The Prince and the Spilt Coffee

Chapter 1

Why did Max have to forget his jumper today of all days? Zoe Newtown thought, as she quickly walked down the busy main road of the city's capital, apologising as she nudged people out of the way. 

Today was The Scouting, an event that the reigning queen, Her Royal Majesty Georgiana Richyards the second, had set up for her first and only son, Prince Samuel. The Scouting was the Queen's idea of an audition, an audition for her son's hand in marriage, and the role was to become the princess and the next in line to be queen. It was said that Georgiana was sick of her son's 'immature and irresponsible' ways, and it was time he settled down and started acting like the future king. In other words, Prince Samuel had to stop acting like the spoilt brat he was; a womanizer who was more interested in clubbing and getting drunk, than the duties of his position. It didn't matter if he was considered number one on the 'What's Hot' list, he still seemed like a low-life jerk. And Zoe despised jerks.

Apparently, the country's female nobility wasn't good enough for the precious player of a prince, so thus, The Scouting. The event had brought in hundreds of girls from around the country, all flocking to the palace, to 'audition' to be his wife. Obviously, this meant that the streets were full of people, people who were pushing and shoving each other, just so they could catch a glimpse of the famous royal family, and possibly the next princess. The Scouting meant that all roads around the palace were blocked, so she had to opt for walking instead of driving. Which would have been fine, had it not been for all people.

Trying to dodge around hundreds of people with a bag over her shoulder, jumper under her arm and a coffee balanced in one hand, was a skill Zoe had yet to master. That, unfortunately, became painfully obvious when she accidently tripped over an umbrella, someone had left sticking out, nearly face-planting onto the ground. "Watch it!" Mr. Umbrella Man snapped rudely at her. 

Wasn't my fault you left your umbrella sticking out, blocking half the footpath buddy, she mentally scolded him. Instead, on the outside, Zoe took a deep breath and uttered an apology. It's just like her mum says, she thought, 'If you have nothing nice to say, don't say it at all.' Well, at least her mum used to say that, a long time ago, before everything started. Now she just cursed everyone to hell and back. Especially if they got between her and her bottle.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Zoe made a break for the clearing in the sea of people that had just appeared. It seemed like everyone else had the same idea, because as soon as she stepped into it, she was shoved backwards again, and the crowd seemed to swallow her back up. Stuck stumbling behind a group of senior citizens, Zoe began thinking of what Max would have to do to owe her back- all this effort for a jumper!

Coming up to the palace, which unfortunately, was her destination too, the crowd seemed to impossibly thicken. There must have been thousands of people here; audionees, reporters, tourists, paparazzi, police, locals. The noise was deafening! The fence surrounding the Palace had a wall of bodies at least five people thick! 

Seeing her opening up ahead, relieved, Zoe slipped out of the crowd and into a small, ivy concealed alleyway, which was which was unnoticeable to those that weren't aware of it. Walking down the cobblestoned alley, towards the palace's staff entrance, Zoe grinned and mentally patted herself on the back for not dropping anything or spilling a drop of coffee in the sea of people. That was quite an achievement for someone as clumsy as her.

Doing her signature happy dance, which consisted of a bum wiggle and an awkward arm swing, Zoe reached for the entrance door and shifted her coffee into her other hand, preparing to knock. Suddenly, with a huge BANG, the door slammed open, and Zoe let out an embarrassing girly squeal as an angry man stormed out. Said man, was too busy muttering to himself, that he didn't notice poor frozen Zoe until too late. He walked right into her, or more like through her- it felt like she had just been body slammed by a concreate wall. Letting out a painful gasp, she was knocked to the ground. The world moved in slow motion as, horrified, she watched the lid slide off her take-away coffee cup, and the precious, still hot liquid, slurp over the lip and spill all over her and er brand new cream-coloured coat.