Chapter 6
705 Words
Six
I had been at school a week.
Time in Coleum seemed to fly by incredibly fast, and I kept on expecting it to have been longer. After the Queens visit, things were quiet. I expected that there would be some kind of announcement, but it was all a matter of waiting. Which, somehow, was even worse.
It was like waiting for a bomb to drop.
I tried to get on with my classes as normal, ignoring the stares that had become part of my life. I focused on my studies, trying to act as though nothing had changed even with the Prince’s promise necklace around my neck.
The sun might as well have been burning into my skin, but I had to try to hide it. I wasn’t allowed to announce anything about the engagement, despite the constant questions that I got. Everly, however, seemed to be living an entirely different life than me at college. While she and I had the exact, same, schedule and we did see each other frequently her world was a bit different.
She was the Princess of Coleum. Everyone knew her, everyone loved her. What’s more, she already had a set of friends that were already there. After my second week of staying mostly inside my room, Everly seemed to be getting annoyed with me.
“Okay, this isn’t fine,” she said.
“What?” I said. “What am I supposed to do? I am saddled with this stupid thing around my neck. Every time I go out, I feel like I’m waiting for people to attack me and split open my insides.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun!” she insisted. “I’m a Princess, with a complete security staff, and I’m having more fun than you.”
“I feel like every time I go out, I’m worried that I’m going to do something to piss off your brother.”
“Look, you’re not officially engaged to him yet. Come out, have fun. Please. We’re going to the club tonight, and I think it would be great if you came.”
I looked at her. “Can I take the necklace off?”
She winced. “Only at your own peril.”
“Right,” I said, “right. Well, okay. I’ll go.”
“You’re going to change, right?”
I sighed. “You’re going to make me, aren’t you?”
She clapped her hands together. “Absolutely! Come on, we’ll find you something from my closet.”
Everly had a wardrobe that amounted to an entire mall. Any kind of outfit you might want, she had. We searched for what seemed like hours and I tried on a million, different things. “Oh!” she clapped her hands together. “I know exactly what you should wear tonight. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before.”
She pulled out a blue, velvet dress with strappy sleeves. In the center of the dress, there was a sun.
I stared at her. “Are you serious?”
“Oh, come on. People already know you’re wearing his promise necklace. You might as well lean into it.”
“This dress wasn’t for any weird, royal occasion was it?”
She shook her head. “No, I wore it for the secret after party that my friends threw me when I turned sixteen. I think it will look perfect on you. Oh, and I’ve got the perfect black heels for you.”
I sighed. “If it will make you happy, I will wear it, but I swear if the tabloid starts calling me Sunshine or something, I will murder you.”
She grinned. “I know. Trust me, you’ll thank me for this. I swear.”
I dressed, and she helped me with my hair and makeup. Together, we took her black, armored, SUV to one of the Coleum night clubs.
- Writer
