"Paige try this." Aicko's fashion designer Francine, called me to try on my dress, it was still unfinished but I could see that it's going to have a beautiful outcome.

I wore the silk over my sleeves and looked at the full length mirror infront of me. The color of the silk complemented my skin tone and eyes.

"Perfect." Francine exclaimed while looking at me through the mirror. I gave her a small smile. I appreciate that she agreed to make me a dress even if she doesn't work for me.

"Hmm can you turn around?" She asked. I did as she said and faced her again. I felt awkward as I watched her eye me. "Is there a problem?"

"Oh no deary." She laughed. "I was just wondering, have you ever thought about being a model?"

Model? "No I've never thought about that." I laughed. "Plus I'm too short and I'm not into those things."

"I see." Francine stood up and started helping me out of the silk. "But it'll be great if you give it a try."

Heck no! I shook my head politely. "I don't have time for that." All I want is to graduate and to become a professional when I grow up. Maybe an Architect, a Doctor or a Lawyer, I'm honestly not sure yet. The students in my year here at Campus have this school year as the year for general learning but come next year, the Heir's to the throne will be focusing on learning how to lead and the business men and women will be learning about their finances and business. While the commoners gets to pick our own course of profession, they all have it here.

I took off the silk and changed back into my loose white t-shirt and pajamas. Francine fixed the silk and measured my arms for a secondary measurement.

"You sure you don't want to be a model?" She asked again as she measured my shoulder.

"I'm sorry but I really don't." I tied my hair in a bun when she finished measuring me.

"Oh too bad." She placed her measuring tape back inside her bag. "It would really suit you." I kept silent not knowing how to answer to that.

"Here." She handed me a card. "If it ever crosses your mind, I've got a lot of modeling agencies that will have you." She winked at me.

I didn't want to look rude so I just took the card and placed it inside my pocket. I don't have to keep it safely, It's not like I'll be needing it.

Suddenly the door of my dorm opened and in came Aicko. "Sorry I'm late Francine." She apologized and took her uniform off.

Just like me, Francine chit chatted with Aicko while letting her try on her silk."Did you here that Khrysie and her girls are on their way back here." Aicko said while she was holding her hair up as Francine did some fixing on her silk.

I frowned. "So they cut their trip short?"

"Everyone's cutting their trip short dear." Francine said as she cut a few loose threads on Aicko's silk. "They're all contacting their designers." She chuckled. "That's what you call the Christmas ball rush."

The Christmas Ball is a week from now and everyone is so busy with their dresses. When Francine finished Aicko, she left afterwards leaving Aicko and I.

My eyes widened when Aicko immediately held my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye.

"He's here."

I frowned. "Who?"

She rolled her eyes. "Blake."

"So?" I tried to maintain my poker face.

She frowned. "He didn't ask you to the ball?"

"No he didn't." He did have a paper but he didn't ask me at all and what if the paper's for someone else. My confusion from a while ago's incident returned. Why is he here in the first place? And why is he so mad? It's not like I've done anything wrong. Or I didn't make him wait for any movie didn't I?

"Really?!" Aicko let go of my shoulders. "I thought he did."

"And why would he?" I rolled my eyes. "There're a lot of girls that he'd like to be going to the ball with than me."

"Then why would he come all the way here earlier than the others if all the pretty girls are back at Egypt?" She crossed her arms.

"Maybe he's homesick?" I suggested and laughed at what I was thinking.

"Whatever." Aicko went to the fridge and pulled out a juice box.

"How bout you?" I lay down on the couch and she handed me a juice box and sat on the couch. "Do you have a date yet?"

"Yeah." She said. "Daniel asked me a while ago." She said like it wasn't a big deal. I laughed, she'd always wave it off but I know that that Croatian Prince is head over heels for her and although she doesn't act like it, I know she likes him too.

"How did your date with Ethan go?" She wondered. "Did you say yes?"

I shook my head.

"Paige!" She frowned. "You might end up without a date to the ball."

"So be it." I leaned my back on the couch. "Why do I have to desperately find a date?"

"I'm surprised that you still need to find a date and that no one's asking you." Aicko sipped from her juice box.

I rested my back on the couch and hugged a pillow. "Is it my fault that no one likes me? "I frowned at the way Aicko stared at me. "What's wrong?"

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Aren't you using your eyes?"

"Of course I am." I frowned. "I'm not blind you know."

She raised an eyebrow at me then chuckled. "You have no idea Paige." She stood up from the couch. "You have exactly no idea."

___________________________

"I'm back!" a high pitched voice said.

I blinked twice to make sure I'm not seeing things. Khrysie and her girls entered the school main doors making everyone surprised.

"They're back already?" Aicko frowned.

