"This is Paige." Aicko introduced me to her friends.

"Hi!" I smiled at them.

They all greeted me with smiles. Just like Aicko, they shared the same lively energy.

Aicko made me dress up in some party clothes so I wore a cream dress one of the clothes that we bought before, partnered with a pair of brown colored heels. It felt uncomfortable but Aicko said that I needed to get used to it. I had my hair down and Aicko bought me some cute earrings to partner with my dress.

Aicko on the other hand wore a stripped sleeveless jumper and ironed her straight hair into soft curls, she matched them with black heels. She was a natural when it came to fashion. Shari had table tennis practice this evening so she couldn't come.

Among the group I spotted some of the Asian royals, I greeted them the proper way.

They rented a club in the square, it had many seats and tables, there was a billiard place and a bar.

Aicko told me to get a table while she would get us some drinks. I found a table and sat down, suddenly a guy approached me, he was tall, fair skinned and had a pair of cheerful eyes.

"Mind if I sit with you?" he asked.

I didn't want to sound rude so I nodded.

"You're Paige right? "Aicko's friend,"

"Yeah."

"I'm Baek-Hyun." His smile didn't leave his lips.

"Chinese?" I wondered.

He laughed. "No, Korean."

I tried to hide my smile. I remembered Anna, how she loved to meet a Korean gentleman. I miss her and all my friends at home.

We had a small conversation, he was friendly.

"I see you've met." Aicko came carrying a tray of drinks.

A little later a few other people came to our table.

"You're in my Chemistry class right?" a Filipino girl said.

An Indonesian girl added "I saw you on the track team."

We talked a bit then they started drinking. The first time I drunk alcohol was with Aiden, it was new year's eve and our parents permitted us since they were there and so we could experience it, but Aiden and I both agreed that we didn't like it.

But seeing them all drinking made me feel like I wanted to have some of it. I was about to reach for a glass when I stopped myself.

Paige, you're here to study not to drink in clubs. I reminded myself.

I stood up and took my bag. I told Aicko that I was leaving.

"So soon?" she pouted.

"I have something to finish."

A Chinese guy took another sip from his glass. "But it's a Friday night."

"Sorry." I apologized.

"It's ok." Aicko nodded. "I'll be home late, don't wait for me."

"Ok." I said and left the club. I had to leave before I find myself sipping on beer cans.

The square was really busy, especially on a Friday night. I wore a coat and walked to our dorm, it wasn't really far.

I got to our dorm room and took of my heels, my feet really hurt. I tied my hair in a loose bun and changed into a loose t-shirt and shorts.

I suddenly felt the urge to clean the place. But then I realized that we had room service so there technically was nothing to clean. I just sat down on the couch in the living room and opened a book.

I missed reading in my small twin sized bed at home. My bed here was huge so the sofa was the closest substitute to it. I read a few chapters then I felt hungry.

I got tired of eating out so I decided to just cook for myself and video call Mom. I miss her so much.

I opened the fridge but realized that it was empty. I should go to the grocery. I texted Aicko.

To: Aicko

The fridge is empty I'm gonna buy groceries.

From: Aicko

Ok, I'll be home by 11.

I went back to my room and picked up my nameplate on my bedside table. I wore my sandals and left the dorm.

There was a grocery at the other end of the block, I could just walk to it.

I walked going to it, not minding that I was just wearing a loose shirt and shorts. I was comfortable with it.

The grocery was huge, like any ordinary grocery but of course it had a higher end to it.

I got a pushcart and looked for food. I got some cereal and milk, I dumped some meat and fish into the cart. I got a sack of rice and tried to put it in my cart, it was too heavy.

A man suddenly took the sack and placed it in my cart. "So you're a rice person." Ram laughed.

"Thanks, Aicko and I are rice people." I looked at his cart, it was full of a lot of groceries. "Is that all for you?"

"What?" he turned to his cart and chuckled. "No."

He didn't give me any explanation. It was non of my business so I didn't ask.

"I heard you escaped the campus again the other day." I pushed my cart a bit to the side to get some chocolate chips, I was planning to bake cookies.

He laughed again. He loved to laugh. "It just gets so boring in here."

"Ram," We both turned to where the voice came from. Kile came pushing a cart of his own.

When he saw me he raised his eyebrow. I looked behind him, Blake wasn't here.

"So you guys are doing the groceries together?" I wondered.

"Yeah, He's on grocery duty since his roommate's busy." Ram pointed to Kile. "I'm the one doing the groceries coz Blake's not around."

"Oh." So Ram and Blake were roommates. "Wait, how can you and Blake be roommates?"

Ram laughed again. "Coz I negotiated with the Dean, she has a soft spot for me."

Kile rolled his eyes.

