meet anyway?”

  “It was at a charity event both our families attended,” Fleur answered, perking up at the opportunity to talk some more about Zayn. “I didn’t even know who he was at first, but he was sooo dreamy. I couldn’t help staring at him all night. Zayn was sitting across the room with some friends of his, but he never even glanced my way. When the time for donations came, he stood in for his dad and gave the biggest donation there, and that’s when they announced his name. Zayn Courtenay. To this day, this memory of him still makes my knees weak!”

  Without saying another word, I turned and looked at his name displayed on Fleur’s laptop again. My mind started going into overdrive again, trying to figure out how Zayn would be like with me.

  “Wait, an alert just came up…” Fleur announced suddenly, drawing me back down to Earth. “I think Marceline just posted a new story on her blog!”

  “I doubt that’s of any concern to me,” I replied with irritation. “I’m done with anything having to do with her!”

  “Uhmm, I think you’ll want to reconsider that, seeing as this update is squarely about you…” Fleur said, looking mortified.

  “Say what?!” It was the very last thing I expected. “What could she possibly write about me?” Fleur waved me close again, and I took a long look, reading what I saw on her screen out loud.

  “It would seem like one of our newest arrivals – with no name or background even worth mentioning – has decided to boldly leave her place at the bottom of the food chain and go straight after the biggest meal there is: Zayn Courtenay— Hold on, I’ve never even met Zayn!” I protested, sulking back to my side of the couch.

  “Let me see…” Fleur said, turning the screen back toward herself.

  “Could you read the rest out loud for me, please?” I asked, and Fleur answered by nodding her head.

  “She was spotted earlier today throwing herself shamelessly at the Prince of Chambrun, only for her pitiful advances to be wholly rebuffed by Zayn. Below is a picture of her storming away in frustration, after her awkward, albeit quick rejection,” Fleur continued, turning paler by the second.

  “No, how can there be a photo too?! Look, I didn’t ask anyone out, and I’ve most certainly never even seen Zayn Courtenay in my life. I don’t even know who he is!” I only realized that I’d raised my voice when Fleur flinched away from me a little. “I’m so sorry for yelling, but I’m terribly frustrated right now. For the life of me, I can’t understand what prompted Marceline to write this sick fantasy…”

&n
bsp; “I’m sure you’re right, Sophie, and besides, Marceline’s always been a jealous bitch. Let’s take a look at the photo she posted, just for laughs?” Fleur suggested in an attempt at cooling me down. After a quick tap, the picture came up on the screen, and my blood instantly turned to ice in my veins. Oh, you have got to be kidding me…

  There I was, furiously walking away from the guy who approached me in the middle of the road earlier. To make matters even worse, Marceline’s pic made me realize I hadn’t even taken a good long look at him before. The young man was entirely on display, and I had to admit he was terribly handsome. He gave off the sort of naturally rugged vibe you would see from a movie star. His unruly black hair covered his green eyes ever so slightly. The beginnings of a sexy beard shadowed his face, and he had the strong arms and broad shoulders of an athlete. I could tell from his posture that he was no stranger to exercise.

  “Ah, shiiit… Don’t tell me that’s Zayn?!” I uttered once I managed to open my mouth again.

  “Yep,” Fleur answered, nodding her head slowly. “So that really is you in the photo. But then, did you really ask him out on a date or something?”

  “What? No, I was just standing there, still in shock after my spat with Marceline, and that’s when this random guy just happened to walk up to me, offering to help,” I explained heatedly.

  “That was very nice of him, actually…” Fleur commented. Is that a hint of jealousy I’m sensing in her voice?

  “Well, I didn’t need any help, and I sure as hell didn’t know who he was. He just came in like I was some damsel in distress, and he was Prince Charming or something,” I stood my ground.

  “In a way, he really is,” Fleur shrugged. “Marceline called him the Prince of Chambrun, remember?”

  I was so nervous at the whole affair that I immediately burst into laughter.

  “Would you honestly blame anyone for calling him that? Just look how gorgeous he is!” Fleur insisted on defending Zayn’s moniker.