Young Royals Season 3 (Version 3)

75. Marieberg

He could feel eyes on him even before he walked into the building. He went in with Ayub and Rosh, but as soon as they got inside, they had to go their separate ways for their different classes.

As Simon made his way down the crowded corridor, he got bumped a few times and he couldn't help but miss the old, tidy halls of Hillerska. He was suddenly surprised that he could miss something as simple as that old building.

As he struggled through the crowd he couldn't help reflecting on what else he missed.  He immediately thought of Wilhelm and felt an ache in his chest.

He felt a sort of storm cloud pass through his body as he made his way through the waves of nameless students.

It occurred to him that he wouldn't have constant reminders of Wilhelm here at Marieberg and he felt saddened.

He used to smile and feel warmth in his chest each time he passed the window sill where they'd kissed for the first time at the movie night.

That window sill was also near the passage they'd gone to just before Wilhelm's speech for the Jubilee, where Simon had told Wilhelm he loved him for the first time.

Then each time he walked near the chapel he would pause for a moment to remember when Wilhelm had pulled Simon into a hug in front of everyone there. It had taken all of Simon's strength not to say he loved Wilhelm back.  

He would pass the spot and imagine doing just that. He wondered what would have changed if he had, if he'd agreed to be Wilhelm's secret.  

Would Wilhelm have come out and admitted to being in the video then? Simon shook his head and smirked to himself as he continued down the corridor.  He didn't regret how things had happened because it had helped them end up where they were now.

The short period they'd spent basically living together in Forest Ridge had made him feel secure and certain in their relationship.  It strangely felt very stable and domestic considering how young they were, he thought.  

He thought about what Wilhelm had said about living together in an apartment like normal people and he understood exactly what he meant, he thought.

Wilhelm was adoring and protective.   He made Simon feel the most cherished, loved and wanted he'd ever felt.

It was a bit strange to think at just sixteen, and he couldn't say it out loud, but more than once Simon had smiled to himself and felt silly but blissful because he knew they'd be married one day. He'd known it for a while now. 

He snapped out of his daydream suddenly. He began to feel the eyes on him again and overheard the end of a whispered remark that came from a group he'd just passed by.

"-cheated on Marcus with Wilhelm. Apparently he loves the drama and attention...and he just wanted to be famous."

Simon turned and looked back over his shoulder suddenly, trying to see who'd said it.

He immediately recognized a blonde girl in the group as a friend of Marcus that had been at karaoke. She caught his gaze and raised her eyebrows at him then turned back to her friends disdainfully.  They all began to giggle at him.

Of course Marcus would tell all of his friends Simon was a cheater and had only chosen Wilhelm because he was a prince, and because Simon wanted to be famous. He scoffed and began to move through the crowd even faster trying to get away from them.

He couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt about using Marcus, but it was only momentary.  He decided he had to forgive himself eventually, and he didn't really care if Marcus or his friends liked him or not anyway.