Amy's POV
For once, I felt in control. I felt that I didn't have to listen to Lily, or Leticia, or Lydia. Not even Candace. They had nothing on me.
So then why was I staying home for the big ball tonight, regarding Prince Nikolai with his birthday, coming out, and his "lucky lady"?
"What are you still doing here?" a voice asked me. I looked out the window to see Blue. I nodded as a gesture that he could come over, and then he stepped through the kitchen door. I kept my sight focused on the fruit I was cutting up. "Aren't you supposed to be at the ball?"
"No," I answered, plainly sighing to him as I turned to face him in the process. I eyed him. He had on a suit and his face was clear of all dirt. I didn't think he owed something that didn't have holes in it. "Where are you going?"
"To the ball," he answered. I gave him a confused look. "Invited by Prince Nikolai, of course."
I rolled my eyes and started to walk throughout my house.
"So then why aren't you there?" I asked him.
"Without you? Please," he replied as if I spoke of something ridiculous. I attempted to sit on the couch, but he pulled me up. I looked into his deep brown eyes. "Go get dressed."
"In what?" I asked.
"I don't care? Prince Nikolai doesn't care," he answered. I flashed him a look and made my way to my room—which was now upstairs. "You know he's expecting you there..."
"It doesn't matter," I grumbled. I turned back to him and he was gone. I shrugged and ate my fruit. Moments later, I was getting a big, white dress thrown at me.
"Put it on," he ordered. I scoffed.
"Under what class are you?" I asked, superior to him.
"Your best friend," he reminded. "Now put it on."
I held up the dress. It was my mother's wedding dress that I'd only seen in pictures. Now that all the locks were broken—in courtesy of Prince Nikolai—there was no restrictions to anything. I looked at the never ending sparkle on the ballroom princess styled wedding dress. I dropped it into my lap.
"No shoes," I reminded.
"You own every pair of Leticia and Lydia's shoes. Choose a pair," he replied. I laughed lightly.
"You really think I should go?" I asked him. He gave me a look.
"Hurry up," he demanded before I was laughing and shoving him out of the room so I could change, even though the twins' big-footed shoes would never truly suit me.
Nik's POV
"You sure she's not here?" I asked Emmett and Kelly. Kelly shook her head. I sighed.
"Sorry, man," Emmett said before hitting my shoulder and then walking off, but Kelly stayed.
I really thought that Amy would show. But I also realized that Blue wasn't here either...seeing as it was the first formal he was ever invited to, I could tell he didn't show because Amy hadn't.
"You love her, huh?" Kelly asked me. I looked down at her.
"What's the point?" I asked her.
"I've read your prophecy, Nikolai," she said. "You're heart isn't that open to love someone without knowing that she loves you back."
I scoffed and crossed my arms. She gave me a polite look and then left in the same direction as Emmett. She didn't understand. Although Amy could hate me right now for some strange reason, the feeling was mutual considering she lied to me all this time...
"You ready?" Logan asked me as his hands went to my shoulders. I turned to see him with an encouraging smile. I sighed. "Look, just get over her. There are others right?"
"No..." I answered. "I just wish she was here, so I could ask her what I did wrong."
"Well it wasn't really you, par say—"
"What are you talking about, Logan?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"I found her and Kelly snooping around in the west wing a couple weeks ago," he informed. My eyes widened. I pushed him away and started to make my way out to my car. Somehow I made it past all the partying people and when I reached the driver's seat, I slammed on the steering wheel. It was the curse! She found out and hates me, just as I thought every other person in this land would think! But she was different, she didn't even let me explain!
Why did I care? Because I loved her more than anything in the world. I'd give up anything for her and I'd always want her happiness—even if it means that she'd be linked with a poor peasant that she'd known her whole life. And no matter if Blue was with her then, or not, when I reached her house, I'd confess everything. At least she could forgive me, nonetheless.
It was just my luck that when I reached her house, it was left empty. I punched at the post on her porch.
"Ahem," someone called. I turned to see the lady from the last time. But this time she was different...she sparked a memory from long ago. That's why I had recognized her.
"It's you?" I said. A devious smile formed on her lips and she winked. "Where is she?!"
"The girl you seek is with boy Blue," she spoke. Of course... "Attending an event that she hadn't gave a clue."
"Like my party?!" I asked, frantically. She gave me a look like my father always had when I got too hyper or stubborn.
"Be careful, young prince. I cannot give you any hints," she rhymed once more. Ugh. "But the girl you love isn't who you assume. But nonetheless, it is her that you pursue."
"Ugh," I growled, deciding not to talk back to the lady like I had back in seventh grade.