"So!" Ram clasped his hands together. "I'll be on my way, I'm leaving this campus for the weekend."

Kile's eyes widened. "You're leaving already?"

"It's okay, why don't you two hang out while I'm gone," He pointed to the two of us. "I heard that Dylan has exams so you'll be pretty bored." Ram turned to Kile.

Before any of us could say something, Ram turned to the cashier. "I'll be back Sunday evening or the day after he chuckled and left us."

Kile just stood there having his hands on the handle of his cart.

"So did you have dinner yet?" I asked.

He shook his head. "You?"

I shook my head as well. "Wanna get some burgers?" I suggested forgetting that I wanted to cook my dinner a while ago.

He seemed shocked to hear me offer, then he thought about it. After a moment of silence he spoke up. "Ok."

"I'll just get a few more things than we can go." I pointed to my cart.

He nodded and just followed me pushing his cart. He was probably done getting food. We then formed a line in the cashier and got our groceries. I told him that I had to bring my paper bags back to the dorm, he nodded, he left his groceries in the trunk of his car and helped me bring my groceries to my dorm.

He waited for me at the parking lot while I hurriedly placed the groceries in the fridge and pantry.

When I got down he was still there waiting. Instead of taking his car we just walked to one of the fancy burger joints. When in the campus, everything's fancy. The night was noisy. We took a seat and ordered some burgers.

He sat across me and played with his phone.

I brought up a question. "Why aren't you with someone today?"

He looked up from his phone and placed it aside. "They're all busy."

"How about Bellona?" I was curious.

He raised his eyebrow. "She has ballet class."

"Hmm You know what." I moved my chair closer to him. "I gotta teach you how to talk in a conversation the right way."

He frowned. "What's wrong with how I converse?"

"Everything." I pointed it out. "You answer straight to the point, you talk sarcastically and you're always so cold."

"Whatever." He scoffed.

"See!" I crossed my arms. "That's what I'm talking about."

He chuckled.

"Wow the prince can actually laugh." I covered my mouth with my hands acting shocked.

He scoffed.

I laughed again. "Now, I'm going to teach you how to talk properly, I don't think they taught you well at the castle."

He stayed silent.

"Now how was your day?" I started a conversation.

He raised his eyebrow again.

"Answer!" I ordered.

He reached for a glass of water and drank from it "It was ok."

"No." I scolded him. "When I ask you how was your day, you should answer it politely then ask me how my day was."

"Does it have to be in that order?" He crossed his arms.

"That's basic rules." I rubbed my head out of frustration he was giving me a headache. "Even a toddler would know better than you."

"How's your day?" His low voice said.

"It was fine." I faked a smile.

"Wrong!" He snapped his finger in front of me. "You're supposed to also ask how my day was."

I scrunched my forehead. "I just asked you a while ago."

"Yeah." He nodded. "But we did a reset."

"You're impossible." I rolled my eyes.

He scoffed "Now look who's being rude."

Why is he firing back on me?! I was about to protest when our food came. Is this what they call burgers? My knowledge of burgers was a burger patty between two buns and some toppings wrapped in a wrapper, this one doesn't look like one, it was served in a plate and the patty was sliding off the buns, there were many decorations on the sides. I took a bite, It tasted so good, I'll give it that.

Kile rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie so that it wouldn't get dirty. He took a fork and knife and started eating his burger.

I took another bite. "Tastes good."

He didn't answer.

"So tell me more about yourself." I crossed my arms.

He thought for a moment. "I'm next in line to throne."

"Not that." I rolled my eyes. "Everyone knows that, tell me something that I don't know."

"I don't give out my personal information to strangers." He took a sip from his drink.

"You're hopeless." I rolled my eyes, is it really in his attitude to sound this mean? "Fine, I'll start."

He watched me.

"My full name is Paige Ashley Johnstone Bennet." I paused. "What about yours?"

He stared at me like I was a lunatic, good thing he played along. "Kile Astley." He said.

I sighed, looks like he really didn't want to reveal his full name. Still, I tried to pry it out of him.

"What's your middle name?"

"Blythe."

"Oh." I never knew the maiden name of his Mom, our Queen.

"Also" I added up. "Refrain from answering with one word."

He stayed silent.

"Lets try again." I straightened my back. "Tell me about your social life."

He took a bite from his burger then drank again. "No comment."

I rolled my eyes. "then how about your fiancée?"

"Why are you curious?" He raised his eyebrow.

"Because I've never seen an arranged marriage before, well except from movies." I wondered. "How does it feel?"

He eyed me for a while before answering. "I've known Bellona ever since we were toddlers, our marriage was arranged back when we were 17. He leaned his back on the chair.

