The Royal Agreement

Chapter One

“What happened to you both? Are you guys okay?”

I stared at Paige and Jamie, my best friends who now looked like they’d just rolled out of a mud wrestling match. Paige’s hair was sticking up in odd places, and there was a mysterious stain on Jamie’s shirt that I was pretty sure wasn’t there this morning.

They looked trashed, like they’d just returned from a battlefield where the main weapon was… well, messiness.

“Okay, so we heard some news,” Jamie began, trying to smooth down her wild hair but failing miserably. She looked like she’d been struck by lightning, but she was too excited to care. “We have a new classmate, and he is totally hot.”

“He’s totally hot! I saw him earlier in the Dean’s office,” Paige jumped in, her eyes wide with excitement. She was practically bouncing in place, her enthusiasm contagious. “Trust me, Ciella! Plus, he’s from Denmark! We both know how much you gush over that place.”

“Hmm,” I said, pretending to be nonchalant. “He’d have to be a melting pot of hot to impress me,” I whispered, rolling my eyes dramatically.

But honestly, their excitement was infectious. I mean, how hot could this guy be to send these two weebs into such a frenzy?

“Wait, are you two seriously this nosy for that information? I thought we could do better than this,” I added, crossing my arms and giving them a mock look of disappointment.

They both paused, looking at each other as if contemplating their life choices, then nodded in unison. Paige and Jamie had a way of sniffing out new gossip like bloodhounds on a scent, and it seemed this new guy had them both on high alert. I couldn’t help but shake my head, amused and slightly concerned about what kind of havoc their curiosity might wreak on our peaceful little university lives.

Okay, just kidding. I wouldn’t trade these two for the world, even if they were a little… shallow at times. But hey, we’re young. In our early twenties, college is basically one giant dating pool, right? Hormones are raging, and everyone’s on the hunt for their next crush—or prey, as it sometimes feels like.

“Are you interested?” Paige asked, raising an eyebrow at me like she already knew the answer.

I faked a look of deep hurt. “No…? He’s all yours. I don’t want another Kallias in my life.” I shuddered, the name bringing back memories I’d rather forget. “I need to become a doctor before anything else. Plus, you nosy noses, where did you even get your information about the newcomer?”

“Oh, darling Ciella,” Jamie said, waving a hand dramatically, “we have connections inside the office. Especially when it comes to hot guys like that cute transferee. And then, can’t forget Kallias, can we?”

A chill ran down my spine. That name was like nails on a chalkboard. I hadn’t spoken to or about Kallias in what felt like forever, and I intended to keep it that way.

“Oh, shut up. I’ll make you eat the cadaver we’ll be dissecting later,” I threatened, only half-joking.

“Ewwww!”

They both squealed, making exaggerated faces of disgust that had me bursting into laughter. Their expressions were priceless, and I wished I’d taken a picture.

This was us in a nutshell. I, the ever-serious med student with a one-track mind toward my future, and them, my wonderfully crazy friends who kept my life from becoming too monotonous.

Paige and Jamie might be a bit of a pain in the gluteus maximus sometimes (look it up if you don’t know what I mean—nah, just kidding. It just really means your ass in scientific terms), but they’re my pain.

We study in Seattle, and I’m working on my pre-med, majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. My dream is to become a doctor (obviously), and I’m doing everything I can to make that dream a reality. But college… well, it’s pretty much hell on Earth. Super.

I’m in my fourth year, and graduation is on the horizon, but man, the closer it gets, the tougher it seems. Sometimes, I wonder if this place is trying to break me. Then I remembered that I still had to go through med school proper.

We were on our way to the cafeteria, our usual hangout when we had free time, which today was practically all day. Three-hour vacant periods were a gift and a curse—plenty of time to relax, but also plenty of time to waste. Our plan was simple: grub and stroll around campus if time allowed.

We got our food and found our usual spot at the back corner of the cafeteria, where we could see everything without being seen ourselves. It was our little sanctuary. I had just taken a bite of my sandwich when a commotion started just outside the cafeteria doors.

“What’s going on?” I asked, trying to sound uninterested, but I was just as curious as they were.

