The Equinox Princess

Chapter 1

Present day:

The morning sun peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Birds chirped merrily among the trees, while squirrels chased each other,

pausing occasionally to collect fallen nuts. A neighbour's dog barked at strangers strolling down the street, adding to the lively atmosphere. It was a picturesque morning, full of joy and beauty.

But the serenity was short-lived. Lady Levine entered her daughter's room, expecting to see her up and about. Instead, she found her still fast asleep, oblivious to the world outside. Lady Levine's expression turned stern, her eyes narrowing in concern.

Her voice pierced the air, "Good heavens, Clover, wake up! It's nearly seven, and you'll be late for college!" She strode over to the windows, drawing back the curtains to let the morning sunlight flood in, and threw open the windows to admit the crisp breeze.

Clover feigned sleep, pulling the comforter tightly around her and holding her breath. She waited for what felt like an eternity, then peeked out from beneath the covers, hoping to find her mother left the room. But to her dismay, her mother stood by the window, watching her with an astute gaze.

Her eyebrows were raised up, and her head shook slightly in disapproval. Her right foot

tapped impatiently on the carpeted floor, and her arms were folded across her chest, a picture of irritation and annoyance.

Clover abandoned her pretence of sleep and sat up, attempting to reason with her mother. "Mom, I don't feel like going to college today. It's Friday, and most tudents won't attend classes anyway, since there's a football match."

Lady Levine's expression remained resolute. "No, dear, you're going. And don't think for a moment that I'll let you become a shenanigan like some of your friends. You'll get dressed and be ready for your brother to drive you to school. He's downstairs having breakfast, and you don't want to keep him

waiting."

Clover opened her mouth to protest, but her mother cut her off with a stern warning. "Clo?" Her mother voice dropped to a low, clam tone, a subtle yet unmistakable signal that the discussion was over.

Defeated and sensing her mother's rising anger, Clover relented, offering a contrite apology. She hastily retreated to the bathroom for a quick shower. Thirty minutes later, she rushed downstairs, her hair still damp and her cheeks flushed from the rush.

In the kitchen, she found her brother Brandon lounging by the table, his breakfast plate already cleared. He was sipping on a glass of juice, his eyes fixed on his phone as he scrolled through his messages.

"Morning, bro," Clover said, giving her brother a peck on the cheek before helping herself to a stack of pancakes and a glass of juice. She sat down beside him, and he turned to her, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Morning, sis," Brandon replied, his tone casual, but his gaze piercing. "So, what's going on? You pretended to go to school and then skipped it for two days. Mom and dad don't know about it yet, but I'm guessing the Dean's already sent them a letter. Don't even think about lying to me, Clover. I know

you weren't sick. What's really going on?"

Clover's eyes darted away as she fabricated a plausible excuse. "Come on, Brandon, I was just catching up on my maths and science projects. I was behind schedule,and I spoke to Sir Davidson about it. He's been helping me get back on track," she said, her tone light and casual, but her gaze evading her brother's piercing eyes.

Brandon's hawk-like gaze narrowed, his eyes searching for the slightest flicker of deception. He knew his sister's tells all too well, and he could sense that she was hiding something. But he said nothing, his expression neutral, as he waited for her to dig herself deeper into her web of lies.

Brandon's eyes sparkled with knowing amusement as he leaned in, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "I'm not a fool, dear sister. I know exactly what's going on. You've got a boyfriend problem, and I'm guessing it's none other than Nicholas Wilson, the star football player. Am I right?" He raised an

eyebrow, daring her to deny it.

Clover's eyes widened in shock, but she couldn't muster up any real surprise. She had tried to keep her relationship with Nicholas a secret, knowing their

parents wouldn't approve. But Brandon has always had a knack for sniffing out secrets. She felt a flush rise to her cheeks as she struggled to come up with a response.

Clover shrugged, attempting to appear nonchalant as she stuffed the last piece of pancake into her mouth. "Dad will kill any boy who tried to get close to me.

I don't want to be responsible for a m******e," she said, her voice muffled by

the food.

Brandon raised an eyebrow, his expression sceptical. He wasn't buying her casual act, and he knew his sister was trying to deflect his attention. But he also knew that their father's overprotectiveness was a legitimate concern. Their dad had always been fiercely possessive of his daughter, and the thought of Clover dating was likely to send him into a frenzy.

"What did your boyfriend do to you, Clover?" he asked her.

Clover's eyes widened, and she nearly chocked on her pancake. She had been

trying to down play the situation, but Brandon's direct question caught her off

guard.

"N-nothing," she stuttered, trying to brush it off. But Brandon's piercing gaze told her that he wasn't buying it. "I'm serious, Nicholas didn't do anything!" she exclaimed, her voice rising. "Ugh, why does this feel like an interrogation? Can't you just drop it?"

She glared at her brother, feeling a familiar frustration. Sometimes her brother was worse than their parents, always trying to control and manipulate her. It was as if he thought he was her guardian, not just her sibling. And their parents oblivious to Brandon's overbearing behaviour, were content to let him handle things, as long as he kept her out of trouble.

Clover's eyes widened in alarm as Brandon pushed his chair back and stood up. "You know what, fine. Since you don't want to tell me yourself, I'll just go and ask Nicholas about what's going on," he said his tone firm and unyielding.

Clover's face paled at the thought of her brother confronting Nicholas. She tried to protest, but Brandon didn't give her a chance. "Since you're done eating, let's go. We don't want to be late," he said, his eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and determination.