Princess Hope

chapter seven

<>

Andra was nervous and happy. But mostly, she wanted to empty the insides of her stomach out into a toilet bowl. She was wearing a blue jumper and denim pants; her friend was horrified by the choice of outfit but she could not be swayed. She tied her hair into a messy bun (she tried to make it neat.) Then, she was on her way to meet the Prince who she had waiting for her for an hour or less—probably more but who cares no one would judge her, she thought to herself. At least not openly.

"You alright, Andra?" A schoolmate asked when she passed by their group, the life drained out of her face.

Andra only answered with a smile and then, she kept walking down the stairs. After a minute, she was finally outside the Castle. Joachim smiled as he approached her.

"I'm nervous," she blurted.

"Are you going to be alright?" Joachim found it amusing. She didn't have a hint of nerves when they talked earlier, so he thought his presence only sunk in, and it was cute.

"I hope so," she let out a light chuckle. She turned and gestured for Elysée to come closer. The American was a bit in a frenzy when Andra asked her to join them. She couldn't possibly go alone if her father knew she'd get a dressing down. "Joachim, this is my roommate and without a doubt, my friend, Elysée Archibald of New York City."

"Well, that was casual," Elysée blurted. She turned to the Prince. "Your Highness, it's an honor."

"Pleasure—" he smiled before grabbing his friend's arm. "—this is my friend, James Percy."

"Your Royal—"

"Hello, James. Andra," she cut him off and offered a handshake. She made it firm, unlike the quick and soft handshake she was taught.

"Andra, it's very nice to finally meet you. He's told me all about you," James said. He understood that she didn't want any formality. Then, he turned to her friend, "Miss Archibald, I believe we've met before."

Elysée scowled. "No, I don't think so," she said firmly. But she was lying. They had met at Capri with their respective families over the holidays. Elysée turned to Andra. "So, where to?"

Andra looked at Joachik for an answer. He pursed his lips before speaking. "There's a cinema in the city centre. Are you allowed to go out?" He asked Andra.

To which she answered, "Not without Grumpy."

She frowned. PPO Grumpy was her head of security, and he would rather lock her in a room than let her out of the UWC grounds. But of course, he wouldn't say no, but he'd be irate the whole time.

"Oh, no. Not Grumpy," Elysée groaned.

"Well, I can't guarantee anything but—" she reached into her back pocket for her phone and dialed PPO Grumpy's number. "Give me a moment."

"Grumpy," she called to which the PPO responded with a low 'yes, miss.' "We will be heading out. To the theatre. Yes, I will be needing the car. Yes, now. Yes, I know this is unscheduled. Yes, please. Thank you."

A few moments passed before two black Audi sedans parked in front of them, and several men in black got down from the first and third car. One approached Andra with a scowl on his face.

"Hello, Grumpy. This is Joachim," she said. Then, she quickly added, "and James Percy."

"Good evening, Your Royal Highnesses, Lord Percy, Miss Archibald," PPO Grumpy greeted without a smile. He went on to open the car door for them. "Protection officers will be with you at all times while in town. We've contacted the theatre ahead and closed it down for you, Miss."

"Discreetly, I hope? I don't want--" she was cut off by PPO Grumpy's glare. "Of course, you did. Well, we do not want to be late now. Don't we?"

"Grumpy's scares the hell outta me." Elysée shivered.

"He ought to be, Izzie," James said pointedly. "He's protecting her."

"Oh! Do shut up, Jamie," Elysée said, mocking his accent.

Andra burst out laughing. "So, you do know each other," she pointed out.

"No," her friend replied.

"Yes," James said.

"I totally believe you both. No worries." She pointedly used American slang to annoy Elysèe. She was amused by the whole thing since she hasn't seen her friend as cross as she was with James Percy. And as they say, there's a thin line between love and hate, and Andra found the determination to see to it that Izzie and Jamie were going to be together in the end.

Joachim threw her a curious gaze when he saw the look on her face. She only smiled in reply as Elysée and James continued with their banters.

"You're very much like my brother," He said with a light chuckle.

"I guess, that's why we became good friends during and after the tour."

"He's quite taken with you. He even went to Norway to see you." Joachim wouldn't admit it but he was bothered by his brother's move. The controversial, rumor-making move back in January. A lot of people were already expecting his brother and Hope to end up together. It wasn't a comforting thought.

"Contrary to rumours, your brother and I are only good friends. If I were attracted to him, I wouldn't have gone out with you," she reassured him, tapping his leg. "I hope you know that."

It was Joachim who blushed furiously this time around. "Of course, I know," he smiled coyly. Andra has rendered him speechless too many times in a short period of time. There was more to her than the whole ass dossier detailing all things Andra from her sports activities to the people close to her. She was so much more, and as his brother would put it: she's a Haz and Wills in one. Proper and reliable but unpredictable at times.

The car is parked in front of a movie theatre. There were few people passing by to notice the young royal's arrival with the foreign royal and their friends. PPO Grumpy instructed the four other protection officers to cover Andra as she walked inside the movie theatre with Joachim in tow. James and Elysée followed inside right after the two royals made it inside the building.

"You know me so well, Grumpy," she said to her bodyguard before turning to Joachim. "If you didn't know—"

"Die Another Day is your favourite movie."

"Great guess, Joachie!" She exclaimed.

"Joachie?" He asked, wide-eyed. Andra stood still with her mouth agape. It was a slip. She called him Joachie in her head. It was one of the things that are not meant to see the light of day; in this case, be heard by the person himself.

"Hmmm," she hummed, avoiding answering.

"You should answer me, Hopey."

Andra turned to him with surprise plastered on her face. "I will not say anything that would incriminate me," she walked away, a smile creeping onto her lips.

"What's that supposed to mean?" In an instant, he was walking beside her at a matching pace.

She halted in her steps and turned to him. Andra smiled shyly, "Joachie is what I call you in my head. It's weird—"

"It's cute," he was smiling widely. "Hopey."

"You're gonna continue calling me that, aren't you?"

He shrugged. "Maybe."

<>

A/N: Happy Commonwealth Day & International Women's Day!