Ariana slowly woke up and rose up from the bed. "I'm in... My room?" Ariana asked looking around. She saw an inhaler on the table next to the bed. "Oh, right. I blacked out, because I had an asthma attack." Ariana said. "So that was it?" Joshua asked leaning his back against the door.
She let out a short scream. "W-What are you doing here?!" Ariana exclaimed. "I'm just here to check up on you. So, you have an asthma problem?" Joshua asked. "Y-Yes..." Ariana answered. "You should've told me about this sooner." Joshua said.
She was about to say something rash but stopped herself. "Well... Thank you for getting an inhaler for me." Ariana said. "Just don't let it happen again." Joshua said. "Sometimes I can't help i, so don't assume that I can't make another mistake, because I'm not perfect." Ariana said. "You're a strange woman." Joshua said. "You're the strange one here!" Ariana exclaimed. "Oh? How so?" Joshua asked. "You just are! Y-You always interrupt me on everything, and that's how I got into this mess! Being stuck here when you don't even want me here!" Ariana said and sadly looked down. He raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?" Joshua asked. "It's nothing." Ariana said. "Fine. I'll go now." Joshua said and left. She clenched her hands into fists.
It has been nearly a week since Ariana has been staying at the Dres Van Kingdom. She had one and a half piles of papers filled out. "I still have a lot more to do..." Ariana said and groaned.
She had a flashback about the day she blacked out. She heard Joshua's voice when she was losing conscious. "Hey! Stay with me!" Joshua said. The flashback ended. "Why am I thinking about that?" Ariana asked herself. "Hello!" Roberto said appearing behind her.
She screamed while turning around. "Roberto! When did you get here?!" Ariana exclaimed. "Just now. You seemed that you were spaced out for a second." Roberto said. "I was taking a breather. I'm almost a quarter done with all of this." Ariana said. "You sure work fast. You sure are eager to get out of here." Roberto said and laughed. "You have no idea." Ariana said. "But despite that, how have you been?" Roberto asked. "Alright, I guess." Ariana said. "Has Josh been giving you a hard time?" Roberto asked. "I can list off a million things, trust me." Ariana said. Roberto laughed at her response. "That's what he said! You two seem like you're at each other's throats." Roberto said. "He thinks so too? He's so..." Ariana said and huffed. "Prince Roberto, what are you doing in here?" Joshua asked coming in the room.
"I just wanted to see my good friend." Roberto said. "Leave her alone. She doesn't need friends." Joshua said. "Hey!" Ariana exclaimed. "You can't just cut off a friendship like that." Roberto said. "I was only joking. Why did you take it so seriously?" Joshua asked. "It sure didn't sound like a joke." Ariana said. "Quiet, you." Joshua said. She glared at him and turned away.
Roberto laughed at their little quarrel. "You two sooner or later need to learn how to get along." Roberto said. "I don't want to be friends with a commoner." Joshua said. "And I don't want to be friends with someone who acts like a complete jerk." Ariana said. "Excuse me? Would you like to say that again?" Joshua asked getting close to her face. "You're. A. Complete. Jerk." Ariana said. "I will never be your friend, and I don't think of you as a woman either, you're just a thing." Joshua said. "You're such a jerk wad of a prince!" Ariana said. "Alright. Alright. Calm down you two." Roberto said getting in between them. "Well, she started it." Joshua said. "Now, Josh. Please don't be hard on her. She's been under stress since she has to fill out all of those papers." Roberto said. "It's her fault that she came here illegally." Joshua said. "No! It's your fault for bringing me here!" Ariana exclaimed. "You guys..." Roberto said. "Stay out of this!" They both said. "Oh... Ok then, I'll be on my way..." Roberto said and left. (A/N: Poor Robby XD)
"You know how much of a nuisance you are?" Joshua asked. "Then kick me out! I rather be at home than be here!" Ariana said. "You have to stay here until you completely fill out everything!" Joshua said. "That's stupid! I should just leave freely!" Ariana said. "It's a rule that you should follow! You annoying girl!" Joshua said. "You're the one who's annoying! Making me fill out these stupid papers to get out when I can just go on my own free will! It's obvious that we don't like each other, so why keep me here?!" Ariana asked. "You're right! I don't like you! I really don't like you!" Joshua said. "I hate you so much!" Ariana said. "Why, you!" Joshua said and raised his hand ready to hit.
Her eyes widen and her body began to shake violently. "No..." Ariana said and covered her head and teared up. (A/N: Nice going Joshua...) He stopped and raised his eyebrows. "I'm sorry. I just..." Joshua said.
