3 Childhood Friend

The next day, I woke up due to this ear-splitting sound coming from the alarm clock that stood on my side table.

Still feeling a bit drowsy over here, I stretched one arm and turned off the alarm clock while still closing my eyes. When it finally became quiet, I turned to the other side of the bed and decided to stay like this for a while.

"Just...five...more...minutes," I said in between my yawns.

I tucked the blanket closer to me as I feel myself being transported back to dreamland once again.

Then there was a knock on the door all of sudden that blocked my way towards dreamland.

"Krisella? Are you awake?! Well, you better be awake, or else I will drag you out there myself." I heard someone shout from the outside.

Hmm... who was that again? I can barely remember.

Deciding to ignore the guy, I chose to remain in my bed while pushing myself to sleep once again. But unfortunately, though, my drowsiness has finally left me and I can't feel the momentum of sleep any longer.

That made me sit in my bed in frustration and glared at the door, like it's the door's fault for waking my senses up.

Wait... my bed?

Where am I again?

I decided to roam around my gaze in this gorgeous room to where I'm currently sleeping. It's more spacious than my bedroom back in our house was, like two rooms were combined together. Even the bed where I am currently sleeping is too big for me, with its silky mattress and a thick, soft blanket to warm me up.

A few moments later, I saw the door now opening up and in it revealed the kidnapper I saw yesterday morning.

Wait, so all the things that happened to me yesterday are not a part of a dream? At all?

So I really have to do that... thing?

"I thought you're still sleeping." Alex folded his arms in his chest as he looked at me with his cold, nonchalant eyes. "Get up and prepare for your early morning training session with Lancelot... or we'll have to kick you out of the castle."

After that, he rudely went out of the room while closing the door without even uttering a word.

Yeah, right. I remember now.

Because of desperation of finding myself a place to rest, I agreed in pretending to be the prince and master wizard of this country in exchange for giving me an allowance, a roof over my head, and food to eat.

That's why I'm here in the first place.

Heaving out a sigh, I turned to look at the alarm clock and my eyes widened to know that it was still four in the freaking morning! Damn it, it's too early to torture me like this.

I finally got out of my bed, fixed it a little, before taking a shower in the bathroom that is also here inside my bedroom.

Oh my gosh, I even needed a lot of courage first before I could even manage to turn on the showers and suffer in this icy cold water brought to me by the early morning cold weather.

***

When I finally got out of my bedroom looking fresh, clean, and cold at the same time in my new set of shirt and pants... I hurriedly went to the dining room where I had agreed yesterday to meet up with Lancelot and to the rest of the group.

"M-morning." I greeted while stuttering in the process. I still can't get over with that icy cold water from earlier!

"You're late." That grumpy Alex commented.

"No. Let her be. It's okay Krisella." Lancelot shushed this... cold jerk and smiled at me while motioning for me to sit on his right.

"So now, let's start your training first with proper table etiquette as you take your breakfast," Lancelot explained.

By that time, I noticed different spoons, forks, and knives laid before me beside the dish of omelet and rice on my plate, and a bowl of what seems to be a mushroom soup.

My brain got dizzy at the sight of it. It all looks the same to me.

"Uh, now? " I gave them a questioning look. I can't enjoy my meal with all of this training!

"Are you deaf?" Alex commented once again.

"Shush Alex..." Then Lancelot turned to me. "Show me how you normally eat."

I hesitated at first but I felt my tummy growling inside me, so therefore I chose to give in and scooped a spoonful of rice towards my mouth.

"You're even using that spoon which is supposed to be for soup." Alex gave me a bored look while the guy sitting right next to him chuckled.

"I find it amusing though," Lucas said.

As I chew the food inside my mouth, Lancelot showed me the 'proper way' of eating by using the correct tablespoon, which looks bigger than the one I've used earlier and ate with grace and beauty.

I almost gaped at the sight. I've never known there is a 'proper way' of eating!

"Make sure that your hands are not lazily placed at the top of the table. Some would consider it being rude in front of the food... And never, ever, yawn, in front of your guests."

I sat frozen in my place as I was about to cover my mouth and yawn.

Oh, man. I never knew being a prince requires this much hard work even in eating alone.

In the end, we spent the remaining hours teaching me the 'proper way' of eating.

***

When it was six in the morning, I bid my farewell to the three of them since I needed to go to my first day of classes.

Before completely leaving though, they've discussed to me what route I should take to prevent bystanders from seeing me walking towards the castle, what are the do's and don'ts, etc...

I think my head is fully loaded already with information, to think that my classes haven't even started yet!

After successfully sneaking out of the castle, I walked my way towards my school in my inner white shirt paired with a black jumper and white sneakers to complete my look.

I was also told by my childhood friend in a letter that I will be getting a free uniform in my second week of the school year.

Wiieeee... can't wait for it!

Well, since the pay that I will be getting from being an impostor would come every 10th and 25th day of the month, and we still have 5 days left before the 10th day comes, I have to at least suffer for now by walking towards my school.

It's a good thing though the school is just a few walking distance from the castle, well that's for me to judge since I'm very used to walking.

The moment I arrived in front of the well-known Gilead Academy, I can't help but marvel at the sight of these huge iron gates being opened now for students to go inside.

"Will you just stand over here?"

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard that very familiar voice. Feeling giddy inside, I swiftly turned around and my smile widened when I saw the familiar figure of my childhood friend Dexter Woods standing behind me.

"Dexter! It's good to see you!"

Not being aware of our surroundings, I immediately surrounded him in a tight hug, which the lad didn't complain about but instead hugged me back.

"It's good to see you too," he said.

Then I quickly pulled away from him.

"I miss you."

"I miss you too! It's been long since we have seen each other." I beamed.

He started to walk inside the campus and so did I along with the multitude of students also entering the premises of the school.

"Yeah. So... what's new about you?" he smiled as he looked at me.

I can't help but be amazed at how he changed... a lot.

From a skinny boy that I knew back when we were still living in Ziv Village, he grew up now to be a tall, fitted boy. From his nerdy look before, his thick volume of reddish hair was now styled tall with short or faded sides, which appeared to be wind-blown and a little...err...wild.

He has the same tall, straight nose that I was so jealous about, almond-shaped royal blue eyes that never fails to fascinate me minus the thick-framed glasses that he's been using before, thick clean cut eyebrows, well-defined jaw, and red divided lips.

In short, he grew up to be a man already... despite him being the same age as me. Unlike me, I still wear my usual pigtails on the sides.

"Hello? Earth to Kris...are you still there?"

I regained my senses the moment Dexter started to wave his right hand in front of me. Darn it, that must be so shameful of me to doze off in front of my childhood friend! Now he thinks I'm a weirdo!

"Err... What did you say again?' I scratched the back of my neck in embarrassment.

"Nothing. I see nothing has changed with you, at all." I heard him now chuckle. "You're still the same Kris that I used to know."

I instantly flushed at what he said. "Is that... bad?"

"No...I prefer you that way." he now stopped laughing and sincerely smiled at me.

So in the end, he has to walk me towards my first-period class to prevent me from getting lost inside the campus. He's a year above me now, so there's no way I'll be sitting in class with him. That made me sad though.

After he waved goodbye when we now reached my designated room, he turned his back on me and started walking towards his own class. While me on the other hand, I also started to turn towards my room feeling happy inside.

Except for the fact that I want to learn magic in this school, my other reason also for choosing this school among other magic institutions is the fact that my childhood friend-slash-crush is also enrolled here.

Now that I've seen him once again, I can finally say that all that running away from home I made has finally been paid off.

But don't get me wrong though.

Learning magic is still my number one priority here.