Chapter 3 Prince Charming

• Lucy’s POV
• Omalicha isn’t my name or nickname—it’s a Nigerian word meaning “beautiful one.” Kenneth’s mom is Nigerian, so he often uses words like Omalicha and Nkem (which means mine). I find it deeply romantic. Every time he says it, butterflies flutter in my stomach like they’ve just been set free.
• I turned around and gasped. There he was—standing just behind me.
• Tall. Gorgeous. Broad-shouldered. That flawless dark skin and those piercing hazel eyes that always managed to undo me. The way he looked at me? It sent shivers down my spine every single time.
• Kenneth strode toward me with that irresistible smirk I’d come to adore. His arms were open, and I melted as he pulled me into him. For a moment, I stood there frozen—gawking like I’d never seen him before. His embrace snapped me back to earth, grounding me in his warmth.
• His touch was electric. His lips brushed my cheek, and I practically sighed in bliss.
• I’ve never been big on public displays of affection, but since I met Kenneth and fell hopelessly in love, I didn’t mind at all. Somehow, with him, it always felt right.
• “Hey babe,” I murmured as he slowly unwrapped his arms from around me.
• “Hey love,” he replied, brushing a curl from my face. “I missed you. Didn’t you miss me? Were you seriously going to walk away without even seeing me?”
• “Oh, you have no idea,” I sighed. “I almost cried earlier when I couldn’t find you.”
• He chuckled softly and pulled me into another quick embrace. Then, without letting go, he tugged me along with him toward the Students’ Representative Council office.
• Yes—my man has an office. He’s the Secretary General of the SRC. If that’s not future-politician energy, I don’t know what is.
• Kenneth sat on the edge of his desk and pulled me gently into his lap. His lips met mine in a slow, passionate kiss, and his hands explored my back in the most innocent yet spine-tingling way. Sensations sparked across my skin, pooling at my core, but we had agreed to wait until the time was right. And we would.
• Still, that didn’t mean his touch didn’t drive me crazy.
• “Babe,” I whispered, breaking away with a pout, “I’ve got thirty minutes before my next class. Can you help me with my math assignment?”
• He laughed—a warm, deep sound that always made my heart flutter. “Let me see it,” he said, grabbing the notebook from my hand.
• Kenneth was incredibly smart, especially with numbers. He helped me—just like he always did—and for that, I was always grateful. Loving him didn’t just come easy; it felt natural. Like breathing.
• ---
• Flashback
• I guess you’re wondering how we met, right?
• It was shortly after I woke up in my nineteen-year-old body—still reeling from the shock of my rebirth. I had just arrived at university and was getting settled in. That’s when I met my roommate, Nelly Barot. We clicked almost instantly.
• After we finished unpacking, we headed to the admin block for registration. Nelly was stunning—dark-skinned, short natural curls, fierce brown eyes. She kept her hair cropped short and rocked it confidently. As we chatted and waited our turn, I saw him.
• Kenneth.
• I had no idea at the time that he would become the man I’d fall hopelessly in love with.
• Our eyes locked—and for a good five seconds, the world stopped. I couldn’t look away. My stomach did flips and my heart raced so fast, I thought I might pass out.
• Nelly nudged me, giggling. Even though we’d only just met, she whispered, “Girl, you two are totally having a moment right now.”
• I blushed and quickly looked away, trying to pretend I hadn’t just melted into a puddle.
• We found seats and waited for our names to be called. But Kenneth kept stealing glances—until finally, he stood up and walked right over to me.
• “Hi,” he said boldly. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
• My mouth opened, but nothing came out. I just nodded.
• He motioned for me to step aside. I glanced at Nelly, who gave me a reassuring nod. Go on.
• “Hi, I’m Kenneth. I’m sorry to be so forward,” he said, his voice smooth and confident. “But I couldn’t stop staring at you. May I know your name?”
• I cleared my throat. “I’m… Lucy Foster,” I replied, shyly.
• “Nice to meet you, Lucy,” he said with a soft smile. “Like I said, I know this is forward, but… I was wondering if you’d like to go on a date with me?”
• My heart thundered in my chest.
• My mouth didn’t trust itself to speak, so once again, I just nodded.
• He smirked—clearly reading my nerves as a sign that I liked him too.
• And that’s how it started.
• From that moment, everyone began calling us the lovebirds of the university. And truthfully? I didn’t mind one bit.
• ---
• Kenneth helped me finish the assignment, and I kissed him on the cheek before heading off to my lecture.
• We were both in the Sciences and Engineering Department—he was studying Construction Engineering, while I was focused on Pharmaceuticals. But our schedules didn’t always match, so we cherished any time we got.
• When I walked into the lecture hall, I spotted a new girl sitting alone. She looked nervous and slightly out of place, so I walked over and took the empty seat beside her.
• She was gorgeous—slender, graceful, mixed-race, with long blonde hair and piercing green eyes. Her designer clothes and flawless makeup screamed wealth.
• “Hi! I’m Lucy Foster,” I whispered.
• The lecture was about to start, and I didn’t want to get on Dr. Hamilton’s bad side. He was the kind of professor who called you by your full name when he was mad—and that alone made me shudder.
• “Nice to meet you, Lucy. I’m Patricia Bratton,” she replied softly.
• “Are you new? I haven’t seen you around.”
• “I just transferred from Northern University. I’m from The Valley,” she said.
• I nodded politely. I wasn’t very familiar with the North or West regions, only that they were monarchies. I knew Kenneth was from the Western Kingdom, but he never really talked about it. I was still basking in our new love and hadn’t thought to ask more.
• After class, Patricia asked if she could hang out with me, and I agreed.
• We headed to the student mall cafeteria so she could grab something to eat. Just as we sat down, Nelly strolled up with a dramatic mock-scowl.
• “OMG! Girl, I see how it is. Replacing me already?” she teased.
• “Pfft! Don’t be ridiculous. You’re irreplaceable!” I said, giggling as we fist-bumped.
• “Patricia, this is Nelly—my BFF and roommate,” I introduced.
• “Nice to meet you,” Patricia said, offering a handshake.
• “I’m her best friend and roommie. Just so you know,” Nelly added with a playful smirk.
• The two girls shook hands, and I smiled—completely unaware of the storm that was brewing beneath Patricia’s calm exterior.