Aurora
I can't believe this day has come so soon already! Today is the very first dream school graduation!
Since the school is still new, and it's not exactly a traditional school, this year's graduates are those who have been able to get scholarships to our best colleges in the fields they chose, with the help of this school. And the fun part about this graduation is, no one is going out like the other! There are graduates from every age and study field!
I am so proud of them all!
These students fought everyone's doubt and they worked hard and got to their dream. I'm glad to be seeing the future generation so happy and full of life. It's crazy how a single act of encouragement can change so much!
I can't wait to hand out the diplomas to the students!
"Aurora!" Ella exclaims as she tackles me in a hug. Ever since we got back to Avelyn, I've been too busy with some work and preparation for the dream school, and the new rules regarding polluting.
I giggle and hug her back just as enthusiastically. I didn't notice my tiara falling off my head until I heard the sound of it hitting the floor. I release myself from the hug as I groan before bending to pick up my tiara.
"I can't keep this thing on my head for the life of me!" I whine.
"I thought you were trained to walk while balancing books on your head? Shouldn't it be easy?" She wonders.
"You'd think! But tiaras are much more complex than books!" I exclaim. "I don't understand the physics behind it, but it keeps slipping. I told you I'm not cut out for this royal life." I sigh.
Ella rolls her eyes before she starts giving me one of those best friend speeches where they hype you up and then pinch you for not believing in yourself.
"Need I remind you that today is literally the first graduation of a school, no wait, a really cool school- don't you dare cut me off to say that rhymed." I giggle a little at her. "As I was saying, you built a freaking school that people actually love! I want to roll in right after we finish college because it seems so fun! And you are fighting climate change! You're banning pollution from your kingdom! Do you know how great Avelyn- Hell, do you know how great the world will be because of your first two princess projects?" She exclaims, flailing her arms around because that's just how Ella rolls.
"And might I add, you look bomb in that dress!" She compliments my blush pink dress. It has a lacy V-line top with a flowy bottom. "And with that tiara on top? Girl I thought you wanted to look subtle?" She smirks.
I laugh. "Trust me, this is subtle. Scarlet and Asher picked this out for me back in London. I'm kinda obliged to wear it." I twirl around in my dress, loving the soft feel of the fabric on my skin.
I get a little dizzy and grab onto my tiara as it was about to fall. I sigh again and look down, my tiara tilting once again.
Ella walks over to me and fixes my tiara, lifting up my chin so I look at her. "I can't believe I'm finally putting this quote to use, but chin up princess. Don't want your tiara to fall, do we?"
I smile at her gratefully. "We don't. Now come on, we have a graduation to get to!" I grin before I drag her out of my room as we giggle, her mint dress trailing behind her. I have to make sure to get a picture of her and send it to Calum.
"Congratulations Dream School graduates!" I exclaim into the microphone and the students all throw their caps up to the sky. Everyone is cheering and crying tears of happiness. I stand there looking at everyone with a grin on my face.
Maybe being a princess isn't that bad.
I walk to the students and talk to them for a little. Suddenly I feel two small arms wrap around my legs. I look down to see a little girl who looks like she's around 6 years old. She's wearing a frilly blue dress and a fake tiara on her head. I smile and kneel to her level before hugging her back.
"What's your name, your highness?" I ask her as I pull away. She giggles and answers; telling me her name is Wendy.
"I just wanted to say thank you!" She grinned, revealing her lost tooth. Aw she's so cute!
"What for?" I wonder, booping her small nose.
"You made my big brother happy! And you're really pretty! I want to be just like you when I grow up!"
My heart melts at her words. I smile at her as I thank her.
"I'm sure you'll do amazing, princess Wendy." I hug her again. She giggles and runs off to her mom who smiles at me gratefully. I smile back and wave to them before I leave the stage and go to my own family who were watching the ceremony from their special seats.
My sisters are the first to engulf me in a big hug as they tell me how great I did. My parents hugged me next.
"Barely a year of being a princess and you're already doing so much!" My mom cries.
"My baby is growing up!" My dad hugs me tightly.
I giggle at their over exaggeration and roll my eyes at them.
"Keep the tears for later, we still have the after party at our castle!" I remind them, wiping away my mother's tears.
"Oh, about that!" Dad suddenly exclaimed. "The Crounian's are attending the after party."
My face goes pale but I force a smile. "Oh really? How...lovely." I lie through gritted teeth. Scarlet laughs nervously glancing at me and Amelia.
"How come?" Amelia wonders, a similar fake smile plastered on her face.
"They said they have some proposition for the peace making of our two kingdoms." Mom explained.
"Delightful!" I lie once again. My parents raise their eyebrows at me. I immediately regret saying that. It was so uncharacteristic of me! Now they'll be suspicious! However I'm glad they chose to ignore it.
We were sitting at a table with the Crounian royal family as we ate our dinner. The guests were all seated at separate tables around the ballroom. Everyone was conversing happily.
Jake kept looking at me with a smirk on his face. He has something up his fancy suit's sleeve and I don't like it. My stomach is heavy with worry and I lost my appetite. I can't ignore the feeling of disaster no matter how hard I try.
The king of Crounia requested a microphone to announce what he had come to say.
"People of Avelyn, we are honored to be here. First I'd like to congratulate all the graduates from Princess Aurora's school!" People cheered and clapped. "And that brings me to our proposal to Avelyn." He looks at my father.
"Our kingdoms had a rough past, but we've evolved so much since! And that's why we're here, to make peace between our two kingdoms. In the name of our son, Prince Jake, we have come to ask for Princess Aurora's hand in marriage!"
Gasps filled the entire ballroom. I dropped my spoon and stoop up abruptly, making my seat fall down.
"What?!" I exclaim.
"With our children married, our kingdoms will be combined and there won't ever be any trouble between us." The king continued. I turned to look at Jake who was beaming. Oh I'll show them trouble alright!
My sisters stood up as well, my mom was frozen with shock, and so was my dad. The king placed his hand over the microphone as he looked directly at my father with a scowl on his face.
"And if you refuse," His scowl turns to a smirk, "there will be consequences."
That made us all gasp, and I couldn't get a single word out of my mouth. I could barely breathe. We all looked at my father who looked deep in thought. He knew what the king meant by consequences. My dad looked at me with sympathy before standing up, taking the microphone, and giving a curt nod to the king.
"We accept."
I felt the world spin as I fell back onto my chair that had been fixed by one of the maids. My sisters started arguing with my dad but he silenced them instantly. I couldn't breathe, I could barely see from all the tears in my eyes. I couldn't hear anything either. That is until I heard someone from the crowd yell.
"No!" He yelled.
I looked at the source of the sound and my heart fell deeper into my stomach. My mind is going crazy and I don't know what to do anymore. I don't have a say in this. I'm done for.
"Chris?" I whisper.