"Stay there,
'Cause I'll be coming over.
And while our blood's still young,
It's so young, it runs.
And won't stop til it's over,
Won't stop to surrender."

SINCE I WAS so graciously kicked out of the dining hall, I was left with no other choice but to leave without my dinner. Groaning under my breath, I trudged out of the hall, trying to convince myself that a couple of spoiled brats weren't going to ruin my time here at Meilleur.

Frankly, I won't allow them to do that, and if they think I'm someone they can easily push around, they've got another thing coming for them.

I hardly took more than five steps when I felt a soft tap on my shoulder. Spinning around, I came face to face with a blonde bespectacled girl. Her platinum blonde hair was tied neatly into a bun, a few loose tendrils escaping from her hair band and framing her heart-shaped face. Thin, brown spectacles sat on the bridge of her button nose, disguising her marvellous striking royal blue eyes behind the frame.

"Uh, h-hi," she stuttered, looking everywhere but me. "I'm Emily. Uh, Emily Park. You're new here, right?"

"Yeah," I replied cautiously, wary of who she might be. At my reply, she offered a sympathetic yet hesitant smile.

"You haven't eaten yet, have you?" she asked, biting her lip nervously. I nodded, waiting for her to say something else.

"You can come to my dorm," she offered, smiling nervously. "Uh, if you want to, that is. I have instant noodles in my room."

I stared at her, trying to look for some kind of hidden agenda in her nervous expression— but found none. Instead, I only saw a nervous, timid girl that was just trying to be nice. With a small sigh, I nodded my head and answered, "Sure, why not?"

After she heard my answer, she immediately piped up, her eyes shooting up to meet mine. I almost felt a little bad that she looked so surprised, and had the feeling that she didn't have many friends.

"R-Really?" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. Her dainty hand shot out and enveloped my wrist, and I let her lead the way to her dorm room. It didn't take very long before we reached her door and she opened it with the key she kept in her pocket.

"Welcome," she said, biting her lip as she opened the door to reveal her room. I didn't know if she was just lucky or if she was another one of the 'special' students in Meilleur, because her room was huge. It was almost three times the size of mine! And I thought my room was spacious...

Without missing a beat, she walked into the fully-furnished kitchen in her room and headed to the cabinet where she opened to reveal packets of instant ramen.

"So you mentioned that you're studying art here?" Emily asked, looking over her shoulder. I nodded, looking around the kitchen in awe.

"Yeah," I replied absentmindedly. "Undergraduate scholarship."

"You must be really good," she murmured, grabbing a pot and filling it up with water. "The Academy wouldn't have offered you a scholarship otherwise. Including you, there's only about five scholarship students here."

"I didn't know that," I answered, suddenly feeling more pressured than before. Clearing my throat, I glanced at her and asked, "What about you? What do you do?"

"I study Accounting," she replied, looking less than pleased. "I wanted to take English Literature, but my parents wouldn't let me. They said it'd be no use."

"Why not?" I asked, hoping that I didn't sound like I was prying. Emily let out a short laugh, shaking her head.

"My parents own the Seven Seas International Bank," she said, as if it was no big deal that she just revealed that she was heiress to one of the world's most prestigious banks. "They want me to take over the business."

At that moment, she removed the pot from the stove and separated the noodles into two bowls. Grabbing some silverware from the drawer, she walked over to the dining table and set the bowls down.

"Here," she said. "All done."

"Emily," I began, twirling the noodles in my bowl with my fork. "I don't want to sound rude but why are you being so nice to me?"

Looking up, I saw that Emily was staring at the table top with a hesitant look on her face. Finally, she sighed and shot me a small smile.

"Because I know how nasty Bianca and her friends can be when it comes to their 'rules'. Anyone that so much as cast any of the Royals a dirty look will be done for. It might seem ridiculous, but that's just how things work around here. Those boys, like their name suggests, are practically royalty," she said quietly.

"The Royals," I said, snorting loudly. "How pretentious."

