"Are you sure they won't mind?" Josie asked as she stood outside the house with her mother's driver and protection officer in a car down the street.
She had been invited by Ethan to join his family at a handball game. She knew nothing about the sport, but her mother had forced her to go out, saying she needed to socialise more.
"Yes, I already told them you were coming; my mum was fine with it, plus she likes you... And she does not have any issues with you, they won't mind," Ethan reassured Josie, flashing her a reassuring smile. "And my brother won't mind since you've become friends." Josie felt a sense of relief hearing Ethan's reassurance. She was glad that his family was accepting of her presence and that his brother, whom she had recently become friends with, wouldn't mind her joining them at the game. "Or more."
"What do you mean by 'or more'?" Josie asked nervously, her mind racing with possibilities of what Ethan could be hinting at.
"Come on, I know you've seen all the edits of you at his games. You attended 3 or 4, and you looked sad when they got knocked out. The shirt exchange? I mean, you getting his PSG shirt was not weird or anything, but the national team... and it's just talk, but if it's true, just know that I am deeply saddened by both of you not telling me, but I heard you were seen visiting the hotel he stayed."
"Okay, firstly, you're too young to be reading gossip news. Okay, let's stop, and the second is a lie," Josie said as they went up to the house. Josie firmly dismissed the gossip, reminding him that he was too young to be reading such news.
"But do you like him?"
"No."
"Why were you there then?" Ethan asked, stopping at the door.
"Your brother invited me, okay?"
"You were wearing his jersey?"
"We're going to be late." She said she as opened the door and found his brother and mother waiting for them.
"Hello," she said, going in to shake his mother's hand and then looking at Kylian, who she just waved at from her spot next to his mother. Kylian smiled and returned the wave. Ethan looked between the two with a frown, looking at his mom to see if she had caught on to their interaction. He saw her smiling and looking at the two. He was glad his mother was accepting of Josie enough to welcome her with open arms, but he did not like the way she seemed to approve of whatever was going on between her and Kylian.
His brother looked down at his phone before telling everyone the car was here.
"My brother's friend is also coming. It's probably the only reason I was allowed to bring a friend," he muttered under his breath. Josie let out a deep breath, rolling her eyes at the young boy. "But she'll be meeting us there,"
Josie couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy at the mention of the female friend.
"The car following us is my protection officer; my grandfather learned of my last outing here alone, and he was not happy to say the least," she explained, not wanting them to get freaked out by the car that was trailing behind them.
Arriving at the venue, Josie grew anxious; she did not know why. Sometimes she could have an engagement on her own and not be nervous, and then sometimes she would be so nervous she would have anxiety attacks; she did not know why. As she stepped out of the car, Josie's heart raced, her palms becoming clammy. The unfamiliar surroundings and the anticipation of the event seemed to trigger her anxiety, leaving her questioning why it affected her so intensely at times.
"Hey, are you okay?" Ethan asked, looking at the frozen girl, who looked nervous.
"I think so," she said, not wanting to bother him.
"Do you want to hold my hand?"
"What?" Ethan and Josie both asked, looking at Kylian in shock. It was a sports event, and people always seemed to have their phones out at such events. Wasn't he scared that, with all the rumours swirling about them, a picture of them holding hands would make up a million different scenarios? The girl hesitated, considering the potential consequences of such a simple gesture. She knew that any small action between them could be blown out of proportion by gossip and speculation. However, as she looked into his eyes, she realised that his offer was genuine and meant to provide comfort. With a small smile, she reached out and took his hand, momentarily forgetting about the outside world and focusing on the support he was offering her in that moment.
"I am not just imagining something between them, right?"
"You're too young to be even thinking like that," his mother said, making him frown.
"You sound just like her," he said, pointing at Josie, who was now looking a bit calm.
"Then we're both right," his mother said, ruffling his hair and making the younger boy frown. He did want Josie to date his brother; she was nice, and they seemed to have a good connection. However, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness. Josie was his friend first, and she wanted to speak to him even before she knew who his brother was. It just seemed weird now watching that friend fall for his brother, but a part of him was not surprised, and maybe his mother and Josie were both right, he was a bit too young to be getting involved in relationship issues.
