I may have 'been living under a rock,' as Miles had so kindly put it, but I knew what and where Akilah was, and the enormity of their royal family's wealth.

Just the other week, they'd signed the rights away to only one minor area, in which they'd found gallons of oil, for billions upon billions of pounds. In news reports, it seemed they'd spent the money on lavish cars, clothes, and trips, but had also put a lot into schools and the education system in the country.

"Why is he here?" I asked, incredulously.

There were five of them. They were barely photographed for the press, whether individually or altogether. It seemed they priced themselves on their privacy and preferred not to be in he public eye, despite being admired all around the world.

"Jo, it's the best school in the world with the best facilities and people," he said. "Other than us scrubby peasants." I smirked, but couldn't help feel on edge as we watched them come closer and closer.

"Is he part of The Elites, too?"

"Obviously," he sighed. "He could have them shot, you know." I didn't really know if he was joking or not, so laughed a little awkwardly. By what could be seen of the retreating cars, filled with impossibly large guys, and the one even larger of them still trailing the prince, it didn't seem all that improbable.

"And her? Michelle Wolff?"

Autumn seemingly appeared from nowhere and strode over to the pair. The red haired german no longer looked entirely miserable, now wearing a large grin— which she tried to suppress, but couldn't. They embraced, kissing one another on both cheeks, before jumping into conversation.

"Yes, her and Autumn go way back. It's all about connections in the upper class, and they both have a lot of them."

Archer and Noah were also in view as they walked, side by side, to the prince.

His guard seemed not to be so on edge as he had been with Ms Kingsley, and let them approach the boy. He laughed as Noah seemed to make a jibe, whilst even from the back, Archer looked serious and proper. I noticed that they didn't hug like the girls had or even shake hands, but it didn't take away from the obvious gladness they displayed of greeting each other.

I imagined people in the room below us, squeezed together like sardines as they strived for a better view. They would probably be too busy watching the five of them to care whether those next to them had billions or trillions or whether their gucci jacket was getting crumpled.

The group, plus the prince's guard, all walked towards the doors once again. The head led them and the girls followed a few metres behind, the boys not too far behind that.

"I'm fucking starving," Miles complained, despite having eaten all of the pringles that I'd told myself I'd ration, or Mum told me to, anyway.

Mum. I felt guilt claw at my chest at the thought of having not spoken to her in the whole time I'd been here. I hadn't even texted. With no better option, I made a mental note to call her after dinner.

"I haven't got anything else. We've got dinner in an hour, though," I said as I got up from the window sill and slumped on my bed. "You're going to have to wait."

"Shit," he suddenly proclaimed.

I raised only my head to look at him, the rest of me too tired to move.

"What?"

He was already by the door and only said, "It's the first official dinner!"

"We had dinner here last night," I said, wondering if he'd finally gone round the bend or maybe I'd imagined it and I was the one to finally snap.

"Yes, I know, but I mean the one where all the teachers are there and we have a proper meal." He opened the door. "And we have to wear our uniforms!"

***

I'd been terrified, at first. That is, until I realised I didn't have to wear that god awful, over sized thing that made me look like a horribly deformed shit, but my new, well-fitted attire. I even felt almost... excited to be wearing it. The last time I'd felt excited about wearing a uniform was in reception.

I put it on, even going so far as admiring myself in the mirror. I'd traded my hoodie for a shirt, tied and jacket, and my jogging bottoms— that I'd never actually jogged in— for the skirt. I tucked the top into it, and slipped on my shoes.

The only thing that I'd owned before that I wore was my mum's engagement ring, not on my ring finger, of course. It was the only expensive thing we'd ever owned. Mum had said we could pawn it, but I'd always stood my ground. I frustrated myself in wanting to have something of my father when he wanted nothing of me or my mother. How I still wanted something of him when he made her feel so worthless... inadequate.

She thought I didn't see or maybe didn't understand when she'd excuse herself from the table at meal times, having seen my father's empty seat, and would just cry. I never alluded to knowing, either. Some things were better left unsaid.

Miles was at the door, banging three short times, as I checked my face in the bathroom mirror.

I wore no makeup, not because of not wanting to. Though, the taking off of it struck me as quite tedious. We simply didn't have the money to be splashing out on the good stuff which was a lot of money, and the cheap stuff would probably either run, give me a rash, or both.

"Look at this shit!" Miles said, coming barrelling into my room before I'd opened it more than an inch. He stood in the centre of it, poured into clothes definitely not the right size for him. Where my clothes had been way too big, his were way too small. He could barely walk. "If I bend over, I will tear it."

"How are you going to sit down?" I asked, holding my hand to my face to cover my amused smile.

"I won't," he said, resolutely.

I tilted my head at him. "And how do you plan on not sitting down at a sit down dinner?" He sighed as if just realising this. I rolled my eyes.

"Come on," I said, tugging his too short sleeve. "You're the one that was hungry so let's go."

He reluctantly followed after me, grumbling the entire way.

"Why can't we just get a take away?" He groaned as the throng of people going into the hall came closer, a sea of black and red.

"Because one: we're in the middle of nowhere, and two: how do you expect us to get it in here?"

"I have my ways." With a wink, he let me follow him into the hall.