The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 87

“And you, Ari?” Luca asks, and Jesse turns to him a bit with a frown, because in public Luca never calls me by what he thinks is my name – he always calls me Shrimp.

“What is going on here?” Rafe asks, quietly looking between us.

I sigh. “I like chocolate cake too, Luca,” I say casually, taking Ben’s desert when I can’t think of my own.

I watch him carefully and, after a long moment, see his shoulders slump. Though the expression on his face – is it relief? Or disappointment? Or…

I peer at him, trying to figure it out, but suddenly –

“Don’t lie, Ari,” Jesse says, laughing and shaking his head and reaching for another piece of toast from the bread basket. “Everyone knows that you don’t actually like chocolate cake.”

Luca’s head whips to Jesse, his eyes going wide.

“Jes-“ I start to stay, but he’s still going.

“No, your favorite,” he says, taking a bite of his toast and talking with his mouth full, “is strawberry ice cream, with whipped cream, and so many sprinkles on top that it’s kind of disgusting.”

He laughs, shaking his head at the memory of twenty-some birthdays when I wouldn’t even touch the cake – only wanting scoop after scoop of strawberry ice cream –

My faces goes pale as I turn my eyes back to Luca.

Who is staring at me in complete shock, his jaw hanging almost to the floor.

The table is silent for a long moment.

Jesse figures it out first, his head swiveling between us, delight on his face as he realizes that he just caused some kind of drama that he’s going to get to hear all about later.

Rafe is next.

“Seriously,” he says, leaning forward with his coffee cup halfway to his mouth, “what the hell is going on here?”

“Nothing!” Ben says next, realizing that the tension is between me and Luca, and proving himself an absolute gem by leaping to my aid. “Come on, Ari! Let’s go check out the library before class!”

Immediately I accept his offer, jumping to my own feet and almost up-ending my chair, which makes Jesse cackle with laughter.

“Wait,” Rafe says, frowning at Ben and me, “it isn’t safe –“

“You have to go to your class an hour early anyway,” Ben says, rolling his eyes a little at Rafe as he slings an arm around my shoulders. “I’ll walk Ari to Chemistry – it will be fine –“

Rafe hesitates but I quickly shout my goodbyes, glancing at Luca who I see is just…

Still absolutely frozen, staring after me, probably processing the shock of his life as he realizes that I actually was in the dream state with him the night before –

And that I just tried to lie to him about it –

And that he’s confessed to this little Shrimpy boy that he’s attracted to him –

That he tried to kiss that same little Shrimp boy that he insisted was a figment of his subconscious – but that it was real –

And that I know all about it -

The hysterical urge to laugh wells up in me, but luckily Ben sweeps me out of the room, speaking loudly about the history of the castle and the location of the library, covering my complete panic.

As soon as we get out the door I can’t help myself, covering my face with my hands and letting out a horrible little embarrassed shriek as I press my back against the wall.

“What the hell is going on!?” Ben laughs, glancing back towards the Hall, “what did you do to Grant!?”

I slip my hands down a little bit so that I peer over my fingers, shaking my head at him. “Ben,” I whisper, “you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

He bursts into a grin. “After everything I’ve witnessed with you this week, Ari Clark?” He puts a particular emphasis on my fake name and raises an eyebrow at me. “There’s not much I wouldn’t believe.” He glances back towards the Hall. “But come on – we should go. They’re getting up.”

“You mean Luca has regained his power of speech?” I ask dryly, ducking back against Ben’s side and letting him lead me away.

“Yup,” Ben says, still looking backwards. “And he looks mad.”