Josie's calm expression turned into a slight blush as she realised that her feelings for him were not something people were just making up. Well, from her point of view, she realised she was quickly falling deeply for him.
"J, want to sit with me?" Ethan asked eagerly, as he'd be sitting in front of his mother and brother.
"Sure," Josie said with a smile, letting go of his hand with a light squeeze to say thank you. As they settled into their seats, Josie turned around, wondering if the said friend had arrived.
"I lied,"
"Dude,"
"I was testing something out," Ethan said with a laugh, making Josie lightly shove him.
"The real reason I invited you was because I don't understand a single thing that's happening; hopefully we can be confused together."
"She's very sweet,"
"Yeah," Kylian said, not really listening to his mother as he watched Josie joke around with his brother.
"I read somewhere that she has a boyfriend—some prince without a country." His mother said, making him look at her. "I'm just saying, before you fall for her, you should know she has a boyfriend," she added, with a hint of disappointment in her voice as well. Josie was a lovely girl to be around, and the stories she read about her made her more likeable. Although the stories she had read about the said relationship were fake, Kylian could not blame her for believing them; he too had believed them. He had asked Ethan to ask Josie if she was seeing someone, and she had said the rumours were made by her family, his family, and a third family. Apparently everyone in her world thought they would look good together. But she said they just wanted a relationship to grow between them so that he could become a member of an existing royal family and her father mostly was for it as he could control the boy a bit.
"Don't worry, it's fake news; she has never even met him."
"So you would want to try something with her?"
"Maybe," he said with a shrug. He was not trying to get into any serious relationships right now.
"Her family seems interesting."
"Josie was raised by her great-grandparents, so she's not really part of the drama happening with her uncle, father, and grandfather," their conversation shifted to something else before the game began.
"I'm so lost," Josie said with a giggle hiding her laugh with her hand as she leaned back onto her seat looking at Ethan, who had lost interest a few minutes earlier.
"Welcome to the club I guess," Ethan replied with a smirk, his eyes scanning the room for something more entertaining.
Josie looked back at Kylian and his mother who seemed invested in the game.
"You know, in my head, I refer to your mum as Ethan's mum," she said with a giggle.
"You should just call her mum seeing as she'll one day be your mother-in-law," Josie glared at the boy scowling at his words before focusing back on the game.
During the breaks, she heard her name being called. Looking up, she heard cheers before looking up at the screen and seeing herself. She smiled before waving back at the crowd. She lightly nudged Ethan, pointing at the screen, making the young boy wave, following Josie's lead. The camera stayed on them for a minute before moving to Kylian, seated behind them, and he let out a wave as well.
Josie heard her phone buzz. Taking it out, she saw a text from her father's assistant. She swore this man had notifications on for her name, because how else was he so fast? She ignored the text immediately, putting her phone on silent. She would deal with them later.
"Thank you," Josie said after being handed a bottle of water. "Where did you get the cap? I want one too." She said it with a fake pout, turning back into her seat before he could reply.
"He's wearing a cap?' Ethan asked, turning to look at his brother, who was sporting a PSG cap, "why don't you give the poor girl the cap?" he said with a cheeky smile, Josie wanted to pinch his mouth as he seemed to talk too much, but a few seconds later she felt something light on her head.
"You're welcome," Ethan said looking at a blushing Josie, who was fixing the cap onto her head properly.
"I forgot my camera, take a picture of us please," Josie requested, handing her phone to Kylian. He gladly took the phone and positioned himself next to the two, making sure to capture both of them. They were acting so normal for the day they forgot who they were and the news that would come out once people saw them acting all cosily.
Josie looked down at her phone as she heard it go off, looking at the message she frowned it was a article notification, this was about to sound stalker-ish, but she had notifications on for any new updates on Kylian and it seemed there was, putting her book down she turned to her phone immediately going to the article, her heart dropping the moment she opened it.
Was she jealous? Probably. Would she show it? No fucking ways. She thought they had something going on but it seemed he didn't see it, but she wasn't going to cry over a man, no ways Jose.
"I mean I though he liked me," she cried into Savannahs shoulder the two having come over after Josie sent them a sos text "You saw the pictures and that video but now this and... I'm here crying over a relationship that didn't even happen."
