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FIRST MEETS & GOSSIPS
❝Yeah, he's still coming; just a little bit late.❞
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[ FIVE MONTHS AGO ]
"CAN YOU AT least look after the grocery at home, please?" Julia whined. I threw the sofa cushion at her and groaned. Julia opened the refrigerator and cried out, "Olivia, look at this! Woman, there is nothing to cook to feed your hungry stomach."
I got up from the sofa and rushed to her. I peeped into the refrigerator and searched intently to prove her wrong. "Aha," I laughed as I stretched my hand to pick that from everything in the refrigerator. "Here's some steak, Jules," I handed it over to her and grinned stupidly.
"Liv," Julia glared at me and placed the steak on the counter immediately. "We've no vegetables, woman. Are you kidding me right now?"
Pissed Julia was scary. I had to face it. If it weren't for Julia, the apartment we had bought together would have been a mess and our daily livelihood and sustenance in that house would be impossible. Julia acted like a mother to me and took care of everything at home.
"How the fuck are you a doctor?" Julia shook her head and placed the steak on the pan to sear it. "Go now. I don't care where, just go and get some grocery and other stuffs."
"Fine," I shrugged and quickly went to my room to change into something presentable to go outside and buy stuffs for home. Julia turned from the stove quickly to face me.
"I'm going," I repeated and Julia smiled, nodding at me. Julia puckered her lips at me and smiled sneakily. I shook my head, helplessly and hopelessly at her.
"I love you, my wife," Julia squealed and I seized the moment immediately to grab another sofa cushion and throw it at her, which she dodged efficiently.
"Bye. I'll be back soon," I smiled at her and she waved. Julia then turned to give that piece of steak all her attention. Well, that was our only dinner nevertheless.
I walked into the supermarket that evening, casually and with no hopes of having a start of a complete change in my life. Willy's Supermarket was huge enough to get lost. I never understood why supermarkets were owned by people with the most random yet sincerest of names. Willy's. Andrew's. Why not Jillian? Or Killian?
Pulling a cart from the stand, I pushed it through the supermarket. My head turned left and right frantically. I grabbed few essentials initially and then, went to each section, strolling and checking if there was anything Julia would need at home.
Fifteen minutes here and there and picking up necessary stuffs, I pushed the cart shamelessly to the section where I was sure Nutella would be. Well, I'm a girl and I have cravings.
However, the world hates people with cravings, because here I was standing exactly where the jars of Nutella were but they were out of reach. It was placed too high for me to reach and internally cried rivers. I just wanted some Nutella to stuff into my mouth.
That was when he came. My Prince Charming. Dressed in some casual chinos and white tee, my eyes met some chestnut crystalloid eyes that had bewitched nearly the entire female population of Androsia. Before me stood - lo and behold - the sole heir to the throne of the kingdom of Androsia, Prince Xavier Matthews King III, holding a jar of Nutella for me.
Quick to gasp, I bowed down in response and swore, "Holy fuck. Oh my god." Xavier merely laughed and I immediately looked up.
"Why are you shocked, hm," Xavier looked at me, wondering what to call me by. I was still in a shock, gaping at him. Well, not every day do you have an encounter with the next heir to the throne randomly in your nearest supermarket.
"Olivia, your highness," I replied, hastily. It must have seemed a bit too haste for him for sure.
"Well, Olivia," he stressed on my name like he was trying to make his point. "Your highness would be my dad, that is your king, King Charles Williams King II. I'm just your prince next door, beautiful. Call me just Xavier."
I stifled a laughter and replied, "Okay, Just Xavier. Thank you for getting me my jar of Nutella." I stretched my arms out to get the jar but Xavier was quick to lift it higher and out of my reach.
"Not so fast," Xavier smirked and I looked at him, really confused.
"Xavier, I need to get home. My best friend would kill me if I'm any more late," I whined. He lowered his voice as much as possible so as to not garner attention from everyone else in the store.
"Olivia," he stretched the second syllable in my name as much as I had done to his name. "Not so fast."
"What do you want?" I tugged at Xavier's hand in an attempt to lower the jar of Nutella so as to reach it.
"A chance to take you out."
If it weren't those words that had butterflies fluttering in my stomach, it would definitely be that gorgeous smile his lips lifted up to soon after. His request had me all shocked. This was Prince Xavier we were talking about.
"Me?" I throated out, in a gaping response.
