Nicandro's POV

"Earth to Nicandro." Miguel waved his hand in front of my face.

"Sorry, what?" I blink several times to snap back to reality.

Miguel, Azul and I were in my room in the castle. We were supposed to be discussing our ideas for the charity event coming up in school but we went off topic.

"I was talking about how much I freaked out when Olivia mentioned marriage."

"Oh, right."

"Have you ask Tiana to the ball?" Azul asked.

"Yes." I blushed.

"Good boy, now you can finally lose your virginity." Azul smirked and clicked his tongue.

I rolled my eyes, "We haven't kissed yet."

Azul open his mouth wide and put his hand on his chest dramatically.

"Is anyone even listening to what I was saying?" Miguel smacked both of us in the shoulder.

"Yes, so how did you react?" I answered.

"I just gave some lame vague answer. What am I supposed to do? I'm only nineteen, I don't think about marriage. I love Olivia and the past year has been amazing with her, but I don't want to think about marriage till I'm like twenty-five or something. What is it with girls always thinking about marriage?"

"Now you know why I'm gay." Azul commented.

All of us chuckled in response to that.

"Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you proposed to her within the next year." I shrugged.

"I'm happy where our relationship is right now."

"And that's great, you'll know the right time when that nerve in your brain clicks."

"So has that nerve in your brain clicked about how dumb you're for not kissing Tiana already?" Azul added in.

"You haven't kiss her?" Miguel looked at me with wide eyes.

"You were also not listening to what I'm saying just now." I commented.

"I actually thought you guys are a thing already." Miguel ignored my previous comment.

"Enough about me, now tell us about this guy you've been connecting with." I didn't want to talk too much about Alveanea before they ask me something which I have to lie to them.

"His name is Oliver, we've been hanging out for a few weeks and we did it yesterday night." Azul took out his phone and showed Miguel and I a picture of Oliver.

"So how was it?" Miguel raised his eyebrows.

"Amazing. We did it two times last night and once this morning which is the most I've done." Azul stick his tongue out.

"One time Olivia and I did it three times at night and once in the morning." Miguel grinned.

"Are you guys seriously comparing the most amount of time you've had sex in a row?" I deadpanned.

"Shit, I forgot there's a virgin here." Azul covered his mouth.

"Oh please, not like he haven't thought about doing all the nasty with Tiana." Miguel rolled his eyes.

"You need holy water." I feel my cheeks getting warm.

Have I thought about kissing her? Absolutely. I've played quite a few scenarios on how it would go. But all the other things? No.

"If the both of you keep refusing to make that move and kiss each other, maybe you guys should have sex first. It only involves the... lower parts." Azul and Miguel burst out laughing.

After that failed discussion, we decided to meet up tomorrow before I head into the boring meeting. The meeting was mostly about the ball as it's in less than a week while I just sat there, my mind drifted off elsewhere. I don't know how long I dozed off but thankfully nobody had realised. I sat upright and drank the glass of water in front of me to try and keep myself awake.

"Let's do an overview shall we?" My father cleared his throat.

The room went silent before the head chef started stating all the dishes and drinks that will served at the ball.

"That seems alright. Now for the decorations?" My father looked at the man who is in charge of the decorations.

I closed my eyes and bend my head downwards when the man started talking.

"And the security?" I heard my father's voice.

My head snap right up again and I'm paying close attention now. This is it.

"Two men at each corner of the ballroom, three men watching from the top view, two men walking around the balcony at all times, five men at the pick up point." The head of security answered my father.

"Shouldn't we increase the security?" I spoke.

All heads turn to look at me.

"After the trashing houses incident, I think we should increase the security." I explained.

My father nodded, "That's a good idea, son."

"I'll add two more men at each point then, your highness." The head of security replied.

"Speaking of the my family's private houses being trashed, where is the team on finding felon?" My father asked the head of security.

"Still no progress I'm afraid, your highness."

So my grandfather stopped the investigation and use someone else to search for felon instead. What the hell is he up to? Could he really be working with a drug lord?

Once the meeting ended, I went to the library and did my assignments until dinner time. I sent Alveanea a message before I head to dinner.

Me: You'll need to get a fancy dress for the ball ;)

After dinner, I head back to my room and checked that she still hasn't replied my message. I was doing some reading on my classes when I saw that my phone keeps on vibrating. Of course it's the group chat.

The holy trinity

Miguel the weirdest: When u guys wanna meet tmr?

Azul the gayest: 1pm?

Miguel the weirdest: Having lunch with Olivia's family

(2) So 2pm?

Azul the gayest: Ok, but I've got to go at 4

(2) Taking Oli on a date

Miguel the weirdest: oooooo

(2) Where?

Azul the gayest: Carnival at day, hotel room at night

Miguel the weirdest: noice👅

(2) Nic, u alive?

Azul the gayest: Shhh don't disturb him

(2) He might be dOInG iT rn🥵🥵

Me: I'm not

Azul the gayest: Damn it

(2) U know what, just go over to her house and f her up

(3) Right the hell NOW

Miguel the weirdest: I second that

Me: See you idiots tomorrow🙄

The next day, I woke up at nine and hit the gym for an hour. I dread this every week of having brunch with my whole family, eleven of us in total. This brunch thing we have every week is compulsory and also the thing I look forward the least in the whole week.

An hour and a half of the adults gossiping the latest news about the other influential people and everyone digging me for details about the new mystery girl in my life, brunch has ended and I made my way back to my room. I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket and saw that it's Efren calling.

"Yes?" I answered.

Efren cleared his throat, "I'm afraid something bad has happened."

"What is it?"

"It's about Alveanea, sir." Efren cleared his throat again. Since when does Efren get nervous? Unless he did something wrong or something really bad has happened.

I stayed silent to let him continue.

"She's been... taken." My heart skipped a beat, I felt something stuck in my throat.

"By who?" I managed to find my voice.

"I don't know. When her friend came to the suite, he saw that she was gone and blood on the floor."

"Her friend was supposed to come by yesterday... You've known this since yesterday and didn't tell me?" I raised my voice at him.

"I'm sorry. If I had told you, you would've left the castle and missed brunch today. You know how angry your grandfather gets if you missed brunch."

"I don't care about him!" I yelled.

There was a few seconds of silence before he spoke up again.

"Anyway, we've been looking through security feeds of the back entrance of hotels and going to abandon buildings trying to find her."

I ruffled my hand through my hair, closing my eyes and trying to stablise my breathing.

"But we could not find her. Yet."

"I'm sure as hell coming now. Be here in five minutes."

I'm trying to calm myself down so I can think. I took a few deep breaths before I stomped out of my room and slammed the door on my way out.