HER MAJESTY, HIS ROYALTY

EPISODE 5: PERFECT BEYOND ILLUSIONS

Mshell

"Jeez, it's like a hundred degrees outside," Mello said as he walked into my castle suite. He lived just a floor above mine, and for some reason, he always stopped by. It was nice, and I enjoyed his company. While we weren't best friends, we vibed a lot, and since Al'Done was pretty close to Athras Central, Mello often visited me at home too.

"Did you work out?" I asked, noticing he was panting.

"Well, something like that," he replied, settling down beside me. I was watching the comedy series 'How I Met Your Mother.'

"You good?" I inquired, concerned about his breathlessness.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just wanted to burn some fat," he said. Mello wasn't always so concerned about his physique, but as an athlete and a pretty tall one at that, he likely enjoyed staying fit.

"You sure? You don't normally work out when it's this hot, Mello," I observed, looking at him curiously.

"I'm good! Really! I mean, it's not like I'm in bad shape, right?" he replied, but something about his response seemed off. Mello wasn't the type to express his feelings easily.

"What's this about?" I probed further, sensing that there was more to it.

"Jane thinks Carlo is sexy?" he said with a smirk, and I burst out laughing.

"Come on, Mello, is this what's bothering you? It's the funniest thing I've heard all day," I teased.

"Well, if this is your attempt at being helpful, then you suck at it, Mshell," he retorted playfully.

"Oh, it's just funny! Sure, Carlo is attractive, and there's nothing wrong with Jane thinking that. Are you being jealous or dramatic?" I asked

"Hell no, I'm not jealous. There's no reason to be. I mean, Carlo has a thing for Hayley, and I doubt it's one-sided," Mello explained. Suddenly, I realized I hadn't told Mello how I felt about Hayley, and now that I thought about it, I probably never would.

Maybe deep down, I knew it wouldn't work out with Hayley. I ignored all the signs, foolishly hoping she'd see me as more than a friend.

"That's right. So it's best to deal with that little crush you have there. I love Hayley but trust me, you'll hurt yourself if you keep holding on," Mello advised. I was shocked that he knew, but it was Mello - he had a knack for figuring things out quickly, like a mini sage.

"How long have you known?" I asked.

"Well, trust me, you were very obvious, and I'm sure Hayley knows too. If she hasn't done anything about it, it's probably because she doesn't feel the same way, Mshell," Mello said, and reluctantly, I had to admit he was right.

"I know, but I would still love to hear her say it," I replied.

"Wow, Mshell, that's brave. Well, my advice to you is to clarify things as fast as possible. You might be too blinded by this mini crush to see the bigger picture," Mello suggested cryptically.

"Bigger picture? What do you mean, Mell?" I asked, but he walked out of my suite without elaborating, leaving me pondering his enigmatic words.

"Company? You look bored," Evly's voice came from behind me.

"Oh, hey Evly. How are you doing?" I greeted her.

"I'm not bad at all. Coffee?" she offered, handing me a second cup.

"Thank you," I replied as I accepted the coffee. We sat together at the cafeteria during our lunch break. I didn't have another class afterwards.

"Care to share what's bothering you, your majesty?" she asked, using honorifics despite my insistence that she didn't need to.