Isha

"How many more secrets are you planning on keeping from us, Isha?"

I grimace at the low and forbidding voice of Aria. She can be scarier than a demon when she is angry.

"Didi, the thing is—"

"You are dating Prince Calix, Isha!" Aria practically yells into the phone, "How could you even hide such a thing from your family? I get that you had to do it because of the Royal Code of Conduct, but what about after you openly kissed His Royal Highness? In fact, you didn't even bother to let us know before the press conference."

"I—" I sigh with guilt and frustration. Guilt because of the constant lies I am required to present before my family and frustration, because I cannot reveal anything. At all.

"Have you talked to Ma and Baba, yet?"

"No," I say, my voice heavy with regret, "Not yet."

I don't have the courage to talk to them. Not after this mess.

I did expect Aria's call the first thing in the morning, after returning from my restaurant date, the night before yesterday. Her telling me off was anticipated as well, but us conversing on the topic of our parents? No. I did not prepare anything to say as my reply. At least she called me after one whole day of the sudden relationship announcement.

Her voice softens, "You might think I am nagging you a lot and always have. But as the eldest sister, I worry too much about you and Anvi. Well, Anvi is fond of living in her own world, but that's not how it is with you. As far as I can recall, you have always been the one to share everything with Ma and Baba, Isha. Imagine the pain they must have felt after knowing about your relationship with a royalty; from TV at that. You even kept them in the dark and avoided them to your best at the beginning of the scandal. Ma and Baba might not show it, but they want their daughters to not turn their backs on them.

We are your family, Isha. I didn't say anything because you were frightened after the photos were leaked. You even told me and Anvi that the kiss was a drunken mistake. And now I am learning this unexpected news..."

Tears clog my eyes but I know better than to shed tears in broad daylight, and in the middle of a crowded street. But Aria's disappointed sigh doesn't help either. She is right but I also require time to figure things out myself.

"Don't worry. I will take care of everything," before Aria can speak, I hang up the call and suck in a tight breath.

The bright side is the fact that at least I have received two benefits after the press conference.

I have been able to permanently secure my position as an English Literature teacher at Syncitia Public High School. And, the public has stopped giving me attention. Although the stares I receive (like how I am encountering at the moment by passing strangers), can get tedious to handle at times. Well, the paparazzi aren't bothering me, at best.

I guess, Prince Calix's words really do have an impact on Syncitians.

"Isha! I'm here!"

The squealing voice takes my attention. A relieved smile appears on my face when I catch Lola Hwang waving at me while being seated at a table in Coffee Strings, one of our go-to coffeehouse.

The girl had been away on a business trip, being the busy and wealthy CEO of Hwang Cosmetics. She did try to persuade me into spilling the tea over video-chat or phone call but I strictly turned her down, saying how her work was more important. Of course, she didn't let me go until I promised to meet up with her, after her return.

And here I am. Ready to make up another bundle of lies and, this time, to feed it to my best friend Lola Hwang.

I wonder how many lies I would have to say till the coronation ceremony.

"Her Royal Highness has finally decided to show up, it seems."

I wince at the threateningly dramatic voice of Lola Hwang, as soon as I take a seat across from her. A young man whom I have never met before is also seated beside my best friend but his attention is entirely on his phone. I can't help but wonder if he is Lola's new boyfriend.

One thing that isn't constant in Lola's life is a suitable partner. She isn't a playgirl or someone who goes around dating men for fun. In her words, she is on a venture to look for her the one.

"Keep it low, will you?" I hiss when I feel stares on me from the other customers. Lola's angry expression, however, remains static.

With crossed arms and an adorable pout, she grumbles, "I feel like you have switched me with another person, as your best friend. We don't even get to see one another and hang out like old times. Remember our promise? We will never keep any secrets between us, no matter how far apart we are."

A look of guilt crosses my face. Just like my parents and sisters, I cannot bring myself to tell about the truth to my best friend either.

