Chapter 66 - Denial (part Two)

Ander woke up early in the morning and rushed out to find his uncle. He had to get away from the room before Francis could corner him with more questions whose answers he couldn't accept. He knocked on the door but there was no reply.

He turned the doorknob and found that the door was locked. He turned and walked away, he checked his schedule to find that he had history class first. He races down the corridor to find the history class, he was already late from having gone to seek out his uncle.

He arrived at the door at the same time as the history teacher. "Greetings your royal highness," the teacher greeted him as they walked into the class.

Ander waved his hand to him and helped him stand up from his bowed position. "Here you are my teacher and k your student. Don't bow to me," he said and found a seat at the back to seat on.

"As you wish," he said and took his place in front of the class. "Good morning class," he greeted the class.

"Good morning teacher," they replied in unison.

"For those of you who were not here last year, My name is Saga and I am your history teacher," he said writing his name on the board. "Today we are going to talk about that history of Arimelari, so who can tell me the founders of Arimelari?" he asked the class.

"Are you avoiding me?" Francis asked Ander.

"No," Ander replied to him.

"What is it, Ander? Would you like to answer the question?" the teacher asked him. He turned his head and glared at Francis who just smiled at him.

"No sir," he replied with an apologetic smile.

"Alright, anyone wants to answer the question?"

The class continued with Ander doing his best to avoid replying to Francis's provocative questions and inquiries. He also avoided looking the make in the eye afraid of what it did to his heart. Just knowing that he was there made his heart race more than normal and it scared him.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Francis asked him.

"I am afraid that avoiding you is impossible. You are a ghost, you go anywhere and do anything and no one can stop you," he replied.

"And yet you find ways to ignore me. You know that you are the only one I can talk to so why would you run away from me?"

"Class dismissed," the teacher said. Ander got his things and dashed out of the room and ran straight to his next class. He needed to pretend to be busy to avoid thinking about Francis and the newfound feelings that he was developing for the ghost.

The next class was a practical class where all the students who know magic have to perform a certain task provided by the teachers to test them. He again found a seat at the back of the classroom and got his book to read. The students sneaked glances at him and whispered among themselves.

One girl, in particular, got up from her seat and walked up to him. "Hi, I'm Victoria," she greeted. Ander looked up from his book and stared at her for a minute before going back to his book.

"It is considered rude to ignore someone," she said to him.

"That's exactly what I have been trying to tell him but he won't listen," Francis added appearing by his side.

"I am not ignoring you. I am just a bit busy today," he said.

"You could at least offer me a seat," Victoria pointed out.

"Yes, the least you can do is offer me a seat. Have some manners," Francis said.

"I would but I am busy and do you mind I am trying to read."

"Alright, I will leave you to your book but I hope we can talk and catch up after classes," the girl said and excused herself.

"Was she talking to me?" Ander asked Francis making the ghost shake his head. The prince was the king of indifference, he could tune a person out without even trying to.

"No, she was singing a song," Francis replied.

"But I do mind, if you just answer me then I wouldn't bother you so much," he said to him.

"I don't know what you want to hear from me but whatever it has to wait until the day is over," he told to him.

The teacher walked into the classroom and greeted the class. She introduced herself to the class and got the class started.

"Today we are going to make a fire crystal using the ingredients on the table. The project will be done in groups of three so if I call your name then move to your partner's desk so we can get started," she said and the students nodded in understanding.

Most of the girls in the classroom wished to be paired with the prince. To get the chance to sin favor with and maybe win him over would be a dream come true for most of the girls.

"Prince Ander will pair with Avan and Lacie," the teacher announced. The girls let out a disappointed groan. Avan and Lacie moved to Ander's desk and set their chairs around his desk. Ander didn't bother with them and continued to look at his book.

"What are you reading?" Lacie asked trying to initiate a conversation.

"A book," Ander replied uninterested.

"Are you sure, you are holding the book upside down," she pointed out? The prince looked at the book and noticed that he was holding the book upside down, he turned the book around and tried to read it.

"So I take it you are ignoring me. And here I thought that you would try to make me fall in love with you because if that is the plan then you are doing a very bad job," Francis commented.

"Are you sure, you have been chasing me around since we last spoke? You won't let me be for even a second, I would say my plan is working," he said feigning a strong front.

Francis bit his tongue for falling for Ander's trap. While Ander gave him a victorious smile, "I won,' Ander muttered under his breath.

" This was just a game, right? You meant nothing of what you said and you were pulling my leg right?"

'I wish I could say that this is a game. When I first said it, it was a game but now my prank has backfired in my face and I don't know what to do about it. It scares me,' he thought in his mind as a tear fell from his eyes.

"Ander, why are you crying?" Francis asked in concern. "Are you okay?"

"I want to be alone, please leave," he pleaded with him. Francis couldn't understand Ander's change of behavior and mood. Despite living with the boy for all this year and knowing him better than anyone, he was confused.

He felt pained to see him shed a tear just as he felt sad watching him yearn for his father for sixteen years. He had grown fond of Ander and he treated him like his son, the only reason he sorts to annoy him often was to keep him from being too lonely and missing Alexander so much. But now he was neither missing Alex nor did he get hurt but still he had tears in his eyes and that made him sad.

"Ander, tell me what is the matter. Not that I plan to help you or anything but a problem shared is a problem half solved right?" he said trying to persuade him to tell him what the problem was.

'How do I tell you my problem. You are the problem and the feelings that you are giving me,' he said internally.

"I want to be alone," he spoke. He couldn't be in Francis's company with the internal war going on inside him about his feelings. Left with no choice Francis left but he didn't go too far, he stayed close in case Ander would need him.

Ander released a sigh of relief when Francis left. He wiped the tears from his eyes and looked up at the two students who were staring at him without blinking.

"Keep looking at me and you will lose your eyes," he threatened to bring them both out of their dazed states.

"Sorry, but who is talking to?" Lacie asked.

"My imaginary friend," he replied and checked on the crystal they were supposed to make. All the work was almost done except for the fact that the crustal they made was not producing any fire. "Are you done?" he asked directing his question to Avan.

"Not yet, we can find the spell to make this crystal produce fire," he replied searching through his book.

"Crystal inscendia," he said and the crystal glowed bright red. "Done," he said to them.

They handed in their project to the teacher and were allowed to leave the class for their break earlier than other students.