STAMP OF APPROVAL - a selection story

"it's a funeral, after all"

"Would that answer change now?" She continues in her questioning.

"I don't know. I'm still figuring that out."

She nods. She writes another thing down before meeting my gaze. "One last question, Levi."

I brace myself, not sure what else is going to come out of her mouth.

"Why are you here?"

I shift again.

A look crosses my face, prompting her elaboration, "I mean, you have had every opportunity to leave... And based on your answer, you don't know what you feel. So why are you still here? We're not keeping you here. You can leave any time you want."

She leans forward, and I've never seen her look so serious.

"What's keeping you here, Levi?"

I swallow. "Abri would kill me if I left," I allow, joking, but I swallow that answer. "Helena, I don't know how to answer that question without just saying one word. And everything that comes with that word."

"What word is that?"

"Charlotte."

"Can you elaborate?"

She's pushing with this question. Not like the others.

"I don't know how. All I know is, throughout everything, Charlotte's... looked at me differently." A frown crosses her face. "Everyone here knows I don't belong here. I know I don't belong here. That has always been perfectly clear. I'm not a prince, I'm not a king... I'm not even a politician. Your father knows I don't belong here, and he's all but told me." Helena's jaw ticks. "And yet... even knowing I'm not welcome, I don't fit in, I don't belong... she wants me here, for some reason. And I guess I'm trying to figure out why."

Helena isn't writing any of this down.

"So, yes," I enunciate each word, "when I say that I can only say one word, that being Charlotte, it's the only answer I can give."

april 26th

[ 9:34 AM ]

Knowing that Abri is coming is better than being surprised again, but I have the same feeling in my chest when I see her climbing the stairs to the castle once more, a grin split across her face. She gives me the biggest hug, one that makes me lose my balance and almost fall backwards onto the guard by the door. When she pulls away, she straps a party hat to my head, adjusting her own.

I feel the string, sending her a look. "Your birthday isn't until tomorrow."

She shrugs. "It's actually my birthday week, and it starts today."

"What does that mean?" I ask, letting out a sigh, knowing she has something planned, something that I wasn't told about.

Her grin widens. "You'll see," she sings, walking past me, inside the castle. I follow begrudgingly, unsure if I should be concerned or not, especially as she seems to have a bit of a skip to her steps. Her looks is smug as she tosses it over her shoulder in my direction.

"This isn't some ploy to stay longer at the castle, is it?" I ask, an idea lighting in my head at her intentions to keep the party prolonged. I was even surprised Charlotte let Abri come for her birthday, so I can't imagine Abri will be allowed to stay the week.

"I would never," she retorts, aghast. "I've only started on the birthday celebration, that's all. Which means I have today and tomorrow all mapped out for us, so clear your schedule."