by Olivia Quint
“It’s clear Marceline must’ve spied on us then and came up with what she thought would be a killer story for her blog. Unfortunately for her, this hogwash she wrote is entirely false!” I declared emphatically.
“Well, false or not,” Fleur started, “I think it’s too late to do anything about it now. The entire Academy must’ve read it by now…”
“I could really do without her drama. After all, I’m here for one thing: to get the education I deserve. That is all!” I scoffed, crossing my arms.
“Of course, of course,” Fleur said as she patted me on the back sympathetically. “Look, it’s just a silly gossip column after all. I’m pretty sure no one will remember this in a few days. Everything’s going to be okay, Sophie!”
“Even though I hate admitting it, what hurts me most about this situation is that I really do wish I could still be friends with her,” I sighed deeply. “Doesn’t matter now, though, does it?”
“No, it really doesn’t,” Fleur agreed. “Plus, you and I are going to be great friends instead!” She moved in for a hug, and I embraced her warmly on the spot.
Fleur, my dear, you have no idea just how right you are...
Chapter Six
Zayn
“Oh, it’s only what everyone’s been talking about lately…” Eric announced matter-of-factly.
Through sheer dogged perseverance, my best friend had finally managed to convince me to meet the first-year I’d be showing around the Academy. Not only that, but he insisted on accompanying me to where we were due to meet. For moral support, he said… Yeah, right!
“How can you not even remember a girl who asked you out? That’s just mean, dude,” Eric teased me as he tried to keep up with my stride.
“I swear to you, man, I don’t know who she is!” I kept protesting. I really didn’t know who he was talking about, yet the entire Academy was abuzz about this first-year that had apparently asked me out on a date a few days ago.
“Please don’t tell me you’re ignoring Marceline’s blog,” Eric said with a scandalized look on his face. “Everything she writes is pure gold. I’ve read every article she’s ever posted thus far!”
“Oh, but I am ignoring her blog because I hate gossip with a passion,” I replied flatly, but then another thought struck me like a lightning bolt. “Ah, crap, did Marceline find out about Marie and me already?”
Marie was the only one who could possibly fit that description, and even then, nothing really made any sense. She’d only hinted at us meeting again some other time, and there’d been no one else around to hear her say that. Unless Marie went straight to Marceline to report the story herself. But if that’s the case, why would she even do something like that?
“What? No, no, it’s not Marie,” Eric said. “The girl’s name is Sophie Miller, apparently.”
“Miller?” I asked as I racked my brain a bit. “I don’t think I’ve heard that name around here before. It’s American, isn’t it?”
“Yup!” Eric seemed overly excited about her, like he knew something I didn’t. I hate it when he does that.
“So what else is new, Eric?” I continued playing along. “There’s something you’re not telling me again, isn’t there? Something you’re just dying to spring on me, I can tell!”
“Mmm, nothing much… Just that apparently Sophie’s the one you’re going to be chaperoning starting from today,” he grinned as he dropped his latest bombshell.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake…” I groaned in disbelief. “To hell with this bullshit, I don’t need any of this drama!”
“Well, it’s a bit late for that…” Eric mused, smugly nodding toward something in the distance. Or someone. Turning my gaze forward, I couldn’t miss the incredibly rude girl from a few days ago, waiting for me patiently on a wooden bench, phone in hand. Her saving grace was that she looked even more beautiful than I remembered. The long, dark brown hair hanging from her shoulders was tied back in an elegant ponytail. She was wearing a dark blue sweater with matching jeans, but they did nothing to hide her eyecatching body. As I found myself admiring her again, memories of our prior encounter flooded my mind again.
“Just so you know, that girl never asked me out,” I said, turning toward Eric. “Quite the opposite, in fact – she was very rude to me.”
“You don’t really have a choice now, I’m afraid. There’ll be consequences for both of you if you don’t complete this chaperoning program. So quit moaning and go have fun with her!” Eric suggested as he pushed me bodily toward Sophie with a wide grin on his face.
