The Prince's Tutor

Callie stood folding the men’s dress shirts neatly as her older sister sat on the main counter, swinging her long legs childishly.

“So why aren’t you going to the dinner?”

Callie looked up from her folding, glanced at Andrea’s persistent expression, and sighed deeply.

“Mum told you,” she said in an all-knowing voice.

Andrea’s eyes followed her younger sister as Callie tried to escape the upcoming conversation.

“I was quite offended you hadn’t told me yourself. I’m sure you didn’t find it necessary to tell your only big sister,” Andrea said, her brow furrowing in annoyance.

“Andy, it isn’t like that. I just didn’t want to make it a big deal,” Callie said, running her hands through the colorful ties that hung on the rack next to her.

Andrea’s eyes widened at Callie as she jumped from the counter, similarly to how a child would jump off a swing.

“But that’s just it, Callie! It is a big deal!” Andrea paused, feeling slightly ignored. “We’re talking about one of the most powerful men in our country!”

Callie couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she avoided her sister’s exasperated stare.

“Sure, when you say it like that, everything sounds grand.”

Callie returned to the counter and began to tidy up the area while Andrea followed behind. She desperately wanted to talk about another subject, but her sister was annoyingly persistent.

Couldn’t she just live her simple, boring life without being lectured about it all the damn time?

“Forgive me, but what exactly is so important here that you found it necessary to turn down a prince?”

Andrea was a couple of feet away from her younger sister, her eyes unmoving. She was determined to persuade her foolish little sister into going before Callie made a horrible mistake. But much to her frustration, Callie was remarkably stubborn.

“I can’t believe you would say that, honestly. You of all people, Andrea. I have to work, and-” Callie’s eyes darted about the room, searching frantically for her excuses “and this place is always so horribly messy, and I have homework! Lots of it.”
Callie finished her statement and moved back to the never ending shelves of dress shirts, ties, belts, and other odd accessories.

“Oh for god’s sakes, you’re just making up excuses for yourself. No one is going to come into this shop, Callie, look at this place! When have you ever seen a customer?” Andrea said, returning to her spot back on the counter.

“There have been a few from time to time…” Callie said, though she knew she was losing the argument.

“And homework? I’ll do your bloody homework if that’s what you’re so worried about.”

“Don’t make me laugh,” Callie said with bitter annoyance as she took out the broom and began sweeping the floor.

“What the hell does that mean?” Andrea demanded, clearly offended by the comment.

“It means, as brilliant as you are, you are pretty much clueless when it comes to law.”

“Then you’ll do it in the morning, as usual.”

“No, I can’t,” Callie said, sweeping with increased vigor.

“Callie!”

Callie looked up at Andrea, surprised by her sudden tone.

“Look at you! You look like Cinderella, for god’s sakes,” Andrea said, referring to the broom in her sister’s hands. “Why won’t you let yourself have any fun?”

Callie put aside her broom reluctantly, and looked down at her simple, grey attire.

“But I don’t have a dress.”

Andrea shot her sister a look that seemed to say, ‘For someone at the top of your class, how can you be so stupid sometimes?’

“Look around, Callie. You’re in a formal wear boutique,” she said in a matter of fact tone.

Callie gasped, looking around at the place. “That would be stealing!”

Andrea raised her eyebrow and smirked rather devilishly.

“Not if you’re borrowing.”

~**~

Callie sat in her brother’s car, twiddling her thumbs nervously. She was beginning to have second thoughts about the whole thing.

“Well?” Tom asked, looking at his sister cautiously, as if she were a ticking bomb that would explode any second.

“What am I doing here?” Callie began, running her hands through her curls, “let’s just go home.”

Tom sat in the driver’s seat, peering at his sister. She had been trying to decide whether or not to get out of the car for about ten minutes. She was a handful, this one.

“What? You made me drive all the way to Westminster just to tell me you’re not going? No. You’re doing this,” he said with defiance.

Callie looked up from her hands to her brother’s face. She searched his eyes for sympathy, but found none.

“But I don’t belong here, Tom! I can already picture it, them staring me down with disapproval the moment I walk in,” she said, fantasizing all sorts of things.

“They’ll be whispering about me the entire night, thinking ‘Who the hell brought her?’ They’ll see through everything, they’ll see I’m poor and then I’ll lose my job. And what if it’s broadcasted? I’ll be the laughing stock of the whole school, and-”

“Seriously Callie, how do you come up with these things? You’re acting completely mental,” he said, bemused at his sister’s exaggerations.

Callie nodded her head in agreement with her brother. She really did have a wild imagination.

“You’re right, I’m being stupid.”

“No, not stupid. Just difficult. Now, get out of the car and go to your Prince Charming,” he said, smirking.

Callie’s jaw dropped slightly in astonishment as she reached over and lightly smacked her brother’s arm, laughing along with him in the process.

“You’re horrible, you are! Stop making this more than what it is!” she laughed.

Tom smiled at his older sister and nodded his head in the direction of the door, motioning for her to get out.

“Oh, fine. I’ll leave. But we’re resuming this conversation later,” she said warningly, pointing her finger at him.

Tom just continued to bob his head and wondered why girls never stopped talking.

“I’m leaving, okay,” she said and leaned over to kiss her little brother on the side of his head before exiting the vehicle.

Tom waved her goodbye and turned his key; the ancient car seemed to roar to life with a newfound energy.

Once his car was out of sight, Callie turned to the black and golden gates of Buckingham Palace. With a deep sigh, she mustered up the courage and pushed the iron gate.