The semester was coming to an end, and it was almost time for the students at Crowns Academy to go on holiday—the best period for them. They had completed their exams and were engrossed in a plethora of extra-curricular activities.
"Evly! Evly! Come out of the shower already; you've been in there forever," Jane yelled from her room.
"Oh Jane, don't be dramatic. I've only been in here for a few minutes," Evly responded. "We all know that Mello is playing in today's game," she added.
"That's not it. You were just taking too long in the shower," Jane said, turning to Hayley for support.
Hayley simply smiled and went back to what she was doing. A few minutes later, Evly emerged from the shower.
"Finally! That took forever," Jane remarked.
Evly ignored her and headed to her dressing room. Hayley and Jane had been ready for a while now; they had eagerly anticipated this game day since the beginning of the semester. Jane's boyfriend, Mello, was one of the best basketball players at Crowns. Prince Mello Marshall, the crown prince of Al'done—the first kingdom in the north—shared a close bond with both Evly and Jane, as they were all from the north.
However, Evly wasn't as excited about the game. She rarely got excited about anything at Crowns. While she cherished her friends, the school environment didn't quite resonate with her.
Nevertheless, she had to show up for this game. Jane and Hayley wouldn't let her miss it for anything. Tonight's game was followed by a party scheduled for next week, and Crowns Academy was renowned for throwing the best parties.
POV: EVLY
To be honest, I'm not sure why I came to this game; I hate events like this. Jane and Hayley seem to be loving it, especially Jane, who's fixated on Mello.
"He looks so sexy playing!" she yelled every 5 seconds.
I sat right next to her with Hayley beside me. I can't fathom why Hayley is so excited about this game. I'll keep a close eye on her throughout the match; maybe I'll figure out the reason before it's over. I take pride in knowing almost everything about each of my friends. I have very few friends, so I spend my time getting to know them extensively.
Let me introduce my friends properly. Jane O'Connell, 17, is the youngest daughter of the Prime Minister of Man'es. With five siblings, two elder brothers, and three elder sisters, she's undoubtedly the baby of the family. Despite that, Jane displays remarkable maturity. She's amazing with beautiful green eyes, which she sometimes masks with blue contact lenses or glasses. She's dark-skinned, chubby, has black curly hair, and is very feminine, confidently embracing her body. Jane is the best-dressed in our squad, and she's calm, nice, and extremely sweet, but her anger can be terrifying. Mello is completely in love with her. He's like addicted to her as if she's a drug.
Jane loves Mello too and considers him charming and the perfect gentleman. I only get to see that side of Mello when he's around Jane. They make an adorable couple, but I would never tell them that. They've been dating for almost a year now, and they only seem to grow more adorable together.
Now, let me tell you about Hayley Deville, 17, the only daughter of the King of Asianie, the location of Crowns Academy where we currently are. In other words, this is her territory. Hayley has only two siblings: an elder brother and a younger one. She's quite different from Jane—full of sarcasm and not particularly feminine. Very few students at Crowns know that Hayley is the princess of Asianie; she prefers to keep it discreet.
Hayley is really pretty, tall, and light-skinned. She has adorable grey eyes, and she's naturally red-headed, though she dyed part of her hair black. Beneath her tough exterior, she's soft and emotional, despite her efforts to hide it. She's a wonderful friend who listens and always knows what to say. Hayley has a lot of male friends, but I'm not sure about her love life. I doubt she's in a relationship. She usually finds herself in "situation-ships," as she calls them. The last guy she was in a "situation-ship" with was a senior named Mshell, but Hayley doesn't talk about him much.
During the game, I watched Hayley closely to pass the time, and she seemed focused on one particular blonde player.
"I didn't know you were into blondes, Hayley," I said with a smirk.
"Who? Carlo? Oh, he's just a friend," Hayley replied.
"More like a new obsession," Jane chimed in unexpectedly.
"When did this happen? Why am I just finding out?" I asked.
"It's nothing. We're just friends," Hayley said, trying to look serious.
But we all knew it was never just friends for Hayley. She wasn't the type to date; she often said she wasn't in the right state of mind to commit to anyone.
