Crystal Hearts • Book 2 Of The Crystal Trilogy • ⏸

-| 14 / royally annoying |-

When Phoebe woke up (which didn't happen until the morning after Caroline did), the first thing she did was hug Caroline as hard as she could.

"Phoebe... I can't... breathe...", Caroline croaked.

"I was so worried!", Phoebe kept muttering.

"I think I got that much...", the princess muttered as her friend let go, and then gasped for air.

"Take it easy, Phoebes! You don't want her to fall into another coma!", Esmeralda joked. She was lying down on the edge Caroline's bed, her head hanging and barely touching the floor. She had her arms crossed over her stomach.

"Esme, I think that your lying upside down like this is affecting your brain and making you say more stupid things than usual.", Phoebe rolled her eyes playfully.

"I'm still smarter than you, though.", Esme attempted to shrug, but almost fell off the bed, so she tried to regain her balance instead.

"Are you two on good terms?", Caroline asked slowly.

"Lets just say that I hate Esmeralda until someone else does something to her.", Phoebe smirked. "Then they have to die a painful death.", she said with a deadpan expression and then went back to fighting with her friend. Caroline bit her lip and got out of bed.

"Where are you going?", Esme asked her. Caroline was too focused rummaging through a drawer to reply.

"There it is...", she muttered to herself. She laid a box on her bed table and got on her knees behind Phoebe. Even when Phoebe was sitting, Caroline still had trouble seeing over her friend's head.

"What are you doing?", Phoebe tilted her head on confusion, turning to look at the princess. Caroline put a couple of bobby-pins in her mouth so she wouldn't lose them and turned Phoebe's head so she would look forward.

"Taking care of your hair.", she replied shortly.

"Great... So you reply to Phoebe but not to me! I see how it is...", Esmeralda smirked slyly. Phoebe's ears turned a deep shade of red, much like her cheeks, but Caroline only raised an eyebrow at Esme and went back to fiddling with Phoebe's hair. A few moments passed before she realised that Phoebe was too tall for her to work with.

"Can you sit on the floor? I'm too short.", she sighed.

"Uh... Sure.", Phoebe did as she said. Sitting down on the carpet, she glanced at Esmeralda, who was still upside down.

"Hi.", she raised her hand and gave her a small wave, smiling cheekily.

"I don't think that's good for you.", Phoebe remarked.

"Too bad. I've gotten comfortable.", Esme giggled.

Caroline grabbed a brush from the box and started brushing Phoebe's hair.

"You don't brush it much, do you?", she asked her after a few minutes.

"I don't really have the time lately.", Phoebe sighed.

"Well, you're lucky I'm bored.", Caroline smiled.

"We are going to be spending a lot of time in here...", Esmeralda sighed solemnly, then burst out laughing. The princess looked at her worriedly.

"How are you holding up?", she asked her. Esme's expression darkened.

"I'm trying my best."

"Do you want to help me with Phoebe's hair?"

Esmeralda looked at the mess Caroline was referring to as Phoebe's hair and shook her head. "Not really."

"Too bad. You're going to help anyway. Come here.", Caroline told her. Esme didn't move. The princess glared at her. Esmeralda got up and dizzily sat down next to her.