SAME OLD SAME OLD ❯ JILLY || ✓

same old same old

[DON'T PLAY THE SONG YET] 

"YOU'RE kidding."

Jax sighs and runs a hand through his immaculate hair. "Unfortunately, I'm not."

"Why?" I ask, my heart thumping wildly.

Jax groans and flops down beside me on my bed. Maxine's busy in the library with Jack and AG studying, so it's just been Jax and I all day. Not that I'm complaining.

"Apparently, there's been pressure from the court advisors to find all the young royals a partner. I've been putting it off as long as I can because well—" he blushes— "you know."

I blush too but quickly shake it off. "What about all the others? Doesn't Snow White have younger siblings?"

"She does, but Heathcliff's had a girlfriend for years, and Raina's off studying. They can't exactly find her someone when she's in another kingdom. No one's even tried pressuring Sasha, but I don't really blame them."

My brows furrow. "So they're putting it all on you?"

"Basically. Raz says she's sorry but there's nothing she can do. My father's already having girls lined up." His eyes shut and I can tell he's trying not to get angry.

I lean back against my headboard and reach over, running my fingers through his fair hair. Jax hums in pleasure, rolling over to throw his arm around my waist and I smile gently.

"When are you meeting them?" A spike of jealousy runs through my heart but I try not to dwell on it too much.

"When I go home next. So for the charity ball next week." His voice is muffled by my comforter.

"And you're just now telling me?" I ask incredulously.

He sighs. "I just now found out, Thief."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

I bite my lip. "That's the ball we're all going to stay at the palace for right?"

"Yeah, but I understand if you don't want to come now." He moves his head so that he's looking up at me and I look away at the intensity of his eyes. After three months of whatever it is we are and six years of friendship, I still haven't gotten used to his unnaturally beautiful eyes.

"No, if I don't go it'll raise suspicion. We can't let anyone know." I look down at my lap trying to ignore the darkening of his face. We've had this conversation (argument) before and I'm not in the mood for it.

"I still don't understand why," he grumbles, turning away and nuzzling back into my side.

"Jax," I say. "You know why. It's too dangerous. Grimm only knows what would happen if someone who didn't like us found out how attached we were to each other. Besides, you and I both don't want to have to deal with the public and as much as I like you, I don't want to have to deal with my family."

I try to ignore the little voice nagging in the back of my brain. While that's all true, I've always been slightly worried this wouldn't be a long-lasting thing, that he'd find someone better.

He mumbles something but then sighs. "Yeah, I know."

"We'll have a good time ok? All our friends will be there and it's not like your dad is gonna be throwing girls at you 24/7."

We sit in silence for a while before he looks up at me, his eyes soft. "Yeah, you're right."

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