"Oh, Hayley, we all know that's not it," Jane said confidently. Hayley ignored her and continued watching the game.
The match ended, and unfortunately, Mello's team lost. Despite that, Jane rushed over and gave Mello a big hug. I rolled my eyes at their affectionate display.
"You were amazing in the game, Mell!" Jane exclaimed with excitement in her eyes.
"Don't lie to the poor soul, Jane," I interjected.
Mello shot me a deadly look, but I wasn't lying. He smiled back at Jane and kissed her forehead. I decided not to stick around and turned away, not wanting to be bothered by their lovey-dovey antics. However, I couldn't help but notice Hayley with the blonde and the senior guy whose name I couldn't recall. I made eye contact with them briefly before refocusing on Mello and Jane.
"Who's the blonde with Hayley?" I inquired.
"That's Carlo Moretti, a transfer student. I didn't think you were into blondes, Evly," Mello replied.
"Eww, hell no," I retorted, "I'm just really curious about this new obsession of Hayley's."
Hayley, the blonde, and the senior approached us, and the atmosphere suddenly turned quiet.
"Guys, this is Carlo and Mshell. Mshell, Carlo, this is Jane, Mello, and Evly. They're my friends," Hayley introduced us.
"Hey, you were crazy lit on the court, by the way," Mello said to Carlo.
Carlo blushed and replied, "You were more impressive, man."
Mshell remained quiet; it seemed like he wasn't much of a talker. I knew Mello and Mshell were close, having seen them training together on the court before. After the game and the awkward introduction, we all went to the cafeteria together. Mello and Jane sat close to each other, while Hayley sat with Carlo, and I found myself seated next to Mshell.
As we had lunch, Carlo told a few jokes and made us laugh. He was quite funny. While observing Hayley, Carlo, and Mshell, it became evident that it was a love triangle or something similar. Hayley seemed to be into Carlo, and it appeared that Mshell liked her too. I felt a tinge of sadness, not knowing which of the guys to feel bad for.
Hayley wasn't the type to commit to relationships; she always claimed she wasn't in the right state of mind for it. We were finally back in our castle suite. Hayley took a shower and went straight to bed, avoiding Jane's questions about Carlo.
Later, Christine, my sister, visited our castle suite. Although we were quite different and had very few things in common, we still shared a connection as sisters. Christine mentioned she was here to make sure I was in the right state for our upcoming holidays.
The day of the party arrived, and I hesitated about attending, expressing my reluctance to Mell. He encouraged me not to go if I didn't want to, but he also reminded me that my girlfriend and Hayley wouldn't let me off easily. Eventually, I decided to go to the party.
As I entered the castle dorm, it was filled with castle servants arranging clothes, and Jane and Hayley were pacing about. They were excited about the party. Hayley handed me a black laced gown to wear, and even though I was initially hesitant, I tried it on and felt gorgeous. I admired myself in the mirror as a castle servant started doing my makeup.
A few hours later, we were all ready for the party. Hayley looked stunning in her silver screen dress. We headed to the party venue, which was bustling with activity. Mell spotted us, and his jaw dropped when he saw Jane. After a brief exchange, Mell and Jane left together.
Hayley had also disappeared, and I found myself alone at the bar, questioning my decision to attend the party. Suddenly, I heard a smooth voice behind me...
"Can I join you?" I turned to see Mshell, who I hadn't seen since lunch. He looked stunning, his dark hair glowing under the bright light.
"Sure," I said reluctantly. I was a bit shocked by his sudden appearance. He sat down, poured himself a drink, and refilled my glass, which had been empty.
"Your hair is really pretty," he complimented, breaking the awkward silence that had settled between us.
"Thank you so much," I replied with a smile.
"Parties aren't my scene," Mshell confessed.
"Me neither. My friends were all hyped about it, and I had to tag along. I honestly think they are overhyped," I agreed, and we both burst into laughter.
