"How to avoid Sabrina for the rest of the day?" Kwan asked no one in particular, he was more or so thinking out loud as he walked beside Cooper and Daniel towards the cafeteria.

Daniel sighed, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets. "There is no avoiding Sabrina and her friends. They'll sit with us at lunch. I just know it." He steadfastly said, not a hint of doubt in his voice.

Cooper wasn't exactly keen on Sabrina nor her friends, well, only Lacy, Kiki seems harmless. "It's not like we can avoid them, besides, this is no different than back home and having to deal with colorful characters."

Daniel crossed his arms over her chest and tapped his foot lightly on the floor. "Sabrina reminds me of Samira, could be a decent person if she didn't let her money and power go to her head." He shook his head at his own words.

Cooper had always known Daniel wasn't fond of Samira since he had known her a little longer than he had. "Samira is a decent person. Yes, she's a little overly confident and a little blunt at times, but she's a genuine person with a huge giving heart."

Daniel raised his eyebrows at his brother's optimal words for Samira. "Of course, you'd say that. Once you come back to the pal- um, house, you spend a lot of time with her because her father pushed for it since it's clear he's got his mind set on marriage." He corrected himself from the little slip-up.

Cooper had heard talks about an arranged marriage, but it was simply just jest, nothing more, nothing less. "Mum and Dad wouldn't agree to that, especially with everything that's going on right now. I'm far too young to get married and I would only ever take the throne in Dad's passing, which won't happen anytime soon."

Daniel wasn't so sure that was the case considering their circumstances. "Just wait until all this is over and we go back. Samira and her parents are waiting for an alliance with their duchy and they will make it known and pressure our parents into agreeing to some degree." He warned, shaking his finger at Cooper.

Kwan didn't like where this was going and wanted to move on to another subject. "Okay, okay, let's not go down that path. It's in the future and we should just focus on the here and now, okay?"

Daniel exchanged looks with Cooper then let out a heavy sigh. "Fine." He mumbled, hanging his head down as he filed into the lunch line. "Maybe we should get Mum to make us lunch instead of having to get it here." He mused, missing his mother's cooking.

Cooper hasn't had the thought cross his mind. He could be eating gourmet food instead of this lunch here, he wasn't exactly going to call it food. "Then why didn't you ask her that last night?" He inquired, tilting his head to the side.

Daniel scratched his head as he sheepishly laughed. "It slipped my mind. But, thankfully, I will remember and ask her tonight or at least when we get home." He made himself a mental note and added it to the notes on his phone as well.

Kwan glanced towards the tables out of the corner of his eyes and looked back at his friends. "Don't look, Sabrina is at the only empty table besides Stephoné's." He informed his friends, hoping they'd take a hint.

Daniel nonchalantly glanced out of the corner of his eye and frowned. "I'm sure she planned it so we would have to sit with her." He steadfastly said, having zero qualms about his assumption. "She's really that conniving isn't she?" He asked rhetorically, grabbing a tray.

Sabrina's eyes focused on the three boys. She didn't know what they were talking about but she could only gather they had noticed her staring. "I think they finally noticed that we are at the only available table -"

Kiki quickly cuts Sabrina off, not in the mood to listen to her lie. "It's not the only available table, Stephoné, Will, and Ariana are at an empty table." She flatly explained, pressing her lips into a thin line afterward.

Lacy glared at Kiki, causing the girl to become mousey and slump her shoulders. "Thanks, Captain Obvious." She sarcastically commented, rolling her eyes. "They wouldn't dare sit there since it's made clear that they're not welcome there."

Kiki simply frowned as Lacy spoke to her like that. 'I'd prefer that they did sit with Stephoné, Ariana, and Will, that's show Lacy and Sabrina a thing or too.' She grumbled in her head, biting down harshly on her pathetic-looking pizza.

Sabrina rose from her seat and put on a bright smile. "Cooper! Kwan, Daniel, over here!" She called, causing those in the cafeteria either to ignore her or turn and look at her announcement adding in some glares here and there.

