Inessa laughed a little, her voice light but with a touch of awkwardness as she nudged Atlas’ shoulder. “No! Top student is not entirely the goal. Not when I have someone like you to compete with!” She knew Atlas was well-liked, effortlessly charming, and had the professors wrapped around his finger. She wasn’t jealous of him, no…intimidated maybe, but jealousy wasn’t her style. She just couldn’t help but wonder about the unfair advantages some people had, their connections far deeper than hers, even though she was well on her way to building her own network.
As she handed him the reusable bag, she felt a small sense of pride. Organic, homemade, that was her thing. Nessa liked the idea of being resourceful, self-sufficient. She had seen too many people around her that didn’t know how to handle things themselves. It felt good to be able to rely on her own skills, especially when it came to something as simple and nourishing as food.
Atlas mentioned how being out of a relationship had given him more time to focus on himself, and she nodded, though her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. The opposite was true for her. Inessa thrived in relationships, in the attention that came with them, in the power of being part of an “it” couple. She loved the way heads turned when she walked into a room with her exes, the way people knew exactly who she was dating. But she smiled anyway, pushing her thoughts aside. “No, that makes sense! You have more freedom and time. Plus, you’re such a talented person, it’s great you’ve had time to get even better.”
When Atlas talked about his own plans for success, she wondered for a moment what success really meant for him. For her. They both wanted to be at the top, but the top of what, exactly? Fame? Influence? Power? “Oh, I know you’ll be successful. Just don’t forget us small people when you’re wildly famous,” she teased, but the words felt heavier than she intended.
When he asked if she had a team for the scavenger hunt, she nodded, her confidence shining through. Of course she had a strong team. Her best friend alone was an advantage, when your father runs the school, that sort of influence is hard to beat. She dodged his question about standing out above the rest, though. Inessa wasn’t about to give away any of her secrets. She wasn’t just in this to win; she was in it to dominate, to make sure everyone remembered who she was, and to position herself exactly where she needed to be.
@idiot.exe atlassss