The Royal Scandal (editing)

Chapter 5 (edited)

Chapter 5 [Alex Stockholm]

Fitting in was hard.

And no, I was not being difficult or whiney. A few days in this school was enough for me to come up with thus conclusion.  

You tell me how I was going to blend with a crowd of people who bought fifty dollar lunches and spend the summer vacationing either in Paris or Aspen – to look at the arts and ski. It was hard to be connected with people who crinkled their noses at lunch boxes and had only seen instant coffee in commercials. And it was impossible to be friends with people who worshipped the hell of the pompous brat who called himself the Crown Prince of Claymore.

See, told you fitting in was hard.

“Hey, Scholarship!” a voice suddenly said and I turned around. And oh yeah, did I mention I got a new nickname?

Scholarship. Wasn’t it cute? Being the only scholarship student in the school, it kind of made me feel special… NOT!

I turned to find Alex Stockholm or whatever his name was, looking at me with his arms crossed. He sat next to me in class and to say that he was talentless was an understatement. My turtle had more talent than he did. If you ask me, I had no idea why he went to Royale Arts in the first place but then again, both his parents used to go here so, mystery solved. 

“What?” I snapped, a fold of fabric clutched in my hand. I was on my way to get this seamed.  

“Do you always wear your hair in a bun?” okay, was it me or might this guy actually be gay? It was too bad though, he was quite a looker; dark hair, dark eyes and all.

“Why? So that if I let go of my hair it’ll be easier for you people to dye the heck out of it?” I snapped hands at my waist. Hey, I was not normally this offensive but this school had me growing a thicker skin and a sharper tongue.

My first few days were not fun, in the slightest.

I had been forced to sit in class that was as welcoming as an igloo – I hate the cold. If I wasn’t treated to a silent treatment as if I was not even there then I would be subjected to sarcasm and ridicule. They were scrutinizing over my hair – which I hated – my backpack, my lunch box, my everything! As if I was not good enough to be in the same perimeter with them.  

Then there was the lunchroom accident.

I mean, I should have known better, when I had lined up with the other staring students. My eyeballs were in danger of rolling out of they’re socket when I had seen the price tag of each item of food. They ranged more than fifty bucks!

So I spent my first day in the school with an empty stomach. I couldn’t even afford a piece of stale bread, which by the way, was not sold to students. According to the lunch lady, ‘it was unthinkable to sell students such food!’

Well, I thought that my old school sold us prison food and we coped okay. No one had died – yet.

And what ticked me off the most was the fact that they actually adored the crown prince. Well, the girls did anyway, almost in an unhealthy way. The guys didn’t really care much but the prince was referred as the person whom guys looked up to. I was guessing that was because he could get all the girls he wanted and plus, he was cool -looking when you really looked at him. I mean, really looked at him.

Wait! Whoa, back up! So not going there.

“Hey Scholarship!” Alex voiced again, snapping me out of my mind-rant.

“I have a proper name, you know, the one my parents gave me and what people should be calling me?” I said, annoyed.

“Oh, really? He smiled his winning smile. “What is your name then?”

I hesitated for a second, wanting to reintroduce myself before I thought this could be another of this school’s twisted tricks. So I pivoted around and resumed walking.

“Hey! We were talking!” he shouted and set off after me.

“And now we’re not.”

Alex chuckled. “Yes we are, you’re still talking to me and that makes us still talking.” He smiled again.

“What do you want?” Alex suddenly snatched away the fabric I’d been carrying. I let out a shriek of outrage.

‘Don’t blow your temper princess; I’ll carry this for you.” he said, walking alongside me, matching my pace. I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at him.

“Why?”

“Just because.” He added. Still unsatisfied, I asked him again. He was humming by the way, humming as he walked.

“Why? Tell me the truth because God help me, if this is some of you people’s stupid tricks, I swear I will…” but Alex cut me midsentence.

“Why do you refer to me as ‘you people’? I have a name too you know.” He said, his smile wiped off.

“Well, you don’t call me by my name as well so…”

“Do you really hate it here?” he asked again. I cocked my brow. He looked sincere enough with the question so I decided just to answer it.

“I love this school.’ I began as Alex and I trudged the hallway. “I never imagined in my life I would be able to go here.” I said as my eyes feasted upon the walls, ceiling, window and draperies of the hallway we walked in. “But you know, if people think that treating me like garbage is going to make me drop out of here, then they’re wrong. I’m never going to waste this shot.”

“So in a nut shell?” we had arrived in the seaming room and Alex handed me my red fabric.

“I freaking hate it here.” I smiled.

Alex looked as if he was at a loss for words for a second before regaining his composure. Breathlessly, he muttered, “Brilliant.” and then he was gone, walking down the hall. Walking away, he raised his hand in a salute before he shouted, “See you in class Fay!” which echoed along the hallway, vibrating in the enclosed space.

I smiled and entered the room thinking that maybe Alex Stockholm wasn’t that bad after all.