Royally Falling

~ 01 ~

"Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all your little brother's favorite songs
I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone"
Never Grow Up - Taylor Swift

oOoOo

(Six Months Later)

The past six months have been jammed packed with getting ready for college, tying up loose ends, various royal engagements, and charity events.

I am leaving for Boston tomorrow, and it feels surreal. Time has flown by and it does not feel like I am leaving the only home I have ever known and moving to another country in just a couple of days.

Our family has various vacation homes around the world that I have visited, but I have never spent more than a month anywhere other than home.

It is just now sinking in that I will be away from home until the end of November when Harvard has a break for Thanksgiving.

That's a little over three months!

One last thing Blair and I are doing before we leave is a girl's night with my sister. The three of us have gotten so close over the years.

Blair was assigned as a bodyguard to Maeve and me six years ago when she was eighteen and a recent graduate of the Amaria Royal Guard Academy.

We became fast friends and have done so much together. It helps that she lives in the staff quarters in the Palace and is always close-by.

"Kate, what are you doing? Are you ready for our girl's night?" Maeve says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I look around and realize I am sitting on the floor in my bedroom staring at the wall like a weirdo.

I was so lost in my thoughts, I didn't even hear her come in.

"I got the popcorn and the movie picked out. Weren't you going to raid the kitchens for some candy?"

"Yeah, I'll get on with that. I just got a little distracted." I reply, but when I turn around, I see she has already disappeared.

oOoOo

After I successfully sneak into one of the kitchens to steal Sour Patch Kids, M&M's, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, which are without a doubt the best movie snacks to ever exist, I head towards Maeve's bedroom.

When I walk in, Maeve and Blair are already getting stuff set up. Our go-to movie has always been Mean Girls.

It's become a monthly ritual to watch it and binge eat candy. Watching Mean Girls together is the perfect way to say goodbye.

"I'm going to miss you guys so much," Maeve says grimly.

I feel terrible that she feels left out. Here we are, moving across the world, while she is stuck in the Palace. Since Maeve is sixteen, she needs to continue her schooling here.

"Hey, we'll miss you too! It's only three months before we come back for Thanksgiving Break. There's always FaceTime and maybe you could come and visit," Blair tells her after surrounding her in a hug.