Princess of Water

Chapter 11

I woke up to Ena beside me. It was Tuesday, a week and a day since I heard the news. Since then, even though I didn't leave my room, there were bodyguards posted at my door, day and night. They wouldn't follow me to school though because there were many teachers and talented students there at all times. I was grateful.

Ena left to get me, and herself some breakfast, and I took a shower. I looked in the mirror once I stepped out, and I gasped. I looked like death incarnate. I had dark circles around my eyes from lost sleep, and my normally colored face was as white as a sheet. My cheekbones were more defined as well. I looked noticeably thinner from not eating much. The past week I just didn't have an appetite.

I heard Ena come in. "Did you know I looked this sick?" I questioned as I took my plate from her.

"I did. We all did. We were getting really worried Leah." She smiled sadly.

"How in hell am I supposed to explain this to everyone?"I gestured at my walking corpse of a body.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Tell them you were sick. You lost weight because you were throwing up all the time."

I paused and thought for a moment, trying to find a flaw. "...That's actually a really good idea." I smiled at my friend.

"Oh, dont act so surprised! I'm very intelligent you know." She laughed, faking offense at my comment.

"I know, I know." I smiled back at her. This was probably the most I had smiled in a week.

We sat down on my bed, and ate our breakfast, chatting about random things. It was strange but comfortable to be social after a week of isolation. Around half an hour later, I braced myself to go back to school. There were around 10 minutes of breakfast left.

I said a quick goodbye to Ena and gave her a hug. Then I walked down to the dining hall. I entered and went to go find Erin and Silos. They were sitting next to Emery when they saw me.

"Oh my god!! Aleaha!! Are you okay?? Where have you been?? We have been looking for you for so long, but no one could seem to find your dorm room! We have all been worried sick!!" Erin shouted across the room and hugged me ferociously. 

"Yeah!" Emery piped in. "We were all so worried! Especially Prince Kairo! He even came up to us during lunch on Friday to ask if we knew anything about where you were! He hasn't been the same since you disappeared, he stopped talking in class almost immediately! Are you sure you two have nothing going on??" She hugged me next, followed by an awkward hug from Silos.

"He was worried?" I mumbled silently. Louder, I said, "I'm sorry you guys were worried! I have been sick for the past week! Throwing up almost constantly. I could barely eat or sleep. I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys."

"No wonder you look like you've been awake for the past 3 days, Aleaha, sorry to tell you this, but you look like shit." Silos spoke.

I rolled my eyes. "Wow, thanks for that important contribution, Silos."

Emery chimed back in, innteruppting me. "You know, no girl has ever been as close with the prince as you are Leah, it's strange! Many have tried and failed! I wonder what changed. There has been a lot of talk about you, that you guys are dating, maybe in love, or that you've been sleeping with him! Either way, lots of girls are super jealous of you. And I can't blame them, I mean have you seen that man?? I don't know how you can hold a conversation with him without getting lost in those gold eyes!"

At that point, the dining hall was getting empty and I decided to start to head to my class. I wondered if what they were saying was true if Kairo was really that affected by my absence.