"Why not? That is, if you don't have a boyfriend. If you do, hang out with me as a friend," Xavier asked. Damn, that guy was charming. After all, the visual and the face of Androsia had to be that charming to have the entire kingdom fall for him.
"You're nice," I commented slyly and pushed my cart away, knowing that he would follow me. My gesture however, did surprise Xavier and he quickly rushed to keep up with me with my jar of Nutella.
"So?" He asked me while waiting for my response. I laughed genuinely, throwing my head back slightly. It really surprised me as to why the Prince of Androsia found me interesting or even slightly cute to ask me out.
"I'd like that," I smiled and Xavier gave me the most whole hearted smile accompanied with a laughter. I pulled on my lip with my teeth unknowingly - a habit I had developed over the times - and continued, "-and my jar of Nutella, fine?"
"Yes," Xavier smiled, his eyes narrowing and handed the jar to me. I silently kept into my shopping cart and pushed it to the cashier. Xavier followed me silently.
"Hey, Xavier," I called out to him and he quickly turned his head to face me.
"Yeah?" He turned to look at me. I realise at that moment how he tried blending in with the society through his clothes in an attempt to not stand out. With a cap over his head and a white mask to cover his face yet trying to look as casual as possible, I had to agree that he did a pretty good job.
"Why are you in a supermarket?" I asked. We had reached the cashier by then. I had my stuffs in my cart and Xavier was with nothing. It made me wonder out god here curiosity as to why he was here. Moreover, he had people to do his shopping. He is the crowned prince of Androsia after all.
"I was bored at the castle. Oops?" Xavier remarked. His expression got my heart swelling. He looked like an innocent kid running away because it wasn't fun anymore.
"You're crazy, oh my god," I gasped. "I'm pretty sure you have bodyguards searching for you. You little rebel." He helped me put the stuffs before the cashier and also didn't fail to be a gentleman and volunteer to push the cart till my car.
"So, Olivia," Xavier began after we finished putting the stuffs I bought into my car. "About the hanging out? This Friday?"
"Are you allowed to go out, Xavier?" I laughed and shook my head. He raised an eyebrow and quickly replied, "I am talking to you right now with no one else around me. So, I guess I'll survive."
"Then, Friday night it is," I confirmed. Xavier quickly lit up and he pulled out his phone from his pocket. He handed it to me and I looked at him confused.
"Your number?" Xavier immediately said and cleared it out, explaining his mere gesture. I felt stupid - genuinely like I had no brains - at that moment.
"Oh," I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment and took the phone from his hand, quickly typing my number down. Xavier watched me intensely throughout and I felt more embarrassed than ever.
"Cool," Xavier said as he took the phone back from my hand. We made casual talks while standing before my car. Him, telling me how he'd love to sneak out once again and I, telling him about how I'd be yelled at my best friend for being insanely late.
Barely fifteen minutes in, and we saw huge men dressed in clad black and looking intensely scary and serious. Xavier quickly recognised them and exclaimed, "Oh shit. I'll have to run. Friday night, okay?"
I nodded and waved shyly. Xavier pecked my cheek quicker than I could blink my eye. My heart felt like it was caught in my throat. My breath hitched and I could feel goosebumps all over my skin. Xavier gave me a toothy grin and shouted as he ran, "Bye, Olivia."
"Bye," I stuttered, standing in the same spot, still dazed. Xavier ran away and it took me sometime to come back to my senses.
What just happened?
I was dazed. In my defence, you cannot blame me. After all, a) who even generally has an encounter with the crowned prince of the kingdoms they live in, b) who gets asked out in a supermarket by the crowned prince, c) how do you not fangirl over how charming he is.
I reached home safely and opened the door, waiting for Julia to yell. I grabbed the bags with the stuffs I bought and slowly walked inside.
Julia was on her computer and she immediately realised it was me without even lifting her head. She raised her voice and said, "Woman, who gave you the rights -"
She quickly stopped halfway through as soon as she saw me. Her eyes widened and she was confused. Probably because I looked really dazed and shocked. I sure had a long story to tell her.
"You're a mess."
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[ P R E S E N T ]
"YOU'RE A MESS," Julia quickly rushed to my side, dropping her bags. I was on the ground with my head in my hands and my hope by the thread. "What happened to you?"
"Nothing," I mumbled. I didn't look up at Julia yet. I couldn't. She was my best friend and I would probably end up crying buckets more before her.
"Look at me, Olivia," Julia was firm in her command. "Look at me right now."
