CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
OF MARRIAGE POLLS, SUSPICIOUS SMILES, AND THE KISS THAT SET THE COURT ON FIRE
Riyee's POV
Let me be clear: I did not sign up for this.
The Jail Booth was one thing. Getting rescued by KD? Mildly infuriating. Slightly heartwarming. Whatever.
But being handcuffed again—by my own friends—was a whole new level of betrayal.
"Xylia, I swear on your favorite eyeliner—let me go!" I snarled, thrashing as she and Mico's suspiciously coordinated hands snapped cold steel cuffs onto my wrist.
"Too late, Princess," Xylia grinned. "The marriage booth calls."
"Can't we pretend I died in the Jail Booth?"
"Nope. KD saved you, remember? That means you're alive, well, and getting fake-married in approximately three minutes."
"I hate all of you," I muttered as they dragged me across Solencia Courtyard toward the Third Year booth like I was being sacrificed to the gods of romantic comedy.
I tried twisting. Protesting. Using my Very Sharp Words™. Nothing worked.
Until I reached the booth.
And froze.
Oh. You've got to be kidding me.
Inside, under soft string lights and draped white curtains that looked like they were stolen from a budget wedding catalog, stood Khaizer Dylan Dela Vega.
Handcuffed.
By Jodie and Errol, who were grinning like devils with glitter.
KD looked like a full public relations nightmare. Sleeves rolled. Blazer sharp. Tie loose enough to ruin lives. He stood cold and composed—until his eyes met mine.
And then—
Something shifted.
Just a flicker. Barely a blink. But I saw it.
Softness. Recognition. Something I didn't have the mental capacity to name right now.
Jodie clapped, stepping into her role like she'd rehearsed it in front of a mirror for hours.
"Today, we honor the results of the school's most scandalous poll!" she declared, flipping her clipboard like a game show host. "Last week, the forum asked: WHO WILL MARRY RIELLE DEL RIO AT THE MARRIAGE BOOTH?"
Behind her, Errol raised a sign, dramatic and laminated:
— Option A: The Ice President
— Option B: The Celestine Prince
— Option C: Me. Obviously. (submitted by Saichel)
— Option D: Whoever survives the battle
"And the winner... with 67% of the vote—THE ICE PRESIDENT!"
Jodie grinned like a fangirl who'd seen the plot twist coming since Chapter One.
"Sorry, Prince Xythe. Looks like canon won."
Wait—what?!
I whipped around.
And there he was.
Xythe.
Leaning on the back wall. Arms crossed. Quiet. Calculating.
Watching me.
His lips curled into a small grin. Not bitter. Not hurt.
Just... knowing.
YOU ARE READING
STRINGS BETWEEN US
Teen Fiction"A slow-burn teen romance threaded with secrets, rivalries, and a dangerous past neither of them remembers-until it comes for them." ✧ STRINGS BETWEEN US ✧ She left her crown behind. He ruled with silence. But some strings pull-no matter how far you...
