The Outsider (Outsider #1) ✔️

Chapter 66 : Almost Returning

Dusk agreed to accept a new wearable from the Crown Prince. To do otherwise would seem ungracious and also pretentious. Her previous one was also a gift from the Mayor, who was the highest official she had met till then. Perhaps getting another one as a gift from the highest official she had met now, was logical. Or, she thought to herself, she would make any excuse to get one of the best wearables in the country.

On seeing her agreeing, Catherine whooped in delight and accepted a glittering golden and black bank card from the Crown Prince. Dusk frowned on seeing the card because it was exactly the one that Luke carried. But then it was stupid to suppose that the bank issued only 1 card, right. Except, she wondered, why did this one also carry a similar looping signature on the front?

... ...

Later that evening, Dusk was sitting with Luke and Catherine for a pool-side dinner at one of the top Clubs in Regis. Catherine had forced Dusk to change into a swimsuit, even though she was not comfortable in it. After all, the concept of so much water was still alien to a desert girl, as was the concept of showing so much of her body and skin. She waded at one end for some time, while Catherine swam multiple laps effortlessly. Then Luke also joined them, and he too seemed to be a highly accomplished swimmer.

Seeing Luke in skimpy clothing and seeing his muscular physique, Dusk got strange ideas, which she tried hard to get rid of from her mind. She knew, of course, that trying to kiss Luke at this place would create its own set of problems. Largest of which would be Catherine's reaction to it. She already seemed to have assumed that Dusk will be her 'Sister-in-Law' very soon...

She hoped the Princess was not thinking of Prince Louis as her future husband... Catherine considered Luke as her brother, in spite of absence of any real relations, so hopefully it was him the girl linked her to, not Prince Louis. She was in no hurry to consider marrying anyone.

She was not sure how Luke's family will view her or whether she wanted to be in this lavish lifestyle he had. It was clear from the money he spent, the clubs he was a member of, that he was not from a poor or ordinary family. In fact, he was polar opposites of her in terms of social standing and background.

Dusk climbed out of the water, dried herself and sat down by the table, watching the brother sister pair racing through the water, each trying to beat the other. Whatever Luke's other skills may be it looked like his sister was better in the pool.

Dusk called Piggon. She answered in a single ring. The video feed showed her other team-mates in the background and they all crowded around Piggon when they saw it was Dusk!

"Dusk! Is that you? Where have you been? I was going to notify the Brigadier that you were kidnapped or something! I have been calling you since yesterday."

"Sheesh! Don't ask. I had to change my communicator address. Too many people know it and I got 15,000 calls and messages in 15 minutes. It's now handed over to my Social Media Handlers..."

"Holy Spirits! You are like a regular Holo-Vision star now. Someone handles your social media! I didn't ever think I will have such friends... Do you know you were in the top 50 in popularity in Pictorial yesterday? All those pictures of you with Princess Catherine, and then your statement of standing up to foreign tech companies... Wow. Amazing, really amazing. You know, Sargent Bear has been strutting around saying he trained you? Apparently, Prince Louis was on a video feed where he said your Military Training was good."

Dusk nodded. All these she knew. She waved to all her teammates and friends who were crowding around and said, "This is my new communicator address. Save it and DON'T share it with anyone! I don't want 10,000 calls on this. I won't be able to study then. Do you think Sargent Bear will cancel my punishment for missing 2 days of training? May be even 3 as I don't think I can reach on time back tomorrow."