ROYAL-TEA [ON HOLD]

12.

SOFIA'S POV
Princess Noma smiled at me cheekily. Her grey eyes glinted as she threw me a bag of pistachios. "Here, have something to ease your hunger."

"Why are you being nice to me?"

"Because you are a friend to Aaliyah. All friends to Her Highness are friends of mine. Except for the Grandes."

"Huh?"

"The Grandes are an Italian noble family... never mind."

Prince Kasseem smiled. "I can teach her what she needs to know. I am a good teacher."

"Are you?" I turned to look at the handsome prince, managing to hide my blushing from him. He smiled at me, almost making my heart skip a beat.

"I am. I am the best student in my class. I beat Noma and Victor and the Grande twins... sorry. So the Grandes are Italian nobility. They are very ambitious. They have been courting various royal families in the past century. I do believe there's a Grande in almost every European and North African royal family. You happen to be with two of the purest bred Grandes in the world."

"You sound like you are talking about horses."

"Well... every generation has a Grande that is doomed to marry a cousin. This is to further purify their genes or something. Anyway, the Grandes are one of the few Italian nobility families that can trace their bloid line to over 10 generations back."

"Basically, their family tree is as up-to-date as the royal families they marry into," Victor spoke. His hazel eyes were filled with merriment. When he was angry, they became chocolate.

"They are big dreamers." I said, thinking about how I had never planned ahead... now I had to. I had to go to school, attend gym, eat my meals, engage in sports and other school activities. I was also expected to make friends.

"This is all so new..." I said quietly.

"I can help you. Be your Yoder and you can be my Padawan... yeah..."

"I second him," Noma said, her grey eyes glinting mischievously. She grinned at Victor, "and I know that Vic agrees too."

"Don't I have a choice?"

"Not anymore you don't." Kassim grabbed her. "Let's go young Padawan! Up! Up!"

"My pistachios..."

"Eat them on our way... can I have some?"

"No!"

"If I hug you, can I have some?"

"Maybe," I said, smiling.

"Aww, look at them! Very soon, they'll be just as cute as us!"

"I can hear you," I said to Noma who laughed.

"That's the point," Victor said.

"Is everyone this weird?" I asked, turning to look at Kassim who was trying not to barf at Noma and Victor kissing.

"Pretty much, yeah."

*&*&*&*&

Kassim showed me around. We started from the library and progressed to his favourite café which served the best coffee on campus. We also went to the mess, visited the entertainment spots and walked along the huge recreational lake that had an inlet used for white water rafting every year.

"Everyone here has something they are good with," he said. "Most people would think I'm a geek, but I'm also a good basketball player."

"You play basketball?" I asked, incredulity obviously detectable in my tone. He laughed.

"I know... weird, yeah?"

"No... not at all."

"I went to space last year."

"I thought you have to be a scientist to go..." I began but realized I was being stupid. "Whatever. I need a sandwich."

"What's the magic word?"

"Abracadabra?"