Cooper forced a smile as he, Kwan, and Daniel walked down the middle of the aisle towards her table now that all eyes were on them. "Sabrina. Lacy. Kiki." He greeted them shortly, sitting on the edge of the table whereas the girls were in the middle.

Kwan took the hint and sat opposite of Cooper while Daniel sat beside him leaving the crown prince open. "It seems there are only two spots open -" He began to say only to be cut off by Lacy.

"One. One spot. That's with us." Lacy interjected, earning a glare from Sabrina but continued. "I mean, I guess they just wanted more space between them rather than sitting all huddled close."

Sabrina wanted to facepalm and groan but she held it in and only let out a soft sigh. "What Lacy means is we're happy that you choose to sit with us. But you don't have to sit at the edge." She politely said, putting the spot beside her.

Cooper wasn't to remain polite, much to the dismay of his brother. "Thank you, but I'm fine here. It makes it easy if I have to leave for the john or something." He flashed a polite smile to mirror his tone.

Kiki kept her focus on her food, poking at it with her fork, not realizing Kwan had taken interest in what she was doing. 'This is so uncomfortable. I wish I could just disappear.' She thought to herself, closing her eyes momentarily.

Kwan couldn't stop looking at Kiki. She was different from Lacy and Sabrina, very reserved and soft-spoken and deliberately avoiding him. 'I wonder if I did anything to offend her.' He asked himself, racking his brain for past interactions.

Sabrina was the first to start the conversation ball rolling. "So, do you guys have any plans this weekend?" She figured it was best to see if their weekend was open then she could worm her way in nonchalantly.

Cooper exchanged looks with Daniel, whose expression confirmed his suspicions. "Yes. My siblings want me to take them somewhere this weekend but they still haven't agreed on where to go yet." He replied, keeling straight to the point.

Sabrina felt jaded since she couldn't worm herself into their time, that would be rude. "If you need a list of suggestions I am more than willing to lend you them. I've lived in New York my whole life so I know all the places, and I have my connections." She explained with a smile gracing her rosy lips.

Cooper was a bit turned off by her need to flaunt her connections since it was clear to everyone her dad was rich and powerful and she knew everyone. "That's nice, but they're not ones to take suggestions from others. Thanks for the offer though." He politely declined her help.

Sabrina was disappointed but she wasn't going to let that affect her. She never let her smile falter once as she listened to him. "I understand." She figured it was best to not press the issue.

Lacy on the other hand was quick to turn her attention to the brown-haired girl. "Sabrina," She said, catching her off guard. "Weren't we planning on going for a bike ride this weekend?"

Sabrina skeptically eyed Lacy, wondering what her motives were. 'We never said anything of the sort.' She thought to herself before taking a sip from her water. "Hmm, I suppose it was one idea we had amongst the others."

Lacy smirked. That was the game she was going to play, well, she could play it right back. "Yes, it was one but didn't you just buy the cutest outfit you wanted to show off around New York?" She asked, suppressing an even greater smirk.

Sabrina was seconds away from snapping at Lacy, but she kept her composure. "I did just buy a cute new outfit, yes," She confirmed but figured she might as well dish Lacy back what she was serving. "Wasn't it you who were begging me to borrow it?" She added ever so innocently.

Lacy gritted her jaw realizing Sabrina had caught onto her little game. "Aww, you'd actually let me borrow it? How sweet." She flashed a forced smile, trying to play off how annoyed she was.

Sabrina forced a sweet smile in return, making sure her tone held no passive-aggressiveness. "Of course. That's what friends do. In speaking, maybe one of these days we could all go to the roller rink, wouldn't that be fun?"

Lacy snapped her fingers as soon as Sabrina had suggested that. "Good idea. My ex works there and we're on good terms, I'm sure he could get us a discount or something." She turned towards the boys. "Would you be up to joining us one of these weekends?"

