Author’s POV

Krystal was bored. She really was. Sure, the guy was cute, what was his name? Kris? Yes. But she knew exactly what he was going for and she wasn’t going to give in that easily. She nodded along cheerfully to his interesting narrative about the one time he drove his car over halfway into the Thames, or when he was on a date and he got hives off of the girl’s lipstick, which foolishly contained peanuts.

“You don’t happen to be wearing peanut lip gloss, are you?” he flashed a killer smile. She internally shuddered at the implications he presented.

“Not at all,” she said absentmindedly. Kris seemed to take this as an invite to lean closer. As if on cue, her cellphone rang. The chimes of her ringtone rang like church bells, liberating Krystal from the clutches of the handsome playboy. She saw him glance at the number and his smirk turned into a slight sneer, but then his smile returned. Giving him an apologetic smile, she grabbed her phone to take the call.

“Hello?” she said. She had forgotten to check the number and hoped it wasn’t a spam call.

“Is this Krystal?” A voice smooth as honey spoke from the other side of the line. She didn’t recognize it but it seemed distantly familiar.

“Yes, sorry, I don’t recognize your voice. Who is this?”

“Aww I’m hurt you forgot me already, we met less than an hour ago, at the library?” Krystal frowned and paused for a moment as she scrolled through her memories.

“Oh! Library boy! Yes I remember now,” she could hear him chuckle on the other side of the line. She blushed despite herself.

“So I was just wondering where I should meet you to return the book? It’s rather good. I really enjoyed it.”

“You finished it already? That’s incredible! I-uh- you can meet me at the corner café next to Benedict Boarding School. It’s this really big building—”

“Yeah, I know Benedict. Can I come now?”

“Uh yeah, sure, if you’re not too busy you can—,” but he was already gone.

Krystal walked back into the café to where Kris was enjoying a raspberry scone with tea. He smiled as she walked over, but it was more arrogant and haughty. She knew she had offended His Majesty’s ego by walking out on him for a phone call. She sat back down, but he said nothing.

“Sorry about that, family problems…” she lied smoothly. Kris nodded. He flashed her a more flirtatious smile and grabbed her hand. She recoiled in shock and mild annoyance. Not breaking eye contact, he said, “Where’d you get this ring? It is really beautiful, it matches your eye color.” Krystal suppressed an urge to laugh. Her eyes were brown, but the ring had a blue-green gemstone in it. Kris smiled again, and Krystal felt his snake-like fingers tighten around her wrist. “That’s how I feel when you lie to me, Krystal. What family problems did Luhan call you to talk about?”

Krystal was startled and tried to free herself from his grasp. He was being playful, she knew, but he was playing a game she didn’t quite want to join.

“None of your business, Kris. I apologize for any inconvenience, but I shall borrow Miss Jung for a short second,” she jumped as she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned around; it was the handsome stranger from the library. He had changed from his school uniform into a cotton T-shirt, grey, faded skinny jeans, and a simple fedora. Even though he was dressed casually, he managed to look stunning.

She expected Kris to snap at the intruder, but to her surprise, he stood up and greeted the library boy with a friendly wave.

“Luhan! I thought you weren’t coming?” Kris speculated. He winked mischievously. “Ooh, you’ve dressed up for the party. Here to impress Das—” Luhan reached over and stuffed a mouthful of scone into Kris’ mouth, blushing profusely as his friend doubled over in laughter.

“Actually, I’m here to meet Krystal. She lent me a book so I’m returning it,” he smiled genuinely and handed her the book. “Thank you, it was a great read. I’ll be leaving now.” He waved to Kris and turned to leave. Krystal was still in a daze that the two gorgeous men she had met today were best friends. She watched as the guy walked out of the café.

“Wait!” She got up and followed him out. He turned, questioningly. “I don’t even know your name, and…” she faltered, too embarrassed to continue. He smiled. “It’s Luhan. Xi Luhan.” He turned to walk away. Krystal stared at his retreating feet. “Luhan…” She repeated. “S-see you around then!” But he was gone.

Krystal scolded herself in silence. “Why are you so embarrassing,” she said to herself. She shook her head and walked back into the café. As she walked in, she spotted Katalina and Hayley chatting with two girls she had not met before. The young man she had met earlier, the mysterious transfer student, was silently stirring his coffee. He wasn’t talking, but his eyes were fixated onto one of the new girls. Kris was nowhere to be seen, but she assumed he was off somewhere with another girl. Grabbing her bag, she headed out of the loud café into the dreary London streets.

Luhan’s POV (scenes will overlap)

The best thing about the library part time is that I have the freedom of the most bizarre hours. Sometimes I come in the early mornings before class, and I’m allowed to leave whenever I please as long as I fill a weekly quota. Shortly after Krystal left, I ditched my book-organizing station and chose a hidden place behind a bookshelf to read the book she left me.

‘“The Fault in our Stars” by John Green,’ read the cover. Immersed in the novel, I finished the book in the hour. I’m usually a fast reader, but this was an easy-read story that was too good to put down. I traced my finger along the lining of the shiny, plastic cloud on the cover, thinking Poor Hazel Grace.

I opened to the second page, the page no one ever reads, the plain white one identical to the cover. Printed in neat handwriting was Krystal’s name and number. Picking myself up, I hurried outside to make the call.

