Her Royal Charming

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

"Can't I have a small hint? An itsy bitsy hint?" Cue the puppy dog eyes and pout from Mr. Blue eyes.

"Do you understand what a surprise means?" I asked trying to remain unphased.

"I can't handle suspense." He sighs. "I want to know and I want to know now!" Derric said in a whiny voice stomping his foot like a toddler. This went on for about a minute or so. I stood there with my arms crossed, secretly trying to catch my breath.

"Are you finished with your little temper tantrum?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Not yet, I wanted to see how far I could milk this out." He looked up at me with that sly smile and I knew he was messing with me from the twinkle in his eyes.

I rolled me eyes at him and started running again. He caught up easily laughing, "You're insufferable." I reminded him.

"So I've been told. If you just tell me the surprise, I'll stop being annoying." Derric grinned.

"I doubt that very much, being annoying is part of your nature."

"I take offense to that." He gasps.

"It was meant as an insult."

"I don't know how long I can take without knowing, the suspense is killing me." There he goes over-exaggerating again, like I said it's part of his nature.

"You'll live." I respond simply. Seeing the slight frown in his face made me soften my expression. "You've made it this far, and there's only a few days left." I pa this shoulder in comfort.

"I don't know if I can make it, there's so much about you I don't know."

"That's not completely true." I defend myself.

"I don't even know your name."

"You still call me Blondie." A nickname that was slowly growing on me.

"That's a placeholder to take my mind off of the fact your real name remains a mystery."

"There are still other things you know about my personality, that has to count for something." I stop running and face him completely.

"It does." Derric sighs resting his hands on his knees. There was something else going on with him, I just couldn't place my finger on it.

"Is everything ok?" I ask him concerned putting my hand on his shoulder for a second time that day.

He shook his head, not meeting my eyes. "It's stupid." He mumbles and my heart falls. Why doesn't he think he can't trust me.

"If it's bothering you it's clearly something important."

"It's my parents, they have been pressuring me about college lately. They want me to go to their Alma mater and refuse to acknowledge my intended major. We can't have a conversation anymore without arguing, it's frustrating."

"I'm sure they want what's best for you, and they think they know best. You have to be assertive with what you want because in the end, it's your life not theirs. It's going to be hard, but they have to accept that."

"My mom threatened to cancel the birthday party, and at first I didn't care, but then I realized I would never see you outside of this park."

Sensing the hurt and vulnerability in his voice struck a chord in me. I slowly walked closer to him and wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug. He was caught of guard for a moment before reciprocating the hug.

He brought me closer to him, and held me there like he was afraid to let me go. "I'm not going anywhere." I remind him softly, my head nestled against his chest.