Chapter 15: Stare (Evelyn's POV)
It's been about an hour since we all had breakfast and I was organizing my closet for the month when Caroline came barging in. "Evelyn!" she sang.
"Caroline!" I said mockingly.
"The king and queen are going out to the Kingdom of Erynn for the day and we all have the palace all to ourselves. Chloe said she saw Prince Archer getting ready to go for a swim and we are all planning to go as well. Get ready, grab a bikini, let's go!" she squealed.
"I don't know, I don't really feel like swimming," I shook my head, putting my dress in the closet, hanging it up.
"Oh, come on. It's the perfect opportunity to flirt with the prince. He'll be shirtless too," she sang.
"Caroline," I said pointedly.
"Here." She grabbed my suitcase, looking through it and then turning back to me with a frown. "You didn't bring a bikini?"
"Why would I bring a bikini?"
"Borrow one of mine," she shrugged. "I brought a new one but I think it would look better on you, actually," she said thoughtfully. "I'll be right back."
"Caroli-"
She was gone before I could protest. I continued unpacking and turned to the door when she came back. "Here," she handed me a bright red bikini. "It should fit. I can't believe you didn't bring one. Come to the pool in fifteen minutes, okay?" She rushed back out to go change and get ready herself.
I sighed, grabbing a pair of denim shorts and going into the bathroom. I put on the bikini and luckily we're the same size so it fit. Then I grabbed a towel and pulled the shorts on over the bikini bottoms. I brushed through my hair and put it up in a high ponytail before trading my flats for flip flops.
I grabbed a see-through, floral cardigan and pulled it on over my bikini. I smacked sunscreen everywhere on my body and then opened my door.
Caroline was waiting for me at the staircase. "He's already there, let's go!" she squealed, grabbing my arm and dragging me downstairs.
I sighed, walking beside her. Archer was standing in the pool, seemingly confused as he talked to Mila. She was sitting on the edge with her legs dipped in. Chloe was doing the same a little further away and so were the other two.
"Hey," Mila smiled while we walked over.
I squinted under the sun while Caroline literally dragged me over. She got rid of her shorts and sat down beside Mila, talking to her.
I sighed, shrugging off the cardigan and then losing the shorts. I left them on a chair and looked over, seeing Archer looking at me with his sunglasses on his head.
"Hi," he grinned.
"What?" I asked, looking down.
Was something slipping?
"Nothing," he shook his head, laughing.
I ignored it and then sat down on the edge, dipping my legs in. I leaned back on my arms, watching as everyone chatted off to someone or the other.
I will never not feel out of place here.
I was looking around the backyard, my eyes going to the basketball court a few feet from here with a basketball sitting under each of the baskets. It was fun in gym class.
"Do you play?"
I got startled, looking to the front and meeting Archer who was standing by my legs, looking up at me. "No, not really. Just in school," I answered.
He nodded in response. "Do you want to play though?"
"Maybe later," I chuckled.
"Okay," he shrugged. "Can I ask you something?"
I nodded, looking down at him.
"Are all of you wearing makeup? Or did you all do your hair or something?"
"I don't know, I didn't. Why?" I laughed.
"Cause you all are just sitting there. It feels a little weird," he scoffed.
"They're all here to impress you, so maybe some of them are wearing makeup," I replied.
"Are you here to impress me?"
"No, you're not that special," I answered smugly.
He smiled in response, running his fingers through his wet hair. After a few minutes, he spoke again. "Okay really, nobody is actually going to swim?"
I sighed, lowering myself into the water. "Better?"
"Much better," he smirked.
I rolled my eyes, standing on my toes while we talked. He asked me some questions about school and family. I told him how I've traveled a little here and there because I have family who chose to leave Zariya and live in cities around the world. "I have cousins in Australia, aunts in Florida, and an uncle in London," I answered.
"So, you've been around quite a bit."
I nodded, tightening my ponytail. "Yeah, a bit. Only to-"
"Evelyn!" I looked over, spotting Chloe calling me.
