The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

"How do you know this shit," Jackson mutters, shaking his head, letting himself be led.

"You handle kicking the shit out of the bad guys," Jesse says, giving Jackson a broad grin. "I'll handle the girls. Besides, Rafe and I reserve the right to yell at Ariel tonight. We've known her longer, we get first dibs. You come to breakfast at our place tomorrow before the train leaves - really give her a piece of your mind then."

"If you say so," Jackson sighs, his eyes moving upwards to the window he knows is hers - or, at least, the one closest to the nook in which she sleeps. There's still a light on, which means she's still up. "Trust me, Jacks," Jesse says, giving him a little squeeze, "I wouldn't do you dirty. We're friends now, after all. Best friends."

"Don't push it," Jackson grumbles. But as the pair walk back into the castle Jackson has to admit...the whole friendship thing, it does have its perks. Even if it involves a lot more talking than he'd prefer. "So, how'd you know?" Ben murmurs, sitting at the other end of the couch while I stretch my legs between us. He digs into his half-eaten third slice of cake with abandon.

"Benny, my love," I sigh, lifting another forkful of chocolate icing to my mouth -

"You'd better be careful with that word -" Ben says, pointing his fork at me with a wink. "Men have been beaten tonight for expressing lesser sentiments -"

cajoling and teasing and being sweet to me by turns, all in the effort to get me back to myself, to make me realize that no permanent damage has

most disastrous

situation - I had to wait for them to just stumble upon it. God, what the hell is wrong with me "Don't go there," Ben murmurs, leaning back against the arm of the couch now, as Luca so often does, and tapping my foot with his fork. "You're betraying the cake, and

I sigh. "You laugh at all of Rafe's jokes, Ben, and he's

goes still and then bursts out

to him with your love earmuffs on. My mom does it to my dad,

which we thought we were doing such a good job of keeping to ourselves, revealed by our laughter...what are the chances

smile at me. "Why did you keep it a secret? I mean, you know that I'd never judge you for it, right? And I have no idea if

Ari," Ben murmurs, smirking a little as he pushes his cake around with a fork, "it

murmur, curious, and pleased to be distracted from my own drama, even if

would be different," Ben says, definite. "I mean... Rafe. He's not