Cooper exchanged looks with Kwan and Daniel, well, only Daniel. Kwan seemed to be focused on Kiki who was focused on her tray. "Hmm, yeah, I suppose one of these weekends we could find time." He passively replied, furrowing his brows.

Sabrina turned her attention from Kwan straight to Kiki and held a smirk. 'Looks like Kiki won't have to do anything. Kwan seems interested in her and she's been rather quiet. Maybe that was her play the whole time. Cheeky little devil.' She thought, feeling a bit proud of Kiki.

Kiki was far from a cheeky little devil, let alone was she that conniving, she wasn't. She was simply annoyed with her friends and feeling guilty about somehow getting close to Kwan, it was making her sick to her stomach.

She suddenly pushed up her tray and held her stomach. "Excuse me, I'm not feeling well." She quickly excused herself and scurried out of the cafeteria, turning towards where the nurse's office was.

Lacy watched Kiki leave, her jaw a little slack and her eyes a little wide. That seemed unlike Kiki to just get up and walk out giving such an excuse. "What's up with her?" She asked, turning towards Sabrina.

Sabrina shrugged her shoulders, opening her mouth to say something sarcastic but realized Cooper, Kwan, and Daniel were there. "She probably feels sick from our sleepover last night, she did eat quite a lot of different things." She offered up that explanation, even though she wasn't sure.

Kwan wanted to see why she had left but with how Sabrina and Lacy were acting he decided against it. 'She probably just needs space or she is sick. I won't bother her, that's the last thing she needs.' He sympathetically thought, eating his lunch.

Sabrina then turned her attention back to Cooper. "Did you see the questions for the prom runners? Whoever entered is going to have a lot of fun answering them. They're so deep and who doesn't like deep questions that bring out someone's true character." She asked, taking a bite out of her apple.

Lacy gripped her apple tightly in her hand, her nails digging into the soft skin. 'She's feeling out to see how they react to her question! She wants to see if Cooper has entered in for the running! She's sly.' She had to give Sabrina credit where it was due.

Cooper shook her head, pulling out his phone and looking up what she said. "Oh, I guess you're right. Those are some philosophical questions, some never even crossed my mind. I wonder what those who entered answers said on Friday." He said, quickly catching onto what Sabrina was saying.

Sabrina realized he was good at masking his emotions, whether he entered or not she wasn't going to find out without some backhanded measures. "I know! I must say, Ariana did quite well with this twist on prom, and giving everyone three months is fair to everyone." Her voice held fake enthusiasm.

Ariana had perked up the moment those words left Sabrina's mouth. She whipped her head towards her with wide eyes. "Did she just say what I think she said?" She asked her friends, dumbfounded.

Stephoné finished what was in her mouth before tilting her head. 'She's got good hearing to have heard Sabrina.' She thought to herself before asking. "What did she say?"

Ariana didn't hesitate to reply, feeling a bit flabbergasted. "She gave me credit for how fair my idea of prom was!" She softly exclaimed, her eyes wide. She couldn't believe what she was hearing came from Sabrina's mouth.

Will could tell she was supposed but he felt differently. People like Sabrina never gave compliments unless she had something in it for her. "She's probably just saying that to look good in front of Cooper, Daniel, and Kwan."

Ariana waved him off, shushing him passively. "Shush, I want to hear so be quiet." She whispered, straining her ears to hear what Sabrina would be talking about since they were too far from them.

Cooper was left speechless, and so was Daniel and Kwan over what Sabrina had just admitted. "Uh . . ." His voice trailed off as he tried to gather his thoughts. "I can see how it's fair. It won't be won by who's popular or who's more sympathetic."

Sabrina was disappointed it wasn't going that way since it would be a set deal she'd win since she was popular and could pull a sympathy card that could easily be a lie. "Exactly, everyone will get a fair chance and whoever wins will be 100% deserving of it."

Ariana held in a snicker as soon as those words left Sabrina's mouth. "Is she really serious? Does she think anyone believes her? She really wants them to be her friends. Such a suck up." She scoffed, pushing up her empty tray.