As we continued talking, I found him to be nice and funny. We discovered we had a lot of things in common. During our conversation, I noticed him glancing at Hayley, who was dancing with Carlo. After some hesitation, I asked him about his feelings for her, not expecting him to divulge much.
"I've had a crush on her for a while now," he admitted.
"Have you told her?" I inquired.
"We've had the discussion," he replied, leaving me curious about what he meant by that, but I didn't pry further.
"Do you think I have a chance?" Mshell asked with sincerity in his eyes.
"Well, I don't know. Hayley isn't the type of girl who easily commits to relationships," I responded honestly.
He seemed to want more insight, but I didn't want to talk about Hayley behind her back.
"How about you?" he asked, changing the subject. "Are you a relationship kind of girl?"
"Uh... me?" I hesitated, not entirely sure of the answer myself. "I honestly don't know. I guess I haven't thought about it."
He looked at me with a desperate expression, clearly wanting a more definite response. But in truth, I wasn't sure if I was the type to commit to a relationship. The thought of it made me question myself and my feelings.
"Let's just say I'm still figuring that out," I finally replied, not wanting to give a concrete answer just yet.
We continued talking, and the party carried on around us. In those moments, I found myself enjoying Mshell's company, feeling at ease with him. It was a pleasant surprise to connect with someone like this amidst the chaotic party atmosphere. But at the back of my mind, I couldn't help but wonder about the complexities of relationships and whether I was truly ready for one.
As the night progressed, Mshell and I remained engrossed in our conversation, sharing stories, and laughs, and exchanging thoughts on various topics. It felt like we were forming a genuine connection, and I found myself opening up to him in a way I hadn't expected. Despite my initial reluctance about attending the party, being here with Mshell made the experience much more enjoyable.
As we talked, I couldn't help but steal glances at Hayley from time to time. She looked happy and carefree as she danced with Carlo, and a small pang of envy tugged at me. Hayley had always been the adventurous one, effortlessly attracting attention and living life on her terms. In contrast, I often found myself overthinking things, unsure of my place in the grand scheme of things.
"Mshell, do you think she's really into Carlo?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
"I wish I knew for sure," Mshell replied with a sigh. "It's hard to read her sometimes. Hayley is so independent and mysterious. She keeps people at arm's length, and I feel like I'm always trying to decipher her actions and emotions."
I nodded in understanding. Hayley's enigmatic nature was part of her charm, but it could also be frustrating for those trying to understand her on a deeper level. I empathized with Mshell's predicament, realizing that my uncertainties were reflected in his feelings for Hayley.
Amidst the lively music and laughter surrounding us, Mshell's earnestness and vulnerability struck a chord within me. It made me question my feelings and desires. Was I ready to take a chance on love? Was I capable of embracing a relationship and all the uncertainties that came with it?
As the night wore on, Mshell and I decided to explore other parts of the party together. We played some casual games and shared more laughs, feeling more comfortable in each other's company. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of us in our little bubble of understanding.
Eventually, the party started to wind down, and we found ourselves sitting together in a quieter corner, away from the bustling crowd. The music had mellowed, and the atmosphere was serene.
"Mshell, thank you for tonight," I said sincerely, looking into his eyes. "I didn't expect to have such a great time, but being with you made it special."
He smiled warmly, and I felt a flutter of butterflies in my stomach. There was an undeniable connection between us.
"It was my pleasure, Evly," he replied, his voice soft and genuine. "You're an amazing person, and I'm glad we had this chance to connect."
As we sat there, enjoying each other's presence, I realized that maybe it was okay not to have all the answers right now. Life was full of uncertainties, and perhaps the best approach was to embrace the journey, take things as they came, and be open to new experiences.
The night ended with a fond farewell, and I made my way back to our castle suite. My mind was buzzing with thoughts and emotions, but amidst it all, there was a sense of contentment.
As I lay in bed that night, I couldn't help but think about Mshell and the intriguing connection we had formed. It was too early to tell what the future held, but for the first time in a long while, I felt excited about the unknown. Whether or not I was a "relationship kind of girl" was still uncertain, but I knew one thing for sure – this night had opened my heart to the possibilities that lay ahead.