NOT JUST A PRINCESS ▹ CARLOS DE VIL

𝖛𝖎. 𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖓𝖊𝖜𝖘

⌲ ⌲ ⌲ ⌲

( 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖓𝖊𝖝𝖙 𝖉𝖆𝖞 )

I woke up feeling a lot better about today. I approach the breakfast table, "Honey, how are you? You startled us last night," my mother says as she plants a kiss on my head.

"I'm feeling a lot better now, mom," I smile. I was going to continue the day like any other day. I was going to keep my head held up high and pretend that everything was fine. Ben ran down the stairs with the biggest smile on his face.

"What's gotten you in such a good mood?" I smirk.

"Oh... nothing," Ben huffs.

"Well, come on we gotta prepare for the Family Day party," Ben exclaims as he drags me out my chair onto my own two feet and then out the door. Ben and I were getting ready to perform our welcome song to the guests.

"Ma chere mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome tonight," Ben began, as we walked through the tight-knit group of singers and dancers.

"And now we invite you to relax. Let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents your dinner..." I finish as Ben and I both bow down.

"Be our guest, be our guest. Put our service to the test. Tie your napkin round your neck, chérie. And we'll provide the rest," the group sings.

"That's right," Ben and I smirk.

"Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres," Ben and I both throw our napkins to the side carelessly.

Boys caught my napkin as the girls caught Ben's. "Why, we only live to serve. Try the grey stuff, it's delicious. Don't believe me ask the dishes," as part of the routine all the boys came up to the front and start rapping as I walk back.

"They can sing, sing, sing. They can dance, dance, dance. After all, miss, this is France and a dinner here is never, never second best. Come on, go on, unfold your menu," the rest of the group threw their napkins just like Ben and I as we ladies started our dance in the back.

"Go on, take a glance and then you'll be our guest, be our guest. Be our guest, yeah, yeah, come on. Yeah, be our guest, guest, yeah. Yeah. We tell jokes, I do tricks with my fellow candlesticks and it's all in perfect taste that you can't bet. Come on and lift your glass. You've won your own free pass to be our guest," we all sing.

"If you're stressed. It's fine dining we suggest," Ben and I smile once again walking upfront.

"Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Come on. Be our guest, be our guest. Come on, come on. Be our guest," we all finish with a pose. Cheers erupt as we finish.

Ben walks over to a girl in the wheelchair and kisses her hand, while 3 young boys come up to me and each of them gave me a rose, "Thank you," I giggle bowing down to them.

I look over to see Mal and the whole crew giving them a smile before the boys went to the chocolate fondue while the girls stood there and watched. Ben and I were walking towards mom and dad, "That was so lovely!" mom exclaims. We continue walking until we reach under some sort of waiting area, "Just here?"

"Ready?" the entire family was getting ready to take a picture. We all smiled for the picture but then Ben interrupted.

"Oh, by the way, I have a new girlfriend. And Beatrice, here as a boyfriend. Or well she's working on it and he's her date to the coronation," Ben exclaims, mom and dad look at me and Ben then huff out a breath they held. My face drops and my eyes widen at what Ben had just said.

"Well, I never wanted to say anything, but I always thought that Audrey was a little self-absorbed A fake smile, kind of a kiss-up," my mother comments.

"Couldn't have said it better, mom," I smile raising my fist for my mom to bump it.

"Do we know your new girlfriend and your sister's soon to be boyfriend?" dad laughs.

"On the count to three. 1, 2..." the photographer counts down.

"Well, sort of. Mal! Carlos!" Ben calls out

"3!" the photographer finishes counting down as the flash blink. Mom and dad had a horrified look on their faces, as Ben and I smile towards the camera. "Mal? Mal."

I was looking down but when I looked up I saw Carlos being the messy eater he was eating a chocolate-covered strawberry, "Oh, Carlos!" I sighed as I started walking behind Ben to get to Carlos.

"I wanna introduce you guys to my parents," Ben said to Mal and Carlos. Ben and Mal hug when she had reached him. Mom and dad still looked horrified by the news.

Both Ben and I with our dates approached mom and dad, Ben and Mal held hands as Carlos and I just stood there not really knowing what to do. "This is Mal and Carlos. From the island. My girlfriend and Bea's date," Ben introduces.

"Hi," both my parents awkwardly greets.

"I was thinking maybe they can join us for lunch," Ben announces.

"Wait, what?" I eyes practically popped out of my sockets.

"Of... course. Any— any friend of Ben's and Bea's..." Mal interrupts my father.

"Um, I actually came with my friends," Mal says pointing back towards Evie, Dude, and Jay.

"Well, you should invite them because the more the merrier!" mom exclaims.

"Yeah, I'll go grab them," Mal says walking away.

"Uh, how about a game of croquet before lunch?" dad asks.

"Of course," Mal smiles while holding onto Ben.

"Game on," Ben and I challenge dad.

"Game on," dad challenges back as the boys did a little fist bump. Ben, Mal, Carlos and I start walking towards the exit to go grab the rest of the gang. Carlos grabs onto my hand, holding it before leading me to the rest of his friends before heading to croquet with my family.