A Christmas Walk

5.

The bright sunlight tapped at my eyelids. I reluctantly opened my eyes. Michelle was already awake and watching the news on mute with subtitles. I don't know how she could stand to watch the news like that but she did. I rolled my head to the side and looked at the alarm clock. It was 10:36, I hadn't slept this late in a long time.
"How long have you been up?" Michelle jerked at the sound of my voice. "Sorry." I laughed groggily at her.
"Uh, about an hour. How'd you sleep?"
"Like a dead body." She laughed.
"You haven't moved since you laid down last night." I rubbed my head.
"I needed it. What about you?"
"Good, but I could use some breakfast."
"Did you say breakfast?" Savannah's head popped up next to me.
"Good morning Savannah." Michelle and I laughed at her.
"Do we wake Vanessa or bring her back something?" Michelle asked.
"Let's write a note saying we're at breakfast so if she wakes up she can join us but plan on bringing her back coffee and a muffin." I sat up and got out of bed.
"Good thinking." Savannah laid in bed still. She had on a ratty, pink shirt that fit like a dress on her with some old, floral short. She wasn't ashamed of what she was wearing so she wouldn't be changing. Michelle has on sweatpants and a sports bra, I handed her a loose tank top.
"Thanks." I grabbed my dad's old zip up sweatshirt that was a dress on me and threw it over my tank top and yoga pants. "Ready?" Savannah crawled out of bed towards the door. I scribbled a note for Vanessa and left it on her nightstand. Michelle grabbed the room key and we shuffled out. It was no surprise to any of us that Vanessa was still asleep. If she had to wake up on her own accord she'd never be up before noon. She had always been a late sleeper, even as a kid. We got used to leaving her sleep and going to breakfast; she got used to breakfast in bed when we got back. I hadn't bothered bringing my phone. I didn't need it. The dinning hall was mostly picked over since it was almost lunch. I made it a mission to grab Vanessa a blueberry muffin before they put everything away at 11. I grabbed a cup of coffee for her and myself. I decided to branch out and have some pancakes. Normally I just ate eggs but I felt adventurous today.
"Wow, no eggs?" Savannah pokes at me as I sat down.
"Nope, living on the wild side today."
"Next she'll be running away with the Prince." Michelle joined in. I laughed with them.
"Im glad you're in a better mood than you were yesterday." Savannah shoveled food into her mouth.
"I just feel better. I think I was stressed, nervous, over tired and a little home sick. Mix that all together and you get a crazy Autumn." We giggled.

After breakfast we trooped back upstairs to our room. They let me convince them to take the stairs. Vanessa was still fast asleep when we got in the room. I yanked the blanket off of her. She moaned.
"I'm cold." She growled.
"Have coffee and a muffin." One eye popped open. Vanessa grabbed the muffin and coffee. She took the wrapper off and got crumbs everywhere. I didn't care, I wasn't sharing a bed with her, Michelle was. Michelle started to dig around in her bag for an outfit to wear.
"What are we want to do today?" Asked Savannah. I brushed out my hair from the braids I have them in last night.
"I still want to see Baltaver." I suggested.
"Well on the news," Michelle started.
"Don't finish that sentence, I don't care."
"Savannah!" Vanessa scolded her. I looked at her shocked. Normally I was the one yelling at everyone. Savannah was giving her the same expression. "What were you going to say Michelle." She was glaring right at Savannah. I licked my lips to keep from smiling.

