Princess Without Limits

Chapter Fourteen

(Gion)

I was so stupid. I didn't call myself stupid often, but that was definitely a right time for me to. I hurt her without thinking. Who was I to cook a delicious lunch for Gina and jab Lena about her brother's lack of concern for her? I sounded so arrogant that I was ashamed of my actions. She was hurting, yet I was a horrible person to pour salt into her wounds. Are you okay? I wanted to ask her. My ego was horrible enough to not allow me to say such stuff. In Italy, or at least the way I've been raised, being soft, showing any emotions is being weak. "Your Highness, whatever do you wish to do?" Livio asked as I dash into the kitchen. "Gion?" Gina's voice piped up. Gina. I spun around to see her concerned face. I stopped in my tracks. "Is anything the matter, Gina?" she shook her head, her forehead puckered in a curious frown. I didn't know what I was doing either. The rational part of me was trying to get myself to stop, trying to get my emotions in check. However, my heart has a different agenda and it brought me to the fridge. I stared.

Do girls have nothing in the fridge? Rice, eggs, and...I shook my head. One day, I'm going to get Livio to bring Gina on grocery shopping. A lightbulb lit off. I remembered Lena when she was young, stuffing her mouth with sausages. If they did not have sausages, I might just faint. Hiding a slight smile, I opened the freezer, finally seeing something good. Sausages. I threw the sausages in the air with the rice and egg, making a simple meal for Lena. I heard a release of breath, definitely by my little sister. Turning around, plastering a smirk, I remarked, "Never seen your amazing brother cook before, Gina?" Instead, I faced a shell-shocked Lena, unblinkingly staring at me. I would have laughed and taunted her if not for two things: My cold image to people and the important fact that I, the Prince of Italy, Gion Zecchino, had just embarrassed myself.

I arranged my features into a cold expression instantly. "What are you doing?" Lena hissed angrily. I spied dried tear tracks on her face that she didn't bother to wash away. "Can't you see I'm cooking?" I remarked harshly, trying to cover up my embarrassment. Lena, fortunately, didn't notice a thing. She wasn't a very noticing kind of person. I suddenly felt foolish. What was I doing, cooking in a girls' dorm to apologise to someone, while that someone wasn't even thinking much about that? Nonno would have lots to say about that, Gion. I scowled, and turned off the gas stove. Lena narrowed her eyes. "So, you're just going to stop cooking now that you see I don't mind a bit?" she snapped. Storming to my side, she snatched the pan from me. She studied the ingredients, her eyes softening a little. "What?" I snorted irritably. She continued staring at the food.

"You still remember," Lena whispered all of a sudden, "Why...?" "Remember what?" I was still annoyed, though I tried to tone down my anger. "My favourite food, you still remember it. Even Leon doesn't." I could tell she was close to tears, so I swiped the pan from her, turned on the gas stove and resumed cooking. Her back faced me now, but I could still hear a slight sniffling. I ignored her. I supposed as a person who didn't know how to comfort Lena since I didn't know her very well, I would be better off ignoring and letting her cry than making a half-hearted attempt to comfort her. After I was done cooking, she had stopped crying, but the kitchen was so painfully silent that I immediately tried to set up our food as quickly as I could to escape the atmosphere.

Just as I walked out of the kitchen to put the food on the dining table, I bumped into Gina, nearly dropping the bowl of food. "Did you make Lena cry or something?" she huffed, crossing her arms fiercely, which I had to admit wasn't very scary to someone who was taller and stronger than her. "I didn't," I assured her, putting on a comforting smile. "Whatever," she said, turning away, "So, um, thanks for the lunch." "Why all of a sudden?" I questioned, putting the food on the table. "I just saw how Lena didn't have anyone to cook for her..." her thoughtful speech turned teasing, "I'm glad she has this cold but passionate childhood friend to cook for her!" Her grin was so big that I couldn't help chuckling. But I stopped when I recalled something. "Did you...tell anyone about what happened?" I asked Gina. Her expression turned gloomy. "I didn't think they'd ask you," she mumbled, her face cloudy, "They pestered me late in the night yesterday because Leon didn't say a thing. I...got mad." She looked so ashamed of herself.