Truly speaking, I have never had the trouble of bottled up emotions because of the very fact that I had five people willing to listen to me. But after he happened in university, things have never been the same. The sunshine aura in me has gone on a permanent holiday, it often appears.

"Not to mention, if Calix and you have been dating for the past few months, why haven't I ever noticed?" Lola frowns in confusion when I raise a sceptical brow, thinking how casually the name Calix slipped out of her mouth.

Being a popular businesswoman at such a young age comes with certain advantages. Lola could appear as a fleeting butterfly, who has no idea of the darkness lurking on this Earth. In reality, the girl has two faces. One is reserved only for the ones close to her heart, like me. As for the others of whom she is not fond of, they receive an entirely different view of her usually bright persona. She can be both adorable like a rabbit and fierce like a lioness. Hence, her social circle consisting of aristocrats, wealthy people from various backgrounds and celebrities, is understandable.

Even then, I have never heard Lola address an aristocrat by their first name only. Is it different for Calix somehow?

"Do you know His Royal Highness personally?" I ask, although I have no reason for knowing that.

"Duh," Lola gives me a blank stare, "He is one of my good friends, obviously after you. You will always be my only best friend, whatsoever, but lately you haven't been giving me reasons to give you that position." I do not notice her squinting eyes because right now, my mind is baffled at the relieved sensation in my chest at the mention of Calix being just a friend.

Why should it matter, even if they were something more? I and Calix don't even know each other that well. I have gone berserk. Totally.

"As I was saying." I focus on Lola's words and push away the forming image of a certain golden-haired male. "I should have had noticed my best friend being in a relationship with one of my good friends. Why haven't I then?"

I smile awkwardly, "We hid everything well, I guess?"

The blank stare returns back to Lola's face. "Oh right. I forgot we are keeping secrets between us now. Fine, I think I need to bite Calix's head off—"

"I didn't have the time. You know how things are in my life right now—"

"When are you going to not let him disrupt your life anymore? Enjoy your life like you used to, Isha." Lola sighs, the look of concern evident. He is your past. And is meant to be forgotten."

"Let's not talk about him." I take a sharp breath before forcing myself to smile. "Tell me, how have you been?"

"As usual." Lola shrugs when a sudden realization dawns on her. She glances over at the man beside him, still heavily engrossed in his phone. Something tells me that he is playing a video game.

Lola rolls her eyes. "Meet Neil Hwang. My cousin who, despite being twenty-two, needs to be babysat by me."

"He is twenty-two?" I blurt out without realizing. Judging from his features, I had expected him to be at least two years older than me.

"Aren't I hot?" My eyes widen more when I find the quiet boy looking up from his phone screen for a brief period and shooting me a flirtatious wink. He returns to his game soon after.

Lola smacks the head of Neil, earning a protesting growl from him. "Maintain boundaries, you scumbag! She is already in a relationship, and even if she weren't, I wouldn't ever let you sway the heart of my best friend."

I can't help but smile at the genuine protectiveness of Lola. She is still the same, as she had been during our university days.

"Don't mind him," Lola rolls her eyes for the nth time, "Neil thinks since he has the good looks, he can make any woman fall for him. Trust me, he is a toxic narcissistic and a typical flatterer, with that being said."

Neil doesn't even react to Lola's words. Like, at all.

"Unfortunately," Lola heaves a deep sigh, "He has come to stay over till Christmas of next year with me because of a family issue, back there at his home-city Roxiana. Since his father knows how careless he can get, he has trusted me with his son's responsibility, which is infuriating because I cannot turn down someone as sweet as my uncle. Unlike a certain someone."

"Being a real bitch today."

I can't help but snort at Neil's short but peevish remark, which earns him another smack, eventually.

"Have you heard about the rising flood of Palatiana? There haven't been any recent flood cases for a long time in Syncitia."

My ears perk up at the words of a passer-by. Flood, and that also in Syncitia? Well, Palatiana is a remote place and hardly anyone ever talks about the fallen town. Not many are even sure whether there are still inhabitants. But to think the place is being flooded, even when it is not surrounded by any water-body, is truly a matter of astonishment.