"Shh!" Emily was quick to shut me up. "Don't say that!"

"There's no one here but you, Emily," I said, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I know, I know," Emily sighed, letting out a laugh. "Silly me. Old habits die hard, I guess."

"What's the big deal about them anyway?" I asked curiously. Emily gave me a look, before setting her fork down and wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"They are rich," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Everyone here that's not on scholarship is rich," I replied, raising an eyebrow.

"They're richer than rich," Emily explained again. "Their families are extremely powerful and influential. They practically own this school."

"Really?" I asked, widening my eyes in disbelief.

"Really," she said. "Not to mention, they're all good-looking and basically prodigies. You've met all of them, haven't you?"

"I have," I answered, wrinkling my nose. "Though they're not the most pleasant people on earth. Tell me about them. What makes them so special?"

"Well...," she began, drumming her nails on the table top. "The one with blonde hair, he's Robin Clair. His family owns one of the largest and most successful conglomerate firms in the world. Not to mention, he's extremely intelligent and ambitious, starting his own firm last year. He's already earned a couple of million dollars from his company alone, and he's steadily rising in the business world. If you work in the industry, Robin Clair proves himself as a force to be reckoned with.

"Asher Dane, the one with white hair, is one of the most sought-after artists in the industry. His sculptures sell for millions at auctions. He even has a permanent exhibit at the Louvre! Rumour has it that he's going to open a museum of his own next year.

"As for Logan Marshall, he is easily the most popular one among the girls. He's an extremely talented musician and singer, and the debut single he released when he was fourteen ranked number one in the French music charts for eleven weeks. He hasn't made any music since, but regularly performs and models in his free time.

"Last but not least, there is Yuko Hideyoshi. To put it simply, he's a genius. Like, the real deal, Einstein-level genius. Honestly, if his parents weren't Meilleur alumnus, Yuko probably would be studying at MIT or Harvard now," Emily droned, an almost cloudy gaze of envy covering her eyes. She swallowed, then shook her head quickly. "Well, that's them."

"I won't lie, it's very impressive that they can achieve so much at such a young age," I murmured, slurping some noodles. Yet, despite their early success, I couldn't help but wonder what the point of it was. These boys must be constantly busy with studying and working, and you know what they say: All work and no play makes Jack want to kill someone. I think that's how that saying is supposed to go, right?
But then again, who was I to say anything? I was just a nobody in a foreign country with no job and hardly decent grades.

"Yeah," Emily sighed. "It's stressful for everyone else here at the Academy. There is not a single parent here that don't know about the Royals. Because of that, parents are constantly badgering us to do better, to achieve more...but it's practically impossible to get onto their level."

"Sounds tough," I muttered, sighing deeply. After hearing about the four boys and all of their achievements, I couldn't help but feel a little pathetic myself.

"I get by," Emily said, laughing slightly. "I'm not completely hopeless with numbers."

"I wish I could say the same for myself," I snorted, and the two of us burst into laughter.

"It's interesting to hear about why they are so popular, but I wasn't asking about their credentials," I said, after the both of us calmed down. "What are they really like?"

"You mean their personalities?" Emily asked, furrowing her eyebrows together. I nodded, leaning closer to her with interest.

"Who knows? They are all very private," Emily says, shrugging her shoulders. "What they show to the public is what the public gets. There's no one outside of their circle that knows what they are truly like."

I nodded slowly, processing the information Emily just told me. I concluded that the reason why everyone was so obsessed with them was because they knew nothing of these boys. The four of them, seemingly perfect, but also closed off. As if they were part of the most exclusive club that no one could get into, and since everyone here is born with a silver spoon in their mouth, I bet that frustrates them to no end.

Since everyone constantly thinks the grass is always greener on the other side, they don't bother looking over the fence. To my knowledge, as much as these boys are successful and good-looking, they could very well be just that, and nothing more. Suddenly, before I could ask any more questions, Emily gasped loudly.

