Princess

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” asked Dylan, raising his eyebrows.

I paused, wondering if I was doing the right thing. It felt right and maybe, for the first time in a long while, I was doing something that felt right to me and not just something that I was supposed to do. Not that wanting to do this was something that was logical. I was simply going with my gut instincts and perhaps...it would show that I didn’t hide my feelings as much as he thought I was. “I flared up for nothing that day.”

“You’re a weird person with crazy mood swings.” He smiled, reaching out to push a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

For a second, I thought my breath caught in my throat before I shook myself out of my irrational thinking. Why would I react like that to him? “I take it that I’m forgiven then.”
“There’s nothing to forgive.”

“Okay. What did I miss?” A head suddenly popped in between Dylan and me, causing me to take a step backward and realize how close I had been standing to him. What on earth was wrong with me? “Why are you guys suddenly so…close?”

Close. That was a word for it.

“We’re not.”

He glanced at me and grinned, as though he knew something I didn’t. Tia’s head swung back and forth, noting the changes before a small smile developed over her face. I could feel my cheeks radiating heat and immediately coughed.

The bell rang and Dylan stood up, saying, “Oh well. That’s my first class. What about you guys?”

Tia replied, “I have Earth Sciences the next period.”
“I have Bio next period too.
”
He shrugged nonchalantly, the grin still on his face. “See you later then.”

We both watched him leave the cafeteria before Tia sat down and asked, “So, what exactly happened?”

“Nothing…” I swallowed, wondering if I was being too obvious. I knew that my acting skills were in serious need of some help because they were becoming worse each day.

“You went on a date with him. You can’t say that nothing happened… I know Dylan works fast.”

This disconcerted me. Instead of replying her question or even asking her what she meant, I changed the topic to something that I knew she would appreciate, “How did you even find out?”

“Luke told me.”

Ah. Something that I could talk about that would distract her enough. “Luke, Luke, Luke… What on earth are you going to do about him?”

“What do you mean?”

“Tia, he’s buying you an engagement present, it’s pretty obvious to me that that’s a turnaround from what I saw last time.”

Her cheeks turned pink and she asked, “Do you really think so?”

“Yeah.” I knew that Tia probably knew that Luke had changed but needed the reassurance. And I was happy to provide it as long as we didn’t talk about my relationship with Dylan. “So, did anything else happen in Luke and Tia land?”

She rolled her eyes at me but her eyes were still sparkling. “Yeah, we eloped and got married in Vegas.”

Hearing 'married' caused me to slide my gaze to the giant rock on her finger. Her engagement ring was of a princess cut, large and beautiful but from her godfather, instead of Luke, like how it was supposed to be. Perhaps it wasn’t my business but I wondered how it felt to get married and have the whole supposed ‘happy ending’ with the guy you loved…only that it really wasn’t a happy ending.

“Anyway, because of the whole engagement being moved forward, I’m having an engagement ball. And you’re invited.”

“An engagement ball?” I repeated, stupidly. Then my mind worked quickly, realising that I could use this to my advantage. Still, I had some concerns. “Where’s it going to be?”

“A little eager, aren’t you?” Tia eyed me a little oddly. “It’s at the Hilton Hotel, one of their ballrooms. You might not know which room though, it’s a little difficult to find… Hmm…I guess Dylan will just have to bring you there. It’s on Sunday, from 7 onwards.”

I pulled a face, although I was secretly glad that it wasn’t at the Fuller Mansion. Though it may be possible that Sean Fuller would attend the engagement ball, I felt safer knowing that it wasn’t at his house, where there was a higher chance that I would get killed. I wasn’t super pleased that I had go with Dylan but it was apparent to me that Tia wanted to play matchmaker. I might as well play along.
***
The rest of the week flew by, with Tia handing me something to wear for her party (I actually had plenty of clothes…once again courtesy of the crazy costumes the costume mistresses back from work had dreamt up of but once again, I let it slide) and I tossed it aside.

It was only on the actual night where I worried over what I was wearing, not because I needed to impress Dylan (he was ‘dating’ me and any effort which I had put into dressing up the last time had been ruined with all the running around we did) but because I needed to be sure that it was long enough to hide my equipment.

Namely, one small camera hidden in a faux diamond ear stud, a handgun and a refill of bullets to be strapped around my thigh in case of any sticky situations, a tiny microphone to be tucked into my hair with the help of a hair pin and my acting skills (which I was really starting to question these days).

I rushed around, attempting to at least look presentable and then did my make up and everything in a hurry before finally putting on the dress and tucking all the equipment into the right places before I allowed myself a quick glimpse in the mirror.

Well. This was unexpected. The dress was simple but knee length. Perhaps the best comparison I could give was that it was a class little black dress but of an excellent cut. Thinking wryly to myself that this was what wealth and a personal shopper (I knew that Tia had one) could give you, there was a hesitant knock.

Pausing a few moments to adjust the equipment and make Dylan sweat it out a little, I opened the door where Owen Harrison, and not Dylan Fuller, stood.

He looked at me for a few seconds before smiling. “Hey there.”

I heard the door next to mine open and footsteps before both guys, whom I did not want to meet, saw each other and turned towards me for an explanation.
***