When I got outside, I found myself tongue-tied for words. I’m never much good with girls, and calling them first was just not one of my common habits. Still, I had to get the book back to her, didn’t I? I took a breath and dialed her number. The dial tone rang a couple times and finally I heard a small voice on the other side of the line.

“Hello?” she asked. I cleared my throat awkwardly. “Is this Krystal?” I asked uncertainly. “Yes, sorry, I don’t recognize your voice. Who is this?” Slightly flustered, I decided to play it off like it was nothing. I hadn’t expected her to forget me.

“Aww I’m hurt you forgot me already, we met less than an hour ago, at the library?” There was a slight pause before she spoke again.

“Oh! Library boy! Yes I remember now,” she exclaimed, and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“So I was just wondering where I should meet you to return the book? It’s rather good. I really enjoyed it.”

“You finished it already? That’s incredible! I-uh- you can meet me at the corner café next to Benedict Boarding School. It’s this really big building—” She knew Benedict?

“Yeah, I know Benedict. Can I come now?” I interrupted, wanting to end the phone call before I made a fool of myself.

“Uh yeah, sure, if you’re not too busy you can—,” she started, but I didn’t stay to listen longer.

After hanging up, I went to my employee’s locker and changed into casual clothing, trying hard not to look like I was trying hard to impress her. I’m not much good at that.

When I arrived at the café, the first thing I saw was Kris holding Krystal’s hand up, looking intently into her eyes. It made me slightly sick to the stomach to see him targeting such an innocent-looking girl, but Kris is known to do much worse. Seeing as she probably was not enjoying her predicament, I walked over to intervene.

“That’s how I feel when you lie to me, Krystal. What family problems did Luhan call you to talk about?” I overheard. Oh Kris. I thought. You are really despicable.     

“None of your business, Kris. I apologize for any inconvenience, but I shall borrow Miss Jung for a short second,” I said before Krystal could protest. I tapped her shoulder and she turned around. Whether it was because she was excited to see me or if it was to avoid looking at Kris, I don’t know, but she immediately relaxed. She retracted her hand from Kris’ grasp, which had loosened when he greeted me.

“Luhan! I thought you weren’t coming?” Kris speculated. He winked mischievously. “Ooh, you’ve dressed up for the party. Here to impress Das—” Oh I was sooo hoping you wouldn’t go there, Kris. I reached for a scone on the table and stuffed it into his open mouth. I glared at him as he doubled over in laughter. I looked to the adjacent table to see Baro and the Prima Donnas chatting. They hadn’t heard anything. Krystal eyed our exchange with interest and confusion.

“Actually, I’m here to meet Krystal. She lent me a book so I’m returning it,” I gave her a smile and handed her the book. “Thank you, it was a great read. I’ll be leaving now.” I would have liked to stay longer, but I was too embarrassed after Kris’ mean comment. I my heel and headed toward the exit.

“Wait!” I heard someone call. I turned around. Were they calling me? I saw Krystal rushing toward me. “I don’t even know your name, and…” she faltered, too embarrassed to continue. I smiled and said, “It’s Luhan. Xi Luhan.” I turned to walk away, was I treating her too coldly?

I thought she went inside, but I heard a voice half lost in the traffic noise. “S-see you around then!”

As I walked back to Benedict’s dorms, I thought back to what Kris said earlier. Why was I so embarrassed to admit something that everyone knew? It was no secret that I liked Dasom, but it was entirely different to say that out loud in front of her. Had I really come to impress Dasom? Yet I forgot that the Prima Donnas had decided to congregate there to meet Baro and Kris.

“You really are ridiculous, Luhan. Get a hold of yourself,” I said aloud to myself.

Baro’s POV

Through the first few days at Benedict before my official schedule began, I realized Kris was right. About the Prima Donnas, about me, everything. Fortunately, having Kris and Luhan around was helpful, but when my real classes start, I know I am going to be completely lost. Having Kris and Luhan as friends also got my name around the school pretty quickly, and by the end of the week, everyone knew me. Pretty freshmen girls travelling in groups stopped me in the hallway to talk to me, and guys I never even met before greeted me in class. It was exciting, yet a bit tiring.

Everyone at the school had a reason to be there, but the Prima Donnas each had their own specialty beyond that. Benedict was probably the only school that supported girls like them and encouraged their eccentric and iconic personalities. Katalina was a fashion queen if there ever was one. Her sharp sense of matching and modeling clothes made her the most highly sought out for fashion guru in the community of snobby, proud high school girls at Benedict. Hayley’s charm was her witty sense of humor and cute style. She knew how to capture anyone’s interest and hold it just for long enough for her to make her presence known. Then, she would disappear and leave everyone dazed. She was the most friendly out of the rest, and as a result had many friends outside of the tight clique. Dasom was a natural leader and a beauty, the epitome of the high school prom queen. She took an initiative in all the Prima Donnas’ stupid play dates and was in control of everything in her life. Maybe that’s why I’m so interested in her. She gives an aura of mystery but intimidating authority, repelling and intriguing everyone in the school. And the last one was Victoria Song. To put it simply, Victoria was an all-encompassing figure of all three Prima Donnas. Even though she was Chinese, she had a European, “Vogue” look about her. She was sweet and charming, but she could be cold to those who deserved her scorn. Plus, she had a great sense of style, too. And she was going to mine.

***

A/N

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