"Oh, gosh! I forgot to ask for your name!" Emily cried, hitting her forehead with the back of her hand. "How rude of me, I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright, it's a small mistake. I completely forgot that I didn't introduce myself to you until you realized you didn't know my name," I said with a laugh. "My name's Alexandra Knight."

"Fancy," Emily commented, nodding her head in approval. Then, she titled her head to one side and began to mumble to herself, deep in thought. "Alexandra. Alexa. Alex. Lexa. Xandra..."

"Uh, Emily? What are you doing?" I asked, feeling a little confused.

"Deciding on a nickname for you, of course!" Emily explained.

"People usually call me Alex," I said, causing Emily to give me a look.

"That's exactly why I need to call you a different name," she said before clapping her hands together and sitting up straighter. "I got it! I'll call you Lexi!"

"Lexi," I repeated, testing the name on my tongue. "Huh...I like it."

"Of course you do!" Emily laughed before offering me an outstretched hand. Shaking my hand, she shot me a big smile and said, "Welcome to Meilleur Academy, Lexi."

❁❁❁

WE SPENT LONGER than I anticipated in her room, talking about everything and anything. I was pleasantly surprised about how well we connected, and I could safely say that we were going to be great friends during my stay at Meilleur. We chatted for so long that we completely lost track of time, and before the both us realized, it was ten minutes to curfew.

"C'mon, I'll walk you back," she said, standing up and placing our empty bowls into the sink.

"Are you sure? It's late," I replied, biting my lip. Emily waved a dismissive hand and shot me a sweet smile.

"It's no problem," she insisted, and the both of us headed out of her dorm. There seemed to be no time for silence between the both of us, since we quickly started another conversation as we walked down the hallway.

I was just in the middle of telling her a joke when we rounded the corner, and Emily ran head-first into someone.

"Seriously, is everyone in the Academy blind?" the person snapped, and it didn't take long for me to recognize him as Asher Dane, the boy with the white hair and angry scowl that I argued with earlier.

Emily bowed her head, murmuring softly, "Sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it," he sneered, and I couldn't help but to step in and defend my new friend.

"She apologized. Get over it," I said, narrowing my eyes.

"Lexi, it's okay," Emily said quietly. Asher's sharp gaze turned towards me, and his eyes flashed with recognition.

"You," he snapped. "Idiot girl from break. You're friends with Emily too?"

He scoffed, crossing his arms and switching his gaze to Emily.

"You sure know how to pick 'em," he said, although his voice was laced with pure sarcasm.

"Do you ever get tired of being rude?" I asked, glaring at him. Instead of looking even slightly remorseful, he just laughed as if I told him the joke of the year.

"You're obviously not from around here. Educate your dog, Emily, or she'll come to regret ever stepping foot into the Academy," he threatened. Before I could get another word in, he shot the both of us one last glare and walked away.

"What an asshole," I complained, rolling my eyes.

"You have to learn to suck it up, Lexi," Emily said softly, sighing. "Don't let yourself become a target."

"You're telling me these boys are dangerous?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not that," Emily muttered. "They've never done any of the bullying. They don't need to. As long as people notice that you're an outsider, they'll attack. So keep a low profile around here."

"You and Asher seem to know each other," I commented after a heavy silence.

"Kind of, not really. It's complicated," she sighed, making it clear that she was uncomfortable elaborating further. I took the hint and checked my watch for the time instead.

"You should head back to your dorm first, I know the way from here," I said.

"Are you sure?" Emily asked. I nodded and grinned, pulling her into a quick hug.

"Yes. It's already very late. Thank you, Emily. You were a big help," I said, meaning every word. We exchanged quick goodbyes and Emily turned and walked away. However, the minute she was out of sight, I groaned loudly.
Shit, I have no idea where I am.

After wandering around blindly for a while, I came to a dire conclusion— 1. All the hallways in Meilleur look exactly the same, and 2. I was undeniably, irrevocably lost.

