Rags To Royals (Royal #1: Book 1) | ✔

4

-• fairytale •-

"Your life is no less than a fairytale," Janet says making me turn my head to look at her. She follows and we both end up staring at each other. Our faces are swollen from the lack of sleep, eyes are tired, and bodies exhausted, but to make most of the last day we've with each other, we're awake in hopes time will take mercy on us and run slow. But looking at the clock, I don't think we have that favour. It's three in the midnight.

I scoff and look back at the ceiling. "More like a tragedy,"

She raises her hands, making a diamond of her fingers to capture the glow of lights in the confines. "When we see the world like this, we feel it's small enough to be captured." She murmurs and looks at me. "But then our belief shatters," her hands seperate falling to her sides. "When we realise the world is mightier than we thought."

"Get to the point," I probe.

"What point? I was just trying to show off my insight into things," she jest with a chuckle.

I roll my eyes, nodding sarcastically.

"What I'm saying is, until now, your world was your mother, me, and school. But that's not true, Tara," she meets my eyes. "Your world is far bigger than what you imagined. Now it's time you explore it. Think of it as an adventure than a tragedy." She smiles at me.

"All that reading paid off, didn't it?" I smirk.

She shrugs smugly.

I get up and sit with my knees pull together. My arms lock around my legs before I lay my chin on my kneecap and stare out of the window. She follows and scoots closer, pushing away the curtains before tugging at my nightdress in an attempt to make me shift closer. I oblige.

We both look down at the two guards posted at the gates. My brows shoot up in surprise. Their backs are still ramrod straight. By this time, Janet and I would have been on the sides of the road snoring our ass off.

"Want to play a prank on them?" Janet looks at me mischievously.

I shake my head immediately.

"Oh, c'mon, be a sport!" She gets off the bed and wears her slippers.

"Janet!" I hiss. "What you're suggesting is absolutely ridiculous. Come back to the bed. We're too old for this kind of caper."

"No, we're doing something fun on your last day here!" She insists stubbornly. I sigh in defeat. Once Janet Williams sets her mind on something, she does it by hook or by crook. "Get up now," grabbing my wrist, she catches me off guard when I feel myself yank off the comfort of the warm bed and on the cold floor. A shiver racks down my body and I quickly wear the fluffy slippers. "Let's go," she pulls me out of the room, nodding at me to close the door behind us. I accidentally close it harshly. She shoots me a glare.

I smile sheepishly. "Sorry."

Gripping my hand tighter, as though gaining courage from me, she descends the stairs and I follow her quietly. We avoid the steps that creak. Having spent our entire childhood in each other's house, we can run around blind in here.

"Janet," I whisper when she unlocks the front door. She looks over her shoulder and shushes me with her finger on her lips. I click my tongue helplessly. I want to run back inside to avoid becoming an accomplice in her shenanigans but I can't deny the thrill I feel right now. It's been so long since I've been my age. From the time my mother got admitted in the hospital, I had to train myself to act maturely in every situation. The thought of ending up alone someday scared me from indulging in such childish funs for I didn't want to seem young and immature. But things are different now. And the realisation of having no responsibilities to bear made my feet light enough to sneak around and create some chaos.