THE REJECTED GENIUS

1

Chapter 1: The Nobody

Adrian's pov

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I knew I didn’t belong here.

Northvale University wasn’t meant for people like me. It was a school for the rich, and the powerful—the children of CEOs, politicians, and old-money bags who didn’t have to study hard to have their place in the outside world. 

Meanwhile, I was just Adrian Hayes, a scholarship student who was barely making enough savings but feeding off scraps, invisible to most and a joke to the rest of the students. To them, I was nobody. Someone unworthy of their attention. 

I had learned not to attract any form of attention to myself, to stay in my lane. Where I wouldn’t attract any attention from the rich kids. But sometimes, no matter how much you try to stay invisible, life has a way of throwing you into the spotlight.

And tonight? Tonight was one of those nights.

The big hall of Northvale’s ballroom was decorated with shining chandeliers, a place of riches and excess. It was Sophia Lancaster’s birthday—a lavish affair that looked more like a royal gala than a school party.

 Everyone who was anyone was here, dressed in the finest Italian suits and gowns, sipping champagne like it was water. I wasn’t supposed to be invited.

But I was.

And I had let myself believe—for just a moment—that maybe I was more than a nobody.

Maybe, to Sophia, I was different. 

I could see her across the room, radiant in a sapphire-blue gown that hugged her curves perfectly. Her golden hair fell in soft waves down her shoulders, her emerald eyes twinkling with excitement. She was breathtaking. She always had been.

I took a deep breath, holding the small velvet box in my pocket. It wasn’t much—just a simple silver necklace, something I had spent months saving up for. I had planned this for weeks. I had imagined this moment a thousand times. Try to find the right time, the right moment.

Sophia and I had been friends since freshman year. She was one of the few people who had ever spoken down on me. We studied together in the library, and she laughed at my silly jokes. When no one else acknowledged my existence, she made me feel seen.

And now, I wanted to tell her how I felt.

I forced my way through the crowd of wealthy elites, my heart beating fast. But just as I was about to reach her, I froze.

Because she wasn’t alone.

Nathan Sterling had his arm wrapped around her waist, leaning in far too close, whispering something in her ear that made her laugh—a laugh that once belonged to me.

A lump formed in my throat.

No. This wasn’t right. She had told me she wasn’t interested in Nathan. She had told me she wasn’t like the other Northvale rich kids. 

Has she been lying to me?

But as I stood there, unseen, watching her melt into his touch, I felt more like a fool being played.

No, I was a fool.

And I wasn’t invisible anymore.

I was about to turn around when Nathan spotted me. A slow smirk crept onto his lips. "Well, well. Look what we have here."

Sophia turned her gaze to me, her expression unreadable for a split second before something colder replaced it.

I swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "Hey, Sophia. Can we talk?"

Nathan chuckled, tightening his grip around her waist. "Talk? About what? How do you sneak into a party meant for people who actually belong here?"

Laughter rippled through the nearby crowd of students who were now interested in whatever was going on at the moment. 

I ignored them, my focus solely on Sophia. "Can we talk alone?"

Her lips parted slightly like she wanted to say a word. But before she could respond, Nathan stepped between us. "Whatever you have to say, you can say it here. We’re all friends, aren’t we?"

More laughter.

I clenched my fists.

"Sophia," I tried again, softer this time. "Please."

She sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes as if this was all some great inconvenience. "Adrian, what do you want?"

The words stung, but I pushed forward. With trembling fingers, I pulled the velvet box from my pocket, flipping it open to reveal the silver necklace inside. "I got this for you," I said, my voice quieter now. "I know it’s not much, but I—"

Sophia’s laugh cut me off. My face went pale as the silver necklace in my hand felt irrelevant. 

Was it a smile of thank you? Or was it a jest?

"You got me this?" she said, her voice laced with amusement. "Adrian, this is… this is a joke, right?"

My mouth went dry. "I thought you’d like it."

Her expression twisted in something almost like pity. "Oh, Adrian. You’re sweet, really. But… did you honestly think this would impress me?"

The air left my lungs.

Nathan let out a laugh, snatching the box from my hands. "A silver necklace? Seriously?" He turned it over in his fingers like it was some worthless trinket. "Did you dig this out of a bargain bin?"

More laughter

I could see their weird looks and gazes falling on me.

 I felt humiliated.

Sophia didn’t stop him. She didn’t defend me.

Instead, she sighed, as if this whole exercise was tiring. "Adrian, you’re a nice guy. But we live in different worlds. You don’t belong here. You never have."

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"You… don’t mean that," I whispered.

Her green eyes met mine, and for the first time, I saw the truth. The truth I had been too blind to see.

"I do," she said.

Nathan grinned, tossing the necklace onto the floor like garbage. "Tell you what, Hayes. Maybe when you make real money, you can try again."

The room erupted into laughter.

And all I could do was stand there, feeling every piece of myself break.

I had never felt so small.

So stupid.

So pathetic.

Without another word, I turned on and walked away. I pushed through the crowd, ignoring the laughter, ignoring the whispers. I didn’t stop until I was outside, the cold night air hugging my skin.

I sucked in a shaky breath, my chest tight with humiliation. My fists clenched at my side.

I had thought tonight would be the best night of my life.

Instead, it was the worst.

And the worst part?

This was just the beginning.