"He did... I mean some people in class came to ask me if you were dating after that handball outing, the stories he puts up of you... you need to smack some sense into him," Abbie said looking through Josie's closet.
"What are you doing?" Savannah asked looking at Abbie in disbelief.
"Some of my class mates are having a party we are going," Abbie said making Savannah and Josie frown, "fine, sleepover," she said seeing her friends faces.
"You still thinking about the pictures?" Abbie asked as she saw Josie caught looking at her phone, every 5 seconds.
"No," Josie shook her head but Savannah had already snatched her phone.
"Jojo," she said looking at the comment Josie had made, "Really 'he looks better with that British princess,'" she read out making Josie sigh out in anger.
"I say go for it," Abbie said snacking on her popcorn.
"No," Savannah scolded Abbie shaking her head as she sat up.
"He's the first guy I've ever liked," Josie mumbled out with a pout.
"Which is why you shouldn't go for him, okay you're just being charmed by his looks," Savannah said making Abbie roll her eyes.
"He's not that hot," she replied making Josephine glare at her, she would not be taking any kind of slander.
"Well he's sweet, and thoughtful and I don't know different," she said with a smile on her face, Abbie looked at her friend with a shake of her head, she was in love.
"Does your new bestie know that you're in love with his brother?"
"Are you jealous Abbie?" Savannah asked seeing as Abbie had complained about the friendship every five seconds.
"No, now let's watch a movie," she said throwing the remote at Savannah who immediately switched the tv on and went to their favorite movie.
First match of the season and Josie was not in a good mood, she was tired but she had been invited to watch the game with Ethan and his mother so she found it rude to say no.
And because she was told that in order to make the squad she had to join a team and the only team willing to take the princess with her 50 million demands, sarcasm, was the female division of Psg, so that means she would be moving to France, with her mom, who didn't know yet as they would announce it today after the president found out she would be there he immediately said this would be the perfect moment. The only people who knew of the news being her great grandmother and the officers at the marines who had to draw up a new schedule for her that was double as hard as the normal one.
She got her shirt with loud cheers going round, they had never seen her play but her being a princess made the crown a bit happy, after that she went to greet the players before kickoff, passing by Kylian she shook his hand before moving on, she didn't stay any longer than she should have shocking the both of them, and fans that had gotten used to seeing the two together, I mean some fans even thought they were dating so seeing Josie be so cold didn't sit well with them.
So the second reason she was signed by Psg was because of the deal her grandfather had with the president of the club, she didn't want to know what the deal was about but it benefited her grandfather somehow. He had done it before Josie showed passion about wanting to play for a club.
"Congratulations on your signing," okay maybe she was a bit too excited when she found out about the deal that she might have excitedly texted him, accidentally of course.
"Thank you," she mumbled before walking out going to the car that was waiting for her, she had stayed after the game because her friend was ever persistent but the moment everyone had cleared out she too left.
User1: I know Josie didn't just pass by Kylian as if she didn't know him, girl was pissed at those pictures
User2: is this confirmation that she definitely likes him and he fumbled the bag big time
User3: Good to know I was not the only one pissed off by those yacht pictures, he got a whole princess feeling salty lmao
User4: both kylian and myself out here wondering why Josie ignored him
User5: @user4 did you see his little confused stare like he was wondering what he did wrong like bruh we know you two like each other and then you go and pull that, I hope Josie moves on cause this incident proved that she had a thing for him but I still want to see them together but girl no don't fall for that man.
"He's an idiot but don't blame him, he didn't think you liked him."
"Mum respectfully can we not talk about this?" Josie asked looking down at her notes, she was writing a speech for her grandfathers birthday dinner a small family affair but Josie just wanted to write something sweet for him.
"You do know that whatever you thought was going to happen between you two won't."
"One second you're team he's an idiot the next it won't work out, and you wonder why I alternate between mum and Mary," she mumbled under her breath as she heard the door open.
Josie's mouth opened in shock before she hid under the kitchen counter, she wasn't in the mood for bull. Mary looked at her in confusion before spotting their unannounced guest.
"She's in the kitchen," Mary said passing by Erin, their house keeper and Kylian, but she stopped looking back at the two "Under the counter, Erin can you come assist me in here."
