The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy

Chapter 0624

"Selfish," Daphne says a little later, laughing as she reaches out and snatches the cookie packet from Jesse's hand. "How many of these are you going to eat?"

"All of them, obviously," Jesse murmurs, lunging to grab them back but missing when Daphne laughs again and pulls them to her other side. "I have to eat them all - Ariel's more likely to notice that half a pack is missing than a whole one." "You stole these from Ariel!?" Daphne's gasp is scandalized.

"They taste better when you steal them," Jesse says, grinning, "Especially from Ariel. She gets so mad."

Daphne laughs with him and takes a cookie herself before handing the pack back. "I never get you sibling-types," she says, taking a small bite and then curling up in her chair with her head resting on the back of it, gazing at bit at the boy next to her. "All the teasing - what's the point?"

"I don't really know," Jesse says, turning towards her as well, both of them blissfully ignoring the show that the sky is putting on, seemingly just for them. "Something about growing up in such close proximity just...makes you want to torture the crap out of someone, even if they're your favorite person on earth."

Daphne grins at him, a little whistful. "That kind of sounds...nice. Psychotic, but nice."

"Do you think you'd have liked it?" he asks, letting his eyes drift freely over her now in this stolen moment - over the gentle curve of her cheek, the way she curls up so neatly in the chair. "Having as many siblings and cousins as I've got?"

"I don't know," she whispers with a bit of a frown. "I think I'd be...a completely different person if I had. So it's like asking me if I want to be someone else."

the whiskey bottle. "Any world in which we lose you precisely as you are is a tragedy,

accepting the bottle from his hand and taking her own long sip. Jesse smirks, knowing that he means every word of it. "What about you? Ever miss being

he murmurs, looking steadily at her now. "Rafe and Ari were always around, riding the coattails of my glory

head at him and looking out over

but none of it is

what you're thinking, please," Jesse

Qu

embarrassed smile shaping her mouth. "Well," she says with a sigh, snuggling up against the cushion. "I was thinking about...how much nicer this year at the Academy is. Compared to the others

face breaks into its own smile. "And I

against his knee. His smile deepens. "Only partial credit. But really she shrugs, "having you all here has been...so nice. I didn't have alot of friends growing was a solitary little creature and when I came here I never expected to make real friends. I'm very grateful that Ariel stepped onto

the cookies in his lap, suddenly grateful for that little twist of fate too. "Wish I'd gotten you as my tailor that day as well," he murmurs, fliddling absently with the cookie

Jesse replies, looking over at her. "The

Daphne bursts

her laugh harder. "Honestly, it doesn't take anyone that long to measure an inseam -

she protests, kicking him again. "You're such a