"Don't go," he mumbled.
I rolled my eyes, walking over to her, swimming when my feet couldn't touch the ground anymore. "Yes?"
"What foundation do you have on?"
"Excuse me?"
"Your makeup isn't coming off in the pool?"
"Oh, I don't have any on," I replied, chuckling.
"Huh," she said.
"Is that what you called me for?"
She nodded.
I sighed, shaking my head and walking back over to Archer.
"Waste of time?"
"Yes," I scoffed. We both stood against the wall in silence while the girls chatted amongst themselves. I spotted Lucas doing his job but he was coming over and was going to work around us. I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"Take a dunk," Archer said. "Go under."
"Seriously?"
"Do you have a better idea, Evelyn?" he deadpanned.
"Yes." I turned around, my back in the direction Lucas was. I gave Archer a pointed look and he chuckled, shaking his head. I put my arms on the edge and put my chin on my arms. "I can't believe I have to be here for a month and avoid him," I mumbled.
"You'll be fine," he nodded. "I can fire him if that's better?"
"No," I said quickly, standing straight. "It'll get really tough for him, don't do that. Please," I whispered.
"You still care about him?"
"I was with him for over a year. I can't help it," I mumbled.
"Fine, I won't fire him," he agreed. "But if I catch him doing something like what he tried doing last night..."
I nodded lightly.
Chloe walked over, sitting beside Archer. "Hi," she grinned at him.
He and I exchanged a look. I stifled a laugh before pushing myself off the wall and dunking my head under the water. I started swimming laps underwater. I always swim underwater, it's better than anything else. You're just completely submerged under the water, swimming along the floor.
I came back up for a breath and then stopped against the other end of the pool. I turned around, facing the wall of the pool and squeezing the water out of my ponytail.
Lucas walked over, going right past me. He looked at me while walking and my eyes followed him where he went.
I looked away, resisting a groan. I went back under the water, doing another lap. I used to swim a lot as a kid, even competitively for a while. I was able to hold my breath for the whole length. I came back just before the wall and gasped, seeing Archer standing right in front of me. "Hi," I said breathlessly.
"Hi," he chuckled. "I made an arrangement for you."
"Oh?" I laughed.
"Everyone is going to play basketball today. The whole staff included. We'll make two teams and we'll play in a while. Okay?"
"Are you serious?"
He nodded.
"Okay," I laughed.
"Archer." We both looked over at Mila. "Since you're hosting our stay here, shouldn't you be giving us all a treat?"
"What would you like?" he asked.
"Perhaps you can give us all a piggyback ride around the pool," she smirked, looking at me.
"That's great, I'll go first!" Chloe climbed into the pool.
I clamped my hand over my mouth, swimming over to Mila and sitting beside her and Caroline.
"Real smart, Mila," Caroline snickered.
Archer shot her a glare before being nice anyway and giving each of the girls a piggyback ride around the pool. He came back around and Mila got off his back.
I was the only one left. "I'm good, thanks," I chuckled.
He rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand, pulling me into the pool. I clicked my tongue while grabbing onto his shoulders. He started swimming around the perimeter of the pool. "This idea of Mila's was very stupid," he mumbled.
I laughed.
"But it's finally paying off," he smirked.
"Oh, is it?" I scoffed.
"A little bit," he smirked, poking my thigh.
I pushed his hand off and prepared to get off when we reached back to the spot I was originally sitting in.
But he didn't stop swimming.
"Uh, I think you passed my station," I chuckled.
"I know," he nodded.
I looked back at Mila and Caroline who were talking very obviously about me. "I think you're giving everyone a reason to stare, Mr. Grimaldi," I said, looking down at him, my eyes going to the tattoo I didn't notice.
He had the words 'Dream as if you'll live forever' written delicately in cursive across his shoulder blade. "So let them stare," he said, snapping me out of my daze. "I got it when I was seventeen," he said.
