Royals

Chapter 7

It was as if my mom was awaiting my arrival because as soon as I opened the door, she started verbally attacking me.

"Nice of you to finally join us," she sarcastically drawls. "Where have you been all day?"

"You're the one who told me to find a ride home. Claire couldn't drop me off before now." Good thing lies are the glue to a relationship.

She let out an annoyed sound. "Go get dressed; dinner's in an hour."

In response, I gave her the exact cheesy grin that would pull her strings.

I walked into my room to find Penelope lying on my bed. She had a wet washcloth on her forehead, and there were a bunch of cups cluttering my bedside table.

"Did you die?" I jokingly asked.

She groaned and placed her hands on her temples. "Could you be any louder?" she whispered.

"Hangover?" I guessed. She mumbled, which I took as a yes. "We're leaving for dinner in an hour."

"Can you pass me some medicine for my head?" she asked in a raspy voice. Did she just wake up?

I handed her a pill and passed over one of the glasses off my nightstand. She must have seen me eyeing the table because she grumbled, "Don't worry, I'll clean it up later."

The next hour was pretty silent. I put on a vibrant yellow sundress with some wedges, whereas Penelope wore a pale green sundress with a pair of flats. We shared a mascara wand to quickly freshen up—we both knew that the restaurant would be fancy.

When we gathered in the foyer, I noticed Ana enter the room out of the corner of my eye. The name Anastasia has always reminded me of a princess, and based on her appearance, it only seemed appropriate to address her by her full name.

"My God, Anastasia. You look stunning!" I cooed, embracing her with my warm, open arms. Her cheeks were highlighted in pink, exposing her blush.

When I glanced over at Penelope, her expression was soft, which was a rarity. My heart swelled at the recognition that not all of Penelope was emotionless.

My mom clapped her hands together, informing us that it was time to depart. Anastasia grabbed my hand, gently squeezing it in an attempt to comfort me. What was she worried about?

I walked out the door and saw a limo resting directly in front of our house.

Of course.

I was about to start an argument with my mother when Ana squeezed my hand again. That girl is wise beyond her years.

Instead of lashing out at my mom, I reluctantly stepped into the limo.

This was going to be a long night...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My prediction was surprisingly accurate: the dinner was excruciatingly dull. Our mothers talked business the whole time, giving Penelope and me "tips".

With the amount of eye-rolls shared between Penelope and myself, I was surprised our eyes hadn't rolled right out of their sockets.

For the first time in months, Penelope and I had actually gotten along. Although it couldn't have been terribly healthy, we bonded over our shared annoyance.

Every once in a while, a small child a few tables over would squeal with joy, and each time, I caught Penelope softly wince.

Even though we had been fighting, I had to give her props. Her situation was practically the opposite of mine, which is how we originally became such close friends. She used to comfort me, and then it was my duty to return the gesture.