The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0472

"What...what does un-sorted mean?" I ask, looking first at Luca and then a little frantically around at the rest of the boys, all of whom are equally a bit dour.

"It just means that they're deciding where Luca fits," Jesse says, giving a shrug.

"He's sugar coating it," Luca corrects, and I turn my head back to him. "It means that they don't yet see me as... fit for upper service. That I am, essentially, a high-powered grunt for now." "Luca," I say, again raising my hand to his cheek as I frown at him. "Who -"

"Those are his words," Rafe interrupts, and I turn to look at him. "And he's being way too hard on himself. Every Cadet that graduates from the Academy is elite - some are sorted into specializations, some are not. Luca, as-yet, was not. And he might later, or he might not, but it's not a poor reflection on him."

"And now Rafe's being too nice," Luca murmurs, turning back to me and I think - putting up one hell of a front to hide his disappointment. "It's all my fault. I did...kind of shitty on the finals, Ari. I think they might have failed me if it wasn't such a big deal for me to be a Cadet while I was in that boxing match. I think they kind of...pushed me through."

"Luca," I murmur, frowning at him, feeling absolutely terrible that he feels that way. "I'm sure that's not true."

way, it's all my fault," Luca says with a sigh. "You were all here working your asses off and I was just...fooling around and napping

true!" I

was and it was not his fault. Luca didn't

and I turn back to him with a

quick kiss to his mouth as the other boys turn towards

Luca says, giving me a small smile. "So. How about you show me those pens again? Maybe your color coding system can actually help

into a

turns, even as I sit close to Luca. She looses a tiny little

as best I can, though, and barely an hour

couch and stretching his arms over his head. "Walk me downstairs so you can pick me up if I fall asleep on the

throw you over my shoulder like the sack of potatoes you are," Luca murmurs, giving me a kiss on the cheek