I am the Queen

Students were buzzing around and gossiping and catching up with each other after the long two-month holiday in Unmei academy. Of course, their new topic was the latest rumor about Evangeline and Eric getting together. It was obvious that they were together after they came hand in hand in school, and this was the favorite topic of the day.

"I bet you. Their relationship won\'t last. It\'s either Eric would reach his limit and break up with her as Daniel did."

"I can\'t believe they\'re dating. Is it her way of getting back at Daniel for breaking with her?"

"She must have thought Daniel would get jealous and return to her."

The gossips continued, and it wasn\'t subtle the least. Curling his fingers against his palm, Eric stood to clear some things, but before he could, a loud palm slammed against the table resonated in the room followed by absolute silence.

All eyes zeroed to Daniel, who was standing and meeting everyone\'s gazes.

"Everyone!"

Daniel thought it was about time to owe to his wrongdoings. He could no longer tolerate all the rumors circulating around Evangeline, especially since it was he who was in the wrong. It was not right that she should take the blame. It was not right that she had taken my fault.

"I didn\'t dump Evangeline . . . I . . ."

His gaze wavered for a moment, briefly looking at Sisley, who was looking at him with worried eyes.

"Daniel . . . ," she whispered a little panic.

Daniel bit his lip when he saw the tears brimming in her eyes . . . But even so . . .

Even if he had no longer romantic feelings towards Evangeline. Significantly cared about his image. His status. His good guy character. All of those were not important as all he could think was what Evangeline might be feeling at the moment . . .

After all . . .

Straightening his spine, Daniel jutted his chin high. "I was the one who cheated behind her back . . . So all your hate and nasty comments, direct it at me. Evangeline didn\'t do anything wrong . . . I was the one who is at fault."

After all . . . Evangeline is my friend.

. . .

. . .

The room was so silent where even everyone\'s breathing was hushed while their eyes bulged and mouth slack.

Evangeline couldn\'t believe Daniel said that. Her eyes were wide while her lips parted, looking at Daniel, who was getting back on his chair and pretended that nothing was wrong. Did he drink the wrong medicine today?

And when it finally sunk in that he did it to defend her, warmth and something like gratefulness, an emotion she thought was lost crawled its way back to her. Feeling the familiar heat in her eyes, she snapped her head towards the scenery outside the window. Hmp! Totally unnecessary.

Behind her, Eric was looking at Daniel too. He had to admit that he was jealous for many reasons. But above all, he was thankful for what he did just now. At least, some of his biased towards him when he cheated behind Evangeline disappeared for owning to his mistakes.

Though not the same could be said about Sisley, who was lowering her red face from all the strange gazes thrown her way. Her fingers dug on her dress, biting her bottom lip when she heard whispering noises, which she knew were all about her and Daniel.

Fortunately, the tense atmosphere was disrupted when the teacher came and started the class.

Arranging her glasses, the teacher swiped everyone, ignoring the strange air in the room. "Everyone, there\'s a new exchange student who will join us today. She will be staying with us until the end of the school year, and I hope everyone will treat her well." Glancing to her left, she called in, "Come in."

Murmurs of sounds punctured the stillness when a woman entered the room wearing a dress that almost dragged on the floor with a hair in a tight bun. She smiled, showing her crook canines and curtsied.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Lilybella Waltz."

Daniel almost dropped his head from his palm, eyes wide as they could stretch. Part of him knew this would happen, but he was still praying it wouldn\'t. And now, he couldn\'t escape another approaching horror in his life. This is too much!

Lilybella\'s smile grew extensive when their eyes meet, and Daniel lowered his gaze, pretending he didn\'t know her. But when the teacher asked her to take her seat at the empty chairs on the back, she stopped beside Daniel and beamed.

"Your Highness! We\'re in the same class!"

. . .

. . .

Daniel closed his eyes tight. He could no longer escape this reality. How could he when it was staring at him straight in the face? He stood and grabbed Lilybella\'s hand. "I\'m sorry, Mam. May I take a minute to talk with Miss waltz?"

