Out of the Spotlight

Chapter 15- Appreciating Blessings

I sit in my room reading a book. It's usually a luxury I usually go without, but I haven't had anything to do for weeks now.

I sigh, already exasperated with the characters in the story. Their lives may be dramatic, but it is nowhere close to the life I'm living. If only things were that simple in my reality.

l sign, trying not to think about the way things could have been. How I could live a normal life if I never lived here at the palace. But, then again, things could have been So much different.

l just need to learn how to appreciate what I was blessed with.

I pick the book up off my bed, deciding that it wasn't worth it to watch some hormonal teenage girl cry and cry for months about some guy she had feelings for disappeared. She doesn't even have that much of a reason to cry. They probably only exchanged two words in their life time's.

I put it back on the correct spot on one of the cases and slim the bookshelves for a better piece of literature. If that book is considered literature, well, my generation is not going to be the best.

Even I can write a better book than that. I think to myself.

I finally find one that looks interesting and shoot down on the floor along the end of one of the bookcases and start reading.

I lose track of time as I turn each page.

I hear someone approaching me, but I keep my attention on the book.

"Josie?"

I look up. "Yes, Kaden?"

"We've been looking for you everywhere. Come on, it's time for dinner."

I sigh. "It's okay, I'm not hungry. You guys go on without me. I'll grab something later."

"So your actually not hungry, or ypu just want to read your book."

I shrug and say, "A little bit of both. Mostly the last one though."

He laughs. "Trust me, I know exactly how that feels."

"Knowing you," I say, nudging hours foot, "I'm sure you do."

He laughs again. "Well, I can't just leave a lady like you sitting on the floor by yourself, so I have no choice but to join you."

"Of you insist, your Highness." I say, patting the floor beside me.

He grins.

"Hey, I don't mean to spoil the mood or anything, but how is Mrs. Singer?" I ask. No one has updated me in a while."

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "She's stable. She may wake up soon. The doctors can't do much more for her whole she's in the coma. She had to do that on her own. Other than that, well, we're optimistic."

I smile. "Good. Now, what are you going to read."

He sighs. "I don't know. It's been awhile since I read the dictionary. Maybe I'll read that."

I can't help it. My jaw drops. "You're kidding, right?" I ask in all seriousness.

He grins and shakes his head. "Of course I am."

I shake my head, feigning shock. "Good. For a second there, you had me worried."

He does down beside me and pulls a book off one of the shelves. "Don't worry, the only time I tried to do that was when I was nine. I got through the a's and maybe half of the b's before I gave up. "

I shake my head and settle down.

We both read and read until we're both too tired to carry on.

He walks me to my room. "Goodnight, Josie."

I do something I haven't done since we were little kids. I step up to him and pull him into an embrace. "Night, Kaden."

I pull away. "Oh, and thank you, for today."

He smiles. "Your welcome."

I stand inside the doorway and watch him walk to his room. He opens his door and disappears inside, but not without the slightest look back.