“You’re lucky only third-years can do this,” I said out to him as he waved me on.
“What can I say?” he retorted. “Being a second-year has its perks!”
I laughed heartily at Eric, then turned back only to see the gorgeous girl staring at me with an icy glare. Keeping my hands in my pockets, I sauntered over to where she was sitting, making sure to put on my very best smile.
“Sophie!” I nodded in her direction. “I believe we didn’t properly introduce ourselves during our last—” I paused for a moment, trying to pick the best word “—rendezvous. It’s really nice seeing you again. I’m Zayn!” I offered her a handshake, but she only stared at it, so I had to retract my hand eventually.
“I know who you are now,” she remarked simply, the same ice audible in her voice. “Zayn Courtenay, Prince of Chambrun.”
I cringed hearing that awful nickname again. That was something I’d earned a few years prior, right after my first tennis tournament. I was undefeated in every match, and when I eventually won, everyone started calling me that. The fact that my father completely refurbished all of the Academy’s tennis courts did not help one bit.
“Just Zayn is fine, thank you,” I responded quickly. “Sophie, I’m very sorry, but I don’t recognize your surname…”
“Of course you don’t, it’s not famous like yours!” she scoffed, crossing her arms as if to put another barrier between us.
“That’s really not what I meant—” I tried defending myself, but then she let out a small laugh, which took me by surprise.
“No need to worry yourself overmuch, it’s fine!” Sophie said, finally standing up to join me. “So, what exactly are we supposed to do now, walk around the grounds?”
“You’d wish!” I answered honestly. “I’m afraid it won’t be anything that simple. I’ll have to take you on several different tours over the next few weeks for this to count. Not only that, but you’ll also have to submit a report after every tour so that I can get my extra credit.”
“Isn’t there a way to skip all of this bureaucratic nonsense?” Sophie asked, grimacing. “I could just say that we went on all of the tours together and just leave it at that.”
“No, it won’t be that easy,” I explained, holding my finger up. “If the Academy finds out you’ve wriggled out of orientation, they will dock your overall grade. You’ll be asked lots of questions during the reports, sure, but those can actually work in your favor, especially if you’re going after the Chambrun Badge…”
“The Chambrun Badge?” The look on Sophie’s face was one of genuine confusion. “I’ve never even heard of that!”
So, Miss Miller, I’ve finally managed to pique your interest…
“Let’s just start the first tour, and I’ll explain everything in due time. Shall we then?” I beckoned, shooting her another one of my most beguiling smiles.
Chapter Seven
Sophie
“From the start?” Zayn asked me patiently, tilting his head toward me.
“From the very start, yes. I want to know everything!” I replied with new-found enthusiasm, eager to learn more about Chambrun’s history.
I still didn’t know how to feel about Zayn on account of all the drama involving us, but he was probably the best tour guide I could’ve ever asked for. That first day of him chaperoning me, we went on a stroll to some of the famous buildings on the grounds. And, somehow, I’d managed to persuade him into tel
ling me about the history of the Academy itself.
“All right then,” he started, clearing his throat. “Académie de Chambrun, as per its official name, was founded in 1734 by Auguste Chambrun, a prominent French aristocrat…” Zayn paused for a moment, scratching his chin. “You know what? If you’re going to have me continue such a long story, then we’d best find someplace cozier.”
“I’m so not following you home if that’s what you’re thinking!” I interjected with half a smile.
“Nah, nah, it’s a little too early for that!” he started chuckling immediately in response. “But I had something equally nice in mind, if you will. There’s this quiet little café I really like, just a bit further down this road,” Zayn added, nodding his head. “I thought we could sit down and have a cup of coffee while we talked?”
“Oh…” I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity suddenly piqued. “Will it count as part of the tour?”