She didn't say anything and let the tears come out. He felt bad about what he did. "Hey... I didn't mean to scare you." Joshua said and put his hand under her chin to raise her head. "I... I didn't want to experience that again..." Ariana said. "What?" Joshua asked. "I... I... Went through abuse when I was younger..." Ariana said. He grunted. "You were? I didn't know..." Joshua said wiping her tears away. "Don't cry anymore, and I'm sorry that I looked like I was going to hurt you." Joshua said and offered his hand. "What..?" Ariana said. "I take back what I said in our argument. I didn't mean any of it." Joshua said. "I didn't mean anything either. I was just angry and under some stress, because of staying up late again filling out papers." Ariana said. "Do you want to forget this happened, and we can start over?" Joshua asked. She put her hand in his. "Sure. And we can be friends?" Ariana asked. "Yes. Prince Roberto was right, we should get along." Joshua said. "I agree." Ariana said. They smiled at one another.
The next morning, Ariana was eating her breakfast and Joshua was reading the newspaper. He put down the newspaper and requested something to eat. Jan was shocked, but accepted his request.
He came back shortly and served Joshua's food. Jan went back to the wall, and was still had a surprise expression on his face. "How do you like today's meal?" Joshua asked. "It's really good as usual." Ariana said. "Really?" Joshua asked. "What? You mean you never had breakfast in here before?" Ariana asked. "No, but I'll try it." Joshua said. Jan was even more shocked. "His highness... Is actually cooperating?" Jan thought. "Is it good?" Ariana asked. "It is actually. I should do this more often." Joshua said. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You should do it every day." Ariana said. "If you say so, then I'll do it." Joshua said. "What? I thought his highness and Ms. Ariana was on bad terms with each other, but they acting like friends." Jan thought.
___
On one of the days, Roberto came over to the castle again. "Have you two been getting along?" Roberto asked. "Nonetheless, we slowly are." Ariana said. "Do you know a lot of things about each other then?" Roberto asked. She was thinking to herself. "No... After a couple of weeks being here, I know nothing about him." Ariana said. "You should have your friendship closer by being with each other more, and I have an idea. Please come with me." Roberto said gesturing her to follow him.
They were both walking with each other, and Roberto spotted Joshua. "Josh! I need to talk to you!" Roberto said going up to Joshua with Ariana catching up to him. "What do you want?" Joshua asked. "I want you and Ariana here to get to know each other more." Roberto said. "We can do that anytime, I have work to do." Joshua said. "Too bad!" Roberto said and quickly handcuffed Joshua and Ariana. "What is the meaning of this?!" Joshua asked. "Yeah, he said that we can talk later, so why?" Ariana asked. "You have to do it now, and I'll unlock you two in three days when I come back." Roberto said and laughed. "Three days?!" They both asked. "Oh look at the time I must be going! Have fun you two!" Roberto said and ran off. (A/N: WTF Robby!) "Wait!" They both said and sighed. "What is he thinking?" Joshua asked. "What he just said. There are a few things I'm worried about this." Ariana said. "And what is that?" Joshua asked. "How are we going to go to the bathroom, take a shower, and change clothes?" Ariana asked. He went wide eyed. "That is a problem." Joshua said. "And we're stuck with each other like this for three days... We'll figure something out." Ariana said. "That Roberto..." Joshua said. "Oh yeah, one more thing..." Ariana said. "What?" Joshua asked. "Since we're stuck, we have to sleep together." Ariana said and blushed which made him blush.
It was dinner time and the two of them were sitting right next to each other. "Your highness, Ms. Ariana, why are you two so close to each other?" Jan asked. They held up their wrist that showed the handcuffs. "Why are you handcuffed to each other?" Jan asked. "Prince Roberto did this so that me and his highness can get to know each other better. We're going to be like this for three days." Ariana said. Jan chuckled. "Is that so? I hope you two get something good out of this." Jan said. "What is there to know someone?" Joshua asked. "Anything pretty much." Ariana said. "What do you mean?" Joshua asked. "Like... What are you likes and dislikes or something like that." Ariana said. "I don't get it." Joshua said. "You'll know when we get there." Ariana said.
At night, the both of them were in Ariana's room. "It looks like my paperwork has to be delayed for now. I mean you would be there doing nothing." Ariana said. "That's fine. Let's go to sleep." Joshua said. "R-Right now?" Ariana asked. "Is that a problem?" Joshua asked. "No, but... It'll be a little awkward... Me and you... Sleeping together." Ariana said. "We don't have a choice." Joshua said and pulled her along to the bed.
She blushed madly as she was noticed she was really close to him. "I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight..." Ariana thought.