Royally Screwed

When Kellin was a little boy, when days seemed like they were the little fairy tales his father and mother often read to him before kissing him goodnight, he would sneak out of his room to sit on the uncut grass of their small house's small lawn and he would try his best to count the stars. For each star he'd counted, he'd make a wish.

When I grow up, I'm gonna be happy.

When I grow up, I'm gonna make my mommy and daddy proud of me.

When I grow up, I'll find my Prince Charming.

His mother and father had a big tome full of fairy tales. They'd read to him every night, each a different story, and there seemed to be an endless amount of them. There were dragons and fairies and sneaky little trolls, there were beautiful princesses and Kellin's favorite characters: princes.

Kellin didn't differ what was to be a male role, what was to be a female. All he knew was that he wanted someone to be able to sweep him off his feet, to want to take care of him and when Kellin listened to the stories, the princess never did any of those things, it was the prince. The prince would fight the monsters, would run through brambles and would search the lands all for that one person they love so very much. Kellin wanted that, Kellin wanted someone to be looking for him, wanting to love him and be with him forever and he'd do the same for his prince.

When Kellin turned six, his father fell deathly ill. The stories once being read in the comfort of their small, love abundant home were now being read in a cold, white walled hospital room. Kellin asked over and over if his father was going to be okay soon. He got the same answer over and over again from his mother, that everything would get better soon and that it was going to be okay. Soon, his father was unable to read him stories on the hospital bed anymore as his lungs were troubling him. All he could manage anymore was a smile and a loose hug before Kellin and his mother went home from the hospital.

Kellin was seven when his father died.

His mother, overcome by grief, couldn't read to him anymore, as halfway through the tale, she would break down sobbing. But Kellin understood. He was overcome by that same grief.

Kellin's mother remarried a two years later when he turned nine. His stepfather was rich and powerful and had one daughter who was around his age. Kellin, his mother and their new family moved into a bigger house. The move was difficult for the little boy. He was reluctant to leave the little house that held so many memories but he had to. With him, he took the big book of fairy tales.

His stepdad's house was much bigger than it needed to be. It was four stories high with lots of different rooms. Kellin's stepdad and stepsister were nice people though.

But only for a few months.

Kellin discovered Jenna Mcdougall was a wicked, mean girl. She liked to make Kellin look bad in front of everyone and she liked to pull pranks on him and laugh at him. She was only nice in front of their parents and she'd get praised all the time for being the polite and sweet girl that she wasn't.

James Mcdougall was a cold, cynical businessman. Kellin always had a feeling of unease whenever he was around. A feeling that Kellin wasn't good enough to be the man's son. The stepdad was doing a great job of amplifying this feeling too. He didn't spare even a glance for Kellin when they walked by each other around the house, he didn't say good morning or anything when Kellin's mother wasn't around to hear it. It was like the two of them we're just putting up a big show for Kellin's mom.

He knew though, that his mother was happy so he all he could do was sit there and bear it. His mothers' happiness was all that mattered to him now.

Kellin turned 13 when his mother became ill. This time, he'd read the stories to her since she'd be insistent on hearing his voice all the time. She died a few months later while Kellin was sleeping on the chair by her side, holding her hand.

From then on, he became the family's housemaid. He cooked, washed the dishes, dusted the banisters, cleaned out the fire place and mopped the floors. All without a single ounce of gratitude from his stepdad and stepsister. He was pushed around all the time and his life got worse and worse as he turned seventeen.

But Kellin believed that someday, he was going to make those wishes he made to the stars he'd counted all those years ago come true. He'd be happy one day. He'd find his Prince Charming one day. He'd live the life he deserved and his mom and dad would look down on him, proud of their son.

All he had to do was wait.