Disguised As A Boy To Attend Belmont High School
Chapter 184: He Just Wanted To Be Friends.

Chapter 184: He Just Wanted To Be Friends.

Ethan took a long drag of his cigarette and smirked. "Poor girl. She doesn’t even know what’s coming. But hey, she had her chance. Now it’s on her." He flicked the ash onto the dirty floor and grinned. "My mission starts now."

"Good luck," Anabella replied, her voice soft, yet her smile held a strange warmth that seemed out of place.

Ethan crushed the cigarette under his boot, twisting it into the floor until the ember died. Without another glance at Anabella, he turned and walked out of the abandoned building, heading back toward Belmont.

The sound of his footsteps echoed through the pristine halls of the Belmont building. As he approached the scholarship students’ cafeteria, his sharp gaze landed on two figures sitting close together: Olive and Lara.

A sly grin spread across his face. Without hesitation, Ethan veered off course and strode confidently into the cafeteria. The sudden intrusion drew puzzled stares from students lingering in the hallway, most of them paid students, who secretly hoped for even a flicker of attention from him.

Inside the cafeteria, scholarship students stopped mid-bite, their gazes locking onto Ethan. Whispers erupted among them, incredulous murmurs passing through the crowd.

"What’s he doing here?"

"Did he get lost?"

"Does he even know where he is?"

Ignoring the stares, Ethan made his way to Olive and Lara’s table. Without asking for permission, he pulled out a chair and sat down, the same sly grin plastered on his face.

The air in the room grew thick with tension as a group of paid students, who had gathered at the cafeteria door, glared daggers at Olive.

"Hi," Ethan greeted, his tone light and warm, his dimples on full display.

Lara scrunched her nose and folded her arms across her chest. "You reek of smoke," she said bluntly. "I guess the prince is a bad boy after all, breaking rules and flaunting it. And I suppose the cigarette you just smoked is the reason your brain’s malfunctioning, which would explain why you’ve wandered into the wrong cafeteria. The scholarship students’ cafeteria, in case you haven’t noticed, is beneath the great Ethan Blaze, isn’t it?"

Ethan’s jaw tightened, and his fist clenched under the table, his knuckles turning white. But he quickly masked his irritation with a warm smile, refusing to give Lara the satisfaction of seeing him riled up. "Pardon me," he said, his tone measured. "I do love smoking, but I’ve been trying to quit since coming to Belmont. It’s hard, though. Sometimes... I slip."

Lara scoffed, unimpressed, and turned to Olive. "Since his highness has graced our table, I think it’s time we find another one."

Olive, clearly not in the mood to deal with Ethan or his antics, nodded in agreement and began to rise from her seat. But before she could leave, Ethan shot to his feet, blocking her path.

"Please, don’t go," Ethan said, his voice suddenly sincere, his confident facade cracking just a bit. "I know I was rude to you before, but I’ve changed. I was... crazy back then, you know? I just want to make things right."

"Make things right?" Olive raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "You mean you’re still looking for servants, right?"

"No, no," Ethan said quickly, shaking his head. "I promise, it’s not like that. I was stupid to think I could buy you over before. I’m so sorry for that. I just... I just want to be friends now."

Both Olive and Lara sighed heavily in unison, glancing at each other before reluctantly sitting back down.

"Fine," Lara said curtly. "But make it quick. We have better things to do."

Ethan’s smile returned, though this time it was tinged with relief. "Thank you," he said as he sat back down. "I’m Ethan Blaze. It’s nice to meet you both."

"We already know who you are," Lara replied dryly. "Ethan Blaze, the prince. Even the deaf would know your name by now. You’re practically a walking headline."

Ethan chuckled softly, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah... sorry about that. This is why I wanted to keep a low profile, but it hasn’t exactly worked out."

"You wanted to keep a low profile?" Lara rolled her eyes, her tone laced with sarcasm. "If that were true, you’d have changed your name. You can’t honestly think a name like Ethan Blaze, would go unnoticed at a school like Belmont. The moment people heard your name, they were bound to dig into your background."

Ethan laughed awkwardly, still holding onto his ever-present smile. "You’re not wrong," he admitted. "Anyway, let’s forget about me for a second. What are your names?"

Lara leaned back in her chair, her expression guarded. "I’m Lara. No need to know my last name."

"And I’m Arthur Williams," Olive added, taking a sip of her milkshake, her tone indifferent.

"Nice to meet you both," Ethan said warmly. Then, his gaze shifted toward Olive, his tone growing slightly more earnest. "I was wondering if maybe we could hang out outside of school sometime. Just to... you know, apologize properly for my behavior. Lunch, perhaps?"

Lara raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "Lunch? You’re really pulling out all the stops, aren’t you? What’s next, a royal banquet?"

Ethan chuckled, unphased. "No banquets, I promise," he said, his gaze returning to Olive. "Just lunch. Nothing fancy."

Olive studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she sighed and said, "There’s no need for that. Besides, I have plenty of work on my table. Hanging out outside school isn’t exactly on my to-do list right now. I’ve forgiven you, so let’s leave it at that."

Ethan hesitated, his expression shifting to one of determination. "Uh... well, I get that everyone’s busy, but I’d still love to hang out with you. I mean no harm, to be honest."

"No one said you meant any harm," Lara interjected sharply, her arms crossed. "But you want to hang out? Is it because you’ve taken a liking to him?" She gestured toward Olive with an exaggerated motion. "Fine, I get it, you’re bisexual. That’s cool. But newsflash: he’s not. We’re straight. Completely, utterly, straight."

Ethan blinked, stunned by the abrupt turn the conversation had taken.

"Lara, calm down," Olive said quickly, shooting her friend a warning look. "We’re not here to judge anyone’s sexuality, and you know better than that." She turned back to Ethan, her voice softening. "Look, if you want to hang out, then let’s keep it simple and stay in school. We’re in the middle of exams, so it doesn’t make much sense to plan something outside during this time."

Ethan nodded, his smile returning, although a little strained. "Fine then. I can agree to that. So... friends we are, right?" His raised eyebrows betrayed his curiosity and a touch of hope.

"Sure," Olive replied with a small, warm smile.

Lara, on the other hand, rolled her eyes in obvious disgust.

"Thank you," Ethan said, letting out a light chuckle. "Thanks for giving me another chance to prove I’m not a total dickhead." He rose from his chair, flashing his trademark smile. "Anyway, see you around soon." With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the cafeteria.

The moment Ethan was out of sight, Lara groaned, slumping back in her chair. "I honestly wonder why you agreed to be friends with him. His fangirls and fanboys are going to tear you apart. Dealing with Lucas is more than enough. You don’t need Prince Ethan in your life."

Olive frowned, her brows knitting in confusion. "What are you even talking about? He just wanted to be friends."

"Yeah, sure," Lara shot back, her voice laced with sarcasm. "That’s how Lucas started too. ’Just friends.’ Then he learned your secrets, and boom! You’re a couple now. But now your relationship is practically on the brink of collapse."

Olive’s jaw tightened, and she exhaled sharply. "Can you just stop? Your overthinking is getting ridiculous. I thought you were being mean to Ethan because of how he treated me on his first day here. But now I see you’re being nasty because you think he’s the next guy I’m going to fall for after Lucas."

Lara smirked, leaning forward as she spoke. "He’s a prince, after all. Hot, bad boys like him always start off rude, and then they transform into Prince Charming. I’m just saying."

Olive rolled her eyes, pushing back her chair and standing. "You’re crazy, Lara. Utterly insane."

"Maybe," Lara said with a chuckle, following Olive with her eyes as she made her way to the door. "But you can’t deny the guy has potential."

Olive shot her a dry look over her shoulder. "You’re sick. Go to the pharmacy and get yourself some medicine."

With that, she walked out, leaving Lara chuckling softly to herself at the table.

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