Mating Ball

Chapter 12- The Tour

Rose P.O.V.

I can't believe him. He won't let me go home to see my family. Nobody comes between me and my family. Yet I feel as if I couldn't yell at him or get angry with him even if I wanted to.

A lot of things changed with me emotionally the moment he stepped into my life. I blushed today. I don't blush. Ever. Hopefully he didn't notice. Why do I even care what he thinks? He is just so- ugh.

Right now I am stepping in the elevator following him. When the doors close I feel him glance down at me every once and a while looking like he wants to say something. I want to turn and speak for him as I have done almost everytime we are together. But I hold my ground this time.

"Listen Rose, I'm sorry but in time you will understand." He says turning to me.

"What? What will I understand Kenneth? I just want to see my family." I say the last part coming out a whisper. I know what your thinking, why is she upset its only been one day? 

Well, last night I was thinking about dinner and nobody even mentioned my return back home. Then that made me wonder, how long do they plan on keeping me here? I almost paniced at the thought of my family not having enough money to eat everyday. We were already struggling now they have one less paycheck.

"I know I'm sorry I can't explain it to you now I just don't want to give you too much at once." He says quickly trying to make me feel better. It didn't work.

The elevator doors open and we are greeted with the main floor again. "By the way, I know its bad timing but I figured I should get all of the bad out of the way now. You... um..." He states rubbing the back of his neck and his eyes on the floor.

"What is it? I can handle it." I say, hoping it has nothing to do with my family again.

"You are supposed to be plague tested today." He says watching for my reaction.

Great, they think I have the plague because of where I came from. I am obviously not infected you could tell if I was infected I would be withering in pain slowly losing my eye sight and use of my limbs and my skin would most likely start cracking. How do I know all of this? I've witnessed it more times than I would have liked to.

" Why? I'm obviouly not infected." I ask him as we walk toward the end of the hall to a door.

He looks down at me as we stop." Because, I don't want you dieing on me." He says in a very caring tone.

"Really? Are you sure it isn't because you don't want some street rat infecting your Castle?" I snap at him. He doesn't want me dieing on him. Yeah right. He could probably careless if I was dead. I mean we just met two days ago.

"One, you aren't a street rat. Two, its not my Castle its my fathers. And, how dare you talk about yourself like that." He says correctioning me. I notice his eyes going black and he looks away so I can't see them.

"Here is the kitchen, we have around ten chefs that work in here." He says in an almost monetone voice moving on from his outburst. I look around and see a massive kitchen. Suddenly a short round man with a thick mustache walks over to us.

"Your highness, how are you today?" The short man asks Kenneth.

"I'm fine Tommy. How are you?" Kenneth responds to the man with one of his award winning smiles. I can see right through that, our little argument in the hall is still getting to him.

"Fine, fine. And uh... who is the lady?" He asks under his breath hoping I wouldn't hear.

"Tommy this is Rose. Rose this is Tommy our head chef." I reach out my hand to shake his.

"Its very nice to meet you. Thank you for the amazing food last night." I say with a smile.

At first he looks confused then his eyes widen with... recognition? Uh oh. People must have been talking about me being here. I was hoping to stay under the radar in this mess. Guess that plan is gone.

"I'm glad you liked it. It means a lot." He says still vigorously shaking my hand and smiling.

"Okay. We are going to move on. Come on Rose." Kenneth says breaking my hand away from Tommy's and shooting him a glare. Why is he acting all rude now?

We tour the entire Castle. Kenneth and I got to know more about each other I found out he has twin brother and sister they are both sixteen and hate each other.

"So, do you, have any siblings?" He asks.

"Five. Two sisters and three brothers." I respond. Its totally normal where I come from.

"Really? I mean that's awesome. Is it fun?" He asks his eyes widen in suprise.

"It depends on the day. We all get along pretty well most of the time. But the fact that we all pretty much live on top of each other can get to us every now and then. But my mom is good at straightening us out." I tell him thinking of my house hold comparing it to his. He goes somedays without even seeing his siblings. I see my siblings everyday almost all day.

"Wow. I don't want to offend you but why do the people over there... you know..." he says stuttering again.

"What? Its fine. I told you I can handle things like this." I tell him curious to know what he thinks of people like us.

"Why do they have so many kids? I mean its normal for people around here to only have two. I alway thought my parent had to much on their plate. But now that I hear about families down there. I see that my parents are absoulutly fine." He states making a relization.

Yes. Lots of people wonder that." I say nodding my head. "Well to answer your question, if there are more people in the family there is more income. And the more income you have then better off you are. But not all families are like that, my mom. She just wanted a big family and so did my father."

The thought of him makes me want to smile and cry at the same time. "But there are still some families that do it for the first reason. I have two friends who are stuck in that boat." I say with a little sadness in my voice.

"I feel sorry for them. But the future will probably be better right?" He says looking at me with hopeful eyes.

"Yeah I guess. Of course nothing will ever be perfect." I tell him. Knowing that it will probably never get better. For the rest of the time we just sat on the same bench right outside the ballroom where this all started.

We stayed there until someone called for lunch then after lunch Kenneth had to leave to go do some business. He said he would see me later after walking me too my door. When he leaves I feel a longing in my heart for him to come back. Why?

Another update complete. I have some important things below.

1. Should I do this chapter over in his point of veiw for the next update?

2. Check out my friend's books; 14Dragon

3. Vote. Comment. Follow.

-A.G.