Paige and Jamie, being the natural nosy girls they were, didn’t answer. Their necks were craning in unison, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever—or whoever—was causing the stir outside. They were like meerkats on the lookout, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of them.

“Guys, sit down! You’re going to hurt yourselves,” I said between giggles, but they were too focused on the spectacle to pay me any attention.

I tried to focus on my sandwich, but the buzz of excitement in the cafeteria made it hard to ignore whatever was happening outside. I caught snippets of murmurs—something about security, someone important—but I forced myself to keep chewing.

Paige and Jamie might be going nuts, but I wasn’t about to lose my cool over some mystery person.

Still, curiosity got the best of me, and I glanced up, peeking over the heads of the other students craning their necks to see. Three men in suits stood like statues outside the cafeteria doors, their postures stiff and their faces unreadable. They looked like bodyguards. You know, the kind you see in movies where the rich and powerful show up unannounced.

And then he walked in.

The guy was tall—definitely over six feet. He had a broad chest, toned arms, and a physique that screamed athlete, but with the polished look of someone who knew how to dress well. He was also nicely tanned.

His face was a mix of youthful energy and something more serious like he’d seen enough of the world to know how to handle himself. His jawline was sharp, his nose straight and strong, and this quiet confidence drew everyone’s eyes without him even trying.

He looked like he’d just stepped out of a magazine—no, scratch that. He looked like he belonged on the cover.

Paige and Jamie had their mouths hanging open, totally mesmerized by the Greek god who had just entered our realm of greasy cafeteria food and overworked students. Their eyes tracked his every move, and I could almost see their hearts thudding out of their chests when he sat down at the table right next to ours.

I tried to act like it didn’t faze me. But then he nodded at me.

It was just a small gesture, a quick dip of the chin, but it sent my heart into a brief moment of chaos. I nodded back, probably looking like an awkward robot. I hoped Paige and Jamie didn’t notice, but when I looked back at them, they were both staring at me like I’d just won the lottery.

“He’s really hot,” Jamie whispered, as if saying it out loud would break whatever spell he’d cast over her.

“He’s really not,” I lied, trying to play it cool.

I knew how this worked. If they even got a whiff that I found someone attractive, they’d turn it into a full-blown project. Shipping, plotting, matchmaking—Paige and Jamie were relentless once they set their minds on something.

“It’s written all over your face, Ciella,” Paige said, narrowing her eyes at me. “You were staring at him, and he noticed you!”

“You guys are seriously creeping me out with your conclusions,” I shot back, raising an eyebrow to hide my own embarrassment.

“Just tell us, and we’ll do the rest!” Paige whispered excitedly, her voice filled with the kind of determination that made me want to dive under the table.

I shook my head slowly, giving them the most disappointing look I could muster. They pouted, but I could tell they weren’t going to give up easily. Luckily, their stomachs got the better of them, and they got up to grab more food, leaving me in peace for a few precious minutes.

As I sat there, trying to finish my meal, I could feel the guy’s presence like a magnetic pull on the edge of my awareness. He was eating quietly, not interacting with anyone, but every now and then, I’d catch a glimpse of him from the corner of my eye, glancing in my direction.

Was he looking at me? Or was I just being paranoid?

I kept my gaze firmly on my plate, pretending not to notice, but my mind was spinning with questions. There was something about his gaze that felt… familiar. Like he knew me from somewhere, but I couldn’t place where. Did he know me?

Before I could spiral too far down that thought, Paige and Jamie returned, their trays piled high with second helpings. I was about to tease them for being such hungry boars, but my words got caught in my throat when I saw them both grinning at me like they were up to something.

“Ready to go?” I asked quickly after they finished their meals, trying to steer them away from whatever mischief they had brewing.

“Yup!” Jamie chirped, too cheerfully.

We gathered our things, and as we left the cafeteria, I couldn’t help but glance back one more time. He was watching us go, his eyes following me with that same unreadable expression. My heart skipped a beat.

What was that look? And why did it feel like he knew me?

We stepped out into the hallway, the cafeteria’s noise fading behind us, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t the last time our paths would cross.