edited

|Adara De Clare|

When I went inside the school, everyone who was out lingering in the hallways, were looking at me. They leaned over to their friend beside them and whispered about me. Probably about the interview the Prince did.

I wrap my arms around myself, trying to make myself smaller. I know that everyone watched that news but I wasn't really looking forward to getting judged at school.

As I walk to my first class, History, two girls stopped me.

"Umm, hi?" My voice small like a mouse's, I look at the two girls in front of me. I fiddle with my fingers as they look between one another, deciding who's going to ask me a question.

"Umm, hi! So, I have a question to ask you. It's about you and the Prince." The girl starts with a wide smile.

Anxiety builds in my chest. I don't really want anyone asking me questions about the Prince and I. "Uhh, I'm not sure if I wanna—" She cuts me off.

"Oh don't worry. It's fine, it's a simple question. When did you and the Prince start dating? You're like what? Sixteen, seventeen? If you guys started dating last year or year before last you'd be fifteen or even fourteen." The girl rants.

I don't answer. My mouth opens and closes like a fish's. A ball forms in my throat. I really don't want to answer these questions. They make me so anxious.

The guy interjects the girl's question. "Also, when he becomes King would you be his Queen or would he dump you?"

I look around to find some sort of out. I desperately look for Via. This girl has got to be around here somewhere, right? I basically stretch my neck to find this girl but she's nowhere to be found.

Looks like I've got to get myself out this.

"I don't really feel comfortable doing this." I say then I walk around them.

I walk faster, trying to just get away from the whispering hallway. I finally find my History class then I knock on the door, waiting for Mr. Rick to open it. Truth is, I'm late. Embarrassingly late. It's only the first week of school and I've already been absent about three times.

He comes to the door and he opens it, stepping outside. "Good morning, Adara. Do you have a reason as to why you're here so late?" He asks me.

I continue fiddling with my fingers, "I left kind of late." I confess.

He sighs, "Adara just because you're the Vampire Prince's girlfriend does not mean I can continue to excuse you for silly reasons such as this. Please come earlier, you're my only top student. I do not want you falling behind." He tells me, looking me in the eyes.

I nod, "Yes, sir." He opens the door and moves to the side, allowing me to walk in first. I go to my seat which is beside two vampires.

They're siblings, a boy and a girl. No one wanted to sit in that area by them so I did since I didn't care but now. . .I'd be lying to say that it didn't catch me offguard sometimes. After my attack by that vampire, it did affect me. I obviously know that not all vampires are like that, it's just that it's an instinct right now.

Mr. Rick, comes into the room, closing the door behind him. He begins talking about what we're going to do in class today.

"So, there are only five people who sent in that assignment about your opinions on vampire-human relationships. I will be putting in the grades tonight, so you'll have until 4 p.m. to turn it in. However, today, we will be moving on to a different project. This one will count for 40% of your grade for this semester. It will be due on the last day of school this semester, right before Winter Break."

"You can do it in pairs if you choose to. If not, you can do it on your own." He tells us.

"If you look on the board, you'll see the requirements and what the project is about. Please write, type or take a picture of this. Note: This project will take months to accomplish so you will have Thursdays and Fridays to work on it. Now, you can choose your partners or start working on your own." He sits in his chair and he starts typing on his computer.

I look around, most of the students in this class are looking for partners. I don't think I'm going to work with a partner. I can do the work on my own. I don't think it's that hard.

I look at the board and my eyes widen. Oh yeah, this is hard.

It says that we're to have a presentation, whether hard or softcopy, on two of the Royal Families in the world and to map their family history going back a few generations.

Also, we're to compare their monarchies. This really is going to take months to accomplish. It would be smart to do this with a partner but I don't really know anyone in here. Via has Forensic Science right now. Sigh, I guess I'll just do this on my own. I can power through it.

Just as I open the Slides Presentation, someone taps me on my shoulder and I turn around to see Justina. Surprise fills my face as I see her looking at me, fiddling her fingers. She looks nervous. Why does she look nervous? Last time we spoke, she yelled at me and said many things that made sense but she wasn't nervous that's for sure.

"Yeah?" I ask her, feeling nervous too.

"Umm, could I be your partner?" She asks me and my eyebrows shoot up.

For real? Or is she playing with me? She probably is playing with me, reminding me that besides Via, I am completely friendless.

"You sure?" I ask her and she bites her lip, nodding.

"Yeah, but it's fine if you don't."

"No, no, it would be better to do this in groups. I'll share the Slides with you." I tell her and she drags a chair up to where I am.

"Okay, you could get started on the Prince's family history since I'm sure you know him well." She says sadly.

Right. I'm his 'girlfriend'. This still feels weird. The Prince's girlfriend and alleged baby momma are partners in a project. Hah! This is hilarious. It has to be one for the books. If this isn't in the history books, dead me will be upset.

We individually get started. I start googling the heck out of the Prince's family history but everything before his current family isn't there. The only thing that's said about his grandfather is that he was the previous King but got killed. How can the internet not have serious information about the Royal Family in charge? Isn't he like one of the most famous people in the world? How long have him and his family been alive?

God, by the sound of it probably since the turn of the age of intelligence. Which was like two millenias ago.

•

School ends and just like usual, the Prince pulls up in the car rider lane. I open the passenger's door and I go in, throwing my bag in the back seat.

"Oh thank God, tomorrow's Saturday. I don't think I could've handled another day of school. I'm exhausted. How was your day?" I say as we drive off and he sighs.

He uses one hand to push his black hair out of his face. I know that his hair is always messy but today it just looks way worse. It doesn't look awful, I don't think he can ever look awful but it's way more messy today.

"Well, I went to that meeting I told you about earlier. It lasted from 8:30 till 3:30." He deadpans at me then he looks back at the road.

My eyes widen and my mouth falls open. "Good Lord." I say.

"Why did school end so late today?" He asks me.

Oh? I'm surprised he even knows when school ends. I usually just send him a quick text to confirm that he's coming to pick me up.

"I had cheerleading." I tell him.

His head snaps to me in an instant, "You're a cheerleader?"

"Yeah, why?" I ask, nervously.

"Just never took you for that kind of student." He answers.

"What kind did you take me for?" I ask.

"Antisocial."

"Well, I am, but antisocial isn't a complaint a doctor can give me, except for psychological reasons. I still need to go to college. Not all of us have our future written out from the day we're born." I tell him and I think I came off a tad bit meaner than I meant to.

"Aren't you going to take over your parents' law firm?" He asks.

I sigh, "I don't know what I want to do." I admit.

"Well, you have time to find out."

I literally cannot believe that we're having a civil conversation right now. Usually it's the opposite. Maybe time really is the healer we all need. The rest of the car ride we sit in silence. Not uncomfortable silence but just silence. I like this. I'm not scared for my life like I usually am.

"Oh by the way, my History teacher gave us a project to do today and I'm doing it with a partner." I tell him.

His eyebrows crease and he looks at me confused then he looks back at the road.

"Umm, okay?" He answers.

"I'm doing it with Justina. . ." I trail off and his head snaps to me.

"Really?" He asks with surprise evident in his voice.

I laugh a little, "Yeah, she just came to me and asked if we could work on it together."

He becomes serious, "Oh, I'd be wary if I were you."

I clear my throat, "Yeah, I was confused why she did that. Besides it helps me know more about her, hopefully." I tell him and he nods.

"Good." He answers.

A small smile forms at the edge of my lips.

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