L E V I + A B R I
"Immediately following Thursday's announcement of Her Royal Highness, Princess Charlotte's Selection, I had the opportunity to sit down with the woman of the hour herself and talk to her about this upcoming trial in her life," I read the beginning of the interview very loudly, catching the attention of every male in the garage. Even Kevin, who's supposed to be in his office, has his ears perked up.
The only person who doesn't look interested is Levi, who is hiding behind all the extra parts along the wall. I know he's only distracting himself so he doesn't listen to me, but that's why I'm reading very loudly.
"Princess Charlotte, of course, looks comfortable in the same pale blue dress she wore on The Report to announce her selection." I watch for Levi's reaction, but his head is still turned, and he's doing his best not to listen.
I skip the rest of the boring part, wanting to get right to the part where the princess is talking. I skim the rest, feeling the penetrating eyes on me from every male. Most of the dudes here had to send in their application, but something tells me half of them didn't mind it. They would all deny it though.
"Aha, here we go," I murmur to myself, finding the part where Princess Charlotte is talking. "So tell us princess, what is it like knowing 35 eligible bachelors are all going to be vying for your attention?" I grin to myself. Sandra knows the questions we all want the answers to.
Every guy is glued to the answer that I read way louder than I need to, just to make sure Levi is listening, "Honestly? It's almost a little terrifying. It's been so long since I've been on a date, over six years to be exact. So I'm not exactly in the dating game and now to have 35 suitors at once? It's definitely intimidating," I finish the answer, then watch as Levi makes his way to the car he's working on. "One thing you have in common, Levi! You're both out of the dating game!"
He ignores me.
That earns a few snickers.
I carry on.
"Will you see any of the applications ahead of time? Will you be picking any suitors for yourself?" I read Charlotte's answer, "No, not at all. The first time I'll learn their names is on the Live Report when I draw their names."
Levi wipes his forehead with the back of his hand, leaving a smudge of grime. He seems focused on his current task. I keep reading.
"So you're saying it's entirely anonymous? All by chance?"
Her answer surprises me.
"Well of course there's a vetting process. A panel will be going through the applications and running background checks but from there, yes, everything is fate."
It's all fate. I glance at Levi.
His eyes have dropped to the ground.
He's listening.
I read the next question.
—
I tighten the bolt. I try to stay focused. Abri has been bugging me all week to listen to these articles, and no matter how many times I've told her no, she still insists I should. "You should know what you're getting into, if you get in," she says, or something along those lines. She's tried all the variations of excuses and reasons to get me to listen. None of them have worked. So now she's choosing to read it in front of everyone, as if she knew everyone else would like to listen, when in reality, it's all for me.
It's all for me.
It shouldn't be. Whatever she said about fate, it's wrong. If I get in, it's not fate. It'd be hell. And it's a lie. It's not anonymous. Which is why I know I'm not getting in. Who would choose me, with my background, with my history, for a princess? No one in their right mind would. Not that I mind. I'd rather they choose someone who the princess would actually need instead of an orphaned mechanic in a small town in Calgary.
No. I won't get in. But the princess must not know the process. Or else she may not have said. Or else she did, and decided to give half the guys here hope.
"And what are you looking for in a man? What does your perfect Prince Charming look like?" Abri reads aloud the next question. I can't help but listen. I can't help but want to know her answer, even though I shouldn't.
I don't know how I feel about her answer.
"Oh, that is a really difficult question. I mean, ideally I would like someone to be my partner. Someone who can stand by my side and support me and of course, make me laugh." Abri reading it gives it the energy it portrays, but that doesn't mean it was said with that much vigor. Abri is only reading it that way because she wants me to be interested. She wants me to want to get in.
But there isn't a point. I still wouldn't get in even if I did want it.
—
"What role will they play in your future?" I read, turning away from Levi. "They'll be my husband, of course, their role will be that of any other marriage," the princess answers, and I almost wish it wasn't in paper form. If Levi were really to get a picture of how sincere she is, he may be more interested. But if anyone knows Levi just a little bit, they know how good he is at hiding what he feels.
Is that what he learned after being away from his loved ones for so long?
I turn back to the interview.
"Can we expect children in the near future then?" The question reads. Most of the guys start whooping, or letting out wolf whistles, and I have to roll my eyes. Such boys. I frown, reading Charlotte's response, which I have to admire. "Sandra! I haven't even met the men yet!" I read, eyeing all the men, and some dip their heads. But most of them don't seem to care what I think about their reactions. Maybe I should have skipped that question.
It doesn't matter. It's the end of the interview.
—
I should have known she had another article to read.
