Royally Flawsome ♛

13♛

"We are doing your makeup for the party tonight!" I shake my head and proceed to stand up but I am violently pushed back on the couch by a frustrated looking Anna.
"First of all, who said I was going?"
"Us!"
"Second of all, when did window washer become a makeup thing?"
"Well Ive seen woman spray some liquid before they start applying makeup so I wanted to feel like a professional," I mentally face palm and snatch the bottle from his hands before I was sprayed with anymore of it, which was probably going to cause a breakout soon.
"And lastly, Im not letting any of you clownize my face!" They all laugh and I knew that no matter how much I protested these three gummy bears would still do what they wanted.

"Buckle up Gummy Bear, you are about to look like a sexy Pennywise," I sigh and sit myself back on the coach.

♛

I breath in looking up at the large castle adorned with millions of lights, a huge carpet was rolled by the doorway entering the castle that loomed proudly over me. Everyone looked so sophisticated with their neat tuxedos and white gowns some posing by the red carpet to take a picture. I look over to the marble fountain, the gurgling sound of the water barely heard over the noises of the hectic crowd. I breath in and pull down my dress. The  slit of the dress he brought was on the wrong side which was revealing my unappealing prosthesis making me feel uncomfortable and somehow naked.

I hold my guts in a bundle and master the courage to walk in. With each step I took the voices got louder, the flashes blinding me, feeling the eyes directed towards me even though I knew they probably weren't and I was just being paranoid. What were they staring at? There wasn't much to stare at, was it the red dress declining the white dress code? Was it the comfortable slippers I wore underneath my dress or was it just at my prosthesis?

My pace quickens and so does my breathing, I couldn't turn back now and I knew it. And just when I reach the door that felt like miles to get to, I see him. There he stood his finger twirling over the brim of his wine glass as his eyes flew boringly over the huge room. His hair was combed back and gelled, his tuxedo perfectly fit, he looked like an actual prince for once, no hoodie, no messy hair.

My breathing stops when his eyes land on me, what if he throws me out? What if I wasn't meant to be here? But then he smiles and my body instantly relaxes. He places his wine glass down and walks towards me, his smile broadening with every step he took.

"I thought you wouldn't come Iris," His hand slowly snakes behind me, pulling me towards him.

"Happy Birthday Barry, I had to come considering you begged me," he laughs and starts walking us towards God knows where, "Max?" He nods as if granting me the permission to ask my question.

"Don't you think Im attracting too much attention, I mean everyone else is wearing white and Im-"

"You look just perfect," I smile, my cheeks heating up at his stare that didn't want to peal off my face. I look down towards the floor trying to hide my fluttered face.

"Max?"

"Yes?" My eyes frantically roam the room and I could swear I wasn't being paranoid when I say that everyone was looking at us. I slightly move away from Max but his hand finds my waist and he gently pulls me closer to him. Was he really using me for good media coverage or was I just being paranoid again? What if I am actually his amend project? I mean it would look good if he is seen with a disabled girl, people may even praise him for taking pity on me.

"Im I forgiven?" A small chuckle vibrates from his chest and he nods. I smile back at him and push my negative thoughts to the back of my head. Sam told me to concentrate on having fun and to block out that evil tiny voice that always soured in the back of my head.

"Prince Maximus, what type of music is that? I expected better taste from a man that roams around in a hoodie," I flinch at the sound of classical music but everyone besides me of course seemed to enjoy it, pulling their partner for a dance.

"Its my birthday but I have no say in it," he pulls me gently towards the middle of the dance floor.

"And you my lady shall have the privilege to dance with the Prince of fucking England once more," there was so much bitterness in his voice I didn't know how to respond but to just laugh. I watch with wide eyes as he knelt down in front of me and put out his hand towards me, his eyes glimmering in the dim light of the glass chandelier above us.

I freeze as I feel a crowd gathering around us, the heated light of a spotlight above falling on my naked shoulders and shining on Max's hair. I slowly turn my head around as I notice people holding their phones out trying to unsuspectingly take a picture.

Attention, I was getting attention I didn't want nor need. My lack of one leg already gives me enough and I didn't need any more. Max looks into my eyes once more and senses my fear, he slowly gets up from the floor and stands before me, circling his hand around my waist.  I shake my head pleading him with my eyes to let me go so that I could run but he shakes his head and forces my legs to move slowly with his.

"Just dance and don't look at anyone," I breath in trying to follow his instructions but as soon as a flashlight shines from the crowd around us I instantly freak out.

"Hales look at me," I look into his eyes that were more calmer than mine and breath in again.

"Concentrate on me," he swiftly dances us away from the crowd and towards a dark hallway making it all look professional with no running or walking away which would have caused extra attention.
I lean on the wall and exhale heavily. I knew what I was getting myself in when I agreed to coming to this ball. He was my only friend here and so of course I'd be close to him only, who else was here to talk to except for him. I knew all this when I wore a shining red dress that defied the dress code. It was a bad decision coming to this ball, I knew by tomorrow our pictures would flood every social media platform plus every newspaper on the streets. I wish Sam, Anna and Daniel would have been here because at least with them here the attention would have been to all of us and not just me.

'Who is this mysterious girl with one leg'

'The Prince invites his disabled date to his Birthday'

'Prince Max has a fetish for the disabled'

And my pictures along with his would flood all over. This event will alter my life, Im moving from 'Hales the Unknown' to 'Prince Max's mysterious date' all because I agreed to a guy I've met recently.  I look over to Max who was leaning on the wall beside me looking up at the ceiling as he too was consumed in his own thoughts.

"Max?" He looks over to me.

"Im sorry," he whispers his eyes dropping to the ground.

And those two words coming from him in the most possibly honest way almost make me want to forgive him for dragging me here, "sorry for what Max?"

"I know you don't want this and I dragged you into a mess I knew you'd never wanted... I don't know what got into me," I smile at him and gently place my tiny hand on his cheek, he leans into my touch and closes his eyes.

"Its not your fault..." It is.

"I was never mad at you..." I am.

"You didn't do anything..." he did.

"And I forgive you..." I actually do.

"Thanks Hales," I smile back at him and nod but deep down I was furious and scared at the same time.

"Lets get out of here?"

"Its the best thing I've heard all night."