Eric was definitely from a multimillionaire family. Or perhaps even a billionaire. It was apparent by the entourage that milled about this secluded hangar, specifically meant for him and his friends.
Kayla and the rest of the team were in awe when they found out they were riding a private plane to Khazkatia. Cindy and Roberto, two of their closest teacher friends, stood next to her, seemingly frozen with half-opened mouths as soon as they caught sight of the magnificent machine.
The only one who didn't seem all shocked about this was Mr. Frey, who was smiling and breathing satisfactorily at the sight. Kayla turned to him and raised an eyebrow, as if to ask if he knew.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" he said, referring to the plane, ignoring Kayla's silent question.
Kayla let it go and nodded, observing details of the plane. She didn't push him for information. He'd give it when he was ready. Besides, the way he acted around Eric this morning and how he was manning the operations now said a lot about who he was.
Still, she couldn't help it. "You're Eric's relative, aren't you? Or long-time friend. Or employee?"
"Try butler," Mr. Frey replied and smiled, before turning away.
Kayla shook her head and turned her attention back to the plane. It was white and gold, with accents of black, red and blue that sporadically stretched across its length, imitating the artistic movement of the wind. If one traced it back to its tail, he'd see a familiar crest. Of a half-woman half-phoenix symbol, breathing fire into the skies.
"Isn't that--?" she began asking, though she stopped and waited for Mr. Frey to confirm or deny it. "That crest. It's the Royal Family's."
Mr. Frey looked at her from the distance, but didn't say a word. He brought his finger to his lips, as if to silence her and then smiled.
Cindy was shrieking as she jogged to where she was, Robert following closely behind. "This is amazing. Their family has a symbol. Look! Look at it!"
"It's called a crest, Cindy," Roberto commented, fanning himself from the heat with his hand.
"Nobody cares," Cindy raised her hand to Roberto.
Kayla laughed.
Cindy and Roberto were hired at the same time two years ago, and they have been sort of best friends ever since. You know, the type who argued about everything every hour of every single day? Whoever said opposites attract most definitely referred to them.
Cindy was the shallow type of person, who laughed at and appreciated everything. She was kind and sincere when she dealt with people, but she was a badass coach when it came to singing.
Roberto was the quiet type. The deep thinker. A musical composer, he often sat anywhere quiet and thought to himself all the mysteries he wanted to find out about life and imagined them as music. Given that, he and Cindy still clicked. Which was why everyone kept asking when they'd actually kiss and get the sexual tension off their spaces.
"Would you like to help me bring our stuff on-board the plane?" Mr. Frey yelled at them, though his voice was no longer as authoritative as it was back in school.
Cindy and Roberto went to help him and the rest of the team.
Kayla was about to join them when Eric held her hand and motioned for her to join him. "They will take care of your luggage." They walked to the plane. "You'll have the summer of your life there, you know. I'll make sure of that."
Kayla chuckled, playfully punching his shoulder. "You better. And what's up with the crest."
Eric turned to where she looked. "What's with it?"
"Eric, I may know so little of your country, but I know that crest. Everyone knows it."
Eric shrugged and allowed her to go up the stairs first. Inside, he tangled a hand around her waist and led her to a cabin in the farthest end of the plane.
He locked the door behind him. "We can stay here," he said.
Kayla looked at the cabin and noticed the presence of pure luxury. It was huge, with a bed twice the size of a king's in the middle. On one end of it was a closet, where Eric had gone into. Beside it is clearly a bathroom as she could see the Jacuzzi and the bathtubs and the showers.
On the other end was a library filled with books in leather covers. They were old. And they spoke to her, as if they wanted to be taken off the shelves.
She took one and read the title aloud. Prince of the Isles: Khazkatian National History. She made a non-committal sound and turned it open to the first page, the perfect smell of its parchments greeting her. She smiled. She loved that smell. She remembered rainy mornings in her province, which smelled just like it. Turning to the next page, she saw the family crest again.
Eric went out of the closet, shirtless. She had seen him half-naked before this, but there was something so different about him now, something so magnetizing, that she couldn't help but stare. Especially at his toned arms and defined abs.
He stared right back at her for a few seconds… and snorted. "Why in the world are you making that face?"
"Nothing," she replied, and remembered the book in her hand. She raised it towards him, questioning its contents.
"I see you've found my brother Sebastiano's collection."
"Your brother?"
He nodded. "This is his plane."
"And the crest?"
Eric walked up to her and held her hand. He brought it to his lips and she shivered, as if cold had run down her spine. When she tried to shake it off, her brain sent more chills all over her body and she released a soft, shy breath.
He noticed the way she responded to her now and he chuckled. He started dressing up into something else. Something even more... what's the word? Regal?
"You've changed," she commented, clearing her throat, acting as if it didn't bother her a bit.
She couldn't remember a time in their friendship when he was this gentlemanly and courteous and – royal – yes. That was the word. Beyond being respectful of the people around him, all he ever did with her was joke around and have fun. It was like he wanted to have the best time of his life while he was with her the past years and that was the reason she hadn't felt awkward being too close to him like this.
That guy she knew was sort of gone. Hidden away. Pushed aside.
Eric did the last button off his coat and breathed in deep. Kayla could see every detail of his clothing and she sucked in a sharp breath.
"I am Prince Josh Erickson Marionette Van Laningham. Youngest brother of Crown Prince James Leonardo Marionette Van Laningham of Khazkatia."
She stared at him in his new look. A long-sleeved chiffon shirt with a deep V–shaped neck opening that ran to his tummy, tucked inside his black pants. An open white coat, with elegant linings and alternating patterns of gold and red and blue. A red cape with gold linings.
How could she not believe him when he looked so handsome in his princely attire? "You look good," was all she could say.
She pulled her hand back from him and turned, watching the scene unfold from outside her window. She should have seen it coming. The men and women in black and red suits. The limousine with the same crest on its tail. The guards. The red carpet. Everything shouted royalty.
Should she be happy that he was a prince? Should she be angry at him that he kept a secret this big, it might probably have changed their lives?
Or maybe that was it. It would have changed everything. Had she known he was a prince, would she have lounged on her couch with him? Would she have ridden his shoulder while playing water tag with the other teachers that summer teambuilding in Boracay? Would she have taken steak slices off his plate and allowed him to sip hot chocolate from her mug?
"So you lied to me?" She turned back to face him.
Eric chuckled. Nervously. "I had to," he said.
He had never been nervous before. He was always so confident. He always knew and believed he could do anything, and he did everything with grace and such precision that he succeeded a hundred percent. "I hid it from you for your safety. And for mine."
"Still…"
"Look, I can give a thousand reasons why I hid the truth from you, but I'm sure you've heard them all before from the movies or you've read them in books." He sighed. "You have no idea how many times I have tried telling you."
"But you didn't." That was a point he would not be able to get away from.
"Tell me now that you wouldn't have acted differently if you knew." He grabbed both her arms and pulled her to him, their faces inches apart. "Tell me that now and I would concede."
She looked away. "Eric…"
He released her and looked out the window. When he saw the others boarding the plane, he faced her once more. "I was afraid I would lose you if you knew who I was." He stopped. "I didn't want to lose you. I still don't. Which is why I'm taking you with me."