Suddenly A Princess

Chapter four

A few days had now past and I was still miles away from making any life transpiring decisions. In a mentally unstable and paranoid manner, I avoided all phone calls and human contact. I had been dismissed from helping Aunt Rani run the restaurant because every time that little bell above the door would jingle, I'd lose all calmness and sprint for cover beneath the tables. Hulk and King Kong could turn up at any time and I wasn't risking them spotting me.

Maybe this was "fate." Maybe this was meant to happen to me. Because let's face it. I have no future perspectives, no skills, I'm not the smartest cookie, I'm socially awkward and unordinary. I have one friend and she's five years older than me. I'm not the sort of girl men throw themselves at, barely a glance is pointed in my direction - if I'm lucky. So I guess in some unorthodox way, it's a reasonable situation... No Avani, it's not! Stop selling yourself short.

"Avani!" Aunt Rani's voice echoed in through the gap of my bedroom door. I think she's noticed my isolation from society. "Avani, come down here!" Well... this, no doubt, is bound to be one assertively exciting day.

Fighting back a groan, I practically threw myself out of bed, half crawled my way to the door, pulled it open, and trudged down the stairs. Making sure to stomp just the slightest bit harder, to display my annoyance with her.

"There better be a reasonable explanation as to why you had to shout my name at the top of your lungs, waking me from-" I halted dead in my tracks as I came around the corner of where the kitchen was and noticed the two men.

"Avani, these men are here to escort you to the palace," She said between a gritted smile. You? I panicked at my Auntie's choice of words. "I have to stay here and run the restaurant, so you go ahead." I glanced through the small window in the kitchen. The restaurant wasn't that busy - it was, after all, twelve o'clock - so there was insignificant hullabaloo. This place usually doesn't fill up until about seven, so my Aunties excuse was anything but reasonable. In fact, it's pathetic. My eyes switched from Aunt Rani to the two men standing by her side. They were both quite tiny in comparison to the first two that had appeared unexpectedly. Perhaps newbies? They both seemed a bit nervous and out of place, they didn't look much older than me either.

"Why do I have to go there? the Queen said I could have some time to think about it."

"I don't know much about the details; the instructions that we were given was to escort you to the palace immediately." One said as he fiddled with the end of his tie. This doesn't sound good; the word immediately makes it sounds like an emergency. As in - You have to make a decision right now - If you are to marry this stranger or forever be condemned to a miserable and hated by all life.

"Right... I need to get dressed first." I pointed for the direction of upstairs, he hesitated at first, but then nodded his head.

"Enlighten, Vee! A dress maybe?" Aunt Rani shouted as I took two steps at a time to my bedroom. Enlighten? A dress? Two things I refuse to associate with. But in circumstances like this one, Aunt Rani may have a point. Who would, after all want to marry a girl who bears nothing but jeans and shirts? Not that I'm considering accepting the marriage proposal. I mean... I am considering it, but far from making any drastic decisions. Yep, making sense isn't exactly my forte. Then again this situation is senseless in all aspects.

I settled on an off-the-shoulder mid-knee-length dress, that had mandala art splurged on it. I tied my hair in a high loose bun. A few curls flew out though, involuntarily near my face. I tucked them behind my ears not bothering to redo it. I scouted around for a pair of decent sandals, but failed at finding two of the same. So I settled on a pair of white low-cut converses. I know, I know - typical Avani. I grabbed my brown leather jacket off my desk chair and made sure I had managed to gather everything needed for this knowingly long day. Phone? Check. Wallet? Check. Gum? Check. The strength and tolerance to carry on through this day without dropping dead? We'll just have to see about that one.