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 -"

him, which just makes him laugh. Ben - he's really been an angel over the past hour or so, cajoling and teasing and being sweet to me by turns, all in

the most

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 the insane piece of gossip I just handed you, if you

all of

still and then bursts

"You're just listening to him with your love earmuffs on. My mom does it to my dad,

a good job of keeping to ourselves, revealed by our laughter...what

I lean forward and cock my head. "Benny," I say, and he lifts his head to 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 Rafe or Jesse

smirking a little as he pushes his cake around with a fork, "it would...change things, between

think so?" I murmur, curious, and pleased to be distracted from my own drama,

it would be different," Ben says,