The bell rang, signaling the end of class.
Students quickly packed their bags, but the atmosphere in the room still felt tense after what had happened earlier.
No one dared throw another note.
Amara quietly closed her notebook and placed it inside her bag.
She stood up, hoping to leave the classroom before the whispers started again.
But just as she stepped into the hallway, she heard footsteps behind her.
Slow. Calm. Confident.
She didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.
Adrian.
Students in the hallway immediately noticed.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
"The prince is walking behind her."
"Is he following her?"
"This is insane."
Amara stopped walking and turned around.
Adrian stood a few steps away, his hands casually in his pockets.
His expression was as calm as always.
"Are you following me?" Amara asked quietly.
Adrian tilted his head slightly.
"Does it look like it?"
"Yes."
Adrian didn't deny it.
Instead, he simply began walking again.
Right beside her.
Amara stared at him.
"You know this is making things worse for me, right?"
Adrian glanced at her.
"They were already bothering you."
"That doesn't mean you have to make it worse."
Adrian didn't respond.
They walked down the hallway together in silence while students stared openly.
Across the hall, Vanessa stood with her group of cheerleaders.
The moment she saw them walking together, her jaw tightened.
"Are you seeing this?" she said angrily.
One of the cheerleaders nodded nervously.
"The whole school is talking about it."
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"He's doing this on purpose."
Meanwhile, Amara finally stopped walking.
"You can go now," she told Adrian.
"My next class is this way."
Adrian looked at the classroom door behind her.
Then back at her.
"So is mine."
Amara blinked.
"What?"
Adrian opened the classroom door and gestured inside.
"After you."
Amara hesitated before walking in.
The moment the other students saw them enter together, the whispers started again.
Adrian calmly took the seat behind her like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Amara sat down slowly.
"This is unbelievable," she muttered under her breath.
Adrian leaned slightly forward.
"You complain a lot."
Amara turned around.
"You're the crown prince of an entire country. Why are you even in a normal school?"
Adrian's expression didn't change.
"Because my parents think I should experience a normal life."
Amara looked around the luxurious classroom.
"This is normal?"
Adrian followed her gaze.
"For me."
Amara shook her head.
Before she could respond, another student suddenly rushed into the classroom.
"Guys! Guys!" he said excitedly.
Everyone looked up.
"What happened?" someone asked.
The boy held up his phone.
"The school media club just posted something online."
Students quickly pulled out their phones.
Within seconds, murmurs filled the room.
Amara felt a strange feeling of dread.
"What did they post?" she asked quietly.
The girl sitting beside her turned her phone toward her.
Amara's eyes widened.
On the screen was a photo taken earlier in the hallway.
A picture of Adrian walking beside her.
The caption read:
"Crown Prince Adrian Alexander seen walking with scholarship student Amara Daniels. Is the prince finally interested in someone?"
The post already had hundreds of comments.
Amara slowly lowered the phone.
"Oh no."
Behind her, Adrian looked at the photo.
His reaction?
He looked completely unbothered.
Meanwhile, Amara realized something terrifying.
Now the entire school was going to be talking about her.