(Copyright) © 2011 Candle_Ice
* * * * *
Chapter 5
"Yee-s. It's me, Leonidas" Elise said in a shaky voice.
"I know, I saw the ID," Leonidas replied, at a loss of how to proceed, that he gave away that he already stored her number in his phone.
"How did you-- Wait! Never mind. I forgot who I was talking to for a minute." Elise sighed.
“About that,” he began.
“Yes, about that. You’re the Crown Prince! The most sought after bachelor in the country, if not the world, and you’re Leo. My friend, Leo, this person who I connect with on so many levels, yet you’re not him, you’re a Prince. Who are you really, Leonidas, because, I’m confused.”
Wow, she just boxed him into a corner. Maybe now was not such a good time to have this conversation, especially over the phone, this was to be talked out in person.
"Listen, I don't want to have this conversation on the phone. It's much harder than I thought it would be. Have dinner with me tomorrow." He made it sound more like and order than a request, so he asked again, before she could say a word, "Elise, would you please accompany me to dinner tomorrow?"
"Has anyone ever turned you down before?" she asked with a smile evident in her tone.
Beginning to relax, Leonidas laughed a little, and said "No, actually. They normally jump at the chance to go out with me. I'm the one usually saying no."
"Why me?" she finally asked, after a slight pause.
Because you’re you. He couldn’t tell her that. It’s better to explain it all later.
"I don't want to tell you over the phone. Accept my invitation to dinner, and we'll talk in person. It's better that way." He cajoled.
"Okay. I accept. But on one condition," She quickly added, "No where too formal. If we're going to talk, I don't want a stuffy atmosphere. I’d like to be a little comfortable."
"Done and agreed. How about I have a car pick you up and we have dinner in my chambers?" Leonidas said calmly.
"Y-your," she gulped, "chambers? As in the palace? Where your parents, The King and Queen, and your grandparents, The Royal Elders, all reside at some point?"
"Elise, the palace is a very huge place. I have my private chambers, almost a separate living quarter, complete with my very own dining room. We won't be disturbed, and my parents have a dinner party with the ambassadors tomorrow anyway, so they won’t be around. As for the Royal Elders, only my grandmother resides here, and rarely steps out of her chambers, so no need to feel any panic at meeting them tomorrow." He added. He hoped she wouldn’t pick up on the fact that he said ‘meeting them tomorrow’ which didn’t rule out the option of meeting them later.
"Very well then, I suppose. I'll see you tomorrow at 7? Is that alright?" She said nervously.
"Yes, until tomorrow, my fair Elise, I bid you Good night."
"Wait! What do I tell my friends? I mean, after today, everyone will be bothering me for details about our 'relationship' for lack of a better word." Elise pointed out.
"Tell them the truth Elise," Leonidas said softly, "We are friends. I never lied to you, I only concealed my identity. Everything else we talked about was true. But I shall explain all of that tomorrow. Sweet dreams, little one." With that Leonidas disconnected the call.
Elise closed her phone and lay back on her bed. Her mug of hot chocolate was now a mug of cold brown liquid. She should sleep, but rest was beyond her now.
Her 'friend' the one she talked to for hours, the one she was falling for, was the guy she knew nothing about, and sort of disliked. Well she just hated his playboy status, and what the tabloids painted him as.
She didn't know anything about him personally to make a judgment. But he said he didn't lie about anything they talked about. And they talked about a LOT of things. Music, art, books, movies, the future of Elyria, sports. They had so many similar interests, it scared Elise.
She was determined not to fall for his charms, after all he was a Prince and they were synonymous with charming.
But if he was really the one she talked to all the time, Elise knew it was only a matter of time before she fell head over heels for him, charm or no charm.