Summer After High School

46

Kyle

"How long are your visitors saying? " Mother asks, when they leave with Mabel.

"Two days, " I adjust myself in my chair to sit upright under father's gaze.

"Nonsense! Your welcome back party is in 3 days.  They ought to stay till then."

I want to smile but I don't know how to.

"I have a welcome back party. " I am meant to ask but it comes out more like a statement.

"Yeah. You do, everyone has to know everything is alright. And you just left to make new discoveries, it's something that a courageous prince would do! " Father speaks to me directly for the first time.

"You don't even know why I left," I calmly say.

"That's because you haven't told us yet. You'll tell us but the world doesn't need to know the real reason. Beside, you were always talking about new discoveries, what else could you possibly have left for? "

I sigh and stand."Did you guys even miss your son? "

Mum stand, her brown eyes dimmed. She starts walking towards me, one foot directly in front of the other. When she hugs me, I return the hug and my arms easily wrap around her lean body.

"We missed you so much. We thought it was just one of your usual run away routine for a few days but when we found out that Maggie didn't even know where you were, we were worried. "

"Why did you leave? " Father questions, an impassive expression on his face. Sometimes I wonder if there's any inch of his heart that isn't  stone yet.

I untangle myself from mum's arms. She walks behind me and envelopes me in her arms again, wrapping her arms around my shoulder. I feel loved and it's a bit unusual. Nanny Maggie is mostly the one who gives me hugs.

"I thought you'd be smarter, mature and have a sense of responsibility as you turned 18. I was so wrong. How can you go so far without informing anyone? What in the world were you thinking? Do you know what people would start thinking about us, the royal family? "

It's about the royal family again. I'm sick of it.

"I'm tired, okay! " I yell. "I'm tired of being unable to live my life the way I want. I'm tired for living for every one else. It's driving me insane! "

Silence fills up the palace. Mum untangles her arms from me and comes to face me. "What are you talking about? "

I try to hold back the liquid brimming in my eyes."How can't you see, mother? How can't you guys see? I'm not happy okay? I'm not. I'm freaking tired. This is supposed to be my home but it feels more like a prison!"

My efforts to hold back the tears are useless. "The only life I have here is the life of pleasing others!"

"As member of the royal family, you have an obligation to.. "

"Stop father, Stop! " I yell. Mum uses her hands to wipe my tears. "I was suffocating, I was drowning, I had to leave. I had to get away from all of this. "

"Prince Raymond Kyle Christopher Alexander III! "Father calls.

"Congratulations, I'm back home to resume my job as a puppet. I hope you're both happy! That's what you want to hear right? Well sorry, but things are going to change this time! "

With that I walk away and I cry and I break down.
****

"I think you should tell them especially the one with the blue eyes, Paige I think. " Mabel says as she dusts my shirt even though there's nothing to dust away.