The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy



"Ariel," Tony sighs, shaking his head and leaning back in the arm chair, looking like he hates to be the one to tell me this. "He does do that to you. Like all the time."

"Wait wait," Jesse says, turning more fully towards Tony with a frown. "You've only been getting close to Ariel lately - since this semester started and then in this past week. But you've been cold to Luca since the moment I first saw you guys interact - when we had magic class here in the room after the God of Darkness attacked and you wouldn't let him stay. So...what gives? Have you been like, spying on us?"

"No," Tony says, slumping back in his chair and covering his eyes with his hand for a second. "Look, if you want to know, my ish with Luca is a little... older than I may have suggested so far."

"What?" I breathe, leaning forward, fascinated and a little horrified. I mean, I know Luca's a celebrity, but what is he talking about?

How old is his grudge against Luca?

And who even is Tony, anyway? I wrack my mind but honestly, I don't know anything about his past. Quite suddenly I feel guilty for not asking and also like a very, very bad spy.

"Okay," Tony sighs, looking around at the four of us. “Can I please assume that this is a zone of secrecy in which we do not tell others what was said in our little square of trust?"

"She's definitely going to tell Jackson," Ben says, settling back against the pillows with a pleased smirk, looking like he's enjoying himself.

I glance at Ben but then return my eyes to Tony and give a little shrug, because it's true. I reserve the right to tell Jacks everything.

"Fine fine," Tony says, waving a hand to dismiss it. "Square of trust though? With one adjacent silent boulder of a man who doesn't have anyone else to tell?"

We all nod, agreeing to it.

"Fine," Tony says, his voice deepening and becoming quite mysterious. "Then I'll let you all in on a secret. Although I am now a very handsome, very suave, very dangerous assassin," he says, raising an eyebrow as he looks at each of us in turn, almost daring each of us to counter him on it. I start to grin, unable to help it. "I used to be...a busboy."

I burst out laughing, as do Jesse and Ben. Tony smirks a little, looking around at us.noveldrama

"Oh come on, Tony, that's not so bad," I say with a sigh, curling up on the couch and prepping myself for a story.

"Nah, it wasn't so bad," he says with

e

a smirk. "I was a city kid - needed money, worked my way up in some bars. But eventually I got a pretty sweet gig - my share of the tips was insane for clearing tables and running drinks and generally letting rich guys treat me like shit. It was at the Excelsior Club."

I go a bit still at this, turning my head to the side staring at my friend.

He keeps his eyes on me. "Name ring a bell?"

Ben and Jesse turn towards me curiously. "Yeah," I whisper. "Luca's mentioned it. One of his favorites."

"Yeah," Tony says, again giving me that sad little smile. "It sure as hell was."

“I've been there a couple times,” Jesse says, frowning over at Tony. "Did I ever see you there?"

"I saw you once or twice," Tony says, turning to Jesse. "I wasn't ever on your table, though. They talked about you and Rafe in the back, though - always good things. Sinclairs are good tippers."

I scowl at my cousin. "I can't believe

you went without me," I grumble. I

turn to Ben and give him a little kick "When we get back to the city me and

and

you are going by ourselv

leaving everyone else out. I want to be the one excluding people for once."

Ben gives me a steady nod and holds palm up. I quickly smack my hand against his, the high-five sealing our deal.

“So am I right in intuiting where this is going?" Jesse asks, dry. "That you had a certain...regular customer?"

"Yup," Tony says, returning his eyes to me. “Luca Grant, every weekend night with a new girl.”

I sigh, shaking my head at Tony, not fully sure that I like where this is going. "Can we get back to the point, please?" I ask, a little perturbed. "You're saying a lot of incendiary things about my mate and not really backing them up yet."

"I know, Ari," Tony says, turning his attention back to me. “Please, eat something it might take a minute to get there. But what I'm trying to say is that I don't just have some random grudge on Luca. I know this

Way more than he thinks I know him."

I sigh, glancing at my plate of tacos. But I have to admit, I'm even less hungry than I was before.