We had somewhat sorted out what we wanted to do today. We could at least agree on leaving the hotel room and going to explore. Savannah had already changed, I put my clothing in the bathroom and Michelle was still looking for something.
"I have to pee." She stated to the room. Vanessa asked me to pick out an outfit for her. I threw a pair of jeans, tank top and sweater at her. A knock came at the door.
"Got it."
"Did we order lunch?"
"No Vanessa, you're just hungry." I twisted the door handle and pulled. "Prince Hayes." I was shocked.
"Close, just Hayes."
"Right." I was never going to get used to that. "Uh, what can I do for you?"
"I was curious if you'd like to accompany me to the Christmas Ball tomorrow night?" He asked softly.
"What?!" The girls yelled in the room. Prince Hayes peered around me.
"Hello?" He looked unsure. I turned to see Savannah, Michelle and Vanessa's heads stack on each other like a Three stooges totem pole. I turned back to him.
"Please excuse my friends, they're special."
"Would you like to come?" He extended the offer to them. They squealed with excitement.
"Are you kidding?" Savannah was at my side.
"Are there a lot of cute guys?" Vanessa asked.
"Will there be alcohol?" Michelle tried to push between Savannah and I.
"I hope you don't regret your decision just yet." I said sarcastically.
"Of course not. Any friend of yours are invited."
"Ugh, than Channing Tatum is Autumns best friend." Vanessa gushed. Hayes turned his head in curiosity.
"None of us know Channing Tatum." I stated. "Besides, we have nothing to wear. We just came to do a performance."
"That's alright, I know someone."
"He knows someone." Vanessa giggles and smacked the other two around. I sighed.
"Please, do get ready, we shall go now." Vanessa and Michelle giggled and ran back into the room. Savannah stayed by my side almost in a trance looking at Hayes.
"Queen Savannah Winterhaven." The worlds rolled out of her mouth like fluffy clouds. I slowly turned my head to look at her. Savannah's face turned pink. "I said that out loud didn't I?"
"Mmm." She sheepishly smiled at Prince Hayes and tucked a hair behind her ear.
"Sorry, I'm a day dreamer."
"Goodbye Savannah." I said loudly to get her attention. She gave a sharp nod and walked back into the room. "I'm really sorry about them."
"They're really no trouble. They seem lovely." I laughed.
"They aren't, just charming in their own ways. Come in." He followed me into the hotel room. "Prince coming in, please be wearing clothing." I yelled ahead of us.
"Wait!" Vanessa cried. I stopped him at the door and walked into the open part of our room. Savannah was laying on our bed and Vanessa was quickly putting her shirt on. "Ready!"
"Why did you change in the room? We have a perfectly fine bathroom." I pointed behind me.
"Michelle." They said in unison. I moaned.
"You can come in Hayes." He slowly appeared into the opening to the room. "You can sit anywhere you'd like?" I glanced around at the mess in our room.
"What happened in here?" He took in the room.
"They got ready." Hayes looked at me.
"Oh. How do you know who's is who's?"
"You don't." His eyes widened. I laughed.
"Welcome to traveling with girls." He nodded.
"Prince Hayes you can come sit with me." Savannah patted the bed next to her.
"It's not dignified for a royal to sit on a bed." Her face saddened.
"Michelle," I yelled through the bathroom door. "hurry up!"
"I'm getting ready!" She whined. I started pounding my hand on the door. "Stop!" She cried.
"Then let me in! My clothes are in there."
"Oh." She went silent. "This is your outfit?"
"Michelle!" I yelled.
"I thought room service picked it out!" I gritted my teeth. Savannah erupted with laughter.
"Room Service? When would room service have been in here today?!" She called between laughed.
"Just wear it, I'll find something else." I scooted around Hayes back into the room. I looked at all the clothing scattered around. I sighed feeling already defeated. Dropping to my knees I started looking through Michelle's bag. "Room services." I muttered to myself. "What a fucking princess." I slapped my hand over my mouth. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to curse in front of you." Hayes laughed a little.
"You're fine." Michelle walked by.
"Thanks." She winked at him. I rolled my eyes.
"That doesn't look good on you." I said grabbing a shirt and pants. She looked down at the outfit.
"Yeah. You don't have boobs like Autumn to pull that off." Savannah sat up.
"Savannah!" I scolded her. She just waved her hand in dismissal and fell back.
"Well I'm wearing it!" Michelle stomped her foot.
"Good, because we don't have time for you to change again." I taunted as I walked past her.

After we all got dressed and ready we piled into the royal limo. Everything was black. Black paint on the outside, black windows and black seats on the insides. The limo smelled clean and not a thing was out of place. Michelle insisted on sitting next to Prince Hayes so I sat between Vanessa and Savannah. I was just glad Savannah wasn't next to Hayes. If she was, I had a feeling we'd be asked never to return to Baltaver again.
"You're country is very beautiful." Vanessa flirted a little.
"Thank you." He smiled at her. She quickly looked at me but I looked away. It's not that I minded the two of them together but  I was asked to the ball, they happened to be in the room. If he would have been 20 minutes later we would be out exploring Baltaver and I wouldn't know a thing about a ball. None of us would.
"Do you think he'll buy us pizza?" Vanessa whispered.
"Of all the things to ask for, and pizza is what you've came up with?" Hayes smiled at her. Her eyes grew a little wide.
"Would you take me out for a nice steak?" Savannah flirted.
"Savannah." I scolded her. Hayes looked a little uncomfortable.
"You're such cock block." She pouted.
"Savannah!" I gawked at her.
"I'm sitting in a limo, with a prince." Michelle gushed. We all looked at her slightly concerned. "This is how all the good dreams start!" She almost squealed.
"Tell me how they end?" Savannah bit her lip. I shook my head a little.
"So," Hayes tried to change the subject. "how are you liking Baltaver thus far?"
"It's beautiful!" Michelle melted.
"It's a winter wonderland and I could stay here forever." Vanessa agreed. I rolled my eyes. Those two could be so dramatic.
"Not bad." Savannah added. I chuckled.
"What about you Autumn?" I looked at Hayes.
"The verdict is still out, I'll let you know." The corners of his mouth turned up at my joke. I licked my lips and looked out the window again. Baltaver really was beautiful.
"Have you ever been to California?" Savannah asked Prince Hayes.
"I have not."
"Well, if you're ever there I have a three bed room house if you'd like to stay." I tried to ignore her. Back in America being sexually flirtatious was a way to get a mans attention. I had a feeling things were a lot different here, especially with a Prince.
"We live together." Vanessa added in. I just rolled my eyes.
"You're just jealous because you're in a one bed room apartment." Savannah was looking at me.
"Green isn't my color. But at least I don't still live with my parents like some people in this car." The limo was silent. All the girls looked at me baffled. Michelle lived in a studio by herself. So none of us four girls lived with our parents anymore.
"Who still lives with their parents?" Michelle asked.
"I do." Hayes was smiling wide. "That's funny." I bit my lower lip as I smiled.
"You can't make fun of the Prince!" Vanessa scolded me.
"It's not my first offense." I looked from Vanessa, to Hayes, then back out to Baltaver. We turned down a smaller street. A dusty lavender shop sat at the corner. The door and shutters were dark wood with a green metal roof. My eyes caught on the store.
"Wha, what is that store?" I stuttered to Hayes. My finger followed as we drove by it.
"It's an antique shop." He looked at me puzzled. "Why?" I paused.
"Just curious." I finally said. I tucked a loose piece of hair behind my ear. I wanted to go in that shop. At home my dad had a picture of my mom sitting on a bench in front of a store just like that one. Same colors and same style. Part of me hoped she had been there but I knew better than that. My dad had never told me a story of them leaving the United States. Who else would take her?