Your Royal Highness

Author's POV

Alexander stared at the teacher wistfully. He was bored, very bored. And in a way, disappointed with himself.

He glanced at Xavier who was also staring at the teacher. The only difference between both of them, was the sleepiness that had somehow found a way to Xavier's face.

'He's not going to sleep in class, is he?', Alexander was shocked and looked at Xavier in awe. But then he quickly snapped out of it.

'Even if he was, what does it matter? I can't do the same! After all I was the one who insisted on coming to school and somehow managed to drag him along', Alexander thought sullenly. He couldn't follow Xavier's example because of his pride, and he didn't give a damn about what the teacher was saying, in fact, no one did.

All the other students were immersed in their own things. He looked around and spotted a brunette girl, at the front seat, fervently copying notes and paying full attention to the teacher.

To the side, some students had fallen asleep, some were writing while chatting with friends, and the others were just like him, bored!

'Sigh', he sighed inwardly and started to wonder what exactly was wrong with him. Isn't it better to have remained in Aerorua?

No… but at least he'd never run out of things to do over there.

He glanced at Xavier again. Xavier had finally closed his eyes, and had a soft provocative smile on his face, he held his head up with his hand, and looked quite charming and more gentle without his sharp cold eyes adding life to his face.

'Lucky bastard', Alexander gaze accidentally shifted to the guy beside Xavier. He was giving Xavier the stink eye, and had a displeased expression on his face.

Alexander suddenly realized who Xavier was provoking, it seems he had already antagonized someone on his first day.

Alexander could not help but bring himself to pity that person. Xavier was like a mirror, and whatever you put in front of a mirror would always be what is reflected.

As aloof and cold as Xavier may seem, he was actually an easy-going person. He just had a few special habits that made him… more human.

When they first met, Alexander mistook him for someone he knew, struck off a conversation with him, and immediately hit it off with Xavier. Back then he was much sillier than he was now, and Xavier was much more dangerous. But they still became good friends, all because he ratted on about nonsense and Xavier didn't mind listening to him, it's unbelievable, but back then Xavier had actually contributed to his nonsense, in a way…

Anyways, this guy was in for a surprise if he thinks he can get on Xavier's bad side and still come out on top.

He didn't know how Mrs Austin is able to do it, and maybe it's because she is his mom, but Xavier isn't someone you want to have as an enemy. Trust him, he knows…

"Hm?", Alexander raised a brow at Ean who sat down forcefully.

'She probably got defended again, how pitiful.'

The number of teachers willing to antagonize her, have reduced.

We've had three classes since the incident this morning, and six teachers have passed by since. Four teachers and two teaching assistants.

Alexander didn't know if this is how a school worked, but they never had a reason to leave the classroom.

Ean had successfully angered four teachers, but only two reacted before being told off by Vivian and Ciara.

Vivian paled terribly when Ciara spoke up for Ean, or maybe it was due to the gaze Ean directed at them, which they somehow missed, but still reacted to.

The next two teachers that came after, managed to rein their anger in and told Ean to sit down.

While the last two didn't pay her any heed. The teacher had just told her to sit down, when she raised a question and he answered without any change of expression. But the other one was just passing by, and ignored Ean's jags at him.

At first, we were all startled by her confidence. Why was she trying so hard to get sent out? Is… she in the same situation as Xavier? Or was she in the same situation as me, but only chose to use a different alternative?

Alexander wondered but didn't get any answers. But as time passed by, everyone became busy with their own thing and stopped paying attention to Ean, knowing fully well she would not succeed.

Alexander did not notice that he had been staring at Ean for too long, until Ean turned around to meet his gaze.

The anger and irritation in her eyes were evident, and Alexander became flustered immediately their gazes met.

She checked him out once, nodded to herself then turned around.

'What was that…?', Alexander started to feel uneasy, but he quickly dismissed the feeling and thought about his current circumstances.

'I can leave now or bear it for another month or two. But then if I do, all that money would go to waste! I guess I'm going to have to endure it', Alexander let out an audible sigh, and finally paid attention to what the teacher was saying.

***

Soon enough the class was over, but to Alexander who wanted to portray himself as a good student that had paid attention, it was dreadfully long.

The bell for their lunch break rang, and every other student but the brunette, Xavier who had actually fallen asleep, Ean who had her head on the desk, and Ciara, who sat overbearingly in her seat, and threw a glance at their direction every now and then.

