Royally Pained

˗ˏˋ 06'ˎ˗

One odd morning, Arielle was greeted with a floating balloon with a 'will you marry me?' printed on it and its string was attached to a shimmering diamond ring right after her dorm's door room had been knocked in the early morning. "This is odd," she muttered before stepping forward to have a closer look. What even bizarre is that there is her name written on a hanging card. Inside the card, there is an instruction for her to follow which is a simple 'go to this garden' in a very familiar hand-writing she knows by heart. Arielle gasped while hot tears rolled down her cheeks. A thousand questions were flooding her mind like waves of ocean. Grabbing a coat she scrambled to the said garden. She was surprised even more when she saw a banner of her name written next to an 'I love you' in front of the entrance gates. Her eyebrows furrowed at the scene she was looking. Students were crowding with balloons and happy faces. But the figure in the middle of the crowd made her froze. He was wearing his button-up shirt with denim jeans and a thick coat suitable to the weather they were in. As the crowd caught sight of her, they roared in excitement. Arielle sure the entire people in the garden can hear it, well sure if they were the entire one who is cheering. Arielle cupped her mouth, feeling overwhelmed. Prince Tony approached her with a goofy smile and widens his arms to receive a loving embrace from Arielle.

"Am I seeing the right twin who manages to walk off with my heart?" Prince Thorny asked cheesily but able to blushed Arielle. He sure can't see it because her face was stuffed on his coat. Arielle bobbed her head twice enough for Tony to acknowledge.

"H-how?" She asked him curiously after they separated. At that, Andrea and Queen Eliza confronted her both have furtive looks. 'They had met before?' she said sufficient for her inner self can hear.

"Sweetie," The queen began, clasping both their hands together. "We're sorry to be dishonest to you but we did it for a good cost."

"I originally planned a set up date between you and Prince Anthony but I knew you would reject him straight away," Andrea confessed resulting a hurt look on Tony's face and a betrayed Arielle. "I know you would do anything in the world for me so I use it as an advantage." She continued looking at the grass mortified. "But I want you to believe that I did this-" she pointed at Tony "for your own good. I know after the divorce you lost faith in guys and Queen Eliza thought it would be wonderful to play cupid between you both."

'Are there any other surprise can top this?' Arielle figured silently.

"I'm not mad at you, I'm just feeling utterly confused that my mind seemed to be hi-jacked," Arielle responded chuckling. She hugged Andrea enough to make her choked, she just felt so imprison. For all this time she distressed over something with no cost.

"My turn," An all too familiar voice called out. He kneeled to one knee in front of a dumbfounded Arielle who was gasping in surprise. He then began his broadcast that he had rehearsed over a million times, "It did hurt to be lied, especially by you, dummy." Both of them chuckles including all the eyes who are watching them like a drama. "But it hurt the most when you left without leaving me a notice. You're the only dummy that managed to make me do something I never thought to do before, you make me see the bright lights and introduced me to burgers and offered me candies when I felt awful," He then slipped out a ring from Arielle's pocket that was shown visibly then romantically asked, " Will you marry me, Arielle Jasmine Gomez?"

Arielle cringed at the mention of her middle name then without hesitation answered "No," All of the audiences' mouth gaped in surprise even Tony can't help his jaw from dropping to the ground. She smirked evilly before continued, "One dares to reject you silly, and of course I would say yes!" She screamed.

Tony slipped the ring around Arielle's sweet finger before lifting her up to show the spectators his victory.

"I thought you would seriously say no," Tony said sorrowfully offended.

"You should know me better than that," She replied before adding, "Besides, that is what you got after making me royally pained." Then they smiled blissfully as the crowd cheered.

"One month. One month was enough to know you'll be my forever."