The Prince and the Punk [EDITING]

Chapter 29

Janice

I take a breath and close my eyes, unable to block out the portscreen now that I know what's being broadcast.

"Fuck, I'm sorry, I can't listen to that thing right now." I shake my head.

"Here." Slater opens a door and leads me into his bedroom. He sits on the bed and I flop down next to him, digging my palms into my eyes.

"I dig bring you this," he says in an effort to lighten the mood. "For your birthday."

I open my eyes and sit up. He's holding a silver flask.

"Shit, how did you get that?" Alcohol is allowed in other branches of the military, but the Space Corps, being the strict, no-nonsense branch that it is, frowns upon it heavily. Even if they didn't, the stuff is seldom included with supply shipments, so it's next to impossible to get your hands on.

He shrugs. "Perks of being a lieutenant. Room to myself, alcohol—all kinds of good stuff."

He hands me the flask.

"To my boyfriend and his fiancée," I announce, raising the flask before taking a sip.

Slater chuckles and shakes his head, and I pass him the drink. "May he enjoy his sham marriage."

I laugh. Slater really, truly does have a way of making things better.

"Honestly, you're better off," he continues. "Those royal types are fucked up."

"Yeah, you're probably right." I stare down at the shadowed liquid swirling in the flask, which has made its way back into my hand. "I guess I shouldn't be upset. I mean, it's really not a surprise. In a way, I've spent the last two months getting over it."

"Well, look at it this way—if he's moved on, so can you."

I don't miss the hasty way he says the words, like he's almost embarrassed that they're leaving his mouth.

I smile to myself. Maybe he's right.

"Hey, what's your first name?" I blurt. "Sorry, I just realized that I don't know it."

He laughs. "No."

"What? Why?"

"Cause it's a stupid name." He almost looks embarrassed.

"Well, now I have to know." I scoot closer to him. "What is it, like, Ernest or something? Seth? Ooh, Keith?"

He shakes his head and gives me no response.

"Please?"

Nothing.

"Oh, come on, it's not like I'm gonna think less of you."

Nothing.

"It can be my birthday present."

"Your birthday present was a drink in the company of someone awesome," he says with a crooked smile that's almost enough to elicit a swoon.

"And I thank you for it. But now I want to know your name. C'mon, why won't you tell me?"

"Because... I... care what you think." He draws it out slowly, not looking at me. "And I don't want you thinking I'm a dork because of my stupid name."

"That's adorable," I tease, hoping he can't tell how red my face has become. It is really adorable. "But remember that thing Shakespeare said about roses? You'd smell the same no matter what your stupid name is."

He laughs and looks at me like I've sprouted another head.

"I'm just saying, it wouldn't change anything," I say, trying to fight off an embarrassed smile.