“Not really,” he replied, checking his elegant wristwatch. “Our first tour officially ended about 15 minutes ago. I was only supposed to show you the great halls today, plus a few other buildings on the way. Everything we did after Marceau Hall was just for fun, I’m afraid!” Zayn grinned, holding his palms up in surrender.
“Are you kidding me?” I blurted, not even bothering to hide my surprise from him anymore. “So, what, this walk we’ve been on since then was just you spending your free time with me?”
“Uhmmm, no, no, no,” he countered, raising an eyebrow. “Rather, it was you spending time with me…”
“You’re so full of yourself, you know that?” I teased him without any bite to my words.
“Hey, I’ve no reason not to be!” Zayn replied with a smirk.
I’ll never admit how his smile makes my knees feel a bit weak, I thought to myself. I wasn’t going to be like all of the other girls who fell victim to his charms.
“So then: you could either leave now or wait to hear the rest of my free history lesson. It’s your call!” he continued, crossing his muscular arms in front of his chest.
I let out a subtle sigh and pondered my next move. I could try denying it as much as I wanted, but I knew full well Zayn had me hooked in more ways than one. For starters, I could never resist a good story. Secondly, I just knew I could get more information from him than from any official Academy pamphlet. Finally, on top of all of his natural charm, my chaperone was also incredibly intelligent. And I could never resist that in a man. Just from the way Zayn talked, I could tell he was much more than another pretty face, and I was genuinely surprised he hadn’t caught me stealing glances at him. Or maybe he had, but he’s being a gentleman and wanted to save me the embarrassment…
“Well? What it’s going to be?” Zayn asked me again pointedly, drawing me from my thoughts back into the present.
“All right, I could do with a cup of coffee,” I finally conceded. “But if you end up wasting my time, I’ll be leaving. Do we have a deal?”
“That we do, Miss Miller!” he laughed at my attempt at intimidating him. “Right this way then…”
True to his word, a short walk down the forested road took us to one of the loveliest cafés I’d ever been to, built inside a renovated hunting lodge. There were little to no students there at the time, so we had no trouble finding a table for two by the windows. I picked up a menu excitedly, but before I could even go through it all, Zayn had already ordered drinks for both of us.
“Hey, I don’t need you to order for me,” I remarked with a natural pout.
My handsome chaperone placed his hand on his chest and bowed his head slightly. “I am terribly sorry if I offended you,” Zayn apologized formally. “I just figured that, since you’re new here, I could surprise you with a beverage that I think you will love. Do tell me if I guessed wrong, will you?” he ended with a wink, just as the cups were delivered steaming to our table.
I picked mine up and eyed Zayn suspiciously over its rim. Thankfully, my reluctance vanished entirely once I took a small sip and tasted what could have only been described as velvety caramel heaven.
“Oh my goodness…” I purred, closing my eyes in pleasure. It took me only a moment to realize that I’d said that out loud by mistake, but by then, it was already too late. Glancing back over to Zayn, I noticed he was sampling his own drink with an incredibly satisfied smirk on his face. However much I resented giving him satisfaction that early on, his choice for me tasted too damn good. I was almost done with the entire cup before realizing we had to take it slow so that we could also talk. Ever the attentive companion, Zayn took notice of that immediately.
“I’m really glad you like it,” he said while waving over one of the waitresses. In no time at all, I had another steamy cup of goodness waiting on the table in front of me. I just had to roll my eyes at his efforts.
“Look, Zayn, I came here for the full story, remember? Are you going to tell me the rest of it, or…” I asked him, tilting my head in the direction of the entrance.
“Of course, of course,” he replied eagerly, taking a final sip from his coffee and then setting the cup aside. He proceed to lean on the table toward me before continuing. “Do remind me, where did we leave off?”
“Auguste Chambrun founded the eponymous Academy in 1734,” I answered promptly in a single breath. Zayn’s widening eyes made me giggle uncontrollably.
“Wow, someone was clearly paying attention!” he chuckled at my delight.
