The Star Who Loves Me

The Encounter

It was the first day of school in Leijian (pronounced leyh'yan) Academy, the most prestigious school in the country where only the highly intelligent students can qualify to study.

While other students are busily chatting and walking around, prince Ralph, quietly sits on the chair of his choice at the back of the room waiting for the class to begin.

While pretending to be aloof and cold on the outside, he is really lonely on the inside. He's just hiding his envy to the students who have someone to talk and laugh with through his disguise. Nobody wants to be friends with him, and he doesn't want to reach out either. He's afraid of rejection.

After what happened to his mother, he started avoiding people around him. He thinks they don't want him, because his father alone loathes him. That's why he chose to be silent and sit at the corner. That way, others won't hate him as much as he does to himself.

He's busy being emotional when he heard a cheerful voice at his right.

"Hey there!"

Even though he didn't look, he can sense from the girl's voice that she's smiling. He did not answer and pretended like she was air.

"I can see that you're lonely, is there a problem your majesty?"

He was a bit taken aback with her form of address. It's been a while since a stranger used that to him. Still, he didn't look.

But the girl is very eager to make him talk.

"You're Prince Ralph right?"

He sighed in annoyance and is forced to respond. He looked at her and did not forget to show her an exasperated look. "What does it have to do with you?"

She gasped in shock. "For a prince, you are rude."

"And for a nobody, you sure have the guts."

"I'm not a nobody, I'm a royalty. Just like you.", she pouted.

"Oh yeah? From where?", he asked mockingly.

"From the outer space." she said with an innocent smile.

He stared at her with eyes enlarged. "You are crazy!", then he looked away.

"Oh, am I?", she said in a low voice.

He heard her sigh dejectedly. He thought she would stop now since he already embarrassed her. When suddenly he heard her scream.

"Aaaaah! Crispin, Basilio, mga anak ko!"

He was startled, along with the other students inside the room. "What the hell?!"

Seeing his reaction, she laughed out loud. "That... is crazy." she said pertaining to her acting a few minutes ago, unbothered by the wondering gazes of everyone.

"It's from the book Noli Me Tangere. You should try reading it.", she added.

"Will you stop talking?", he's really about to lose it.

"Will you stop talking?", she copied him and finally looked away. But that did not stop her from babbling.

'First day of school and it's not even cool. First human I want to make friends with and this is what I get... Heh... Earthlings... So full of themselves...", she mumbled as she takes her notebook and a pen out and started writing something. While on the other hand, Ralph shook his head on the girl beside him for her unstoppable mouth.

A few minutes later, a pair of long, slender legs came in. He looked up and saw his long-time crush... Carrice Huxley. He immediately looked down and pretended to do something so that he won't be caught staring by this stunning woman.

However, his reaction didn't go unnoticed by the talkative girl beside him.

"You like her?", she probed.

"Shut up!", he gave her a deadly glare.

"Then you should go after her."

"Mind your own business!", he said, extremely annoyed.

And when the girl shrugged and went back with what she was doing, he sighed in relief. It's not that he did not want to pursue her, it's just that he knew that Carrice doesn't like him.

He can still remember clearly how she rejected him when he confessed his feelings for her; and how she told her that it's his eldest brother whom she likes, the crown prince Aric.

After that, he never talked to her again and tried his best to stay away from her.

A few more minutes and the teacher finally entered the hall. He was tall and dignified, just what professors should ought to be.

After saying a brief introduction about himself, he began his discussion. Everyone is very eager to listen since it is the first day of school and their first class.

Carrice showed her brilliance right away. Raising her hand up in every question thrown by their professor, Anwyll Hanlon, giving impressive answers that even the nerds cannot believe her intelligence.

Carrice revealed a faint, harmless smile after answering the teacher's question just now. She knew she's the smartest. At the same time the prettiest and hottest girl in the academy. She's a full package. And her goal is to be the crown prince's wife. That way she will be the most powerful woman in Leij. Too bad it's the youngest prince who wants her.

She was about to raise her hand again when Anwyll interrupted her.

"You.", he pointed at the girl sitting beside Ralph.

"Yes Sir.", she replied with a sweet smile.

"Who told you that you can come study here with a colored hair?", he asked, looking straight to the girl's bright blue hair with a few blonde strands.

A few students snickered.

"Uhm, I did not color my hair Sir. It's natural.", she answered politely.

"Who do you think will have that hair color naturally?"

"Me.", she answered innocently.

The students laughed again.

Anwyll glared at her. He could not believe that this student would dare mess with him.

"Stop fooling around and answer the equation written on the board, then explain it afterwards. And tomorrow, you must have your original hair color back.", he said in a domineering tone.

"But this is really my-",

"To the board now."

She sighed and silently walked towards the board. She looked at the equation, it was an exceedingly hard math problem. But since she studied it for quite some time before, she wrote the answer smoothly.

Everybody was amazed especially Anwyll. He did not expect that this silly-looking girl is actually a math genius.

She began explaining the problem and how she came up with the answer surprising Anwyll even more. Even Ralph cannot believe what he's seeing and hears.

Not only did she answered Poincare Conjecture correctly, she also explained it in the simplest way leaving everyone's mouth open. Except for Carrice who's unhappy on what's going on.

"How did you know that?", Mr. Hanlon asked.

"Oh Sir, believe me I studied for a hundred years just for that equation.", she unwittingly replied.

"What?!"

Her eyes widened after realizing how stupid her answer was.

"Uh, I mean this problem is so hard that I feel like I studied it for a hundred years.", she said with a goofy smile.

Before the teacher can reply, Carrice already interfered.

"Are you sure you studied it and not just get and memorized the answer from the Internet?"

"No. It would be inappropriate." she answered in a mild tone.

"I bet that's the longest equation you know." Carrice taunted.

She shook her head. "Nope. The longest equation is Boolean Pythagorean Triples problem."

"You also know that?", Anwyll asked with astonishment.

"Yes, but it is incredibly difficult.", she sighed. "Man, this Pythagoras sure had a complex mind."

"Sounds like you admire him.", Carrice replied.

"Of course because he is gifted in Math."

Ralph raised an eyebrow. Observing from afar, he can't help but to stare at the girl who keeps on smiling even if she's currently on the hot seat.

"You have a crush on him?", Carrice's question made the other students giggle.

"No way, he's grumpy.", she quickly responded. Her encounter with Pythagoras suddenly came to her mind. She remembered being called an imbecile by him after not being able to understand his explanation to a certain problem. Seeesh...

"Do you know him personally?"

Her eyes widened again and stuttered. "O-of course not. I... I just assumed."

"Okay, enough. Go back to your seat now.", their teacher intervened.

Carrice stopped talking right away. While the other went back to her chair.

'Whew... What a tough first day.", she said to herself. She's tempted to escape and quit school but thinking of her conversation with her parents and her last wish before taking over the throne, her determination is renewed.

'Teague Rigel, let's get it on...", she said to herself filled with enthusiasm.