Aynie
I sulked in my room right after Grandmere dismissed us from her chamber. I hastily removed my nightgown cardigan and burrowed myself onto the pillow. I looked at the Winnie the Pooh giant stuffed toy that Oliver gave me just the other day, and I sighed heavily.
I've been dating Oliver for a good 5 months now and I can confidently say that it has been going quite well. He would always bring me to a nice restaurant (and insists on paying every single time), we would watch a good romance movie where he would casually hold my hand or wipe my tears every time a sad part comes on, and he formally introduced me to his uncle who just gave me a disapproving look.
Because of the temporary happiness that I felt since dating Oliver, I have never thought that we need to be apart this soon. I don't love him, yet, but he's slowly growing on me. He knew that I have a soft spot for Harry, despite my proclamation that I want nothing to do with him. Oliver frequently visited me at the Palace, despite Harry's protests.
"Hey babe." Oliver answered after the first ring.
"Hey Oli." I said as I unintentionally sniffed.
"Were you crying?"
"NO" I tried to say firmly, but failed.
"Oh come on Aynie, is it Harry again?" He said and I sniffled again.
"No Oli, it has nothing to do with Harry." I replied. "Well, he has something to do with it but I didn't cry because of him."
"Do you want to meet and talk about it?"
"Yes sure. Don't come here though, let's meet at Pizza Hut." I told him and hanged up after we said our goodbyes.
After an hour, I arrived at Pizza Hut which is just a few blocks away from the Palace, which also happens to be my favourite Pizza place.
"Hey Oli" I said to my boyfriend and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Did you wait long?"
"Nope, just arrived" He replied and helped me adjust my chair. Such a gentleman, right?
I didn't notice that I was gawking at him. Unconsciously, I was looking at his thick brows that creases every time he's jealous, his dimples that I am so jealous of, his soft brown hair that moves along the wind, and pink lips that looked like it was brushed by a lip balm. When Oli smiled, I knew that this talk is not going to end well.
"What wrong babe?" He finally asked the dreaded question.
"Well, you know that you are already growing on me, OIi. But you know that our relationship is just temporary." I started off and I know that he has an idea where this conversation is going.
"I don't like where this is going Aynie."
"I know Oli. And as much as I don't want to do this, it has to be done. Basically for the sake of the Kingdom." I said and sighed loudly. My time with Oli was really great, but it felt wrong since I'm already married. Having "real" feelings for him would just break me after the breakup.
Watching Oliver's face drop was one of the most heart-breaking thing that I have seen. Both he and I know that we were just not meant to be. And Oli offering to be my "temporary" boyfriend made him like me more than he's supposed to.
"It's now time, huh" he said, looking at me straight in the eyes, and I nodded in response.
"I enjoyed every second Oli. And If I wasn't married, I would even think of letting you go because you are a very great guy."
"I thought we have 9 months?" he asked, and I explained my conversation with Grandmere last night.
"It's just... I'm supposed to be prepared for this day Aynie, but, I just thought... you know... maybe you would change your mind and pick me instead."
"Oli, even if I chose you, Harry will still have a place in my heart. As my husband and companion. I've been with him since I was 14... and I would not only disappoint my family, the royal family, but the whole Kingdom as well." I told him and his brows furrowed.
"Is this really about the Kingdom? Or maybe it's because you badly want to be back on Harry's arms?" he prodded.
"No Oli that's not it-" I tried to argue but he cut me off.
"Then why can't you choose me? I'm sure there are a lot of princesses who are much more willing to marry Harry and be queen of Femme Kingdom! He could choose from countless females who would bow at his feet. He couldn't make you happy Aynie. I can. And I can offer you the world Aynie. I can give you anything you could ever want, including a normal life."
A normal life, huh?
Am I going to like it? Maybe.
Oli said he's going to take good care of me. And treat me like a princess, which Harry cannot even do. Oli also said we can move out of the Island. We can start a family, and I can freely do things that I want. He's going to support me if ever I plan to open my own shop. Probably add a bakery on the side.
Is it worth the risk? Maybe.
Will that make me happy? I think so.
Is it what I want to do?
For now, I don't even know what I want.
A normal life and a normal family?
Or Princess duties and life with someone who doesn't even have even a tiny bit of romantic feelings for me?
I have to choose.