The Royal Academy

Chapter 3 - Mayra

My first days at the Academy were filled with uncertainty, and at times a little fear. Before meeting Nicholas and accepting his offer to be friends, I always felt somewhat lost in the world, wandering around in my own little bubble. But finally, because of his simple act of kindness, I felt like I had found a place where I could belong.

4 Years Later ~~

"Nick, hurry up! We're gonna miss breakfast if you don't get your stupid face out of the mirror!" I shouted, banging on the door of his dorm room.

His roommate Luca opened the door, squeezed past me into the halleay, and shouted over his shoulder, "I think you'd better hurry, or the Mrs. will have your head! You know things get serious when it comes to Chef George's Pumpkin Spice pancakes!"

"I am not his Mrs., I will have you know!" I shouted at Luca's already retreating backside and turned to more forcefully urge Mr. Kensington to put a move on it. "But I surely will leave you if you don't get your butt out here ASAP!"

He finally decided to grace me with his presence, sauntering out the door and resting his arm over my shoulder. "I'm going to be forced to do something about this needy streak you've been displaying. Girl can't even get up in the morning without shouting my name for all to hear!"

He smirked like a complete idiot while patting my head, which forced me to extract his arm from my person and twist it behind his back. "Believe what you will Nicholas, but I will not miss my pancakes. Not now, not ever! Now, scoot!"

In the past 4 years of my time at the Academy, we had not once went to breakfast without the other. Or lunch. Or dinner, for that matter. By the end of my first month here, he'd learned my favorite dishes, and was always eager to get a seat and order for us both.

"Sit yourself down little lady, and I'll be back shortly with your precious pancakes." he said ushering me toward our usual table.

"Whipped." Luca muttered, trying and failing to disguise his comment as a "cough".

"What nonsense are you spouting now, Lucci! You're just jealous that he doesn't bother to order for you every morning." I retorted teasingly, sticking my tongue out at him.

"I'm only stating the obvious, Lassie. In the year that we've been roomies, not once has he forgotten your favorite food, failed to open a door for you, or allowed you to sit with any other guys. Do you two have something going on behind the scenes that I should no about? I'd hate to find myself on the other side of his fist 'cause I busted up in between you guy's relationship or something."

The suggestive eyebrow wiggle that followed his last statement was just too much for me to take. I rolled my eyes and answered, "He's just being gentlemanly. We've been best friends for some time now, and we have a solid relationship, but it's not like that. He just wants to take care of me. I'm like a little sister he needs to watch out for."

I said that last part with an almost imperceptible disappointed sigh, but Luca caught on and ran with it.
"And I take it that you aren't too keen on that idea, huh?"

I hesitated a moment too long before replying, "I'm fine with it. I never had a brother so..."

"But do you want Nick as a brother, or something more-"

Luca's question was cut off by Nick plopping our tray onto the table and singing, "What are you guys talking about?"

"Oh, nothin' serious. Just Mr. Kim's pop quiz in Diplomacy this afternoon. I hear it's supposed to be worth 20% of our grade for the semester!"

Luca knew he was saving me from having to explain my tangled up feelings, tossing me a wink across the table and digging into his breakfast.

"Yeah, haha..." I laughed awkwardly, trying to get my self together. "You know how bad I am with that stuff. I hardly know how to curtsy properly, even after all these years."