The Runaway Princess

~Chapter 37~

Thomas struts away with a smirk on his face. He must feel accomplished. I turn to Shane and feel a pang of guilt erupt in my chest. A solemn, unreadable expression marks his face. How can Thomas do this so shamelessly? I look over at Anthony and try not to smile back at him. He must have told Thomas something.

"We'll be going Alexia." Shane finally mutters, looking away. I nod and watch him return to the dining hall to call his family. "I was right." Anthony says with a bit too much joy in his voice. "How can you say something like that? Did you see Shane's face?" I exclaim, running a hand through my hair. "Why are you getting angry at me? I'm not the one that kissed Tommy now did I?" He smirks, crossing his arms over his chest. "Whatever, now what were you right about may I ask?"

"I told Tom that you would eventually come back to him. I told him that if he kept his distance and showed how apologetic he was then you would realise that you feel bad as well." I don't know how to think of this. The fact that my brother is right or that he was absolutely and positively spot on?

I poke my tongue out at him but stop when the Briones walk out of the hall. "Thank you your majesty." Shane's parents say as they nod. "Thank you for coming." I reply, looking at Shane. He directs his gaze elsewhere, not wanting to look back at me. I sigh and head upstairs once they leave.

Walking into Thomas' room I keep my gaze to the floor in shame. "Woah, can't you knock? I know you're anxious to see me and all but I was changing." My eyes widen once I realise what lays before me. 

Thomas. 

Shirtless.

I feel my cheeks heat up and I retreat back to my room hastily. I close the door and collapse onto my bed. I can't believe I just did that. Why didn't I knock or call? "Ugh. He's never going to let me forget this." I say into one of my pillows, muffling my embarrassment. Someone knocks on the door and I hum in response.

The person enters then I hear a familiar laugh. I turn over onto my back and groan at Tom's smug face. "Don't laugh okay, I didn't mean it." I say in a monotony tone. He lets out yet another chuckle, making me glare in response. "Sure you didn't. It's okay, I understand if you're embarrassed. Not everybody is able to view a body this structurally blessed." I look at him like he has lost his mind. "Don't act like it isn't true. I'm sure your friend doesn't have a physique like this." He starts flexing his arms and raises his eyebrows repetitively. I roll my eyes and cross my arms. "Well not everybody has time to have a 'blessed physique'. Some people actually have to feed their families."

He looks annoyed once I've said this. "Why are you defending him?" "Why are you targeting him? You won already!" I say, letting out an exasperated sigh. "He was annoying!" Eyeing him weirdly I lay back down. "You were flirting with his sister. What do you expect?" He pouts, "I was living up to the label you gave me." Now I pout, "That's not fair! You really are a flirt I didn't just give you the label on the spot!" He shines his all so familiar smirk. "Well you and me both know that my old habits subsided, you brought it on yourself when you said that."

I cross my arms then throw a sequined cushion at him weakly, collapsing on the bed. He catches it easily and puts it under him as he lays down next to me, stomach down.

"Well at least there will be no one in the way now." He says smugly, rolling onto his side smiling at me genuinely. Letting out yet another sigh I pick up another cushion. "You always get your way don't you?" He laughs again, bringing a faint smile to my lips. "You make it sound like Shane was actually considered my competition." He says with pure humor. I turn to him and let my eyebrows knit together. "You don't know that. Maybe I did have feelings for him." This makes him sit up, mouth agape. "You liked him?!" A look of distraught covers his face, his mouth forming an 'o'. "Maybe." I let my words taunt him for a while, earning me silence in response. 

"When was this?" He asks a bit more calmly, lowering himself back into his former position. I shrug and try to hide a smirk threatening to show. A groan escapes from Thomas and he places the cushion over his head. A chuckle leaves my mouth unconsciously making him look back up at me. "I was just messing with you, relax." The expression on his face makes me burst out into a fit of laughter. "You actually believed me." I pinch his cheeks, making him squirm in my grasp. 

"That was mean." He says before I jump into laughter once more.