"Be careful, young prince, the right move tonight may not condemn you to turn since," she started again. Meaning what?
"Look, I know I treated you wrong six years ago and I was an assh0le, but if you don't tell me where she is—"
"You'll lock me up?" she finished with swirling eyes that mesmerized mine.
"Even worse...you'll have to live with—not only the death of me, but also knowing that if I don't find her tonight, I won't ever escape," I spat. "I won't know how long to live I have, or what to make of my life. All because of you. I thought that over the years I've changed—that Amy coming into my life made me change even more, but if you're too selfish to realize that all because you're the one with the powers and sh!t, then so be it. I'd rather let you live with guilt, then lock you up for vengeance."
I stomped off and made my way to the car. To my party it is.
***
I made it right when I heard my father finish the introduction speech to me. I gave him a subtle smile and then mounted the stage with a mic in hand...and words on my mind.
"Hi," I started. "Many of you come here year after year to any social gathering, thinking that you may have the chance of a royal to meet you. The ladies out there wish one of us to fall in love with you."
I turned to Kelly and Emmett that were below the stage to the right.
"I've come to know that the only way for that to happen is if his name is Emmett Lorre," I humored. The crowd laughed a little and Emmett kissed Kelly's cheek as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Well...as you may know, eighteen is the coming-of-age party. I just so happen to be officially eighteen. Coming out, just means that it's time for me to think about settling down with a lucky lady."
A few whistles rang out as I just looked over everyone's faces...trying to at least find Amy who was listening.
"Or maybe not the lucky lady..." I looked to Logan, who had lost his girl. "But either way, there'd be no party without the suspicion of who I choose...who can possibly be your future princess or queen."
I watched as the sun was near the horizon, but I knew that in an hour, it'd be sunset. I was only stalling so that I could leave. Either way, I still looked over the crowd in my awkward pause, but started to feel a headache.
"I...I..." started to choose, looking around at all the hopeful faces of young girls. I looked to see Candace with the twins flanked at her sides. She shifted nervously, as if expecting to be selected. But little did I know that my vision was flickering. Clear and unclear silhouettes revealed. I could start to hear different and absolute sounds ring out. I even started to feel my muscles tighten. I winced in a tight headache and nearly fell over, but felt someone behind me. The person pulled me away as someone else took the reason.
"Prince Nikolai is having a bit of some allergies...we'll continue the party until his arrival..." the voice of Blue fazed in and out over the sound system. I was being walked somewhere, behind the stage and party. Whoever carried me, made sure I made it to a building—the castle before shutting the doors and windows. They set me down on the couch, but I had kneeled to the floor, clenching my fists and trying to fight the curse. I had bowed to the ground now, as I felt the curse course its way up my spine and to my eyes, which were probably glowing green with a hundred times the vision a human could ever have. I still tried to keep myself human for as long as I could, but it was difficult.
"I am not a monster," I told myself out loud.
Yes you are, a voice said in my head.
"I am not a monster!" I yelled, writhing on the floor in potential pain. I thought of something—anything that could hold off the curse. I didn't want this life anymore. It was becoming more and more unexpected. I knew what I'd have to do from there.
I looked up from my floor position, for anything to carry out my task with. I hit over a glass vase and held one of the longest, sharpest shards to myself. The only thing that stopped me from plunging it into my heart was the pair of hands that went over mine. I looked up at their owner and saw Amy, beautiful in her mother's wedding dress, but with red eyes that proved tears threatened to fall. She was shaking her head.
"Let me," I growled, wincing at another head pain.
"I won't let you," she replied.
"I deserve it," I told, feeling my fangs start to grow in my mouth. "I'll kill you if you don't let me."
"You won't," she doubted with her usual sense of stubbornness.
"I deserve to die, Amy!" I yelled, managing to stand up and back away from her. I held the homemade dagger to my heart. A tear escaped my eyes. A pain shot through my abdomen, making me fall to the floor and drop the shard. I tried to grab at the shard, but failed to even have the energy to reach it. I looked up at Amy, who started to back away.
"What's the point of living a curse you can't break?" I whispered before giving up. I could feel my remaining beastly features take growth. I also felt weak and miserable. So this was it then? This is how I'd die? In the place of the girl I loved? I thought the meaning of this curse was to show me what I had done wrong and not been just. So in return, the witch proved that with loopholes and undignified actions, she could kill someone that actually changed...
And along with that, I would die a slow death. I felt my monstrous body take each and every slow breath as pain overtook me. But I took the pain. With open eyes, I saw Amy every second. It was only when the pain reached my chest that I realized I had closed my eyes. I felt someone shake me as darkness overtook me.