"Read on as we ask Princess Charlotte Teen Illea's 75 Questions to Get to Know You," Abri reads, catching my eye. She grins slyly.
"On a scale of 1-10, how excited are you about life right now?" She starts the line of questioning, but this time Abri moves closer to me. "9.5, the other .5 is a little bit of fear as I start this new course of action," is the princesses' answer.
I ignore the second question and answer.
Unfortunately, the third is hard to miss.
"If you could do a love scene with anyone, who would it be?" Abri reads the question aloud, then immediately claps a hand over her mouth. With her eyes wide, she looks at me first, then to the other guys around us, who all start "Oohing" as if they have nothing better to do. Everyone is glued to Abri.
I shake my head at her. "Don't," I warn.
She sticks her tongue out at me and reads the answer, "Oh gosh, umm, can I pass? No? Okay then, this is so embarrassing but Jason Momoa." Abri starts laughing aloud as soon as she reads it. Almost immediately, all the guys start groaning.
Genn walks out of her office, staring at everyone with confusion. "What is going on out here?" she asks.
Abri still can't stop laughing.
One guy yells out, "Can you really blame her though?"
Another one yells back, "Yeah, cause she hasn't met me yet!"
I wipe all the grime from my fingers onto my pants.
Genn walks over to Abri, who shows her what everyone is laughing at. Genn rolls her eyes, glances over at me with a frown, then walks back into her office.
—
My laugh is more aimed at Genn now. She's alright. She's smart. She's pretty. She can dress nice, but other than that, there's not much to her. And I know she hates how most of the attention is not on her anymore. I couldn't count on both of my hands how many guys here have asked her out, and even though she's rejected all of them, she loves it. She loves being wanted. I guess anyone would.
But the only person I know she would want is Levi.
Which maybe it makes her feel better he doesn't seem to be as into the princess as every other male in here.
"Stop imagining it, and listen!" I yell, catching most everyone's attention.
Now that they've all finished chatting...
"What's your wakeup ritual?" I read, glad everyone's settled down. I read Charlotte's answer, "Let's see, I get up before 5 usually, go for a jog, shower, have a cup or two of coffee as I go over my morning schedule, get ready, grab some breakfast, coordinate the day with my dad, and then get on with the day."
Most of these questions are with quick and easy answers, and I read them all aloud, but I make sure Levi hears the best ones.
"What's your favorite time of day?"
I watch as Levi goes to the end of the room, grabbing more tools.
"Midnight. It's the perfect balance of late night quiet and early morning opportunities. Anything feels possible at midnight," Charlotte answers. I have to say I agree with her. I have never been a morning person, and fully claim to being a night owl. Therefore, midnight is one of my best friends.
Even though I usually hate myself when I have to wake up the next morning.
I watch Levi's expression to see if he liked her answer, but nothing is portrayed on his features.
I read more questions, watching Levi.
"What's your biggest fear in life?" I read. "Failure; letting the people down."
I frown. Something we have in common.
—
"If you had a tattoo, where would it be?"
My interest piques when I hear the question.
And unfortunately, I strain to hear the answer.
"Um, somewhere easily hideable, like my upper thigh. Or maybe my wrist. I know, two completely different things there."
I scoff softly. What's the point of getting a tattoo if you want to hide it?
Abri continues reading. The more I hear of the princess, the more I could care less. Or maybe it's the questions I could care less about. If the whole point is to get to know the princess, why are they asking these questions? It's all small talk, chit chat, something I don't ever think I'll be able to understand. I'd rather ask the tough questions, the hard questions, the ones that I truly want to know the answer to.
"Best compliment you've ever received?" I tune in to hear the question, and then the answer, "That someone trusts me."
I hear Abri mutter, "I get that."
I can't help a smile.
She sees it and I know she sees it as a victory.
I drop the smile.
"How do you know you're in love?" Abri reads. "I don't know yet, I'm hoping I'll just know? I'm assuming when I can't picture my life without that person."
Sometimes you might have to, I can't help but thinking.
I am given no other chance to go down that path because Abri reads another question I actually want to know the answer to.
"What are you most excited about at this time in your life?"
And I should have expected her answer.
"The possibility of finding love."
"Don't we all want that!" someone yells. Abri pauses her reading to send him a glare.
Abri finishes the interview. She has read every question. Once it's over, people go back to fully focusing on work. It was fun for them, just for a little while. But we're back to reality. To the harsh reality that no one else wants to face.
It seems I'm the only one.
Every guy who sent in their application thinks they have a chance of getting in.
They're all hopeful.
And they aren't prepared for the cold, hard facts.
None of them are getting in.
It isn't fate, Princess. It's logic.