"You never complained about being engaged at such a young age?"

He shook his head. "I've always known that I had a duty to my country, it's normal for monarchs to be in arranged marriages."

"What does it feel like?" I stared right at him. "To be committed to a person, for the sake of the kingdom?"

"It's fine, I've gotten used to it."

"Wow." I sighed. I wish there was a guy who would look t me that way. "She sure is lucky."

He kept silent.

After we finished we went outside, it was already 9 in the evening,

I faced him. "I still have a lot to teach you."

He raised his eyebrow. Then he looked at his watch.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" I asked.

He nodded and combed his hair it was his mannerism. "I have to pick up Bellona, she just finished her Ballet practice."

"Oh, then you should go now, I gotta get home too."

I waved him goodbye and walked away, I heard him walk away as well.

When I got to the dorm, Aicko wasn't yet home. I was sure that she might come home drunk so I started to cook a soup to sober her up.

An hour later she came home and I was right, she was drunk. I layed her on her bed and started to take off her heels. "Did you drive drunk?"

"I'm not drunk!" She surely sounded drunk. "I'm just a little tipsy."

I swatted her head. "You could've gotten into an accident, why would you drive drunk?!" I scolded.

She fell asleep. I rolled my eyes and got a glass of water, I tried to slip it into her mouth after, I took off her make up and washed her face with her skin cleanser that I found in her bathroom and with clean water.

I never had a little sister, my parents broke up when I was two so I never had a sharp memory of my father and I never had a sibling. Between me and Aiden, he was always the responsible one, but while I took care of Aicko I felt responsible like a big sister. It warmed my heart.

After I got her cleaned I placed a glass of water on her bedside table. I found some pain relivers in the pantry and placed it beside the glass of water.

I washed up and jumped in my bed. I scanned my phone and found some messages from Aiden, My friends back home and Mom. I replied to each quickly then placed my phone back on my bedside table. I was about to sleep when my phone vibrated again.

I picked it up and found a new message in my inbox.

From: Unknown Number

Hello Paige.

I scrunched my forehead.

To: Unknown Number

Who is this?

My eyes widened.

From: Unknown Number

You messed with the wrong guy.

I changed his name immediately.

To: Jerk

How did you get my number?!

From: Jerk

That's just one of the many things I can do to you.

My blood rose.

To: Jerk

Are you threatening me?

From: Jerk

Maybe.

To: Jerk

Just so you know it's not working

From: Jerk

Enjoy your weekend. Get ready on Monday.

My tiredness disappeared immediately, although it was already midnight I was still wide awake. I blocked his number then placed my phone back in my bed side table.

I had a little sleep, my mind kept on thinking about how Blake got my number, if he got my number I was worried if he got my other personal information.

The weekend went in a flash, Shari came and visited us, Aicko had a hangover for the whole Saturday and I just kept my mind thinking of schemes on how to avoid or fight Blake.

_______________

The alarm clock rang. I sat up from my bed and rubbed my eyes, it was 5:00 AM, school starts at 7.

I took a shower then wore my uniform with a long sleeved blouse and cardigan over it, I straightened my necktie and wore my shoes.

I met Aicko in the kitchen, she had some bread in the toaster while holding a book in her hands. When she heard me coming she looked up from her book.

She smiled "Morning!"

"Morning!" I went straight to the fridge and got a pitcher of milk and my box of cereals. I ate them in the table.

Aicko followed with a plate of toast, we both ate quickly and drank water before we left for school.

We were greetd by Shari upon entering the school doors.

"Have you heard about the camping activity next week?" she exclaimed.

"There's a camping activity?"

"Yeah!" Shari clapped her hands. "Isn't it exciting?"

Aicko joined the excitement. "You're gonna love it Paige."

We continued to walk to our classrooms, I kept my eyes open for Blake, he was nowhere to be seen.

I entered the classroom there he was sitting on his chair in a deep conversation with his seatmate.

When He saw me coming he watched my every move until I got to my seat. My hair was in a tight bun today so that he wouldn't have a chance in cutting it.

I sat down on my chair. My eyes widened when I felt a cold feeling on my bottom. I tried to stand up when I realized, there was glue on my chair.

He got me today, I was debating whether I should stand up and go to the restroom but I decided not to act affected and to wait for break time.

He leaned his head close to my ear. "How's your day puppy?"

I kept my calm and ignored him.

I heard Khrysie chuckling beside me, she probably knew about my situation now.

I could imagine Blake's smirk behind me.

"You see puppy." He leaned even closer for me to hear him clearly.

"To those who are foolish enough to stand up to me, gets glued to their seats."

I gripped my fists. I don't want to cause a scene.

"Now, if you really are so brave." He continued. "Why don't you stand up."