How to read between the lines

Chapter 1. When two worlds meet

"Argh!" she groaned aggravatedly. She had just gotten a notification of her best friend obsessing over one of Erik Parker's Instagram posts. As a consequence of having to listen to her friend, no... who is she kidding? Her whole school was bragging about the Prince. Not that she had any problem with him as a person, not at all. It wasn't really the case.

"My friend is just going crazy all over again," she smirked as she showed him the message.

"So you don't like the guy?" Along with the curious tone, there was something else in his voice she just couldn't make out.

"What? No!" She felt a little bit offended at the assumption. "It's just that their shallowness drive me up the wall sometimes."

"Really?" His face was painted with genuine astonishment. "How so?"

"I mean, is that really the world we live in? Where all you see is someone's look and money?" She made a dramatic hand gesture supporting how ridiculous she thought it was. "I guess I'm just surrounded by the wrong people." Of course, it was an overstatement. She had her parents and her sister, Bethany, whom she loved dearly with all their flaws, or rather: perfect imperfections, as she liked to call it.

"Ok, it's not completely true, but... all I see is an 21-year-old boy who has an enormous weight on his shoulders, one of which is the loneliest thing one can ever imagine.

The air had shifted between them. They both had felt it and Christina was no longer talking about the Prince.

"It's like having no place to belong, even in the most loving environment."

"Why do I feel like you're talking about something you're familiar with?" he inquired compassionately.

She gave a nonchalant shrug. "Well, as I said, fate is fate." And apparently, it doesn't feel like destiny right now, she wanted to say.

"You seem to forget that everything happens for a reason." It was something she had always believed. That saying had always soothed her soul, bringing new colours to her life whenever she got caught up in the negative perceptions of the boring everyday life, also reminding her to look on the bright side. Even still, it wasn't enough for this emptiness she had been feeling lately to go away, nor to be filled with something she could take comfort in. "Or you don't believe in that stuff?" he backtracked as Christina's thoughts must have been on display on her face.

"It's not that, it's just..." She felt lonely and lost, in all honesty. But you don't say that to a stranger, so instead, she said: "It's complicated."

"People usually are." His lips curved up in a grin as he continued. "Too bad that emotions cannot be turned off, isn't it?" he teased.

"You know, in my experience, we always end up where we're meant to be, the most unlikely circumstances be given."

He was right. It was something she needed to be reminded of. She wished her mother would stop arguing with her that she wouldn't make it in the world as a writer, she wished that Bethany hadn't moved out of the house, that she had the courage to move abroad... but she also wanted to believe in herself for once. Believe that she is grown-up enough to handle whatever challenge life throws her way. And maybe, if she did that, her environment wouldn't question her value as a person as much.

Then she made a choice. You could blame it on the gentle breeze caressing her hair, or the strange but rather familiar feeling worming its way into her heart ever since they started talking. Either way, she needed it right now.

"Fair enough," she agreed, managing a wry smile. "I'm Christina, by the way."

"Nate," he introduced himself and shook Christina's hand.