"Is that you, Isha?"

The thundering beats of my heart can be heard so clearly in my eardrums that I wonder if I will be experiencing a minor cardiac arrest soon. Lola stiffens at the sight of the individual, standing behind my chair. Neil only glances up in confusion at the silence.

"What happened? Didn't hear me the first time?" When he taps on my shoulders, I flinch. Not because of any damn butterfly but because of the swirling, past feelings. Insecurities.

Forcing a smile on my face, I turn my neck around to look up at him. The grin vanishes almost instantly after seeing his companion. A beautiful, elegant girl with shiny dark skin, caramel hair and honey eyes. She is the epitome of the Goddess of Beauty. Even the smile that she offers me as a polite greeting, is kind.

The way they both are dressed in matching, casual attire, perfect for a coffee date, with his arms around her waist, doesn't take a genius to understand their relationship status.

"Killian, it's been a while."

His lips twist in a grin, "It has, hasn't it?"

His gaze swiftly sweeps over to the two, in front of me. Killian and Lola have never been fond of one another, hence their eyes collide in utter irritation. As for Neil, my ex doesn't even acknowledge his presence. However, Neil doesn't seem like the type of person to be offended over such a matter.

"This is my girlfriend, Grace Deborah," Killian introduces the girl standing beside him, which makes me wonder whether there were any time when Killian introduced me as his girlfriend to his acquaintances or friends. He never even thought of introducing me on his own, untill I asked him who they were.

Before I could introduce myself, Killian steps forward, "This is Isha Sen. An old acquaintance."

An old acquaintance. Not even an old friend, but an acquaintance. Perhaps that is what I have always been to him.

I can see Lola holding herself from pouncing onto him and beating Killian to a pulp.

"Did you know, Grace is the top news reporter at Syncitia Now?" Killian asks, receiving a 'stop flattering me' from Grace, in response.

I get it. She is successful and beautiful. I never was.

"Ah, that makes me come to a very intriguing point," Killian's voice and eyes take a darker shade beneath his cunning grinning face, "I have been hearing and seeing some news after returning to Syncitia. I never would have believed if I hadn't seen the press conference with my own two eyes. Interesting, isn't it? I wonder how Prince Calix chose you as his lover."

The judgemental tone in his voice is crystal clear. Grace, who senses the same thing, tugs at Killian's arm to make him stop.

"Now that I remember, how's your writing journey going on?"

I want to curse myself so bad for sharing all of my dreams, passion, and aspirations with my ex.

"It's going good," I put a tight-lipped smile. A sudden ignition of fire illuminates inside my chest and the words come pouring out. I have been lying for a few days. A few more lies won't cause much harm.

"My manuscript has been finalized by a publishing company, actually. I will be sure to deliver a copy to your residence, once my debut novel is released, Killian."

The unpleasant smile takes over Killian's face, giving me satisfaction in the process. "I see. What's the name of the publishing company—"

Before I can possibly brew another lie, Lola springs up from her seat, followed by Neil. She clutches my wrist and pulls me up, without covering her displeasure, and glares right at the startled man. "You seem to be awfully interested in your ex-girlfriend's life, who was left alone over a simple breakup text."

Neil chokes a laugh and I can't stop the smile on my face from appearing, after seeing Grace's stupefied expression and Killian's angered one.

And with that, Lola pulls me away with him, Neil following us. I am pretty sure I saw Lola's cousin sending his infamous wink to Grace, whose cheeks turned the shade of red immediately.

I realized something today. The way I have been straightforward (will never be able to match Lola's level of straightforwardness, however) all my life, I can muster up the courage to do that in front of Killian too. He is my past and I am my present. He is not worth my time anyway.

A grin comes up to my lips, when my mind unconsciously moves to the lavishing date and the bet. Lola's right. It is time for me to enjoy my life to the fullest, like how I used to. It is time to go on our first proper date, which will be arranged by me.

After all, I need to prove Prince High Horse wrong.