I watched as Khrysie strode through halls, Nile walked beside her. If Nile's back then does that mean so is Ram? I then noticed that Bellona wasn't with them.

"Aicko, Paige!" A female voice called.

Aicko and I faced the main doors and in came Shari rushing towards us with Eloise walking behind her maintaining her poise. Shari greeted us with a huge hug.

"I missed you!" Aicko exclaimed.

Shari laughed. "I missed you guys more."

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked.

Eloise chuckled. "We need to prepare for the ball silly."

After our reunion we proceeded to our classrooms.

Eloise went to section 1, Aicko went to section 2 and Shari and I proceed to our section 3. There are 3 sections in our grade level. Section one is Bellona's section with Khrysie and their girls with their other classmates. Section two is Aicko and Aiden's section together with their classmates and my section is section three, with Shari, Blake, Kile and our other classmates. Our sections mostly merge in classes but those are our divisions.

I entered my classroom and walked towards my seat I automatically glanced at Blake's seat but he wasn't there. I was hoping to talk to him to know what his problem was. I sat on my seat and realized that almost all of the royals in our section are present. That's funny guess they all came back to start planning for the ball.

__________________

Break time came and Aicko and the girls decided that we have our break out in the gardens. The gardens have many trees, ponds, bridges, flowers of different kinds , sculpted bushes and patio sets. We walked through the stone pathwalk and sat down on one of the patio sets.

Eloise crossed her legs and I did the same.

"What do you want?" Aicko asked. "Shari and I will get our food in the cafeteria, we'll bring it here while you two." She pointed to me and Eloise. "Will stay here and guard our seat."

Eloise and I told Aicko what we want, and we handed our name plates for the cafeteria to scan. When they left, it was just me and Eloise. Eloise seemed sleepy so I told her to sleep. She nodded and rested her head a bit and fell asleep instantly. She maybe jetlag from her flight.

I silently flipped through the pages of my book and worked on my answer sheet. I kept myself deeply focused so that I could make the most of my time.I scratched out some numbers from my paper and rubbed my forehead. God math is giving me a headache.

"Busy?"

I raised my head to see the one who spoke.

"Yeah, got a ton of paper works." I pointed to my stack of papers. "So... when did you arrive?" I asked curiously.

"This morning" Kile eyed my papers.

"Did everyone come back?"

He nodded. "Blake went first then everyone followed."

"Oh." I nodded and brought my head back to my papers. I'm really having a hard time on my math equation and this guy keeps on bugging me.

"Isn't that due next year?" His low voice asked.

"Yeah." I looked up at him and smiled then looked back at it.

"Why are you finishing it now?"

This guy has a lot of questions. "Because I want to."

"Are you that excited for the Christmas ball?" He chuckled.

I frowned and looked at him. "I'm not excited for the ball. I'm excited for the Christmas break."

"Oh so you wanna go home?" A small smile was formed on the side of his lips. "Now that's what you want."

I raised an eyebrow. "Of course I wanna go home, I've been away from my mom for a long time."

"You're not the only one away from your family." He said in a low voice.

Only then did I remember. He's right, all along I thought I was the only one away from Mom, I forgot that we all are away from our families, my Mom is just at the other side of the country, other student's families are at the other side of the globe.

"Oh." Was all I could muster. "I'll get back to this then." I pointed at my math questionnaire and went back to computing. The numbers just makes my head dizzy.

Kile didn't say anything else so from the looks of it, he's left. I stayed focused on my paper. "Ugh!" I scratched my solution again. Why can't I get it right?!

"It's like this." My eyes widened when my pen was suddenly taken out of my hands.

I frowned when I realized that Kile was already sitting beside me, writing a solution on my paper. "Hey!" I complained. "Give it back." I tried to get my pen back. "I could answer it myself."

Kile arched his brow. "Oh really?"

I looked at my paper and saw the many corrections that he's made. "Ugh! Fine!" I leaned my back on the couch and crossed my arms.

I watched as he showed me how to solve the equations. I never knew that he was good in math.

"Got it?" He asked when he finished solving the last equation.

"Uh..yeah." I nodded. He's good in teaching, gentle and patient. I thought he only taught horse riding, well now he teaches math too. "I never knew that you were good in math."

"I have a good teacher."

I nodded, I suddenly spotted Aicko and Shari returning with trays of food from the cafeteria.

"I'll be going then." Kile stood up and smiled at Aicko and Shari before walking away.

I turned to Aicko who gave me a questioning look. "What?" I raised my brow.

"What was he doing here?" She asked. Shari placed the tray on the patio table and I reached for a cheese sandwich.

"Teaching me Math." I answered before taking a bite on my sandwich.

