Where there's a Will, there's a Tiara | Complete (ONC 2021 Longlister)

19. Home Once More

The rest of the day had been spent showing Kat around the farm and listening to her point out all the cute animals. Some of which were definitely not cute. But I had to admit the distraction was welcome.

Somehow, despite all of my resolve to speak to my grandmother when I had left Edward's house, the conversation with Ezrah and the distraction of Kat made me avoid the topic altogether. Which is how I ended up eating dinner across from a woman I was lying to.

Kat did make it a bit easier, though, discussing all of the things she saw on the farm and leaving no room for anyone to say anything else. She always was good at that.

When we finally escaped the small talk of dinner, from which Ezrah was mysteriously missing, Kat grabbed my hand, stole some dessert off the counter, and pulled me straight up to my room, closing the door behind us.

"What happened? I thought you were going to tell her after you told Edward but that is not the face of a woman who knows you just exploded your chances of marrying a future king."

"I was going to tell her, I swear! But then..."

"Then?"

I went to sit on the bed, hoping the change in location would make the conversation less awkward. "Then I accidentally ran into Ezrah."

"Oh my God, I knew it! Spill!"

"Spill what? There's nothing to spill, we just talked. I'm still definitely mad." I wasn't even convincing myself with this lame attempt at acting. "Okay, I'm still maybe a little mad and also a lot confused," I added, before she could do more than scoff in my direction.

"So what does that mean? You aren't going to talk to your grandma because you're going to stay engaged to Edward?"

"No, that ship sailed. We discussed it this morning and we are not engaged. He basically said if I wanted to date him or accept the engagement, I could do that. But I think it would be too weird now. Like, we were engaged and I broke it off. Dating after that just feels..." I searched for the word.

"Kinda mean?"

"More than a little, yeah. I strung him along once and I shouldn't do it again. He's kind of in a position where he needs to find someone, you know? And I'm just not in a position where I'm ready to be that someone yet, or maybe ever. It doesn't seem fair."

She nodded, plopping herself down on the bed beside me and laying down. "Yeah, I think you're right."

I flopped backwards and joined her in throwing my head onto the pillow of my bed. "The problem is, I still have to talk to my grandmother."

"And then what? Coming home with me if things go bad?"

Her question caught me off guard and I stared up at the ceiling, not wanting to see her face as I relayed my plans. "No. I'm staying here regardless. I can't live off your kindness forever. And there are some things I need to do for myself before I decide what I want to do with the rest of my life. I'll let you know once I've figured it all out."

I risked a glance at her and saw her eyes fixed on the ceiling, too, as she bit her bottom lip and fiddled with the hem of her shirt.

"Well," she said finally, "I think that's a good idea. Do you want me to stick around for a bit as moral support?"

"Yes. But I think I need to do this on my own, no matter what it is I want."

Kat laughed. "That sounds like the Adelaide I know and love. And I know we'll be friends no matter what. So if that's what you need, I'll be out of here in the morning."