"Huh?"
"The tattoo."
"Oh. It's um, it's pretty," I stuttered.
"I have some you didn't notice last night." I could hear the smirk in his voice.
"Oh really?"
He nodded.
"Young at heart."
He stopped swimming.
I climbed off, standing in front of him. Of course, I noticed them.
He has 'Young at heart' tattooed on his left inner bicep. He looked at me half surprised, half amused.
"Oh wait, the lion, isn't it?" I pointed to his right arm.
He had a small but detailed, realistic tattoo of a lion on his right bicep but this one was on the outside.
"And the one everyone sees," I smiled, looking at the left side of his chest. '
Love without cause' was inked under his collarbone, on his chest.
"Are there any more?"
He shook his head with a smile.
"Four tattoos. That's quite a few," I stated.
"Really? Or just for a prince?"
I shrugged, "Maybe the latter."
"Do you have any?"
I shook my head in response. "But I would like one."
"I can take you," he offered.
"Really?"
He nodded, chuckling at my surprised expression. "What would you get?"
"My favorite quote," I sang. "I don't know what else I would get."
"And what's that?" he asked.
"I'm not telling you," I scoffed.
"Why not? I'll steal it?" he asked sarcastically.
"You might," I shrugged.
He laughed in response and we both started going to the edge because everyone was getting out, it had been nearly an hour of everyone lounging in the water. I dried myself off and then pulled my shorts and cardigan on before towel drying my ponytail quickly. I left my flip flops off while everyone walked over to the basketball court.
Chloe didn't want to play, she decided to be the referee. Lucas was also standing there with the rest of the staff.
There were four housemaids, all four butlers, Archer's chauffeur, the family chef, the four princesses, and then Archer and me.
"I'll be one captain, Evelyn, you can be the other," Archer smirked.
"Oh god," I mumbled. We stood beside each other and he said I could choose first. "How do I know who is good at playing basketball?" I asked.
He shrugged at me cockily.
I sighed, shaking my head. "Okay, um. Caroline," I shrugged.
"Mr. Bruce," he nodded.
"Jonathon," I picked his chauffeur.
"Mila."
"Bradley," I chuckled, calling one of the younger butlers in. I think he's around twenty-nine.
Archer was contemplating who to pick when my eyes met with Lucas. "Charles," Archer spoke up.
"Lucas," I nodded.
He looked up at me very confused.
I looked to Archer, seeing him shaking his head softly. "Carol."
And this went on until I had on my team Caroline, Jonathan, Bradley, Lucas, Molly, Kady, Benny, and myself. And Archer had the other eight people which totaled the players to sixteen. "You start," Archer said, tossing me the ball.
"Okay," I shrugged. I was already standing under their hoop, so I just took my shot. And I scored.
"What?" he laughed.
"You told me to start, so I did," I laughed, catching the ball and then dribbling it around just to move. I tossed it over to Caroline.
She passed it to Jonathon, and he scored again. Archer took the ball and started. I covered Mila and when the ball came to her, I knocked it over.
"How rude!" she pushed me playfully.
"Sorry," I laughed, moving.
"Evelyn!" I looked up as Lucas tossed it to me.
I caught it, dribbling it over and then tossing it to Caroline who scored us another point. We're playing to ten points so the game won't be too long. Because the sun was slowly starting to set.
After around forty-five minutes, we were up by one point and we just needed one more to win.
I stole the ball from Mila and laughed, dribbling it over, closer to their basket. I looked up, seeing Archer out of nowhere. My breath got caught in my throat but I continued bouncing the ball.
He stared at me straight in the eyes. I couldn't take my eyes away from him, no matter how hard I tried to. He came closer, his hand brushing mine but missing the ball. His eyes flickered between my lips and my eyes. He was clearly distracted.
I jumped up, throwing the ball. And scored.
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Chapter 15
I accidentally wrote a whole page extra thinking I was one page behind so you happen to get an extra-long chapter
next chapter: distraction