The Competition of a Lifetime (Editing)

Chapter 7: Penelope's POV

I know I was not the only one the Prince was talking out on a date, but Caleb makes me feel like I'm the only girl in the world. I sigh dreamily in my mind because it would just be weird to do it in front of Caleb.

"So where is this surprise date?" I ask as he holds my hand and leads me down the hall.

"Ta-da!" He says with his hands showcasing a blank, white wall.

"Very impressive." She clapped her hands sarcastically and Caleb rolled his eyes.

"No, this is what I wanted to show you." Caleb walked across the hall and straightened a crooked picture frame. The wall started to move, revealing a hidden staircase. My jaw was hung open in amazement.

"Wow..." Is all I manage to say.

"I thought we could watch the stars on the rooftop." Caleb said putting his foot on the first step.

"Let's go then." I smile. Grabbing his hand, and with a burst of speed. We raced upstairs.

---

"I wish I had never started running, these stairs go on forever!" I breathed heavily, even though Caleb looked unharmed.

"You are in surprisingly good shape." I noted, and he laughed.

"I don't train with the guards to not be." I answer.

"You train with the guards?" I ask my blue eyes lighting up with curiosity.

"Yes, I am not going to be King anytime soon, but I will always remain a Prince and I will become a Guard." He explains. His eyes look a little hurt by the subject, so I decide to change it.

"Please tell me that in the next few steps, there will be an elevator," I complained barely being able to walk another step.

"Not even close." He said with a laugh.

"Well, you should think about installing one." I exhaled loudly with exhaustion.

"Kind of defeats the purpose of a hidden stairway don't you think." He says cocking an eyebrow my way.

"Oh don't get smart with me! And put that furry thing away!" I retorted referring to his eyebrow.

"It is well worth the walk, trust me." Caleb encouraged, but I wasn't buying it.

"You mean the climb? And this isn't one of those things where the handsome man leads a gullible girl to a dungeon or her death right?" I asked stepping back a little from Caleb.

"Did you just call me handsome?" He asked stopping next to me.

"Of course that is the only part you hear, and don't think to much of it." I wink and begin walking again.

We travel more and more steps that even Caleb starts to get a little worn out.

"Rethinking that elevator?" I ask and he shrugs.

"Not that many steps left, we can make it." He says increasing his speed. Just to keep up, I go faster as well. He goes a little faster then before, and I follow.

Next thing you know we are skipping steps in a full out run before I see light around a corner.

"It's the top!" Now I am racing up there and once I am on the level ground, I sit down.

"My legs need a break." I joke as Caleb points his finger up. I follow where he is pointing to and see the whole roof is see-through and covered in the stars from the night.

"Caleb... It's-" I was speechless. He was right, it was totally worth it.

---

We were stretched out on the hard yet comfortable floor lying face to face from each other. He played with my hair as we talked on and on.

"I wish we could come up here everyday." I sighed with joy.

"Did you forget about the stairs?" Caleb laughed and I giggled along.

Suddenly, there was a flash in the sky. Our faces were so close together when we tried to see what it was our noses bumped.

"Is that... It is! It's a shooting star!" Caleb said sitting up a little, but not moving away from me. I was in amazement myself, I have never seen a shooting star before.

"Make a wish." Caleb said closing his eyes, and saying his out loud.

"Should I make mine out loud too?" I asked a little dumbfounded. Caleb leaned his forehead against mine.

"Of course." He said, it almost sounded like a sing-songy tune.

What I was thinking for my wish was, 'Why don't you kiss me already!?!?' But I could never say that out loud.

"I wish all the girls in the selection find happiness I the end." I said with a fake smile plastered on my face.

"That was a lovely wish." Caleb said opening his eyes. I smiled a more genuine smile now.

"It is getting late." I noticed looking around the room.

"Did you have a certain bedtime you have to hit?" He joked closing his eyes again. I could tell that he was exhausted.

"No, but you look pretty tired... And my maids may have told me to be back by a curfew they set for me... But you can't tell anyone! Not your siblings, not Olive. She seems like a rumor spreader.

Caleb sat up and looked a little confused.

"Have you met Olive?" He asked, turning towards me completely.

"Yes and she seems nice, but she also seems like the type to tell everyone in the Women's room my secrets." I said defending myself a little.

"Olive is so sweet, she would never do something like that! Trust me I have known her for a while now, she is perfect." Caleb nearly yelled. I was taken aback a bit because he was being so defensive of Olive. He obviously liked her more then me.

"Sorry, I just thought-" I couldn't even continue.

"Let's get back before my maids get mad." I stood up shifting my eyes away from Caleb.

---

If was a long walk down the stairs and back to my room, for some reason I was not as tired as the first time.

"Thank you for the wonderful date." I gave a small smile still trying to avoid eye contact.

"My pleasure," he said. Then to my surprise gave me a kiss on the cheek.

Shooting stars love to find loop holes.

"Goodnight," he smiled. And with that, he turned and walked away.