I was made painfully aware of the fact that it was past curfew as the hallway lights began to shut off one by one, and I was getting more and more afraid of the darkness. Since the Academy was over a hundred years old, the hallways gave off a creepy vibe when the lights were turned off. I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure I wasn't being stalked by some vengeful ghost, and my heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to jump straight out of my chest.

"Shit," I cried, slapping my forehead when the light above me flickered shut. I cursed under my breath, feeling helpless and desperate.

"Lost?"

I nearly shat myself at the sound of his voice. I swirled around to come face to face with another Meilleurean, although this time I recognized him before he introduced himself.

The dark-haired boy stood in front of me, hands shoved into the pockets of his denim jeans. His slightly wavy hair piled messily atop his head, and his warm brown eyes seemed much more cheerful and friendly compared to his friends'.

Logan Marshall. The third edition to the Royals. I recognised him as the one who gave me a sympathetic smile when Asher Dane was having a 'word' with me during break.

"Yeah," I sighed dejectedly. Logan Marshall surprised me by laughing softly and offering me an understanding smile.

"This place is pretty big," he murmured, glancing at the grey walls and ruby red carpet.

"Where's your dorm? I can help you find your way."

I raised an eyebrow at his offer of help, feeling slightly suspicious. He was strangely...nice, unlike his other friends.

"G048," I mumbled hesitantly, avoiding eye-contact. Why were handsome boys all so intimidating? It felt as if I was going to turn into stone if I stared at any one of them in the eyes for a second too long.

"That's not too far from here," he said, beckoning me to follow him. Silently, we made our way to my dorm.

"Don't you have a curfew?" I asked curiously, breaking the silence.

"Yeah."

"Oh," I answered lamely, and Logan glanced at me and smiled mischievously.

"Surprised?" he asked.

"Kind of. I was expecting you to be more...rule-abiding," I admitted with an awkward laugh. Logan, instead of getting offended, merely shrugged.

"My friends and I do come off a little uptight," he said. "But we're not all that bad, you know."

"Your friend's an ass," I deadpanned, giving him a pointed look. Logan shot me a sheepish grin, laughing.

"Asher can come off like a bit like that, that's true," Logan said, nodding.

"A bit?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay, a lot," Logan grinned. "He's not too bad when you get to know him, though."

"Somehow, I'm having a hard time believing you," I muttered, recalling the run-in I just had with the devil himself.

"Robin isn't so bad, either," Logan said, switching subjects.

"He's scarier than Asher," I admitted.
Robin Clair. He really was the most intimidating one out of the bunch. Not because he was constantly scowling like Asher Dane, but because he just seemed cold and distant in a creepy, weird way. As if he was a robot sculpted by a mad scientist. Which would explain how frighteningly handsome he was, I thought. When I realised where my mind was heading, I quickly snapped myself out of it.

"He's just grumpy because he's constantly busy. He has companies to run," Logan explained. My eyes widened involuntarily and I sucked in a breath. Companies to run? Isn't he like, seventeen? Right, Emily mentioned that he started his own conglomerate firm.

Before I could say anything else, the both of us came to a halt in front of my dorm.

"Here you are," he said, shoving a hand into his pocket.

"Thanks," I said genuinely, smiling slightly. I tilted my head up to meet his eyes. He smiled kindly.

"You're cuter when you smile," Logan commented, petting my head lightly with a big hand. My eyes widened slightly, and I felt the heat rush to my cheeks. He laughed and shook his head.

"Goodnight—," Logan said, pausing and waiting for me to give him a name.

"Alex," I introduced. Logan nodded thoughtfully.

"Right. Goodnight, Alex. See you around," he said, waving to me briefly before walking off.

❁❁❁

A/N: I hope you enjoyed that! This is a lil bonus chapter for everyone. For those of you who are wondering, I'll be updating chapters once a week!

Remember to vote and comment <3

#QOTC: What so you guys think about Emily and the Royals?

Song of the Chapter: Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap.