Alpha Prince's Legendary Mate

4. He must be your secret admirer...

Zuri's Point of View

I was staring at the note…

"Because you are the true owner of this."

I had no idea who was keeping all these birthday gifts in my locker. But now I feel that person must be someone I know very well. Else, how he or she knows I lost this? Also, other than the members of Ayaan's little gang, I don't think anyone will be able to take this away from Chelsy. She is not the type of person who would easily give up something she wants.

But who can be that? I couldn't think of anyone in that gang who would have any sympathy for me.

I closed the locker and put the box and the note in my bag. Whoever gave it back to me, thank you very much. I don't want to lose it again. So I am not going to wear it.

Right then, I heard my phone was ringing.

"Adrian." the caller Id said.

I quickly answered the call. I was waiting for this call for hours now.

"Zuri… My phone battery died. I couldn't charge it until I come home. I just now switched it on and saw there were like a million calls from you. I never expected you to call me that soon, else I would charge the phone somehow. Tell me what has happened. Are you all right? You have no idea how much I got scared after seeing so many missed calls from you." he kept on saying without letting me talk.

I went a bit away from the locker areas where no one can hear me talking.

"Adrian… Are you a prince? Are you really the prince Adrian Featheringham." I asked.

He chuckled softly.

"Yes, Zuri. It is me," he replied.

"Why didn't you tell me you are a prince," I asked.

"I was helping you when you were in trouble. I didn't want to mention my titles and all for helping you."

"But you should have told me you are a prince!" I argued.

"Would that make any change? I don't have to be a prince to help someone," he said, smiling.

"How did you know my address? I didn't tell you where I live, but you drove me home." then I asked what was bothering me so much.

"Actually, you told me where you live," he said calmly.

"What? I don't remember telling you my address." I said doubtfully.

"Not yesterday, dear. Long before that." when he said, I got even more confused.

"How could I say where I live a long before yesterday. We met yesterday for the first time." I screamed, even forgetting that I would draw the attention of other students.

"Yesterday was not the first day we met, Zuri… We met four years ago for the first time," he replied again with the same composure in his voice.

This man is driving me really crazy. I don't remember seeing him. He is not someone that can be easily forgotten. He is handsome as hell and has a great personality which can make other people remember him very well. So there is no way I could forget him if we have met before.

"That cannot happen!" I again screamed.

"Remember the day your parents declined to give you permission to go for that reality show? You were going home from school. You were at the bus stop on a rainy day. You were crying like crazy." he was talking.

"I do remember that day! But how do you know all these things." I yelled without giving a sh*t that I am talking to a prince.

Remembering that day made me go crazy. I was so good at singing. My music teacher at the high school was motivating me to participate in a reality show that was very famous during that time. She even applied for me to be a contestant. She started training me for that, and she had a lot of hopes for me. I had the auditions that evening, and at the last moment, my parents didn't want me to go for that. Earlier they gave their permission, and only God knows why they changed their decision.

I begged them to let me go. But they were not ready to listen. It put me in a situation that I couldn't even face my teacher.

That day was rainy, as he said. Not just mild rain, it was raining cats and dogs.

I was crying at the bus stop thinking about how pathetic my life is.

"You got into a bus after that. There were not many people on the bus. Remember a guy was sitting next to you on the bus. He asked you why you were crying. First, you didn't want to talk with him. But later, you told him everything, and he gave you a shoulder to cry..."

"I told you. I remember all these. But how do you know about these." I questioned.

"You got down with him from the bus. He asked you what he can do to make you happy. You said you want Ice cream. He took you to an ice cream parlour despite the heavy rain and cold, and you ate a blueberry ice cream. You two spent some time there. And then he walked you home."

"For god sake, Adrian… I remember these things. Don't tell me that guy was you. Because you are not him."

I screamed. My eyes were filled with tears as I was furious with Adrian…

"I am that guy, Zuri. It was me!" he stated.

"No! That cannot be. You look so much different from that man!" I growled.

"I was just 16 years old. You also look so much different from that girl, Zuri," he answered.

"Then how you recognized it is me after four years," I asked.

"I have seen you multiple times within these four years, my dear. I couldn't talk with you. But I have seen you. So I have observed how you changed over the years. Also, your eyes so unique. I would recognize them even if I saw you after ten years." he said, smiling.

Everything he said was a lot to process. I still remember that guy who could make me smile on that gloomy day. He was wearing a hoody, which was pretty typical for a rainy and cold day. So I didn't see his face openly. Actually, I think I didn't bother to look at his face clearly. All I wanted was someone to share my grief, and he became that person.

Not even in my wildest dreams, I imagined that guy is a prince, and I would meet him like this again.

"What did you do on a bus on a rainy day like that?" I asked.

"Why? You also were on a bus on that rainy day. Many people were..." he said.

"I know, but none of us is from the royal family!"

"Not all the princes are the same as the one you know, Zuri..." he replied. It was apparent he was referring to Ayaan.

"Princes also can go in buses. Eat Ice cream with a stranger girl on a freezing day," he said.

He sounded so humble and carefree. Honestly, it touched my heart.

"Look, Zuri… I would love to talk with you all day. But I have to attend to some work. Also, I think you have lectures too. I will call you in the evening. Take care of yourself." then he said. Before I could say anything, he has hung up the phone.

I put the phone back in my pocket and walked to the lecture hall with a confused mind.

I couldn't understand Adrian… Everything about him is so good. Honestly, too good to be true… Maybe I am just paranoid. But I feel something that is not entirely positive about him…

When I went to the lecture hall, the lecture was already started. I sat near Gina, who was frowning at me.

"What has happened to you! I was trying to call you, but your number was busy," she whispered.

"That's a long story. I will tell you later." I whispered back.

"You are driving me crazy, Zuri!" she snarled and looked away.

After the lecture, we stayed in the lecture hall as we have another lecture in the same palace after half an hour.

I explained to Gina everything that has happened…

"Oh my God! Zuri… This Adrian… He is becoming so much interesting. Also, creepy..." Gina said.

"I know. When Adrian said he was observing me for all the four years, it actually made me scared." I accepted.

"You should feel scared. There is something with this guy." Gina said.

"Yeah… He is too good to be true!" I agreed.

"Hmm… Zuri… What if your secret admirer is him!"

I couldn't even believe Gina would suggest something like that.

"No! That is not possible!" I screamed.

I was too loud, and other students were staring at me. Even Ayaan, who was sitting in the front row, looked at me with wide eyes.

"I think she has gone crazy for real!" I heard Chelsy said, and everyone started to laugh.

I didn't care about what they said; I continued talking to Gina, this time being careful about my volume.

"He might travel here from time to time. But I don't think he came here on all my birthdays and kept a present for me in my locker."

"I am not saying I am hundred per cent sure about that. But just think… You met him for the first time a month before your 16 th birthday. You started to get these gifts on your 16th birthday. Also, just like you said, it must be someone who knows you lost the pendant yesterday. So it must be someone of Ayaan's friend, or it should be Adrian." Gina explained her assumption.

"But how Adrian could get it back from Chelsy?" I asked.

"He is a prince, Zuri. The most powerful one in the country at the moment. So he must have ways." Gina said.

"You actually think it should be Adrain, arent you?" I asked again.

"Yeah… With all the information we have..." she replied.

"But as you said, he is a prince. A handsome and powerful prince. Why he wants to give presents to me like that? Who am I? Just an average commoner." I said.

"Not all the princes overlook your worth, Zuri…" she said, pointing to Ayaan, who was talking with his friends.

"This prince must have understood the princess hidden in this average commoner!" she then said, pointing to my head.

"You just imagine this, Gina. You should be an author, not a lecture!" I said, pouting.

However, we couldn't continue our discussion after that as our lecture came.

During the lecture, the professor assigned us a project. It is going to be a pair work, and he divided us into pairs as he wishes!

Yes, as you may have guessed already, I was paired with Ayaan!

What do you all think? Did it make me happy so that I can spend more time with him?

No! It made me terrified. Getting closer to him is like inviting danger. No matter how much I love to spend some time with him, I am scared to think of it now.

I am surely going to face a hell of lots of troubles!

As soon as the professor went out of the lecture hall. I followed him and ask if there is any possibility to change the pairs now.

"Why do you have any problem with your partner?" the professor asked a bit angrily, which made me stop pleading anymore.

"No, sir! That's fine!" though I have thousands of problems with my partner, I replied to him.

Now there is no escape for me. I have to work with him. This project requires lots of research and discussion with the partner, and we have a rigorous timeline. I don't know how I am going to manage that with him now.