Daniel had slightly heard what Ariana said but only glanced at them from the corner of his eye. 'So I'm not the only one who doesn't buy a single word Sabrina says. Hmm,' He thought to himself, pursing his lips.

Lacy sucked in a deep breath and stood up, not being able to take another moment of Sabrina's try-hard words. "I'm going to go check on Kiki and make sure she's okay." She flashed a smile towards the trio of boys. "I'll see you guys later," With that, she walked out of the cafeteria.

Sabrina was now left alone and it would be awkward if she stayed. 'Lacy I'm going to get you,' She grumbled in her head but smiled outwardly. "I better go check on her too. I hope it's nothing serious."

Daniel watched her leave with a bated breath before letting out the air he was holding. "That was torture! It's so exhausting being around her." He groaned, pushing his tray up and resting his arms on the table.

Kwan, now finished, pushed his tray up to the middle of the table. "I hope Kiki is alright," He said aloud, earning a look from both of his friends. "What? She looked uncomfortable and ended up being sick."

Daniel held his tongue from teasing Kwan, considering he had taken an interest in the meek girl. "You can ask her later since I don't think this is the last time we will see Sabrina." He mentioned, finishing off his water.

Cooper glanced over at Stephoné, who seemed to be listening attentively to whatever her brother was talking about. 'I need to get another chance to speak with her and without her friend and brother being there.' He thought to himself being pulled from.his thoughts by Kwan.

Kwan snapped his fingers in front of Cooper's face. "Hey, Cooper, you're in la-la-land again." He asked only to gain a bewildered look from Cooper. "Are you thinking about Stephoné again?"

Cooper's eyes widened for a brief moment before sighing. There was no denying it since he had nothing to hide from Kwan or Daniel. "Yeah, why?" He asked, taking a bite out of the apple he hadn't touched.

Daniel had never seen Cooper so interested in anyone, let alone someone like shy Stephoné. "What piques your interest in her?" He asked, pressing further to learn more.

Cooper wasn't exactly sure how to answer Daniel. He wasn't sure why he was so drawn to her. She was simply interesting, especially from girls he knew back in Amaryllis. "She's a mystery."

'A mystery,' Daniel thought to himself, glancing over at Stephoné before looking back at Cooper. "Is It because she's quiet or because Sabrina and Lacy clearly don't like her?" He inquired, pressing further to draw it out of him.

Cooper wasn't sure, although both things his brother inquired about seemed reasonable, but were they his reasons? "I'm not sure. I can't place my finger on it, maybe it's because she's not trying hard to get to know me?"

Daniel held back a smile that wanted to grow on his lips. "That's like half the school, Cooper. That can't be the reason. You don't know, do you? It's just a feeling you can't explain?" He could only surmise that was the reason.

Cooper nodded, glad that Daniel had finally figured it out. "Exactly. I just can't explain it. I just am. It's never happened before so that's that's I'm confused." He sighed, folding his arms on the table.

Kwan stood up and reached out, patting his shoulder. "Try not to think about it too much, okay?" He flashed him an encouraging smile. "Now, since we're done with lunch let's use the rest of the time to skim over our next class because I don't remember what we were going to do."

Cooper stood up and took another bite of his apple. 'Typical Kwan,' He mused with a just as amused smile. "I'll lend you my notes." He offered, walking with Kwan and Daniel out of the cafeteria, glancing back at Stephoné as their eyes met for a brief moment.

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A/N:
Sorry I had a little bit of writer's block plus I've been super busy. I'm trying to decide which of my books to spend the most time on completing by the end of the year and I am between this one and the royal charm academy. I may end up doing both. Well see.

Chapter Talk:
I love writing about Lacy and Sabrina's passive-aggressiveness towards each other. They're banter is much like Duchess Katherine and Marshall, always at each other's throats and being petty.

And lastly, anything else I forgot to ask my pals. I am happy to answer anything!

Thanks for reading!