My roommate is the world biggest jerk14
from my room, with love..
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Chapter 14 [Royal Treatment]
I bit my lips and stared down, looking at my newly painted nails.
Okay so, when I get real nervous I may have this weird need to paint my nails. Actually it was not that weird, I kept telling myself, not weird at all. And if by any chance I had run out of nail polish I would probably be sewing, doing hand stitches… stuff like that. Whenever I was nervous, I would do stuff that forced me to steady my hand. I did not remember when did I started to develop these weird rituals to calm me, but this morning when I had woken up a few hours earlier than I should, my hand landed on the bottle of nail paint.
It was a good color, I thought, admiring my newly painted nails, pale pink and almost translucent. Then, I looked up and found myself staring at my own reflection in the mirror. I reached up and tucked a stray lock behind my ear. I had my hair pulled up in a bun today, like any other day but somehow my hair still looked messy. I reached and pulled my hair free. Dark chocolate mass tumbled down and I began brushing. It was seven in the morning; I figured that I still have time.
Then, the usual pounding on my door came and my mom peeked in. to her surprise I was already up and dressed.
“Well would you look at that.” She said, “You’re up!” I forced myself to smile. Mom stepped in and sat next to me on my bed.
“Nervous for school?” she questioned with her all knowing eyes set upon me. I bowed my head down and nodded.
“Well honey I don’t really know what to say to make you feel better, I never dated any prince before...” she said with a hint of a smile in her words but I did not have the courage to look up and see. Then she patted my shoulder and said, “But if it helps, while going through school think about him and those things about him that made you fell in love with him in the first place. It’ll get you through the day.” Mom pulled me into a brief one arm hug before she went out the door.
Think about him and things about him that had me falling for him? How am I going to do that, considering I hated his guts?
A few minutes of staring into space, I collected my stuff and went out and had breakfast. After that, I spend a few minutes peering out the window for the car that Aiden promised to pick me up. The black shiny sedan arrived at 7.40 on the dot. School started at eight and it will took approximately ten minutes drive from my house to the Royale Arts so I will have give or take ten minutes, sitting by myself in class.
Oh the joy.
After bidding my mom goodbye, I headed out the door and into the car. Ryui was the driver again today and I almost cringed when I saw Aiden was sitting on the end of the seat.
“Good morning.” He greeted the tone of his voice cold and unwelcoming. I remembered the last words he had spoken to me yesterday, when I was about to take my leave from the Great House, “Looks like we’re stuck together, so let’s try to be civil, it’ll make this a lot easier on both of us.”
I bit my lips before reluctantly muttering a good morning to him. Aiden handed me a folded newspaper.
“Today’s headlines.” I took the paper and unfolded Claymore Today. The headlines read exactly as I was informed it would.
The Storme House confirmed it: They’re Dating!
“Following the shocking revelation made known yesterday by press, the public relations representative of the House of Storme had come forward to acknowledge the scandal that shook and broke the hearts of teenagers across the country. Indeed, the representative had released the statement that the young couple, His Royal Highness Prince Aiden of Storme and Miss Fay Lara Addams is undeniably an item. The representative further asked the press to respect their privacy as both are very young and currently still attending school. The representative also went on to ask the press to respect Miss Addams privacy and her private life. He stated that ‘both are still very young and this needed to be seen from the perspective as a natural phase of their lives, regardless of social standings.’
The love stories of our Royal families had been very well documented over the passing of time. The press was also there to cover the stories of Prince Aiden’s older sisters: both Princess Awaney and Princess Eliza. Although now both princesses are currently residing overseas, the press…..”
I folded the paper having read enough. The car driven by Ryui glided smoothly on the road picking up speed and before I knew it, the car was easing into the school grounds. My gut twisted as the car slowed down and ahead, what I saw had my head started spinning.
Waiting for us at the steps that lead to the entrance to the building, there were more than just students. There were men in dark suits I assumed to be people from the palace, a few teachers and schools of reporters and photographers with their cameras at the ready.