I hesitantly lifted my head to look at Julia and she gasped. Slowly raising her hands, she lightly and gently touched my bruised side of the jaw and my forehead. Her eyes watered along with an unseen anger deep in them.
"Who did this to you?" She asked. I couldn't lie again of falling off the stairs. That excuse made no sense at this point. Yet, I couldn't tell Julia about how Xavier treated me. She wouldn't get it. I still loved Xavier and she would drive to get out of the relationship with him.
"No one," I pressed my lips together and looked at her.
She shook her head furiously and yelled, "I don't understand who you're trying to protect, Liv." She raised my hand and putting it over her shoulder, she supported my entire weight and helped me off the ground. We walked towards the sofa where she gently got me seated and rushed to grab a cup of water along with some first aid.
Ten minutes of searching for it and grabbing a cup of water from the kitchen, Julia rushed to my side. While I shockingly held the cup of water and slowly sipped from it, Julia took out an ointment and began to apply it over my bruises.
"Thank you," I whispered to her and bowed. She shook her head and rolled her eyes, before mumbling, "Whoever you're trying to protect, you know? He or she is not worthy it. I'm pretty sure Xavier would have his arse belted if he knew of you in such a state."
I mentally chuckled at the irony. Julia did not know it was he who had left me in such a state. She shouldn't. Julia adored Xavier and presumed that he treated me well because he loved me. Well, I had no doubts of his love but the protection part? I'm not so sure myself now.
Putting the ointment back into the box, Julia closed it and pushed it to the side. She sat next to me and we both fell back, as we hit the sofa.
"Why are you at home?" She asked and I realised that it must have been truly surprising for her to see me at home now. Maybe, that's what the 12 missed calls were about.
"Dr. Watson changed shifts with me for the day. He asked me if I could take up his night shift rather. He had plans for a date with his wife," I explained. Julia then began fishing over how cute Dr. Watson and his wife, Laura were, together.
I asked Julia how her grandmother was. After all, the girl had gone all the way to make sure her grandmother was healthy. Julia always did that. It was her routine very two weeks and I found that really admirable.
Julia's grandmother and I bonded two summers back. I had decided to tag along with Julia to her grandmother's place and that decision was something I would never regret. Julia's grandmother was a sweetheart and reminded me so much of my own grandmother.
"Nana says hi to you," Julia informed. "She even sent in some specially baked choco chip cookies for you." She removed her jacket and threw it as she cuddled up to me. I smiled and she continued, "I never understood why Nana was fonder of you than me. Mean, girl. That was mean. You bewitched my nana too."
I chuckled and said, "I didn't intend to." My phone quickly vibrated and buzzed, drawing our attention to that. It was a text from a random number and I wondered who it was. Swiping it open, I saw the message and couldn't help but smile. That cheeky bastard.
Well, you never told me your name, princess. It is only fair that I don't tell you how I got your number. Have a great day. x
I bit my lip and sighed. Taehyung-ah, why do you marvel me? Julia coughed and cleared her throat to draw my attention towards her. She was still cuddling me and in that position, she looked up to me.
I turned to face her and she asked me spontaneously, "Are you cheating on Xavier?"
My eyes widened and I was pretty sure if it was possible, the question could have led my eyeballs to fall off of my eye socket.
"What? No," I blurted out. Julia's expressions calmed down much on my reply. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who is he or she?"
"Someone I met last night," I smiled to myself and closed my eyes. Memories of the previous night flashed before me and I did nothing but blush and let my cheeks stain red at those thoughts.
"So you did cheat on Xavier," Julia said again, more light noted this time but with much more of an expression of confusion all over her face.
"Well, not exactly," I responded and shrugged. "It's a sort of a long story." I dropped my phone back on the table before us before I sat up straighter and removed the ponytail to let my hair loose.
Julia sat up straight, pulling apart from me only to face me yet again. She smirked and giving me a toothy grin, she nodded, "I have time."
With that one confirmatory sentence, I told my best friend everything about Kim Taehyung and last night.
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annyeong haseyo!
this chapter is dedicated to azurenights because she writes beautifully. also, she's an amazing friend and gosh, i love her.
i hope you had a great week. drop by and tell me all about it. also, feel free to message me to fangirl all about the new album. jesus, they're making me feel stuffs, gosh.
"don't look back."
vote and comment, if you liked the chapter and drop by your feedback. i'd appreciate that. thank you. saranghae.
much love, ruth x