The Princess Within Me

Chapter 24

Sarah's P.O.V.

The night of Cedrick's birthday celebration would be held tomorrow. Many people would attend his party especially that he was the oh so honorable crown prince. One of those probable guest would be actually me.

I honestly had second thoughts about it especially that we weren't on good terms yet but from what he made me feel when we were at the children's hospital, I could say that my hatred towards him subsided a bit. Besides, I would just cause more trouble for myself if I decided not to go. My royal obligations should always come first.

The thought of his birthday celebration actually gave me quite a hard time. I hadn't have an easy time in searching for the perfect gift for him.

He had everything. He had the fortune, the brains, the looks so it was really hard to think of something that he would appreciate. Despite of our misunderstandings, I still wanted to ensure that I could make him happy even through a simple present.

I went to the mall and tried to visit as many shops as I could. I first came across a bookstore. I suddenly remembered that he already had a huge collection of reading materials at home and I wasn't also sure of what genre he preferred so buying him a book wasn't an option.

I checked a clothing store next but I immediately realized that he didn't need another piece of wear. He had someone to do the shopping for him especially of the meticulosity that the royal elders had in terms of what we should wear.

The cycle continued. I went to one store to another until I finally had nothing to go to anymore. There were a lot of choices to choose from but I couldn't find anything that I could say could match Cedrick's taste.

I decided to go home after hours of going around the mall. One reason was obviously that I was very tired already and quite hopeless especially that I found nothing interesting at all. Another reason was that some people were already suspicious of my identity so I took it as a sign to quit.

It was almost ten in the evening when I got home. My parents were already asleep which I considered as something good because I was saved from being interrogated by them because of being home just then.

I quickly went to my room. I looked through every drawer that I had, searching for anything that I could give to Cedrick. I was pretty desperate so this was one way on how I could tend to my desperation.

I found a mug, a notebook, a pen, and other things that were seemingly bought from the thrift store. Giving him any of those was worse than buying him something from the mall. He would just laugh it off.

I finally lost the remaining ounce of hope that I had in me. I exhaustedly slumped on my chair still devastated about the dilemma I just had. I would just want to find a gift that I could be proud of.

I stared at the ceiling as I thought of another possible gift for Cedrick. I tried to think more deeply than before. This time I considered many factors that would give me a glimpse of the real Cedrick. I suddenly realized one thing, that was the most important thing of all, that made me understand why I had this petty problem of buying him a gift that would fit him perfectly. I still didn't know him quite well.

Since the first time I met him, I only knew him based on his social status. Eventually, I began to unravel the Cedrick beneath that princely persona. He was cold, arrogant, eccentric, and secretive. He was also playful most of the time and always played stupid pranks on me which made me hate him in many ways.

Though despite of that, I still hadn't discovered the real him. I knew deep inside that the true Cedrick was yet to be found. I could only see through him skin-deep thus he was still a mystery to me.