Royals

Chapter 17

Joey and I ate most of the cookie cake, and then he helped me clean the rose petals and Hershey kisses off of my bed. I scattered the rose petals down the secret hallway that leads to my "Princess Station", while Joey put the Hershey kisses in a pile on my desk. I taped his note to the side of my closet, making sure it was concealed by my clothes.

When we finished, I collapsed on my bed, exhaustion overruling my body.

Joey sat up and cocked his head at me, studying me.

"Can I help you?" I couldn't decide if his thinking face was more comical or adorable.

"There's something different about you, but I can't put my finger on it," he replied, squinting his eyes and scanning my entire body.

I let out a small laugh. "Nothing's different about me."

"No, there is. I just can't—wait! You have another piercing," he observed, gesturing to the fresh hole in my ear.

To say I was astonished that he noticed such a minor detail would be an understatement. "How in the world did you notice something like that?"

His eyebrows did a dance on his forehead as a smug grin welcomed itself onto his face. "Someone punctured your skin with a needle, and you don't think I would notice?"

"But it's so tiny," I replied, flattered.

He smirked. "You have your hair up, so you're practically rubbing it in my face. It looks good, by the way."

Sure, Lillia would have noticed, being my best friend and all, but Jake definitely would not have noticed something as subtle as that.

A smile crept across my face and my cheeks turned a light pink. "Well, thank you."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Around ten in the morning, I was startled when a pillow hit my sleeping figure. I sat up in a daze and observed my surroundings, searching for the intruder. When I spotted her, I launched the pillow back at the laughing Lillia that sat beside me.

"Nice bedhead," she cackled.

I rolled my eyes and shielded myself under the covers, attempting to sleep again.

Unfortunately, I had no such luck.

"You promised me answers today, Emily," Lillia informed me in a singsong voice.

"What are you talking about?" I groaned with sleep evident in my voice. I sat up in my bed, adjusting the pillows until I was comfortable.

Lillia handed me a tray that contained a glass of orange juice and two chocolate chip waffles. Delightfully surprised, I began to fill my stomach as she continued talking. "You told me you would tell me anything I wanted to know today. So...I'm waiting."

"Okay, what do you want to know?" I asked with a mouthful of waffle.

"Why did you say no?"

I shrugged, returning my attention to my food. "I'm still recovering from Olivia leaving us and I just have a lot on my plate. A boyfriend is the last thing on my mind."

"But we've been talking about this since we were kids! Why did you just blow it off like that? He knows you're having a rough time, but he's willing to help you however you need it."

"I would just rather be alone right now. He can help me from afar, like you and Joey are."

"That was my next question, what happened between you and Joey?"

"Nothing."

"Jake said you were working out with him. But I thought you were mad at him?"

"I wasn't mad at him," I began. "But I ran into him at the gym and--"