After we ate, we stood up to head back to our classes. I suddenly spotted Blake leaning his back on the hallway wall with his eyes on his phone and his bag slung to his shoulder. The way he's acting is really bugging me. We were fine before he left for Egypt, why would he come back and act like that.

"Uh guys." I turned to the girls. "Go on without me, I'll just handle something."

Aicko raised her brow at me but they nodded and left.

I slowly approached Blake. I don't know if he sensed me approaching him or not coz he's still focused on his phone.

"Hey." I snapped my fingers infront of him.

He didn't look up. Wow! Is he back to this attitude again?!

"Hey!" I snapped my fingers again.

He still ignored me.

"Hey!" I clapped my hands infront of him.

He finally looked up and raised his brow. "What?"

"What is your problem?" I frowned. That was the question that I've been wanting to ask.

He kept his eyes avoided mine, while I like an idiot kept on catching them. "I don't know what you're talking about?"

I frowned when he suddenly slung his bag on his shoulder again and turned his back on me, walking away.

What the hell? I gripped my fists. He's not walking away this time. "Hey!" I raced after him and went infront of him blocking his walk way. Finally he stopped. "What is wrong with you?!"

He leaned his left shoulder to the corridor wall and crossed his arms.

"Why are you acting like I've done something horrible to you?" I crossed my arms. "What did I do wrong?" He annoys me by making me feel guilty for no apparent reason.

He bit his lip and locked his eyes on mine. I sensed the anger in there.

He seemd like he wasn't going to talk, fine so I'll talk. "You show up and see me with Ethan and now you're acting like that?" I glared at him. "Last time I checked, I haven't done anything wrong to you, we were good before you left." I stomped my foot. "Are you mad coz you caught me with Ethan?"

He didn't answer.

I rolled my eyes. "What are you? Jealous?" My eyes widened. Why did I just say that?!

He locked his eyes on me. "If yes so what?"

My jaw dropped. I didn't expect him to say that. Why do I always end up surprised with everything that's happening to me?!

I was speechless. Blake turned his back on me again, I thought he was gonna leave when Khrysie suddenly appeared beside us and suddenly clung to his arm.

"Hi Blake!" She said in a sweet tone. "Can I ask a question."

Blake took her arm off his and annoying looked at her. "What?"

"Do you have a date to the ball yet?" She played with her fingers acting shy and trying to be cute but to be honest it doesn't suit you missy!

"I don't. Are you done?" Blake said, he held on the strap of his bag as if he was ready to leave. He was about to leave when Khrysie spoke.

"Wait." She held on his arm. "Can you atleast go with me?" She pouted. Eww!

"Ok." Blake aggressively took his arm away from hers once again and walked away leaving me shocked.

"Hmp." Khrysie had the smile of victory on her face. "See you at the ball Paige." She eyed me and left walking away.

I couldn't tell what I'm feeling, I also have no explanation. All I know is that, I'm not happy.

_____________________

"Ok smile!" Francine ordered.

Aicko and I smiled at Francine's camera. Tonight's the ball and I don't know what I'm feeling at the moment.

"You both look stunning." Francine complemented us.

I looked myself in the mirror. My dress was rose gold, strapless, and a backless. My dress was flowy and it somewhat touched the ground. Francine surely out did herself.

My blonde hair was in a braid crown and tied in a low ponytail. I paired my outfit with a pair of silver stilettos. Goodluck to me.To be honest, I've never worn anything this fancy, which makes me feel a bit different but it's surely something to get used to.

Aicko wore a royal blue dress which looked elegant on her, together we walked going out the dorm room. We both had matching silver purses, friendship goals, what can I say?

Cameras flashing greeted us the second we got out of the dorm building. Aicko prepared me for this. The both of us stroke poses for the cameras. Before, I'd watch this very event on tv while munching banana chips and sipping on a mug of chocolate. I'd watch these Elite and Royals in their fancy dresses and gowns and I'd just fall asleep. Like I once said, I've never paid much attention to these people, not that I don't like them, I just don't pay much attention to them, I used to think that their lives are like fairytales, and mines reality. But now here I am.

"Ms. Aicko who are you wearing?" One of the camera men asked.

Aicko gave a bright smile. "I'm wearing Francine Le France." She posed for the camera. She seemed used to this, well I guess she does this every year.

"Excuse me? You must be Ms. Paige Bennet?" One of the camera men called me. I smiled at them. "Yes I am."

"How's your life here at the Eres Academy?" One of the reporters asked.

"It's pretty amazing actually." I smiled, following Aicko's lead.

Another reporter called. "Are you a model?"

I faced her and looked at Aicko, making sure that I was the one she was talking to. "Uhm no I'm not."