5 Princes and I(Preview Only)

Chapter 49 The Flirt Who Must Move On

Chapter 49 

Once Nate finished his story, I felt that all of his tension eased up. I was ducking my head and wiping tears from my eyes. I couldn't let him see that I was crying, so I pretended to sleep.

Nate chuckled and tucked a stray hair behind my ear. "Thank you for being a good listener." He whispered, and I felt him carrying me to a bed and covering me with a blanket.

"Goodnight, princess." He said, and suddenly, lights dimmed.

I opened one of my eyes and saw Nate heading for the couch and using his cape as a blanket. I suddenly felt terrible for taking his bed from him. He needs it more than me.

But after his story, I just couldn't say anything to him. I mean, what would I say? What happened to him wasn't a typical situation in my world. I covered myself with the blanket and thought of things to say to him.

***

To be honest, I couldn't get enough sleep last night. I sat up from the bed and turned to my right to see a still sleeping Nate on the couch. Seeing him there made me realize something - despite his cheerful and flirty self is the opposite of what he truly feels.

I felt terrible. I didn't realize that he had been through all of that. No wonder he looked at Princess Camille the way he did at the ball. He loved Kascada, and I think that he still does. I realize that when Nate loves, he loves a person wholeheartedly so much that it drove him to be the person that he is now.

I looked around in his room which was shrouded with darkness - a complete epitome of Nate's reality. And it's a reality that I want to change. I got up, slipped on my shoes, and headed for the curtains. I looked back hesitantly at Nate before I parted it open.

Bright morning light immediately flowed through the glass windows and lit up his room in a wonderful hue. But since I wasn't a morning person as well, I fought the urge to shut the curtains back.

"What are you doing!?" I gasped when I heard Nate behind me. His hair was disheveled and sticking out in different places. He squinted his eyes at the light and was about to close it again when I stopped him.

"No, don't." I told him. "Keep it open."

Nate grunted. "But I hate seeing my room. Close it."

"Psh, please! It's not like you are going to die from this. Look, I know why you keep your room in the dark, but do you really think it is wise to always hide from it? Face it, Nate. At this point, you resemble the stories of vampires from my world." I grinned. And lucky for him, I know some cringey ass sentimental lines from books and movies to back me up.

He looked away and closed his eyes as if he were in pain. "If you know the reason why I keep it in the dark, then you will understand that there are painful memories that I wish to hide."

I shook my head and placed a hand on his cheek to make him look at me. "You can't escape from your memories, but you can use them as a tool to be better - both the good and the bad ones. You have to move on, Nate. Think about the future. About what it might bring." He didn't say anything for a moment, and I thought for sure that it was too early for him. "B-But if you're not ready then - I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done this." I said in defeat and was about to close the curtains when Nate stopped me. I looked up at him in surprise and found him giving me a small smile.

"What? Are you stuttering now? Don't tell me my charms are starting to affect you." He said, and with one hard yank, he was able to rip the curtains down. Sunlight entered through the now naked windows as he looked back at me, grinning.

"How's that, love?" Hearing him be his flirty old self made me smile in contentment since I knew that he was once again back to his old self.

I smiled warmly and hugged him in a comforting manner. "Better." Nate seemed surprised by the action, but he returned the hug nonetheless.