I was dreading for this, ever since I had been warned about it beforehand yesterday by the PR team. The Royale Arts was a private school that mostly prohibited reporters and photographers to enter school grounds. But they did have long standing relationship with the Claymore Herald which reporters I was now staring at behind the tinted windows of the car.
“Ryui, make sure next week there will none of this.” Aiden said, eyes fixed upon the few reporters outside. Ryui said nothing but nodded. Aiden directed his eyes to me. “Ready?”
I gritted my teeth and nodded. “Yeah… I am.” I huff a breath.
“Don’t worry; tomorrow those reporters won’t be here anymore. It’s just for today; I’ll make sure of that.” I nodded some more and Aiden straightened himself a bit before stepping out of the car. Still gritting my teeth I opened the door and was welcomed by a full-fledged fiasco.
The reporters were shouting for Aiden and I while the photographers began clicking away their camera. I was lost for a second until a strong hand entwined mine. I look sideways to find Aiden beside me, his hand linked with mine. A slow tug from him brought me back to reality as shouts and squeal of the surrounding people dimmed. I eyes found his and slowly I saw the corner of his lips turned up.
“Let’s get to class okay?” he whispered to my ear. Dumbfounded I nodded. The men in suits helped us get through the reporters and photographers. But once inside the school building, I was left to fend for myself.
“Remember what we agreed on yesterday?” Aiden asked before we parted and I nodded.
“Yeah, I’ll be there.” With that he nodded and set off to his class. I was supposed to spend lunch in his private room today, the room that was known as ‘The Hole.’
Now I had to get to class. The thing I least look forward to, despite the commotion with the reporters, I dreaded this the most. Because in class, there was no Aiden to take my hand and whisk me from my classmate and I had no courage to face Mary Sue, let alone Alex.
I was making my way to my first class, for the first time save from the first time I was to walk these hallways alone, did I felt so tiny. I was scrutinized by hundreds of eyes, all looking at me in despise in their eyes. I made a point to looks down at all times, quicker in my steps.
I got in my class in record time considering I almost ran, not stopping for anything: especially not when a couple of girls that had shouted my name with murder in their eyes. When I stepped into my class, a blast of cold wind met my face. I stepped into the cold unwelcoming square space as I prayed to be struck by lightning and just drop dead, as I felt stares following my every movement.
But luck never seemed to side with me, I sighed. I took my seat and settled myself when Mary Sue took her own seat. I bit my lips and look sideways to find her too, staring at me, intently.
“Hi.” I greeted in a small voice.
“Hey.” She replied, smiling tentatively. I was glad when she did that, at least she was still willing to talk to me.
“So…” I began when we were interrupted by a screeching sound of chair being dragged. I looked up to find Joshua smiling brightly at me.
“Hey there front news of national paper two days running…” he smirked. I kicked his chair and he guffawed loudly.
“Shut up.” I snapped much to his delight. But inside I was relieved, thank god that these two were still on my side.
“So, throughout us knowing you, you managed to let slip that you’re banging the crown prince.” Josh began, smiling sneakily. “So tell me, how long has it been going on?”
I rolled my eyes at his first comment and mentally cringed at the second. Okay, here we go: the rehearsed lines that I had been running over and over again in my head.
“Just a couple of week’s okay, get off my back.” I said. Mary Sue leaned forward and asked me in a whisper.
“How is he like, I mean as a boyfriend?” she smiled and I replied the gesture, though mine was less sweet and more fake. But I secretly bit my tongue. What was I supposed to say? I don’t know the guy, let alone to know how he was like as a boyfriend.
“Well…” I tried to looks as if I was smiling sheepishly when I answered: “Aiden is, pretty much like any other guy really.” Mary Sue squealed like a little girl as Josh chuckled at his girlfriend’s reaction.
Just then, the bell rung signaling the beginning of today’s lesson and Josh got up and leaned in to give Mary Sue a kiss on her lips before leaving. And as always I took a sneak peak at the two admiring their sweetness and how Mary Sue still managed to blush every time Josh did anything to her. While I was still busy admiring their relationship, Alex entered and took his usual seat.
