Princess Without Limits

Chapter Seventeen

Welcome back to a new chapter of Princess Without Limits. Want to know a fun fact about this chapter? Chapter 17 celebrates Lena's birthday, which is on 17 November ;) I, myself, only realised this just yesterday. This wasn't meant to be intentional, I swear. 

Anyway, today is our sweet Lena's birthday, so happy birthday Lena! I'm extremely proud to have gotten the story so far, all thanks to you, my beloved readers. Can you believe that we're less than 200 reads to 1k reads!? At the end of this chapter, there will be a Lena reveal :) 

Just a heads-up, this is where the real excitement begins. Not enough to get you hyped up? Uhm...oh well, happy reading <3 <3

(Lena)

It was my birthday soon. In the wild frenzy of coming to Momosu for two weeks, it had completely slipped my mind. It was only when I entered Gina's room and saw the bold red words "LENA'S BIRTHDAY!!" on her calendar on the 17th of November that I remembered my birthday was coming up.

My birthdays had been nothing close to fancy these past few years - just simple birthday greetings plus some presents from the girls, complemented with a short birthday celebration in the night. However, I'd been to lots of birthday galas for princesses from other countries, the latest being Gina's birthday gala back in February.

"So, wanna go shopping today?" Gina asked, eyes pleading with me to play along.

"Why? After the disastrous shopping trip two days ago?" I questioned back. Gina sighed in exasperation. "Fine, how about lunch?" Gina suggested.

"Is that suggestion for my birthday?"

Gina broke into a big grin. "You remember your birthday this year! You always forget your own birthday, yet you remember everyone else's."

I didn't have the heart to tell her I only just remembered from taking a glance at her calendar. I had never really treated my birthday as special because I didn't see the point in doing so. It was nothing more than the day I took my first breath, anyway. Seeing how I turned out, I could see that my birthday was always sorrowful to my parents.

"I'll go to lunch with you." Gina's smile became even wider. I took pride in pleasing Gina, she was always so easy to please. Therefore, I was swept away for an expensive lunch at a classy restaurant near Momosu Academy.

I had been counting down to the minute that I would finally be back in my cosy room. Elite places made me feel uncomfortable - they reminded me too much of home. It caused me to recall days where my mother would scrutinize my appearance, telling me to straighten my back, smile wider, and apply more makeup.

"Princesses are meant to look pretty, Lena. You have the courtesy of good genes, don't waste it."

I'd always stand upright for hours on end, smile until my jaws ache, and apply layers of makeup that made my skin itch. Other noble girls would look at me in admiration, jealous of my posture, my happiness, my beauty, never realising that all those are just lies. They would never know how I stand in front of the mirror every day practising how I should be seen by others. They would never know how I cry myself to sleep because I was never beautiful enough for other princes, never perfect enough for my own family. Never know how I broke under all those years of pressure to become something worthless.

"Lena? Should we go back to the dorm now?" Gina interrupted my train of thoughts. I looked at the finished plates of food and nodded.

Giving me a sly grin, Gina pushed open the door to our dormitory, revealing the transformed place. "Be happy, just for today," she whispered, as the girls - Su Jung, Neelam, Carla and even Maria, who, I'm sure, came back specially for my birthday - leapt out from their hiding places to wish me a happy early birthday. Livio and Gion were present too, and when I saw the banner hung on the wall, I realised that it was his birthday as well.