It was my turn to smirk, holding my hands up. “Of course I did. Now, please go on.”
“All right then,” Zayn nodded. “At the time of the Academy’s founding, Auguste Chambrun was one of France’s wealthiest nobles. This particular institution of higher learning was only meant to cater to the rich and powerful members of the country’s elite – the crème de la crème, if you will.”
I nodded so he could know I was listening attentively.
“Over the following decades, the Academy gained world-wide notoriety as some of the very best education France could offer. Unfortunately, everything came to an abrupt halt in 1789...”
“Due to the French Revolution,” I offered pensively.
“Exactly!” Zayn remarked, visibly impressed. “The French Revolution brought with it the closing down of Chambrun. And the Academy actually stayed that way for quite some time, until the early 19th century.”
“So how did it reopen eventually?” I asked, leaning toward him as well.
“That happened after Napoleon took charge of the country. You see, he wanted to sediment his rule by giving France back something it treasured – a quality education. He first founded another college called Blanquefort in 1820, and then a year later, Chambrun was officially reopened after more than three decades.”
“Collège de Blanquefort…” I nodded, my voice trailing off as I tried remembering why its name sounded so familiar to me. “I think I’ve heard about that one before.”
“Oh, you’re in Chambrun now,” Zayn waved away my confusion. “You’ll be hearing quite a bit about Blanquefort soon, too, but for now, they’re not important.”
“As you wish,” I replied, taking the chance to save my drink from going cold. “I’m sorry for interrupting, do go on!”
“That’s perfectly fine,” he smiled. “After few years after that happened, some of Napoleon’s greatest generals pledged their support to our two institutions. Both Chambrun and Blanquefort began having some serious names attached to them. By that point, my own family – Courtenay – was second only to Napoleon himself. As you might have already guessed, we ended up pledging our name to Chambrun...”
“Well, that certainly explains why you own everything around here!” I offered merrily.
Zayn chuckled at my comment. “No, no, we don’t own everything, but we still hold a fair share of the Academy even nowadays. After all, my family is one of the oldest and wealthiest in France. In all of Europe, even, depending on who you ask!”
“You don’t say,” I joked, raising an eyebrow. “Well, I
imagined your head would be much bigger, what with all of the people constantly blowing it up for you!”
“All right, let’s say I deserve that one, but I’m not bragging when I say we are a big deal in this place. Some of my ancestors were the custodians of Chambrun for a time, but in more recent years, the Academy’s leadership has been shifting regularly. For instance, did you know it is currently under the management of an American?”
“Yes, I was aware of that before I came here,” I replied while tapping my chin lightly. “You know, everything you’ve just told me makes perfect sense. In fact, it helped me understand why some of the people here are so terrible.”
Zayn just couldn’t keep in a hearty laugh. “Come on now… We’re not all bad! I guess some of us just act up more than we should.”
“Oh, you mean like Marceline?” I asked, finally seizing my chance. I’d meant to bring her up in our conversation all day, just so I could hear his take on her wretched blog post.
“Oh, her…” Zayn sighed, looking down at his folded hands. “Yeah, I heard about the awful thing she did to you. The lies she told on her blog. I’m very sorry…”
“No, this is not just about being sorry,” I countered, flaring up again. “Marceline has to take that trash down. It’s complete fabulation!”
“Look, I know this might sound stupid, but have you tried asking her to do that?” he shrugged, peeking into his long-empty cup before waving down the waitress again.
I shook my head firmly at his suggestion. “Oh no, I’m not going back to her after what happened between us. You’ll have to be the one to talk to her.”
“I don’t have to do anything about it,” he responded matter-of-factly. Zayn then proceeded to take a long sip from his new cup of coffee. How he loves making me wait…
He set the cup down on the table before continuing unabated. “However, as a gesture of goodwill toward you, Sophie, I will talk to Marceline and make her take down that damn blog post. I must warn you, though – if anything else comes up in the future, I’m afraid you’ll be on your own!”