"Fucking Mary," Josie muttered rushing out from underneath the counter and pretending to be busy, "you're at my house."
Josie looked down at her notes, trying to make it seem as if she was working.
"Joe."
"Bonjour," she said, mentally smacking herself. Did she really just say that?
"Are we okay?" straight to the point she thought.
"Why wouldn't we be?"
"That's why I am here; did something happen between us?"
"There's a us?" She mumbled, looking back at her notes, "Last I checked, I'm friends with Ethan, not you," which was mean but kind of true to some extent. They were friends but not on the level of friendship she had built with his younger brother.
"Ouch," he muttered putting his hand on his chests.
"Joise," Erin scolded, revealing herself and Mary, "you're being rude."
"Are you eavesdropping?" She asked, shocked, looking at them both, "privacy."
"Apologise," Erin said, smacking her hand as Josie rolled her eyes, standing up and taking his hand, leading him up to her room.
"Don't do anything funny in there!" Mary exclaimed, making Josie roll her eyes as she closed her room door.
"Your room is cute."
"Yeah, Mary has a thing for interior design; guess it got passed on to me," she said with a shrug, pulling a chair out for herself.
"Is that my shirt?" he asked, looking at a framed picture of the shirt he had given her two months ago, it was the only shirt that was not mixed with her very huge collection.
"No," she deadpanned, looking at him in the eyes.
"You're being rude," he said, imitating her housekeeper, making Josie chuckle. "You want to tell me what I did wrong? Even my fans know something is going on, so you can't say it's nothing."
"Uhm, it's nothing. I was on my period."
"Lame excuse," he replied, raising an eyebrow. "If something is bothering you, just tell me. We can work through it together."
Josie looked at him weirdly before walking over to sit on the bed next to him and sighed. She was about to tell him the truth before she shook her head, realising how stupid it sounded.
"It was nothing, just me being petty."
"Josie."
"Kyky," She mimicked him as she heard her phone buzz.
"E says Lana is getting grumpy?" Josie said her smile immediately dropping, he was an even bigger idiot then she made him out to be.
"He can handle her for a few more minutes," he shrugged her statement off wanting
Josie laughed while reading the next text. "He says he can't handle her; it's fine; we'll talk later."
"Come with us, we're going out for dinner with Melissa. You remember her, right?"
"Your sister-in-law?" Josie shook her head no but said she would walk him out and obviously go greet her friend.
"J, you coming along?" Ethan asked seeing her exit with his brother.
"Not this time E," she replied with a small frown.
"Don't you want to greet Lana, she was pretty excited when I told her where we would be stopping by," he knew what he was doing asking Josie this, some would say he was poking a sleeping bear, "come on." he said dragging her over to the car and motioning for Ethan to open the door.
"This is Lana, our niece," Ethan said, stepping out and then unbuckling the young girl from her car seat, making Josie slightly glare at both boys who were trying to hold in their laughter.
"You planned this out, didn't you? It's not funny... You know what, I am kidnapping her. See how you explain to her parents why she's missing," Josie said before crouching down to pick the young girl up. "She is so adorable... I thought you had a niece and a nephew."
"He's with our mom,"
"Ugh, I love babies so much," she said, planting a kiss on her forehead as the little girl put her arms around Josie, hugging her making Josie chuckle. "I can't wait to introduce her to my siblings. They'll have so much fun playing together."
"We know," Ethan said as Josie tried talking to the younger girl who was just looking at the stranger carrying her, kids were really weird, here she was hugging Josie like she knew her but she wouldn't talk to her.
"I feel like you went and read everything up about me while I don't even know anything outside the basics."
"Keep it that way; the media is not that friendly with some of us, unlike our dear people's princess."
"That was my grandmother. The press loves comparing me with her. Trust me, I hate it."
"We look like twins," Josie said after placing a kiss on the young girls forehead.
"She could pass on as your child."
"I am going to glue your mouth shut," Josie said before turning around and walking back into the house.
"Josie!"
"What!?" she exclaimed covering Lana's ear turning to look at the boys, "oh my goodness." She turned back with a slight chuckle, she had almost kidnapped the poor child.