Daniel didn\'t let the teacher reply, he pulled Lilybella and dragged her outside.

. . .

. . .

Another round of silence before the students erupted in a gossiping fit. Daniel\'s cheating was pushed at the back of their minds, and their new topic was speculation of who was the new student in Daniel\'s life.

At the side, Evangeline was smirking, and she wasn\'t hiding it, enjoying the turned of events. What she would give to saw Daniel\'s face right about now. While Eric sighed wryly, pitying Daniel of the unexpected surprise of his fiancée showing up in Burberry.

Among the many feelings and thoughts, Sisley was the most affected of it all. It hadn\'t been half a day, and she was already drained. Not to mention Daniel being cold to her and the thing with Evangeline and him secretly meeting at night and hearing Evangeline\'s voice from Daniel\'s phone during the break, which caused her vacation nothing but misery. Adding to all of it, there\'s a new chick in town, and she and Daniel might have something going on.

W-what\'s going on?! She didn\'t know. But one thing for sure, she needed answers. Now!

----

In the deserted corridors where the only people were those students running to their classroom in a hurry, Daniel pushed Lilybella on the wall, slamming his palm against the partition, cornering her.

But instead of feeling intimidated, Lilybella palmed her cheeks and avoided her blushing face. "Kya, his Highness is aggressive. Lilybella didn\'t expect his Highness would kabidon her! Kya!"

Daniel\'s eye twitched, and he snapped in a restrained voice, "What the hell is kabidon?!"

He then shook his head when the topic was changing. He stared at her seriously with squinting eyes.

"Anyway, that\'s not the point. Didn\'t I tell you that we should pretend not to know each other."

Lilybella gazed at Daniel, eyes big and glossy. "Eh . . . but we\'re classmates."

"No buts," Daniel cut in. "Don\'t talk to me and don\'t tell everybody about you and me. If they asked, tell them you know me because you\'re from Everland. Do I make myself clear?"

Lilybella didn\'t answer, she puffed her cheeks and settled her gaze the other way.

"Do I make myself clear?" Daniel asked again, tone commanding.

"Yeess . . ." Lilybella pouted, lips puckered in defiance.

Daniel didn\'t push anymore and was about to walk inside the room when he remembered something. Not facing her, he muttered, "Don\'t forget, I have a girlfriend here, and I don\'t want you messing things up for me, understand?"

Not waiting for her reply, he opened the door and entered the room, leaving Lilybella in the corridor.

Poking her index fingers together, Lilybella clicked her tongue. "Chee . . . His Highness is really . . ." Mumbling to herself, she entered the room.

Ignoring the curious stares at her, she went to Evangeline in all smiles.

"Teacher! Teacher\'s boyfriend! Lilybella is in your care!"

She saluted before taking a side step and zoomed towards one particular direction. Stopping in front of her target, she scrutinized her opponent. Sisley Lacroft. The picture didn\'t do her justice. She was cuter and pretty in person.

Lilybella puffed her cheeks while Sisley was taken aback when out of the blue, the new student went straight and stared at her so openly. And before Sisley could ask what she wants, she heard her say.

"You and Lilybella aren\'t going to be friends!"

Lilybella complained like that of a little girl before she stomped her way to her seat. Her big eyes, which wanted to appear menacing and scary, only passed as nothing but funny as she stared at Sisley.

W-what? Sisley didn\'t know what was happening. She was so lost and dazed at the girl\'s strange behavior.

Beside her, Daniel brushed his face against his palms, breathing deeply. He massaged the veins pounding everywhere on his head while keeping his emotions in leash. This was not the time nor place to get mad and lecture her. He repeated like a mantra.

Bringing her phone out, Evangeline snapped a picture of Daniel\'s constipated face and giggled at his agony. A shame, she didn\'t video the whole thing. It would have been a good memory to laugh in the future.

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BONUS CHAPTER for reaching 100 votes last week. Let\'s go for 1000 next. XD