The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0620

Thirty minutes later, Daphne and I have utterly ignored Luca's objections and turned me out in what is actually a pretty convincing facsimile of her outfit, hair, and makeup.

"I mean, you're shorter than me," Daphne says, gnawing on her thumb nail as I slowly turn in a circle for her, letting her observe the effect of the long skirt she so hastily hemmed to my height and the jacket she nipped in at the waist and chest. "And I don't like that we just rolled up those sleeves - here, take it off, I'll hem those too -" "Oh, it's fine, Daph!" I say with a laugh, eager to get started - Newtown, I know, is a bit of a walk away, and I want to get started.

"Hair's not precisely the same shade of auburn too," Luca murmurs from where he leans against the wall, his mouth pursed. "But...I mean, I think at first glance...it's pretty convincing. Nicely done, you two."

"Thanks," I say, turning towards him and giving him a pretty smile.

He laughs at me, shaking his head. "Daphne is sultry, not perky. You've got to work on that."

"Sultry!" Daphne laughs, shaking her head at him and coming forward to nip at a spare thread on my jacket with a tiny set of scissors. "Look at you, Luca Grant, giving me compliments."

"Just the truth, Daph," he says with a smirk.

I think for a moment, watching Daphne move, and when she steps away to put her scissors on the shelf, I put my hand on my hip with a sigh and move towards Luca with the long, confident stride that Daphne uses to cross a room - nothing like my usual short absent- minded steps.

Luca's eyes go a bit wide as I reach him.

"Was that better?" I ask, transforming back into myself.

says, laughing at me as he puts his hands

asks, laughing

strut, Daph,"

waves a hand at me. "Oh, I so do not. Now get out of here so I can get

where Luca and dropped, our bookbags. "Would you take these... upstairs for us? Maybe with a note so that Rafe and Jesse don't totally

a broad grin. "Good excuse to go check in

cross the room to her, throwing my arms around

little and hugging me tight. "The only payment I ask is a full story the moment

hurrying over to my bag where I pull out my notebook, beginning to

himself

a flight of steps at

air, and then disappear, and then

him. Just fooling

really.

one of the stairwell's narrow, slitted windows has him doing a double take and backing up a step, pausing to lean close to the wall and peer out the window with a frown on his

Because...

that that's Daphne's bright hair trotting away down the path towards the hills that they run through every morning,

the hell is she doing holding that