Raspberries

Chapter Three.

"I'm sorry Ella. I didn't mean to bring it up."
"It's fine." I say wiping away a tear. "I just didn't want this to happen. Most kids grow up having parents who just argue over who they'd vote for. But I.. I had the leader of opposing armies." I chuckle. "I just want to go to the fair and have fun."
"Of course. Let's go." We got to the fair by 7 as the sun starts to set. We bought wristbands and as we walked to the giant fair swings. It wasn't as much fun as I had remembered it to be.
"That ride was lame. Maybe we should just get frozen lemonade and head home."
"If that's what you want." Gabriel grabbed my hand and looked down at me. "If it's okay?" He smiled and I wanted to kiss him. But he ordered the lemonades. As we walked out he bought me a balloon and kissed me on the cheek. He can play my heart strings like a guitar. while he drove on the way home he held my hand. About half way back to the palace he asked me,  "Can I show you something?"
"Of course." As the words came out of my mouth, he took a sharp right off the road. "What are you doing," I panicked. He stopped about half a mile in.
"Come on." He said, opening my door and taking my hand. I looked at the lake before me.
"Gabriel? What do you think you're doing?" I looked up and he pulled off his shirt. I could feel my cheeks heat up again."Let's get in."
"What? In that?"
"What? It'll be fun I promise." He kicked off his socks and shoes  then jumped in.
"Wait. No!" The splash was huge. Getting small droplets on my black suede heels. I sat down on the bank and looked at him as he pulled up through the curtains of black water. I pulled of my heels and put them neatly next to me when my phone buzzed. I looked at the holoscreen.
4 missed calls from: Evil Queen.
Father: Where are you?
Evil Queen: Gabriel never reported in. What is your current location?
Father: Why did my personal page send me a picture of My daughter holding hands with an assistant?
Gabriel came to the bank and tugged at my toes.
"Come in."
"We're so screwed." I panicked. "Gabriel, they know. My father received a picture of us holding hands." I screamed "They're going to fire you! Or worse!" Gabriel got out of the water and dried off. He sat down next to me, calmly like he always did. He softly pushes a auburn curl out of my face. He leaned in closer and whispered,
"We have everything when we have each other." His kiss tasted like raspberries.
"We can't go home until they're asleep."
"What are you talking about?"
"I just need a little time," I sigh. "Please. I can deal with them in the morning."
"Okay. We can go back late tonight."
"Besides. It's only 11."
"Okay. I've got one more place to show you." he says softly. I shoot him a look. He chuckles. "Don't worry. You'll enjoy this one I promise." He stands up and helps me up.
"Okay but I'm not getting seen again."
"No, this place is a secret. You'll be safe.. And dry." We got back into the car and he drives me into the city.
"I thought you promised I wouldn't be seen again."
"Trust me." We get out and head to a locked door. Gabriel pulls out his key set and opens the door. We walk up several flights of stairs. Each floor has several doors and is a different color. We walk through  red, blue, green, and yellow floors before we reach a purple floor. We pass several doors in the hallway. All the way at the very end  there was a door. He pushed through the door there were stairs that led to the roof of this seemingly abandoned building. I stared at the moon. I had never seen it so large before.
"Wow. It's beautiful."
"Yeah. you are."
"Oh. gross that's the oldest line in the book." He laughed softly. "I want to go far away. I want to go to that star." I pointed to the furthest one I could see.
"You are a cosmic child." He stared at the stars. "It's like god bottled all of the stars and put them into you." He kissed me again. "Come on. You need to go home." He stood up.
"We just got here." I argued.
"Yeah. it's too soon."
"What do you mean?" He stood up and headed towards the door. I got up and tried to follow him. He walked much faster than I could. I followed him all the way down the stairs and through every color.
"Don't ignore me." I yelled at him as he held my door open. He looked confused. I walked straight to him and slapped him. "Is that how you treat your princess?"
"My princess? No. The nation's princess. The girl who isn't willing to fight for us."
"I'm not?"
"You don't act like it."
"I've been spending all night trying to find a way to save you." I huffed. "He might kill you Gabe!"
"What do you mean?"
"He did it to my mother, the woman he loved, he will be more than willing to kill a common boy for embarrassing, and spoiling the family's name." We didn't talk for the rest of the night. He drove me home and left. "You live here too."
"I'll come home when I want your highness." I stormed to the door. Right before I opened it, I stopped.
"Gabriel. Wait." He turned at looked at me. "Do you have my personal number?" He nodded.
"On speed dial."
"Goodnight." I opened the door and closed it softly behind me. I opened my phone and stared at the screen as I walked to my room. It was just past 1 AM and the moon put off a perfect white light in my west wing room. My phone binged as I threw myself onto my bed.
Gabriel: I love you
I stared at my phone. Not responding. My phone binged again.
Gabriel: If you love me let me know.
I sent him, "Of course i love you, Idiot. But I know we can't be together."
Gabriel: No matter what happens I will be here.
"I will too."
Gabriel: We can be together. You will have every kind of love  in every kind of way in every possible place when we are together. You just gotta hold on.
I set my phone down and fell asleep.  I woke up at dawn, got up, put on a silk robe, and walked out to my balcony. My Wednesday breakfast was waiting for me. A strawberry purée and a bowl of raspberries waited for me. Right in the center of the table sat a vase of pink roses. And a Card that said,
"Forgive me for not holding you in my arms."