None of them moved, Alexander was too nervous to, both Ean and Xavier probably didn't care, and the brunette behaved weirdly…

Anyways, someone came in dressed like a doofus, whispered something to Ciara which made her smile. Throwing one last glance at their direction, she stood up and went out of the classroom.

Soon enough the brunette followed, and Alexander watched all these happen with a lot on his mind.

Xavier stirred in his sleep then stood up from the desk, he turned to look at Alexander and asked, "What are you staring at?"

Alexander replied whilst standing up, "Nothing… I was just thinking. Wanna go grab something?"

Xavier yawned then stood up, there was a little bit of sleep in his eyes, and his voice was somewhat groggy, it sounded strange too, but he still agreed to Alexander's request.

The boys were about to leave the class when Alexander stopped and turned to look at Ean. 'We are all Scholarship students who entered at the same time. Maybe I could invite her for lunch, and we could be friends'

He gestured for Xavier to wait for him and walked over to Ean, whose head was still on the table.

He gently tapped her and wondered if she was also asleep.

Xavier sat on the desk of the fourth seat in the first row, and watched Alexander with his half closed eyes. He seemed extremely aloof and nonchalant to whatever was going on, but his gaze never left the duo for a second.

Ean raised her head up and wondered who was disturbing her.

'Are they tired of living? How dare they bother me when I'm in a bad mood', she thought with a frown on her face.

She looked up and met Alexander's awkward gaze, he scratched the back of his head and spoke in a nervous tone, "Do you want to join us for-"

"Your highness…? Do you know me?", Ean asked with surprise and confusion. She was sure Alexander did not know her, then why did he walk up to her?

Alexander froze, the shock on his face was evident, as his shaking pupils met Ean's confused gaze.

Xavier who was behind him, raised an eyebrow, 'She knows who he is?'

He was also confused, Alexander's identity was not top secret or meant to be a secret, it just happened like that. And all the people who were supposed to know him, didn't! Instead they were much more familiar with that two-faced peacock.

Ean's voice snapped both guys out of their thoughts, "What are you doing all the way here on Arin island? Isn't it dangerous?"

Alexander did not respond and just stammered through his words. He had no idea what to say, and even if he did, he had no idea who he was talking to.

Was she an ally? A supporter of his? Or that bastard's?

Alexander's eyes slowly clouded with anger and a very unknown but familiar emotion to Ean, but before he could lash out or speak up, Xavier had walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

Alexander reflexively turned to look at Xavier, but Xavier ignored his gaze, and focused on Ean who was still sitting down.

"Who are you?", His eyes were dark, but he was still relaxed. Right now, he was supporting Alexander, and he was the one who brought him here, so he was somewhat responsible for him.

Ean glanced at him once and responded with slight annoyance in her voice, "I wasn't talking to you-"

"But I was talking to you!", Xavier retorted before she could finish speaking.

"So? I'm not obligated to answer you, am I?", Ean was still as rude. She was very curious about Alexander's appearance on Arin island, and why she never heard about it. 'Is it because of the bridge project? No… does Diamond know?', she looked up at Alexander who flinched under her gaze, and suddenly lost all the confidence he managed to summon.

Xavier pulled Alexander behind him, and inwardly cursed him for showing weakness and not being able to keep his composure. If it were one of the top families who found him, would he behave like this and let them use him?

'Coward!', Xavier thought, when he knew Alexander was anything but one. He just disliked Alexander's inability to deal with such a situation, but then he couldn't blame him much, Alexander was never built for wars like this one.

Leaning on the desk and looking Ean eye to eye, Xavier said with obvious danger hidden in his voice. "But I asked, and ever so nicely too, so I at least deserve a proper reply instead of stupid comebacks, right?"

Ean's bluish purple eyes gazed directly at Xavier's emerald green ones, and she suddenly chuckled. "I guess you do, don't you? Unfortunately for you I am not interested in doing things the proper way. As you've seen this morning, I don't play by the rules"

Xavier furrowed his brows and a small frown appeared on his face. If he could, he would have long beaten Alexander to death. He was already pissed off by the contract, now this sudden exposure and from an unknown person, no less, was worth abandoning him, and watching him get eaten up by those who hunted him down.