Page 5 of Royal Academy

CHAPTER 3

“Did you like, see her cardigan?” there was a titter of laughter from the back of the classroom that Lia fought to ignore.

“OMG, I’m totes dying for her, like, I can’t even look in that direction.”

“Right? I mean who matches yellow with black and burgundy? She looks like a demented bumblebee.”

More laughter from the whispered words that were clearly meant to carry. Lia had dealt with mean girls in school and she was used to being a little bit different than everyone else. It shouldn’t hurt, the words that were being callously tossed her way. It shouldn’t, and yet it did.

Lia had spent the first half of their class time going over rules and expectations. Then she split the students into groups of three or four to practice introductions. It was a get to know you of sorts that after a bit if hindsight proved to be wasted on the fourth-year students.

Obviously, they had spent the previous three years getting to know one another. Why hadn’t she thought of that? Lia chided herself.

This was the first lesson of the day and she had three more to survive before she could hide in her room and pretend that she wasn’t back in the place that had nearly scarred her for life.

Looking down at her yellow cardigan and black tank top she supposed that it was a little bumblebee-ish, but paired with the burgundy pants surely took the edge off. The sad truth was that Lia had never been much for fashion.

Her father had tried to press royal dressers on her, and Lia always felt that they were stifling her creativity. She had no wish to go about in pantsuits and linen frocks. Heaven knew that her time in the navy pleated skirts and white oxford shirts at the Royal Academy had been torture enough.

“I can’t believe that she’s the princess here.”

The tall dark-haired girl was named Simone. Smooth dark skin and high cheekbones, Simone looked like a model and wore her uniform at least two sizes too small. One would think with such a willowy frame it would be near impossible to show off so many curves. She had been the one kind enough to point out Lia’s resemblance to the flying insect.

Standing next to Simone, was Victoria. Long blonde hair and fragile blue eyes one would think she was the perfect princess in need of rescue. Until you get caught in the backlash of her caustic tongue. Victoria’s mouth curved up into a mocking smile when she met Lia’s eyes.

Don’t show fear.

Don’t show fear.

The moment she looked away Lia knew it had been a mistake, there was another titter of laughter. If felt just as terrible now being made fun of as it had back then.

The third in their group was a slender young man with chiseled features and a haughty gaze. His messy locks and bad boy looks had garnered more than a few stares from some of the other young ladies and several of the young men.

Franklin was the God of Royal Academy and he wore it well. Walking into her class five minutes late he didn’t bother to make an excuse just shrugged into his seat and smirked at his minions.

Lia looked at the clock, it was 9:47 am, she had miles to go before she was finished.

Tossing her shoulders back she addressed the class, “Back to your seats, students we are going to begin another exercise.”

There was a low grumble as the twenty-two fourth-years ambled back into their ancient desks. The same desk carols that had been there when Lia had been a student.

She cleared her throat, “We are going to now go around the room and each of you will tell us who the person is in front of you and something positive that you have learned about them.”

They started with a small Asian girl named Asha who introduced a chubby young woman with startling black curls named, Hannah. Asha proceeded to tell the class that Hannah enjoyed basketball.

“Fat ass,” it was meant to be some kind of a sneeze, but the words were clear. Lia whipped around to see Simone and Victoria laughing their asses off.

Franklin had a smirk on his face along with a defiant glare.

“Let me make myself clear,” Lia was fuming and doing her best to hold in what she really wanted to say to these spoiled brats. “You are here because my country has been kind enough to extend the invitation to yours. I will not tolerate bullying of any kind.”

Victoria tossed her blonde hair behind her shoulder, “You can’t like, expel any of us.”

She was correct, Lia couldn’t do that of her own accord. However, Lia was a teacher and despite her father’s abhorrence, older brother Benedict simply adored Lia. If push came to shove, he could do something.

“Just so I am understanding correctly, Victoria,” she lifted her chin, surprise in my already knowing her name. I plowed on, “Are you defying my rules?”

Infractions meant demerits, all of the students were placed in houses and when demerits were given it not only affected the individual, but it went against the house. Simone and Victoria were placed in Diamonds, it seemed that the highest titled and most affluent students were.

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