I consider foregoing lunch altogether, but the grumbling in my stomach demands food. Letting out a sigh, I follow Dani through the glass doors.
The scene that greets me is like no other cafeteria I’ve ever seen before. Marble floors and a glass ceiling with finely made tapestries hanging on the walls, makes this place look more like a high class restaurant, than a high school cafeteria. The food is also nothing like normal cafeteria food either. There’s lobster and caviar on the menu, for god’s sake.
We find a table near the large French doors leading out to the patio, which is a little quieter than the rest of the large room. I can feel eyes on me as I walk past, this time accompanied by whispers. No doubt about the earlier show down with Layla. I sit with my back to the room, but I still feel the eyes on me.
“So, tell me about Earth,” Dani says, as we settle into our seats. “That’s where you’ve been living, right?”
She’s whispering, as if talking about Earth isn’t something that people usually do in good company.
“You’ve never been? And also why are you whispering?”
“Of course, I’ve never been. It’s forbidden for the Seraph to visit Earth, unless it’s for a mission or the heads of all seven Dynasties give special permission.”
“It’s … okay, I guess,” I reply with a shrug. I let out a long sigh.
“Truthfully, my life there kind of sucked. I’ve lived in a different foster home each year since I was seven.” I’m not usually one to spill my guts to someone I barely know, but there’s something about this girl that makes me feel automatically at ease, or maybe I’m just tired of being alone.
Dani looks stunned.
“God, I had no idea. I’m sorry,” she says.
“This may be a really forward question—but word is that you were a, you know, um … some kind of stripper waitress back on Earth.”
I choke on my food.
“What the hell?”
Dani looks sheepish then. “Yeah, I mean, no judgment if you were. I think it’s kind of cool.”
“Firstly, there was no stripping involved—just hot pants and a bra,” I say, although I don’t think it’s really any better. “Secondly …”
I let out a long sigh.
“There was nothing cool about it. I needed the money because I was saving up for art school. It was good money and I needed to do what I had to do.”
Dani nods, then sensing that I don’t feel comfortable talking about it anymore, she changes the subject.
“They say that Earth is like a mirror of Eden, only humans are … lesser beings.”
I think her words over before replying.
“I’ve only been on Eden for two days, but from what I can see so far, the part about it being a mirror is probably right—Eden looks like paradise, but it also looks like the same drama and bullshit exists here as on Earth.
“And for that very same reason, I don’t agree that humans are lesser beings at all.”
Dani looks thoughtful, but says nothing.
I can see from her expression that she wants to say something else, but is hesitant. I look at her expectantly, although I’m not sure I want to hear.
“I—I just wanted to say that what happened with you father … he was a good king. The people loved him, most thought he was one of the best kings that Eden has ever had.
“What happened was a tragedy—the biggest tragedy that Eden has known for centuries.”
I was right to not want to hear. Because although this man was a stranger to me, hearing about what a great king he was, and how he committed suicide, makes my insides squeeze painfully.
I have no response and Dani senses that it’s not something I’m ready to talk about.
So, we eat in silence for a little while, and I’ve had two spoonfuls of the gourmet pasta, when Dani’s eyes dart towards the patio.
“Oh my god. There’s Raph St. Tristan.”
The name makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, but my eyes follow Dani’s gaze to where that asshole is standing, or leaning against the patio railing, to be precise.
He’s wearing a white shirt and black trousers like all of the other male students, but I don’t think anyone here pulls it off the way he does. The dark grey Regency Mount blazer makes his broad shoulders look even broader and his black tie hangs loose around his neck. He looks like he’s just walked off a GQ photoshoot. The midday sun encases him with a golden glow, but I know that there’s nothing angelic about that perfection. This guy is sexy as hell. He’s an asshole. I remind myself. The biggest asshole I’ve ever met. It shouldn’t matter how beautiful he is, because he’s thoroughly ugly on the inside.
Just then, I see two girls saunter over to where he’s lounging. One is wearing her uniform skirt so short, that I can almost see her panties, while the other has her shirt unbuttoned low enough to show the lacy top of her bra. Both are gorgeous. It’s clear from their flirtatious body language, that they think he’s irresistible. It would’ve been less obvious if they’d just taken their shirts off and started lap dancing on him.
The smile playing on those sensuous lips is irritatingly charming and his gaze is hooded, golden lashes drooping low over his brilliant eyes. He looks like he’s in his element. The girls are giggling loudly now at something he’s saying, the sound traveling in through the open patio doors. I’m sure that it probably isn’t that funny. One of the girls is resting her hand playfully on his arm, while the other one is whispering something in his ear suggestively. So, I was right, he does have girls throwing themselves at him wherever he goes, and he probably expected me to do the same that night of the ceremony. It makes me all the more glad that I showed him otherwise. The whole thing makes me feel disgusted, and suddenly I instantly lose my appetite.
“He’s an asshole,” I tell Dani, who’s still looking star struck.
“Sure he is,” she replies. “But he’s still hot as fuck.”
I almost choke on my water.
I don’t particularly want to hear any more about this guy, but Dani continues regardless.
“I told you before that the Dynasty heirs rule Regency Mount. Well, Raphael St. Tristan is the King of Regency. The Dynasty heirs do nothing without his say so. It’s like the biggest cliché, but all the girls here would drop their panties for him in a heartbeat, and every guy is either scared of him or worships him—but they all want to be him.”
None of it surprises me. Not at all.
“He’s the captain of the soccer team, heir to the sovereign St. Tristan Dynasty, wealthier than God, the most powerful Seraph in recent history and of course, he’s next in line to the throne of Eden. In the same way that Seraphs are like gods to humans, Raph is basically a god compared to everyone else here.”
“Wow. He sounds like the perfect mix of spoiled prick and arrogant ass,” I retort. Dani chuckles in response.
“And wait, they have soccer here? Also what do you mean he’s the most powerful Seraph in recent history?” I ask, despite myself.