Royal Watch (Royal Watch #1) - Stacey Marie Brown Page 0,2

at something his friend Ben had said. There was no denying he was gorgeous; his confidence and sex appeal gripped you like a drug. Even my body disregarded my feelings for him, wanting to move toward him like everyone else. But once my mind stepped in, it got angry for letting his looks turn me into just another one of his lackeys at this school.

“Gross,” I snarled, tossing my bag on the ground as I plopped down in my chair. “Seriously, everyone thinks you are so prim and proper,” I muttered.

“Always watch out for the quiet ones.” She winked, settling in next to me. “But let’s keep it between us.”

Pulling out my notebook, I glanced back up at Theo, watching him with his friends. Like everyone in the world, I viewed him and his sister grow up on television and from afar at events my family was actually invited to. He was raised to be perfectly polished, saying and doing the right thing in the public eye, generous and kind. But seeing him completely be himself with no press or cameras on him, he was a different bloke—relaxed, full of mischief and ego. He recognized that he could get away with anything here without consequences. Everyone wanted a piece of him, but he kept his circle small. Benjamin Astor, Charlie Fitzroy, and Hazel Seymour were his main group—all kids of dukes and duchesses he grew up with. The next tier was the guys on the lacrosse team, which Theo was captain of. The next group was Charlotte’s crowd. I was somewhere on the bottom.

Charlotte and her friends moved into the seats in front of him, peering at him and fluffing their hair, trying to get his notice. Charlotte wanted to be in the first tier. The girlfriend. I heard rumors they dated briefly last year, but if they had, they clearly weren’t now.

She was everything you’d imagine him with. Raised to marry a prince, she was tall and trim with soft blonde hair and the classic features of a Disney princess. The thought of him picking her to date or marry made me yawn. She was like a caricature. It would be so predictable and boring. But I was probably putting too much faith in men or the idea they’d want more than her poised and perfected responses. That they could see through her shit. The demure compassionate girl reared to be a noble’s wife was nothing more than a ladder-climbing bitch. I was disappointed that she couldn’t see how cliché she was. This life was all about the surface. What it looked like to the world, not what it really was.

“I get it.” Mina smirked, following my eyes to the back. “As much as I hate him, he’s still hot as hell and a bloody prince. Hard to fight that.”

“I do not care about any of that.” I shook my head, turning back to my bag, grabbing a pen.

“No one can fight that. It’s like coded into the title to make us commoners fall to our knees.” She waggled her eyebrows.

“Most hearing you would think you meant you drop to your knees in a bow, but I know you too well.”

“Only a select few do.” She grabbed her books, expression becoming the studious student as our professor strode in.

“All right. Everyone open to page 230, picking up where we left off on Monday. The reign of King Albert the first.”

“Who I liked to call Gramps.” Theo sighed, patting his chest like he was remembering him fondly. “I miss him so much.”

“Yes, Theodore. I’m sure your great-grandfather from the fifteenth century was a hoot at holiday parties.” The school had a rule, no student was to be called by their title. They liked to at least pretend they kept things fair. Professor Martin tried to hold back his annoyance. He was the one teacher who didn’t give in to the prince’s whims. He was the type of guy who didn’t give a shit who you were or what family tree you fell from. He was here to educate, and you were only special if you showed more brilliance in your brain than being a smart-ass.

He was my favorite teacher. Probably because he didn’t bend over for His Highness and kiss his arse.

“Oh, Grandpa Al is hilarious. He and I are always together drinking in the corner.” A smile tugged at his lips as most of the class collectively snickered at his joke. “Doesn’t talk much, but I enjoy his company.