I am a lost puppy...

Pin drop silence reigned upon the cafeteria for a second before Sophia let out an ear piercing scream, pushed a very angry and baffled Will aside and ran out of the cafeteria.

I had to admit...that girl had some skills...

Will's guard hesitantly stepped forward and extended a handkerchief towards him.

Poor guard.

Will snatched it away from him with a glare and wiped at his face, taking deep breaths to control his rage. Silence had fallen over the cafeteria again, as everybody took in the scene.

From the corner of my eye, I spotted a kid filming a video on his phone. His hands were shaking and his face was almost pale, but, he was still at it. I rolled my eyes.

Next I knew, the silence was broken by Caleb munching on his wafer biscuits, and Mia whispering to someone on the phone. If my friends thought that they were being subtle, then, they couldn't be any more wrong...

Will looked like he would love to snap our necks and get it all over with already.

"Where is Noah?" he bit out, finally, looking directly at me.

I frowned, "Why are you asking me. How would I know? I am not his assistant."

"Don't lie!" he snapped, "from the way he was talking to you, I am pretty sure, that you know a lot of things," then, he glanced around at the bystanders and turned back to me again, "can we talk in somewhere private?"

I didn't want to, but, looked like I had to because I didn't want any drama with his moody ass. And, maybe, just maybe, I could get some information about Noah, out of him.

Mia and Caleb were about to protest but I stopped them with an assuring nod.

I took Will to the corridors that were completely deserted and stopped at a corner around the lockers.

"Go on," I said in a bored tone, "what do you want from me?"

"I want you to leave Noah alone," he replied without missing a beat.

My eyebrows shot up, "Come again?"

"I said, stay away from Noah."

"Well, you see," I folded my arms across my chest, "you are tad bit too late for that, your grace."

Will inhaled a sharp breath, "What does that mean?"

"A few days ago, I would have gladly obliged your order," I shrugged, "but, now...I don't think I can do that now."

What the heck was I saying? And, what the heck was I even trying to imply? Why couldn't I stay away from Noah? He was an annoying SOB anyway...

Yeah, but, he is your SOB.

I nodded involuntarily to my inner voice's reply, and Will gave me a weird look.

But, like, I didn't know anything about Noah, except that he flirted...a lot and talked dirty...a lot.

Yeah, but, admit it, you like it.

I nodded involuntarily a second time, and Will gave me a weirder look.

But, Noah is keeping secrets from me and he may or may not be bipolar...

In Caleb and Mia's words, but, that's the tea, sis...

"Sorry for ruining tea for you, Soph," I muttered under my breath.

"That's it, you have a screw or two lose," Will declared.

"Sure, perfect for Noah, aren't I?" I smirked.

Where the heck was all this coming from? Looked like my mouth wanted to tick off Will very badly.

"What are you going on about?" he asked, irritated, "Noah can't be with you! Not now, not ever!"

"Um...that's Noah's choice, your grace. Why do you care anyway? Don't you have a nation to rule or something?"

Will took a deep breath, "Now, listen to me very carefully. Noah is bethrot-"

I held up my hand, "Noah is not a bathrobe. Period."

"Yes, yes, listen to my mate," Noah's voice travelled to us, as I saw him making his way towards us from the opposite direction.

Oh shit! What if Will told him what I said earlier?

My heart began racing just at the thought and also because, I realized for the first time that Noah was very good-looking...very, very good-looking...I couldn't tear my eyes away from his face as he gave me a heart melting smile and came to stand close to me...too close to me.

Did I mention he smelled really nice too?

I was afraid to exhale and let go of the scent...then, suddenly I realized how I smelled: like Zain.

I groaned internally and made a mental note of changing my chemistry lab partner.

"Aw, why are you making that face, baby?" Noah asked, amusingly.

"I have got Zain's smell all over me," I blurted, before I realized what I was saying, "it's so ew."

I realized a second too late what I had just told him and slapped a hand to my mouth. What the heck was up with my mouth today?

Noah leaned down and sniffed my shirt, "Ew. You are right! Only I am your ew. Zain needs to get out."

Oh God...

"But," he continued with a teasing grin, "I have a solution."

And, before I could process his words, he had pulled me into a hug.

Wrong move, Noah, wrong move.

Because, now that I could feel his warmth against me...I didn't want to let go. I wanted to close my eyes, inhale deeply and stay there for a moment longer than necessary. I wanted to tilt my head, look into his eyes and...

I snapped out of my thoughts when Noah released me suddenly.

"There," he smiled, "problem solved. Now, you smell like me." he winked.

I was vaguely aware of Will clearing his throat somewhere, but, I chose to ignore it. And, I guess, so did Noah.

"Ew, human!" I lightly punched his arm, to maintain my reputation, or I don't know, maybe to deceive myself...

"This is getting out of hands," Will interrupted, "Noah, do you realize what you are doing?"

This one statement caused a one eighty degree shift in Noah's mood, and his expression immediately changed. I tried to catch his eye, but, he turned his face away, avoiding my gaze.

What the heck was this Will's problem? He fricking interrupted a moment!

Will gave Noah a grim look, "And, I hope you remember that you have a bethro-"

Will was cut off by Noah's sharp gaze and he cleared his throat, "I mean, I hope you remember that you are committed. You have a girlfriend waiting for you."

It was like a ton of bricks had hit me at once, and I was taken aback by the force. I stumbled a little and clutched onto Noah's shoulder to prevent myself from falling. Noah glanced at me momentarily with clenched jaw, but, didn't say anything.

Will was an asshat and he was lying, wasn't he? He wanted me gone, that's why he was doing this! This fricking prince of the nation of blah blah blah! Why was he interfering in the lives of common people?!

"This is not the right time for this, man," Noah muttered solemnly to Will.

Will shook his head, "It is, because it's her birthday tomorrow and she wants you to come. I promised her, I will bring you if she kept her mouth shut."

"What do you mean, 'kept her mouth shut?'" Noah asked will with widened eyes, while I stood there like a lost puppy.

A puppy that had been kicked...

Where were those sad emojis when you needed them?

"What I mean is, she knows about your whereabouts, somehow," Will ran a hand through his hair, "that's why I made this deal with her, that you will attend her party and in return she will keep her mouth shut."

Will produced an invitation card and thrust it in Noah's hands, then, turned around and left. Noah swore under his breath and tossed the card across the corridor and with one sad fleeting glance at me, turned around and left too.

While, I still stood there like a lost puppy.