Hidden Royalties

eight ༉‧₊˚.

I MET PETER AT THE RESTAURANT as he was running late from soccer practice. He wore a button-up top with the top few buttons undone showing off his chest and gold chain. In his hand, he held a bouquet of beautiful purple tulips. I smiled to myself, they were my favourite flowers.

Peter walked towards me smiling, his stride alluded with confidence. Something about that was so attractive to me.

"These are for you," he said as he gave me the flowers and kissed me on the cheek. His lips left a burning sensation on my skin, making me tingle throughout my body.

"Thanks," I said admiring the tulips, "These are actually my favourite flowers."

He guided us into the Italian restaurant. He addressed the waitress who was giving him suggestive looks. He ignored her glances as he persisted in getting to our table.

As we walked towards our table, I recognized a familiar brown-haired idiot who was seated at the table right beside us.

"Corbin! Nice seeing you here," Elias said grinning like a Cheshire cat. His eyes were full of the intent of trouble. Elenor sat in front of him playing with his hand.

Peter looked to Elias who was already standing up to greet his 'bro'. "Matthews, nice seeing you here."

"Yeah, just taking my girlfriend out to dinner before I leave for Germany tomorrow," he said while looking affectionately at Elenor. She smiled gently at him before eyeing the plate in front of her. "Nice flowers you got there Marcella."

I placed the bouquet down beside me as I sat down at the table, "Thanks. Peter managed to grab my favourite flowers which are out of season at the moment."

"Had a little birdie hint to me that they were your favourites. Called a bunch of places to find where they had them," Peter boasted.

Elias scoffed at something Peter had mentioned. He asked the waitress to grab some water for both of our tables.

"So coach wants me to play centre forward next game," Elias said playfully.

Peter furrowed his eyebrow, "No way. Matthews, you're kidding right?" Peter was the school's notorious striker for the soccer team. I didn't know much about the sport but it seemed pretty important.

"Don't ask me, man, he wants someone that might actually aim into the goals this time and not the crossbar." Ouch. That game was painful to watch.

"Trust me, man, coach wants the collegiate scouts to see me taking the lead."

"You're doing a shitty job of doing so."

Peter looked visibly tense from Elias' comments. Elias was still smirking with that troublesome look on his face. Of course, he wants to pick a fight.

"Let's talk about something else," I suddenly announced, trying to seize the incoming battle of the brawns. Elias looked at me with a devilish smirk, "Let's talk about you, Marcella Martin."

"Me?"

"No one knows much about the smartest girl in school." His eyes eased on me with intent. "What does she do in her free time? How does she get such good grades? What do her parents do to afford such an elite school?"

My left eye twitched every time he asked a question. I could tell what he was doing, trying to push all my buttons. That is what he does, he plays a game that only he can control. That is what satisfies him.

"I don't get what you're playing at Matthews," I said bitterly.

"What do they do, Marcella?" He teased my name. His blue orbs were the only thing I could see as he targeted me. The silence between us was deafening.