Born To Be

19| Discipline

Caroline and I exchanged a look, both of us resisting an eye roll. 

Lady Beatrice rolled her eyes and then addressed Archer. "I would like fifteen minutes with each of the girls. Evelyn going last." 

"Of course. After lunch?" he asked. 

She agreed and then we all followed them into the dining room. 

We all took our seats, Archer pulling a chair for his grandmother and me before taking a seat beside me. He sat between his grandmother and me and turned to me first. "Are you all right?" 

"I'm all right," I smiled. 

He looked to his grandmother and spoke to her while I sat there, waiting for the food with the others. He nudged my arm with his elbow and I turned to him. "She loves you," he whispered. 

"She doesn't know me," I chuckled. 

"She sees you, that's enough," he shrugged. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" 

"It's supposed to mean you are beautiful," he smirked. 

"Oh," I nodded, playing dumb. "Really?" 

"Really," he nodded, holding his chin in the palm of his hand. "You have an eyelash on your cheek," he pointed out. 

I mimicked his actions, propping my elbow on the table and holding my chin in my palm, leaning in. 

He smiled, brushing the eyelash off. 

I straightened up when the food arrived and noticed his mother and Chloe both glaring at me. I rubbed the nape of my neck awkwardly and then started eating with everyone else. 

Once lunch ended and everyone started leaving, Lady Beatrice first asked to speak with Chloe. So they took a seat in the main hall and everyone else scattered. 

Caroline asked to speak with Archer, so they stepped away and I waited with Mila near the staircase. 

"Lady Beatrice really seems to like you," she said, squeezing my arm in excitement. "She's quite intimidating though, isn't she?" she asked. 

I nodded, "A little. But she seems better than..." I trailed off with a small shrug. 

"The queen?" she asked knowingly. I nodded and she laughed, agreeing with me. "Lady Beatrice must love you, you're just like her," she grinned. 

"How do you mean?" I frowned in confusion. 

"Well, she wasn't a princess either. She was a citizen of Zariya herself. Didn't you know?" 

"No," I shook my head, quite stunned at that information. 

How on earth did she make herself so royal-like and disciplined? 

"Discipline." 

"Huh?" I snapped out of my thoughts, looking at Mila. 

"Discipline is the most important thing for Lady Beatrice." 

"Then I don't know how much luck I will have," I mumbled. I am far from disciplined. I have no routine in my life, in fact, I'm all over the place. I've been pulling myself together because I'm staying in the palace with royals, but other than that... 

"She seems to really like you, you kind of connect with her." She elbowed me. 

"Are you going to tell her about your boyfriend back home? If she asks?" I mumbled while Archer walked over. 

"Maybe," she shrugged. 

"Mila, she's asked for you," he said. 

She nodded and then walked away. 

He stood there, looking down at me. 

"What?" I asked. 

"I heard she liked the dress," he smirked. 

"Someone gave me a little tip," I nodded. 

"Oh, that's interesting," he chuckled. "I came here to ask you something," he cleared his throat. 

"Yes?" 

"Would you like to have dinner with me?" 

"At the table? With everyone else?" I raised my brows at him. 

He laughed, shaking his head. "No. Out at a fancy restaurant." 

"Hmm, don't you think staying in the palace is fancy enough?" I whispered. 

"Okay... at Fun & Food then?" 

"Sounds great. When?" 

"Tonight." 

"Tonight? It's the first night with your grandmother here, are you sure that's a good idea?" 

"It's her idea," he whispered, taking a step closer to me. 

"Oh," I said, dumbfounded. 

"Everyone sits at the table at eight o'clock. We can leave then?" 

"We can-" I stopped talking when Lucas walked in. 

"Your majesty," he bowed his head at Archer before continuing, walking back with a bag of flower seeds. 

My eyes followed him until he was out of sight and it took as much as Archer squeezing my hand gently to snap me out of it. I felt horrible knowing that he is after me, trying to win me over and eventually, marry me. But here I am, still hanging onto the boy that broke my heart. 

"Um, eight o'clock, right?"

He nodded, looking at me, slightly confused. "Eight o'clock." He sighed, leaning against the staircase banister. He was looking at me with calculating eyes. 

"What?" I asked, looking at him in confusion. 

"I just don't know what you see in him. What you ever saw in him," he shrugged. 

"I ask myself that sometimes. But now it's just hard to see him around here when I'm trying to..." 

"Move past it?" 

I nodded. 

"You know what they say, don't you?" he asked. 

"No," I said slowly. "What?" 

"The best way to get over someone is to..." 

I looked at him expectantly when his pause went on for a little too long. 

"You don't know?" 

I shook my head. 

"The best way to get over someone is to get under someone," he smirked. 

"Who even says that?" I scoffed. 

"Me. And everyone else." 

I rolled my eyes, calling Mila's name as she walked over. "Is it true that the best way to get over someone is to-" 

"Get under someone? Yes," she nodded while running her fingers through her hair. "Anything else?" she smirked at us. When neither of us said anything, she walked away. 

"I cannot believe you've never heard that until now. I think you should try it," he smirked, leaning down to my ear. 

I pushed him back, clicking my tongue. "No thank you, I'll pass." 

"As you wish," he sang.

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Chapter 19

online school starts again for me tomorrow

yay

fuck my life

next chapter: photograph