MY ABOVE 'the' NORMAL PRINCE

Chapter Two: The Rose and the Ice Prince

Tori's POV

Tori and Rose (aka Raul) sprinted into class—late. Again.

Just as we slid into our seats, the unmistakable voice of doom echoed from the doorway.

"Late... again!" Mr. Principal's voice boomed like thunder, making half the class jump.

Rose froze mid-sit, dramatically clutching his chest. "Alas, my heart! It can only take so much!"

Mr. Principal didn't even blink. "Save the theatrics for the stage. You will serve library duty after school. Alphabetize every book. No shortcuts. No exceptions."

I sighed, the grand princess losing her sparkle for a moment. "Library duty... a royal sentence indeed."

Rose groaned. "My freshly manicured hands shall suffer in silence."

Mr. Principal's gaze hardened. "Be on time tomorrow. This is not a request."

I curtsied (just a little), whispering to Rose, "Your Majesty of Punctuality demands obedience."

Rose bowed low. "I shall obey, my liege—though my soul may weep."

As the principal walked away, I turned to Rose with a grin. "Time to trade our tiaras for dusters."

Rose smirked. "To the royal cleanup, then."

"You know what? I'm seriously thinking of joining the theater club," I said, twirling an imaginary tiara on my finger.

Rose snorted. "Yeah, right. Join them and the president will probably put us both as trees. Or worse—background bushes."

We burst out laughing, because everyone knows the club president absolutely hates us.

"Never mind," I said with a dramatic sigh, pushing open the door to the classroom.

Inside, the room felt quieter than usual.

There, sitting alone in the corner, was the transfer student—Caius Montclair. He was calm, almost cold, eyes fixed somewhere far away, completely unreadable.

And guess what?

My seat was right beside him. Rose's was just next to mine.

"Oh my god, oh my god. Let's switch seats, please!" He whispered, trying not to draw too much attention.

"Of course. Remember, you have my full support."

I had barely adjusted in my new seat when Rose leaned over from his new spot—right next to Caius—and gave me a panicked look. The kind of look you give before fainting in a soap opera.

"Oh my god, oh my god," he whispered dramatically, fanning himself with his notebook. "He's even more beautiful up close. I can see my future in his cheekbones. Tori, help—I think I just fell in love again."

I smirked. "You've fallen in love five times this week."

"But this one feels different," he whispered urgently. "I don't just want him to notice me—I want him to memorize me."

I rolled my eyes. "Please behave. This isn't a romantic drama."

"It could be!" Rose gasped, eyes sparkling. "Imagine it—'The Rose and the Ice Prince.' Sounds like a bestseller, doesn't it?"

Before I could answer, Caius slowly turned to face Rose with a perfectly blank expression. His gray eyes scanned him for exactly one second.

Rose straightened in his seat like a startled flamingo.

Caius said flatly, "Is there a reason you're staring at me like I'm a dessert?"

Rose blinked. "Because you are."

I coughed to cover a laugh.

Caius blinked once, then turned back toward the window, completely unfazed.

Rose clutched his chest. "He spoke to me. He rejected me, but he spoke to me."

"Congratulations," I whispered. "That's basically a proposal, in Ice Prince language."

Rose nodded seriously. "I shall plan our winter wedding accordingly."

The rest of the class went by smoothly, which was a miracle considering Rose spent most of it either sighing dramatically or doodling "Caius ♥" on the edge of his notebook.

As soon as the bell rang, Rose leaned over and poked my side. "He's smart," he whispered, eyes practically glowing.

I nodded, glancing at Caius—who was already standing up and calmly gathering his things, completely unfazed. "He really is. Looks like he's not paying attention, but he gets every question right. It's kind of scary."

Rose sighed again, starry-eyed. "Mysterious, intelligent, emotionally unavailable—he's basically my type in human form."

I rolled my eyes fondly. "Come on, lover boy. We need to head to the library. The sooner we start, the sooner I get to go home and read my new book."

Rose stood, stretching dramatically. "While you dream about fictional love, I'll be here living the real thing."

I gave him a look. "The real thing doesn't know your name yet."

He shrugged. "Details."

Still, I had my own priorities. Like a hot cup of tea, fuzzy socks, and a thick fantasy book waiting for me at home.

I finally made it home, slipped into my coziest pajamas, brewed myself a cup of tea, and curled up on my bed like the proper book princess I was born to be.

There it was—The Enchanted Rose, the book Dad gave me last week but I'd been saving for the perfect moment. The cover sparkled. Literally. It had glitter on it. I was already in love.

I flipped it open and dove straight into the magic.

The heroine had just reached the cursed tower. Her gown was torn, her hair was wild from the storm, and the brooding prince she was about to rescue didn't even know he needed rescuing yet. My heart was racing. My tea was forgotten. My soul was in that tower.

And then—

"Tori!" my mother's voice rang from downstairs like the screech of a wicked stepmother.

I blinked. "Not now," I mumbled, eyes glued to the page as the heroine climbed the stone staircase, lightning flashing behind her.

"Tori!" she called again, louder.

I groaned, clutching the book to my chest like it could shield me from reality. "Why now, of all times?! She's literally about to lift the curse!"

Reluctantly, I marked my page with a ribbon, gave my book one last longing look, and rolled off the bed with the elegance of a tired goat.

"Coming!" I called back, dragging myself toward the source of the interruption, muttering dramatically, "This better be worth pausing a love story for."