My gut cringed.
Mary said hi to him and he just nodded it off. I bit my lips.
No corny jokes to kick of the day? No stupid yet charming heart melting grin? I heaved a dry sigh that escaped my lips as I contemplated whether I should say hi to him like any other day. Because if I didn’t: I had to sooner or later. I had to talk to him at some point
“Morning, Alex.” I said, the two simple words passed my lips sounding no louder than a whisper.
Alex, who always sit in front of me looked back and pierced me with a stare that had me cringing. It was cold, there was anger and there was hurt. He looked away after caught sight of my trembling lips. I stared down after that, almost throughout the entire period. Mary Sue reached and gave me a sympathetic pat after first period was over.
“Don’t cry…” she said after the teacher had left. I shook my head. With a trembling voice I answered that I was not going to but then, I was blinking fast as moisture was blurring my sight.
“He just needs time.” She whispered.
“I hope so.” Mary gave me a reassuring grin and I wiped away the tears out of my eyes.
I wished that I was on my way to lunch with Mary and Josh like any other day, I wished earnestly that Alex would just joke and flirted with me like any other ordinary day. But wish as hard as I might, but today was not. Today was not as ordinary as any other, today was a hell of a day. I thought that it can’t get any worse than the first few days when I first enrolled here: I was wrong.
At least then, kids here would just ignore me and were unwelcoming. They treated me like I was an outsider to their world, an alien. Something they didn’t understand and can’t relate to. But now, they were just out to get me, wanted to yell profanities at me, wanted to hate me and intended to make my life a living misery.
I was on my way to The Hole, clutching my lunch box when I was intercepted by a few girls. I can tell just by looking at the hatred in their eyes and the unpleasant twist of their lips that I was in for a rough couple of minutes. The four girls cornered me to a turn and I was left to nowhere to go or escape.
“So, you’re the bitch?” The girl that stood in the centre began with distaste in the voice, her hand folded across her chest. She then flipped her blonde hair and gave out a derisive laugh.
“Look at the thing.” Another girl cut in, the same revulsion in her tone. She went forward and caught the bronze colored bow tied to my neck that was part of the uniform that was there instead of the tie that boys wore. It caused me to me dragged forward slightly chocking me. “Don’t you dare think; just because we wear the same uniform you can be like us or do anything you like!”
I thought to put on a fight I had after all, taken up Tae Kwon Do in my former school and managed to get up to the second level of black belt. It was not much since there were nine levels of it and I managed to reach up till two but I can seriously kick these girls’ asses. But I did nothing and let them pushed me around. I knew better then to hit these girls in school, there could be serious consequences.
So I looked around helplessly at passersby that held no interest in helping me. Some that were curious began to congregate around to watch but none stepped up to offer me aid.
“Who do you think you are?!” the blonde yelled at me again, grabbing the front of my uniform and pushed me against the wall. I sagged, the impact of my back colliding with the wall hurt me a little. Defensively I curled and shield my face with my hands.
“Answer me!” the blond shrieked again this time taking advantage of my sitting position to pull my hair, pulling my coiled bun free. She was pulling my hair so hard I screamed to their amusement.
“Hey stop it!” suddenly a male voice rung in the air and I looked up through the gap to find Ryui walking toward me, the lines of his face was grim. The girls quickly scattered and watchers dispersed at the sight of the suit clad man. I was a ball wrapping my hands around my leg, stuck at the corner when he got near.
He squatted low to meet my eyes as I pushed my messy hair out of the way to give him a weak smile.
“You okay?” I nodded.
“Yeah, great timing.” Ryui straightened himself and offered me a hand. I took his and he pulled me up.
“I came looking when you failed to show up on time.” He explained as he watched me attempted to set my hair in order.
“Yeah, I was caught up.” I smiled after coiling my hair into a knot again.
Ryui took my hand and squeezed them just slightly. The warm weight of his touch quickly send ripple blooming across my body, raising my temperature and fluttered my heart. “Just bear with it for the time being, okay?”
Lost for words I nodded.