Annabelle
I knew convincing mum to accept the bills from a total stranger wasn't going to be an easy task, that's why I suggested we paid first. Her reaction and speech confirmed my early presumption.
Unreasonable! Unacceptable! Unbelievable! Were the words she used the moment Logan and Joshua left her hospital room and all I did was nodded in understanding, any reaction aside that could get her more grieved at our present condition.
"Are you ok?" Joshua asked as we walked past the front desk.
"Yeah, I'm not just ok, I'm per-fect, I'm bad, I'm-"
"Just cut it Belle, what's going on with you and him?" He nodded towards Logan, who stood talking to a young black doctor who had his white teeth exposed by the shiny smile he wore.
"Nothing, just work."
His eyes went deeper as he halted with a frown. "I feel, I'm not needed in your life."
"Why will you ever say that?"
"You don't tell me what goes on in your life, you don't call, you hardly visit." He paused his face flushed in annoyance. "And now, you show up with the Prince and you don't even give me one bit of explanation on how your path crossed with his, are we even friends?"
I bit my lower lips and filled my lung with the sterile air of the hospital. He was right, I was a shitty fucking friend. "I'm sorry, I promise to explain everything later."
"Why not now?"
I looked towards Logan's, who was done with his conversion and was now strolling towards the door. "I need to go, I promise to explain alright?"
His shoulders dropped. "Sure, go."
Taking him by surprise, I caged him in a hug with his hands by his side. "Take care of her, I promise to call tomorrow."
He struggled out of my arms with a smiled. "I'll hold you to your words."
I nodded and hurriedly headed to the door. Logan was already out of the building. Getting to the door, I turned back, waved to Joshua and walked out of the hospital, welcoming the fresh air.
***
I took a sip of my wine, despite the dressed chicken with heavenly smell that knocked me like a wave, I was not in the mood to eat, which was the first in history, I, Annabelle María Alejandra Benson, not hungry.
A smile crawled on my lips as memories of Dad pronouncing 'María Alejandra' flashed through my head. He believed my name was that of a goddess, mum doesn't and that always led to argument, a crazy sweet argument that ended with hugs.
"Are you ok?" Aaron inquired, snapping me back to reality.
"Sure."
"Are you done? We need to leave," Logan said typing down on his phone, he wore a frown as his dark brown hair moved a little to his face.
"Are you done Aaron?" I asked. He was the only one with an appetite and I was grateful for that, wasting this meal felt like a sin.
He nodded as our Waiter walked towards the table. Logan made reservations in an expensive but less crowded restaurant, each table was arranged several feet's away from the other, enabling privacy.
The Waiter nodded, as Logan stood up and led the way out of the restaurant.
***
I opened the sealed envelope and brought out a note. Today was the beginning of my one month in the castle, one month of more lies.
I read the note and sighed, it seems the Queen believed I had no dancing skills, so I'm forced to attend a dancing class, with my session beginning today.
I walked to the wardrobe and picked a long blue gown, I moved to the shoe closet and went through my heels. Still not certain which to pick, I went through the heels again, this time pointing each with my right index finger. I looked past my heels and behold, the chosen one sat deserted from the others.
The moment I was done dressing, I heard a knock and opened up to be met by Rose.
"Are you ready? Daniel is waiting for us, he will be rehearsing with just us ladies."
"Yeah." I stepped out and gently closed the door behind me.
"Why is he just teaching the ladies?" I inquired, walking beside her down the hallway.
"It's like this, the ball is a royal traditional. Every two years, the royals are meant to dance with their partners and the previous ball I kinda crash the dance, so Daniel insisted he starts his session with the ladies this time."
"How exactly did you crash the dance?"
"I took a left spin instead of a right."
"Huh?"
"Don't worry you will understand soon," she said as we walked into the large ballroom.
"Sharp ladies." Came a loud clap, I jumped caught off guard by the clap.
"Princess and-" A young man in a black shirt, and leggings that held his ass so tight, I wonder how he could breathe.
"Eva, Daniel her name is Eva, Logan's girlfriend," Rose answered, beating me to the chase.
"Nice meeting you Eva."
"Same here," I said, smiling at him, he nodded and walked to the other end of the ballroom.
"Why is he wearing that?"
"Also part of the tradition, his ancestors saw to our dancing skills, he is meant to also be on kilt but Daniel prefers this during his rehearsals."
"Oh wow," I said, when really I was baffled on how he could walk.
"Rosemary have you heard from your sister?" We turned to the door, where the queen stood in a blue skirt and jacket, with a matching hat.
"Yes mum she's still on her tour," Rose answered, after we curtsied.
"And when are your husband and my grandson coming in? I need perfection."
"In a week time Mum."
"Call your sister, tell her to be here in no time, being a romantic novelist is not a job. I would prefer she wrote about our family history," She said and walked out of the ballroom.
"I take it the Queen hates writers?"
Rose chuckled. "No, she just see romantic write up as nonsense or in her own words garbage."
"Oh, I-"
"Ladies, take your places," Daniel said cutting me short with a loud clap.
I was going to go deaf if he kept this up, we walked to his side and he nodded in acknowledgement.
"Now, we are going to take things slow, we don't want any mistake do we?" He said, staring at Rose with a frown.
"I already apologized about last time, I promise it won't happen again."
"Your word is your bond." he paused and turned his back to us. "We are going to practice the basics on the eightsome reel, then we move to the couple's dance."
We both nodded, not ready to feel the wrath of the tight panted man.
"You hop a little, then you move your left feet to the left with your heels up and do the same with your right," He explained, practically performing the movement.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Good, try it."
I swiftly moved my left leg and lifted it with little grace and little patience.
"You both are getting it wrong, you do this with grace and harmony, ok?"
We nodded and stared at each other sharing a smile.
"Again."
I filled my lungs with air and tried it, this time thanking God I picked my sneakers over the beautiful heels lined up in my closet.
"Perfect! Just perfect," He said clapping.
"Now, you have to repeat these steps twice, then you throw your right leg back a little and bring it forward."
"Understand?"
I shook my head, not understanding what he meant, I was shocked when Rose also repeated my gesture.
"Like this," He said and did the moves with pure grace, I was jealous of how well he did them.
"Your turn."
We stated with the previous moves and threw our legs backwards, just then I felt something flew to the other end of the room.
I looked down at my legs and up at Rose, I could tell she was trying hard to hold her laugh. We both stared at Daniel and back at my sneakers which sat across the room.
***
Author note.
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