The cafeteria had never been this quiet before.
Every single student was staring.
Amara sat frozen in her seat as Crown Prince Adrian Alexander calmly continued eating from her tray like nothing unusual was happening.
Her brain struggled to process the situation.
Why is the crown prince eating my lunch?
Across the table, Vanessa looked like she was about to explode.
"Adrian," she said sharply, trying to keep her voice sweet. "You can sit with us."
She gestured to the large table where the cheerleaders and some of the richest students in school were sitting.
Adrian didn't even look at her.
"I'm fine here."
The entire cafeteria erupted into whispers.
"He chose her table?"
"Is he serious?"
"That's the scholarship girl!"
Amara could feel the attention burning into her back.
She leaned slightly toward Adrian and whispered nervously.
"Everyone is staring."
Adrian took another bite of food.
"Let them."
Amara blinked.
This guy is unbelievable.
Vanessa clenched her fists.
For years, she had tried to get Adrian's attention.
She had organized parties, joined clubs, even become head cheerleader.
Yet he barely spoke to her.
But now…
He was sitting with a scholarship girl he had just met.
Vanessa grabbed her tray angrily.
"Let's go," she snapped to her friends.
The cheerleaders quickly followed her out of the cafeteria.
As they left, Vanessa glanced back at Amara with a cold glare.
This isn't over, her expression seemed to say.
Meanwhile, Amara pushed her tray slightly away from Adrian.
"You can keep the food," she muttered.
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"You're not eating?"
"I suddenly lost my appetite."
For the first time, Adrian looked slightly amused.
After a moment, he asked calmly,
"Why did you come here?"
Amara frowned.
"To school?"
"To this school," Adrian corrected.
"Most scholarship students struggle here."
Amara met his gaze.
"I didn't come here to fit in," she said quietly.
"I came here to study."
Adrian studied her expression carefully.
She wasn't lying.
That seemed to interest him.
Just then, two of Adrian's friends walked over.
One of them looked at Amara curiously before grinning at Adrian.
"Well, well," he said. "This is new."
Adrian ignored him.
The other friend crossed his arms.
"The entire school is already talking," he said.
Amara groaned softly.
"Talking about what?"
The boy smiled.
"About how the crown prince is interested in the scholarship girl."
Amara nearly choked.
"What?!"
Adrian leaned back in his chair calmly.
"People like rumors."
Amara stared at him.
"You're not going to correct them?"
Adrian looked directly at her.
His next words made her heart skip.
"Why would I?"