Her Royal Pen Pal

Chapter 6 [Everyone's Talking...]

(Copyright) © 2011 Candle_Ice

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Chapter 6

"Elise van Hastening! Are you or are you not, my best friend?" 

Elise hid a smile, as she was approached by her best friend since diaper days, Tatiana Daae. She had just pulled up in the school's parking lot and already she was cornered.

"Is that a trick question?" She answered with a bright smile.

"Apparently. Because, everyone, and I mean everyone, from my gossipy old neighbour to the Dean, is talking about 'Elise and The Crown Prince.' And me, 'supposed BFF' have no idea what they're talking about." Tatiana shrieked, in a playful tone.

"Relax. You know everything," Elise confided, "Prince_charming01' is Leonidas, and I didn't find out until yesterday when he walked into the meeting.''

"Damn! The one day I missed a meeting, it turns out to have more drama than the drama club." Tatiana exclaimed teasingly.

Laughing, Elise looked around the parking lot, to ensure it was empty and told her best friend of Leonidas' visit to her house and subsequent phone call. 

"No fricking way. Can I see that letter?" Tatiana asked in an awed voice, like Elise just confessed to having discovered the cure for morning breath.

"Sure, whenever you come over again, I'll show you Leonidas' letter."

"So he's 'Leonidas' now? I noticed you don't call him by his title." Her friend asked with raised eyebrows.

"Well, he told me to call him that." she defended.

"Hey, I'm not accusing. I just think it's bloody awesome that my best friend gets to call the Crown Prince by his first name. OMG! You may even be future Queen! Imagine me, little ole' Tatiana Daae, the royal best friend." She finished in a dramatic tone.

Laughing, Elise grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her towards the entryway to the building. 

"Come on Royal Best Friend, “Elise joked, "We'll be late for class.''

***

If one more person came up to her and called her the Royal Girlfriend, Elise will rip their head off. It was barely 12 noon, and Elise was already willing to call it a day.

It seemed as if the entire campus has forgotten about school related topics and was focusing on her and the prince. Even teachers were asking her questions about the nature of her relation with their future king. 

Tatiana joked that she should get a t-shirt stamped "We're just friends!'' to save her answering. 

When her final class was finished, Elise raced towards her car and drove away in record time. Photographers lined the streets outside the university gates, and cameras started flashing as soon as she passed the gate way.  

Luckily her windows were tinted so they couldn't get a shot of her. Reaching her home street, she saw more reporters lined up along the sides, and outside of the fence of her house.

Crap. Whipping out her phone she called home and her dad answered.

"Daddy, reporters… outside! Can't get in. Help!" hopefully her dad recognised the panic in her voice.

From her parked position, a little away from her house, Elise saw her father come out into the front yard and start to yell, waving his hands in the air and gesturing them to leave. She couldn’t hear what he was saying, but she saw that he was in full lawyer mode, so she gathered that it had to be some legal mumbo jumbo.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the reporters left, and she was able to drive into her yard, and then the garage. 

Coming into the house, Elise hugged her father.

"Thanks daddy. What did you do to get them to go away?"

"Threatened to file law suits, this is a private property, invasion of privacy, disturbance of peace, nuisance, and whole lot of other legal stuff that didn't really make sense about the matter, but they bought it." Her father smiled, "No one messes with the royal girlfriend.'' 

"Daaaddd." Elise warned.

"Sorry, couldn't resist. Your mom brought me up to speed about the situation. You know, she's more excited than anything else. One would think she was the one dating the prince."

Elise laughed. Her father, the best lawyer she knew was also the funniest. He was also taking this whole ‘prince’ thing very calmly. But she didn’t have time to analyse his behavior just yet, she had to find something to wear for her date with Leonidas.

Just because she didn’t technically like him, doesn’t mean she shouldn’t look good when they meet for dinner.

***

Oh my God! What to wear?? Elise thought as she stared at her closet. It was a little after 5:30 and Leonidas said the car will be by to pick her up at 6:30, and she had yet to find an appropriate outfit to wear. Not one article of clothing in her vast closet seemed remotely right for the occasion.

 She had an hour, give or take a few minutes, to get ready. She needed help. Pronto! Picking up her phone, she dialed the only person who could help her in a fashion crisis.

"No worries…I'll be there soon.'' 

Fifteen minutes later, a breathless Tatiana was in her bedroom.

"Ok baby, let’s get this show on the road." Her best friend said holding up a plastic dress bag.

Thirty minutes later, Elise was ready. What would she do without Tatiana? Her friend was the absolute bestest in the whole world!  

Dressed in a short sleeved black dress with a tight bodice and flared skirt that went directly to the knee and silver high heels, with a pearl necklace and matching earrings, Elise was ready to go, but still nervous.

Tatiana was trying to lighten her mood, but it was clear that she, herself, seemed chomping at the bit.

"Ok, don't be nervous. Just be yourself. It’s not like you haven't talked to him before. He knows you. This is just the first face to face conversation.... Be Calm, ok?" Tatiana preached.

Nodding her head, Elise tried to slow down her rapidly beating heart. She had almost succeeded, but it just picked up pulse when the car arrived.

"Be calm!" Tatiana reminded her at the door.

She nodded, unable to speak a single word, but feeling a bit calmer.

Placing her hands on either of Elise's shoulders, Tatiana gave her three quick shakes, "For Pete's Sake BE CALM WOMAN!" her friend bellowed!

"I am calm," Elise replied.

"Oh," Tatiana said sheepishly, removing her hands, "I guess I’m the one who needs to calm down."

“Yeah,” Elise agreed.

“Call me later, okay. I want details,” her friend instructed.

“But of course. I will call you, and relate all the dreary details,” she told her.

“You better,” was the mock-scolded reply.

Hugging her friend goodbye, Elise went out the front door to the waiting car and was off for her date with the Crown Prince.