"Tori!" she called again for the third time, sounding dangerously close to summoning a storm herself.

I dramatically threw my arms in the air and began descending the stairs like royalty—well, royalty with an attitude.

Without even looking, I sang in a dreamy voice, "'A dream is a wish your heart makes...'"

I twirled on the last step, prepared to launch into the second verse—but stopped dead in my tracks.

My theatrical entrance froze mid-spin.

Because standing in our living room—beside my mom, dad... and the tray of snacks that looked too fancy for a regular guest—was Caius Montclair.

The transfer student. The cold prince of our class. Looking just as unbothered and mysterious as ever, dressed like he just walked out of a magazine shoot.

And next to him stood a woman around my mother's age, elegant and poised, with the same sharp features and icy eyes as Caius. She looked like she could command an army or run a luxury perfume empire. Maybe both.

I stood there, one foot slightly raised like a ballerina statue, mouth slightly open.

"Oh," I said dumbly. "Hi."

My mom raised a brow at me. "Nice of you to join us, Cinderella."

Caius's gaze flickered to me. If he was surprised by my entrance, he didn't show it.

I smoothed down my pajama top awkwardly, trying to decide whether I should curtsy or melt into the floor.

"Caius and his mother just moved into the neighborhood," my mom said with that smile that meant you're going to be polite whether you like it or not. "Turns out they're old friends of your father from way back."

My dad nodded. "Small world, huh?"

I cleared my throat. "Y-Yes. We're in the same class."

"Wonderful," she smiled. "Then I'm sure you'll get along well."

Caius said nothing. His eyes met mine for a second. No smile. Just that same calm, unreadable stare.

I smiled stiffly. "Yup. Best friends already."

If Rose ever finds out Caius was in my house before his, I'm pretty sure he'll faint.

I cleared my throat and turned to my mom, putting on my most innocent, angelic face—the one I usually reserve for asking for extra dessert.

"Mom," I said sweetly, "I was in the middle of reading... Can I go back to my room? Please?"

She turned to me with a look so sharp, it could slice through hardcover novels. The silent threat was loud and clear: Try to go up, and I will personally burn your bookshelf.

Gasp.

I looked to my dad for backup, but he just shrugged with a helpless smile, clearly surrendering to the queen of the house.

Traitor.

Defeated, I trudged to the nearest armchair and sat down like I was being sentenced to exile.

Caius sat silently across the room, not even glancing my way. Of course. Too cool to care.

Then his mom turned her perfectly lipsticked smile toward me.

"Tori, how old are you?" she asked in that polished, graceful voice only elegant women and audiobook narrators seem to have.

"I'm fifteen," I replied politely, sitting up straighter like I was on an interview panel.

"Oh, you're just the same age as my son," she said, glancing at Caius with a fond smile.

I smiled stiffly and nodded because... honestly, I had no idea what to say next. Conversations with people outside my age range were like speaking a different language. There were no fairytale scripts for this.

So I sat there, fidgeting with the hem of my shirt, praying she wouldn't ask me what I wanted to be when I grow up or—worse—whether I had a boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Caius was still as quiet and cold as ever, staring at the corner of the room like he was silently judging the wallpaper.

Why did he have to be handsome on top of everything else? Ugh.

I gave my mom a side glance that screamed, Please let this end soon, but she was smiling like this was the most wholesome bonding time ever.

So, I did the only thing I could do.

I smiled. I nodded.

And I mentally recited the next chapter of my book from memory.

The conversation finally began to wrap up. Thank the book gods.

Caius's mom stood gracefully, giving my mom a gentle hug while my dad nodded politely, starting to guide them toward the door. Caius, of course, just gave the smallest possible nod—his version of a full-blown emotional farewell, I guess.

"I hope to see you more often, Tori," his mom said warmly, smiling at me.

I plastered on my brightest, most polite smile. "Of course! Goodbye!"

But then... they didn't actually leave.

They just... kept talking.

About something. I didn't even know what anymore. I stopped listening after the words "tea set collection" entered the conversation.

My brain had already checked out and checked into Bookland.

I was so close to freedom. My book was calling me upstairs like a long-lost lover.

So, out of sheer excitement (and poor life decisions), I spun around and dashed toward the stairs.

Big mistake.

My socked foot hit the edge of the step, and before I could process the betrayal of gravity, my whole body lurched forward.

"AAAHHHH—"

THUMP. THUD. THWACK.

I crashed onto the steps like a cartoon character, arms flailing, legs everywhere, hair flying like I was mid-battle in a musical number gone terribly wrong.

And then... silence.

I lifted my head slowly, face burning.

Everyone. Was. Staring.

Caius's mom gasped. My mom looked frozen. My dad blinked. Even Caius turned around for once—and raised an eyebrow, like I was some sort of... dramatic wildlife.

"I'm... okay," I squeaked, still lying awkwardly on the stairs. "Just... in a rush to bond with my mattress."

No one moved. No one breathed.

"Oh no," I whispered to myself. "I may never dance again."

I didn't dare look back, but I felt their eyes still on me.

"Are you okay?" my mom called hesitantly, voice caught between concern and secondhand embarrassment.

"I will survive, Mother," I called back dramatically, still limping up. "But please light a candle for my pride."

I heard a soft snort.

It was Caius.

I froze for half a second. Did he... just laugh?

..............................................

Hi-Yu