Chapter Eight

Samantha looked down and saw a small pet trotting proudly across the quiet lane in front of the community gates. It was a surprisingly calm morning, the kind that made the world feel a little slower. She would have taken time to admire the little creature, maybe even laugh softly at its confidence, but her mind was elsewhere.

She was lost in her thoughts again, drifting deeper into her own world — a place where the wind whispered secrets and the sky seemed to listen. Her gaze was faraway, unfocused, thoughts weaving around memories and make-believe.

She barely noticed the boy standing at the other side of the road.

His name was Louis.

His presence was like a light breeze—gentle but impossible to ignore once it touched your skin. His hair danced in the wind as he turned, scanning left and right as though trying to make sense of something. His steps were calm, but there was an energy in the way he held himself, like he carried answers to questions no one had dared to ask yet.

Samantha looked up, her vision clearing just in time to see Louis staring directly at her. It felt like time paused for a breath.

Then came the strangest image: she saw herself riding a unicorn through an open field of lavender, her laughter echoing into the distance. A prince rode beside her, elegant and mysterious.

"Guess who it was," Louis said, pulling her back into the present with a voice that was both familiar and teasing.

Samantha (softly, blinking): "Louis? Oh… what are you doing here?"

Louis (grinning): "Oh God, for the first time ever, she actually notices I exist!"

She blinked again. Had she really never noticed Louis before? That couldn't be true.

Louis (dramatically): "Oh me gawd. She never knew Louis was this handsome!"

Samantha (rolling her eyes, but smiling): "Uhm, I don't know what you mean by that, but I think we're meant to be taking notes, not exchanging… compliments?"

He chuckled. It was the kind of laugh that crept into your heart and made a home there. She glanced at him again, really looked this time.

His eyes. They were an impossible shade of blue, like the sky just after a thunderstorm—deep, wild, and oddly peaceful. His hair was golden like morning sunlight, messy but somehow perfect, resting just above his broad shoulders. And that jawline… oh wow.

Where had he been all this while?

No… the real question was, where had she been?

I mean, Louis was her training mate. He had been her friend for three years, and she has been sexually attracted to him in this manner. Why now?

"Samantha? Sam? Sam? Hey...!" Louis voice called her back to reality

"Huhn? Sam was confused.

"Are you okay, Princess? Is something bothering you or..." he trailed off with a smirk on his face, "..or are you thinking about how you're going to apologise for slamming the door on my face. I would say you're one sassy girl. "

" ..." Samnatha gasped jokingly in a dramatic manner

" You dare address royalty in that manner. You will be punished, "she said jokingly. " And about me slamming the door... I'm sorry about that, " she said .

" It's fine," he said with a broad smile on his face.

They both looked at each other. other for a while. and then they burst out laughing.

" Now come here." he pulled her to his chest and ruffled her hair playfully.

At that moment, Samantha's fantasies got triggered again, and instead of just laughing and pushing away. as she would normally did to hi, she melted into his chest and inhaled deeply the sensation of resting on such. broad, tanned chest.

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