Page 5 of Exchange of Heart

‘God, I never remember that,’ said Paddy.

‘Well, only three more weeks and it’ll be over.’ I rolled up the sleeves of my blue shirt.

At the insistence of my father, my next five years were filled with courses to ensure the future CEO of Zealy Insurance was well prepared with a long list of qualifications. This Advanced Diploma of Financial Planning would sit snug under my Bachelor of Economics and Master in Business and Logistics, when really, I was desperate for an art degree and to illustrate picture books. I wanted nothing more than to scrunch up his list and throw it into a fire. What was the point in a head of knowledge if you didn’t have a heart of passion?

‘All right, well, I’d better let you make that call.’ Paddy walked his faded suit out the door and back to his desk.

I gazed at my phone with a tightening in my chest. I could either live like Paddy, never knowing if this would be the week I could no longer afford my apartment, or I could continue the soul-draining task that awarded me a luxurious penthouse with harbour views. My fingers grasped the phone and I prepared to talk numbers with one of the most powerful CEOs in Australia. If I was going to drain my soul, I might as well do it with a thick wallet. Besides, if I didn’t, one of my brothers would be dragged in to bear the burden I’d worked so hard to save them from.

And that was something I damn well wouldn’t let happen.

Nora dragged her feet into the classroom half an hour late. The teacher, Brad, questioned if everything was okay, but instead of her usual perky greeting, she released a noise somewhere between a snarl and a constipated groan. Without her smiling high cheek bones – even if they were never directed at me – she didn’t look herself.

I shifted my gaze to the window while her slumped shoulders passed to avoid her locking eyes and breathing fire. Based on her current mood, the one usually reserved for me would be even worse. All because I’d dared to tell the teacher what I did for work, so he’d know I had a solid understanding about what we were doing on our first day. She’d followed each question I’d answered with a humph, which only made me more determined to prove myself capable and better than her. There was no way I’d let her resentment make me look weak.

‘All right, let’s go over these projected revenues one more time.’ Brad turned back to his computer at the front with a confused frown.

I twisted my head sideways for a subtle glimpse of her, but accidentally locked eyes with Latham, a know-it-all dickhead who kept trying to rub shoulders to get in my good graces.

‘We should go over the project some time.’ His eager smile showed so much hope.

‘Nah, man, I’ve got work to catch up on. Sorry.’

That kid was no more than twenty-one working a junior role in accounts. If it was that easy to get in with the rich, the entire city would be sipping cocktails on private jets. I pretended to stretch my neck, twisting behind to Nora’s murderous gaze.

‘What’s your problem?’ Her words were like venomous darts.

Shit.

‘Just stretching.’ I spun back to the front.

Last week, she’d stepped into class with toilet paper trailing from the bottom of her shoe. I’d opened my mouth to tell her, but she’d immediately raised her palm and said, ‘I don’t have the energy to argue tonight.’ Then, when someone else pointed it out, she’d turned to me with a bitter glare as though I’d stuck it there. Couldn’t do a damn thing right in her eyes.

‘Can’t take anything seriously,’ she mumbled.

My head snapped back to her. ‘What did you say?’

She cleared her throat and shook her head. ‘Nothing, I’m trying to listen.’ She pointed to the screen at the front of the room.

‘No, I’m pretty sure you said something.’

‘Is there a problem back there?’ Brad stood and hooked his gaze on us.

‘Sorry, we were discussing the layout of your revenue sheet compared to the ones we use at work. Yours are much easier to analyse from a quick glance,’ I lied.

Brad puffed his chest as big as his smile. Flattery. When doesn’t it work? He gave us a thankful nod before sitting back at his computer and continuing to teach what I already knew. I couldn’t even count the number of reports I’d created, collated, and analysed over the years. This class was nothing more than a formality for my future to ensure my brothers could continue living the life they deserved. Not… this thing I called a life, stumbling through the clutches of my controlling father.

‘Suck up,’ she muttered.

I wouldn’t turn back this time; she wasn’t worth it with her annoyingly long hair and judgemental brown eyes. Then it hit me. The citrus smell that seemed to coat her body like a second skin.

Despite summoning every ounce of self-control, my body betrayed me and twisted around. ‘Do you have to wear that perfume?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ She batted her eyelashes.

‘You know it gives me a headache.’

‘I can’t control your body. Besides, I couldn’t smell like a hotdog, someone keeps taking them.’