Royally Off Your Throne

5 - Royally Wasn't Expecting This

Okay, definitely not a dream. Yesterday was a whirlwind, but I think it was less infuriating than having to help Spin make t-shirts in the washing room.

"Why are you doing this again?" I questioned.

He carefully pressed the transfer paper to a black tee. "For the money, of course."

"Do you ever stop doing it 'for the money, of course'?"

"One day, maybe. But it's the way it is with my family."

Six siblings, he had. Six. I'd never gotten over the fact. One of them was actually a 2nd Year at Mes Torrigno, but they were basically polar opposites and rarely interacted. It's times like this I wonder if I should take his sibling's route and avoid Spin.

"Do I get a cut of this?" I asked.

He let out a laugh. "Nope. I pay in my friendship."

"Which I could easily revoke?"

"You wouldn't have the guts." He hung the shirt on a hanger. "You've threatened me with that already and haven't. You said that everyday when we were on the bowling team."

And I regretted being on that team with him. Actually, never mind. It had been kind of fun. "I could change my mind."

"You're not very good at that. Like how you're still on this Ball."

I rolled my eyes. "You're talking a little too much for someone that's about to burn another shirt."

He yelped as he quickly picked up the iron, smoke pluming from it. He fanned the shirt. "Dang, why didn't you tell me? I'm not trying to set off the smoke detector and get in trouble."

"Eh," I shrugged, "guess I'm not very good at changing my mind."

He grinned. "It's important to stay in character."

Except it was pretty difficult with the knowledge I'd acquired yesterday. I mean, could I really not tell anyone? Wilkerson could just be exaggerating, then again, he was my one option to getting that Ball ticket, so I didn't really want to take that risk.

Speaking of Wilkerson, I didn't see him basically all day. Not that I wanted to, but I had to, because I really needed answers. Walking around with that kind of information made me feel like a patient zero. This was information I could easily spread, but I forced myself not to.

But at the end of the day, I headed down for dinner before the evening study hour, and Wilkerson strode over to me. "Mildred, we–"

I put my hand up. "Not the government name. It's Millie or nothing." My goal was to go the rest of my life without hearing my legal first name. But most people didn't get the memo.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Okay. Millie. We need to talk about all of this."

"After you," I said, resisting the urge to put 'Prince' at the end.

Oh my god. He's a Prince!

I shook off the exhilaration and followed him down the hall. Just play it cool. He led me back to where I had eavesdropped on his phone call. "You're sure this is the best place to chat?" I questioned.

"Why wouldn't it be?" he asked.

"Because I..." Maybe I should just not mention that I followed him here. "Nothing. Speak."

He drew in a deep breath. "You haven't told anyone?"

"Unfortunately. So far I'm taking this one to my grave."

That remark didn't appear to amuse him. But what did amuse him? My suffering? "Look, we're both going to have to help each other in this situation," he said. "And I can get you those tickets, but it's a little complicated."