Born To Be

17| Pure

Chapter 17: Pure (Evelyn's POV)

I gathered myself as much as I didn't want to and splashed some water on my face before going back out. "Yes?" I asked, sniffling when I opened the door. 

He stared at me, not knowing what to say. 

"You have a minute on the clock. You said 'just a minute' right?" 

"Right, I um," he nodded, stammering. This man clearly doesn't have experience with crying women. 

"Bye," I huffed, turning to go back into the bathroom and resume my crying session. 

He grabbed my elbow and pulled me back quickly. "Sorry, I'm sorry. On her behalf. What she said was very wrong and clearly, she has no idea what she's talking about. Don't listen to what she said and please don't cry, it's not worth it, Evelyn, you know you're better than this." He spoke quickly but calmly. 

Here I was, thinking he doesn't know how to handle a girl when she cries, but then there he is, saying all the right things. 

"Are you all right?" 

"I will be," I mumbled, avoiding his eyes and looking towards the bed. Where two plates sat. I looked at him quizzically. 

"You left your dinner so I brought it up here and..." He looked at the plates, then back at me. "I... thought I'd join you?" He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and shyly. 

"You do realize what you're doing will make your mother hate me, right? If she doesn't already, that is," I sighed. "I'm making you leave the dinner table. That's the one of the biggest no-no's within royalty, isn't it?" 

He looked at me, surprised. "How much do you exactly know about royalty, Evelyn?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at me. 

I pulled my lips into a thin line, scratching my head awkwardly. "Um... everything?" 

"Explain. Please," he chuckled. 

"No," I shook my head, going and sitting on the bed. "And sorry, but I'm not hungry," I said, putting my plate on the nightstand. 

"Sorry, but you're going to eat that," he replied mockingly. "I'll shove it down your throat if I have to," he smirked. 

I rolled my eyes, leaning against the headboard. 

He pushed his plate to the side and grabbed mine, cutting up a piece of chicken and holding it out in front of my mouth for me to eat. 

"No, Archer, I-" 

He kept the fork in front of my lips until I was agitated enough to eat it. "Eat," he nodded. 

I sighed in defeat, taking the plate from his hands. 

"How and why do you know everything about royalty?" he questioned, eating from his own plate. 

"When I was little, like around seven or eight years old, I was really obsessed with the royals. I was extremely fascinated with the lifestyle, and I really wanted to meet your mother, the queen," I paused, reading his face. 

He was clearly amused. 

Because I now hate royalty but here I am, admitting that I was obsessed with it. "And someone, one of my mother's friends had a daughter a few years older than me. She told me that if a girl knows how to be a princess, she will be married to the prince." 

He arched a brow at me, smirking. 

"And I never thought about that, okay?" I said quickly. "I really wanted to be like your mom growing up. And you know how there is an actual book in the town library with all the steps on entering the royal family?"