The Pea

2. Misunderstood

 Crap! I had been caught! He knew who I was! I silently pleaded him with my eyes not to say anything and he just stared back at me curiously.

"Drew this is..." Linda trailed off, looking at me with an encouraging smile.

"A-Avery." I stuttered, keeping a cautious gaze on Drew.

"She'll be staying here with us for a while." Linda explained with a soft smile.

"I see. I don't mean to be rude, but may I ask why?" Drew said with a hint of amusement in his tone.

He was amused! I suddenly got a sick feeling in my stomach. Who knew what he'd do next.

"Poor girl was kicked out of her house and she had been walking for hours in that downpour." John spoke this time, the couple shooting me a sympathetic look.

"Drew, be a gentleman and show this kind girl to the guest room." Linda ordered her son.

"Of course." Drew replied with a tight smile, before effortlessly picking up my sac of belongings and starting his way down the hall.

I gulped, before following him.

We walked up the stairs in silence and finally entered a cozy guest room with a single bed and a small dresser.

As soon as the door shut behind me, Drew suddenly grabbed my arms and had me pinned against the wall next to the door and was glaring daggers at me.

I was too shocked to even try and struggle.

"Hello there your majesty, what a lovely surprise. Now did daddy dearest run out of servants and had to send his own daughter to collect the taxes?" Drew spat out with so much venom and hatred, but I was too stunned to be affected by his harshness.

"Well? You better start talking before I let my parents know who you really are and have you thrown back out into the rain. Oh, by the way, nice cover. Playing the poor lost hopeless girl to get into my parents' home? Wow, I have to say I'm surprised." He gave out a cold bitter laugh which sent chills to my bones.

I waited to see if he had any more harsh words to spit out at me, and when his expectant gaze simply stared back at me with impatience and hatred, I decided to strike at the psychotic idiot.

Since he wasn't expecting a princess to know martial arts, his grip on my arms wasn't too strong. So I easily managed to slip out from under them, jump into position behind his stunned self, grab his arm in a painful twist and shove his face against the wall where I had just been five seconds ago.

"Hello there you idiotic judgmental peasant." I started off in a similar tone. If he wanted to pull the title games, then I wasn't just gonna sit back. "Daddy dearest didn't send me to do anything dear sweet Drew, daddy dearest kicked me out of that palace of hell away from him and his psychotic family." I stopped to lean over his shoulder and see his reaction.

He let out a bitter laugh. "Drop the act princess. You're not fooling anyone. Your bluff is up. Now just take whatever the hell it is you want and leave my parents the hell alone." He spat at me.

I simply pushed his arm further against his back, causing him to cry out in pain.

I smirked.

"I'm not acting you idiot. You really think that a guy as soulless as my step-father wouldn't think twice about kicking out the only person in that castle left with some sanity and morale?" I asked with a humourless chuckle.

"I'm not here to hurt you or your parents Drew." I said softly now, loosening my grip.

The second I did that, he had us back to our original position with me staring back at him with raised eyebrow.

"Okay, so lets say your wild story is actually true." He started, leaning down closer to my face. "How does a princess get kicked out of her own castle?" He asked with a raised brow.

I sighed. "I told you, the idiots running this kingdom are far from sane and won't think twice about decapitating me. The only reason they kept me around for so long was because my father had left everything he had for me in his will. The only reason that that wannabe king is so successful is because of everything he stole from me with the help of my psychotic mother." I looked up to see his reaction and almost doubled over in shock when there was not a single trace of hatred or hostility. Instead, there was sympathy.

I hated that look.

"So, this evening I pretty much let out all the anger I've had pent up inside of me since the day my mother remarried on my step-sister's face. It was lovely really. They got an excuse to throw me out, and I got an excuse to leave the hell hole." I finished with a shrug.

I was hoping to see him looking at me with shock, disgust, or even slight fear. But instead I saw him looking at me with admiration.

"Wow." He finally spoke out. "That's pretty amazing." He finished, letting go of me now and stepping back with a small smile.

"So you believe me?" I asked in shock.

"Well I am surprised that the king did something crazy like throw you out, but I've never heard your side of the story. I just assumed the whole family was psychotic and messed." He shrugged.

I looked at him and offered a small grateful smile. "Thank you, I really appreciate it."

He nodded, before picking up my discarded potato sac and handing it to me. "I'll let you unpack, you look like you could use some rest." He spoke softly.

I took it from him with a smile.

"Goodnight Avery." He said, grabbing the door handle to close it.

"Goodnight Drew." I said softly, before the door closed and I was left by myself in the cozy room.

I now suddenly realized how amazing it really was to have someone on your side. Someone who you could talk to, who actually listened to you and believed you.

I smiled to myself, before turning to my sac to find something to sleep in.

After changing into a navy blue night dress that came down to my knees, I slipped under the covers and drifted off to sleep. Except this time, there was no yelling, no tears, nor any fright. This time, I had a smile on my face and felt comfortable and safe for the first time in a long time.