The Crown Prince's Love
Chapter 40

~Randy~

It didn't make any sense. There was no reason for my aunt Helen to be on campus because she wasn't a history teacher. I believed that something must have happened for her to come to the Royal College, but I couldn't even figure it out. Even Desmond was acting strange.

He had suddenly acted out in front of the whole class, and I wondered why he was behaving like that when there was nothing wrong with him in the first place. I couldn't figure out what could have made him shake so terribly and stare at nothing..

The only people who could give me answers to my questions were Aunt Helen and my parents.

"Hey," Desmond announced his presence as he walked toward me.

He sat down and heaved a deep sigh.

"Are you alright?" I asked him, and he nodded in response, but I knew that he was lying. His eyes said it all, and it meant that something had truly happened, something that he didn't want to tell me.

"I am..." he stuttered and then chuckled. "I am fine, Randy," he replied, and then I noticed how he looked toward Ana, who was also staring back at him.

What do these two know that they are not telling me?

Why the hell is he acting like this?

I felt a touch on my shoulder, bringing me back from my thoughts.

It was Desmond, who was staring at me with a questioning look.

"Is everything alright with you?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded in response, but deep down, I knew that I was far from alright.

My boyfriend was going through something, and I couldn't figure it out. I didn't know why he would blame himself for the attack that had suddenly happened. I didn't want him to feel like that. I wanted him to be happy that he was around

me.

"So, how do we meet up for this group thing?" John asked.

"I suggest that we use the library like the teacher said," Ana joined in the conversation as she sat down beside John.

"I am great with the library," I agreed with her. "When do we start?" I turned to face Randy, but he didn't reply at first until I tapped him.

"Hmm."

"He asked you a question," John replied to him. "He asked about the assignment. Don't tell me that you were not listening at all?"

Desmond chuckled. "Of course. We can use the library and.."

John cut him off. "The pretty lady had already suggested that we use the library. Where did your mind disappear to? We have already agreed to that. We are just asking for time." "Oh!" Desmond exclaimed and chuckled again.

"Anytime is fine with me," he stated.

That was the cue to know that something was truly wrong with him.

There was no way he wouldn't have heard what we had been saying. I was worried about him because he must have been blaming himself over and over again for what happened. I hated that his new behavior was all because of me.

"We can start this night before the curfew," Ana suggested.

"Right," John said.

"I agree," Desmond responded this time, and I just nodded in response.

The next teacher came in after five minutes and, just like Helen, he suggested that we group ourselves and gave us an assignment.

"I want you all to learn about yourselves for two weeks. Find out about dislikes and likes. This will be your CA, so I suggest that you don't joke with it," he stated before walking out of the class. John let out a sigh and stretched. "What is with the teachers and giving us these assignments?"

"Does it matter?" Ana retorted. "We should probably start working towards it since we have two assignments now, and who knows if there are other things that we have to know about in the other classes."

"You are right," John said and rubbed his hair. "I believe that while working on the history assignment, we should do the same with the literature assignment."

"That is what I had just said," Ana replied to him and scoffed. "Were you even listening to a word I said?" She frowned at him and then stood up. "I believe that is lunchtime. Since we are a group now, let us go for lunch together," she suggested.

I frowned at her, angry about the fact that she had suddenly joined us when I had not wanted her to be there.

The assignment had brought us together, and I couldn't even figure out her closeness with Desmond, making me wonder the kind of deal they had agreed to while I was fast asleep.

"Right. We should go," Desmond stood up and looked at me. "Your Highness. We should go."

I frowned at him as he mentioned the honorifics.

As much as I wanted us to pretend in front of others, I hated that he had to come to that.

"We should go," I muttered and also stood up.

I headed out of the class, and they followed behind me.

"How are you feeling now, Desmond?" I heard Ana ask him. "Still blaming yourself for what happened?"

"I..." Desmond stuttered. "Ana now is not the time to ask that question," he told her.

"Why?" I chuckled. "Because I am here?" I turned back to face them.

"That is not the problem. I think that..."

I suddenly stopped walking, and they also did the same. "I want to speak with Desmond alone," I grabbed Desmond's hand and pulled him away, ignoring the side talks between Ana and John.

I dragged Desmond into the elevator that took us up to the rooftop. It was the only place that I could think of, knowing that no one was going to see us there.

I grabbed his hand and sat down on the ground, and he also did the same.

"Care to tell me what is bothering you and why everyone is asking if you are fine?" I asked him.

"What?" he chuckled. "Randy, I already told you that I am fine. You don't have to worry about anything because I am alright."

"Lies," I said to him. "Something is bothering you, and you are not even telling me about it, which is bad since we are partners and we are in love. If anything was bothering you, you should have told me first." Desmond shook his head in response. "I am perfectly fine like I have told you. There is nothing wrong with me."

I sighed, still not believing him. "I know that you said that you are fine, Desmond, but I am your boyfriend, and I can read your energy. I know something is bothering you, and even if you are not telling me, I am going to make sure that you are fine if you just promise me," I assured him.

"I said I am fine, Randy. I truly am."

"But... if this is about what happened to me, then you don't have to blame yourself for it because..."

"I said that you should drop it, Randy!" he shouted at me and stood up from the ground. "There is nothing wrong with me. I am fine, and you should stop worrying yourself about anything."