The Selection of Prince Creed

CASEY

"I'm sorry," he whispers and then all at once he's gone.

My eyes fly open as the sensation of his forehead pressed to mine leaves and I'm gasping for breath, I can't even call out after him. My mind spins as I watch his quickly disappearing figure until he's out of sight.

Oh my god.

I turn on my heels, all thoughts of bed and guards gone as I head to Stevie's room. Parker, Parker, Parker. It was like my heart was using his name as a cadence and has this hallway always been this long?

"Miss-" Stevie's maid opens the door on the first knock, like she'd been expecting it but I pay her no mind as I pass.

I reach Stevie in about four steps, grab her hand and pull her along with me, a breathless "Closet, now" coming out as my only explanation.

Once inside, Stevie closes the door, turning to look at me in confusion but I pace the small room still trying to make sense of what just happened. Finally after a few more laps, Stevie steps in front of me and stops me. With her hands on both of my shoulders she ducks her head to look into my eyes, "Casey, what's going on?"

"I don't know," I shake my head. I can feel tears starting but they're tears of confusion.

"Okay, maybe start with what set this off," she motions to my current state.

I take a deep breath and sink to the floor, several of her gowns at my back. "Okay," I take another breath. "So do you remember how I mentioned something about Parker from the ball?"

"Yes?" She sits with me, pulling several sweaters off their hangers and handing me one.

"So... my mom said something about him... and his possible feelings for me," Stevie gets this small smile on her face but I ignore it for now. And then everything comes out as word vomit. Everything from how he rescued me from my brother and how it was him who collected me from home at the start of all this. I told her about how close we stood together after the ball while I was upset. How he listened to me and apologized and stood guard all night to be sure I slept. I told her about just now, how he'd pushed my hair back and when he touched my cheek how it felt like he left goosebumps behind. I told her about how I'd really thought he'd been about to kiss me, about how I hadn't pulled away. I told her all of it and now tears of confusion really were flowing.

"So... you wanted him to kiss you?" Stevie interrupted for the first time to ask.

"... Yes? No?" I looked to her and there was no judgement, only support. I bury my face in my hands, "I don't know. I really don't. That's the thing. It would be so easy if I didn't care about Creed. But I do. I really thought we were getting somewhere. I might have messed everything up on our date though. He didn't need me yelling at him and I feel bad about it, but before the ball I really thought... Stevie I really felt like he would flirt with me. Liked me even. I was relieved when it was him who found me the night everything happened. And he wouldn't let me go the whole way back to you guys. It felt like we'd turned a corner..."

"Like you turned a corner and then he slammed the door in your face?"

"Yeah," I admit.

"So... you like Creed, not Parker?"

"I wouldn't say that," I groan, hitting my head against the wall. "Parker is just... like he's always there, you know? He listens to me and I feel like I can tell him how I feel without looking like an idiot. He's stable, and strong and kept me safe in Carolina. Parker accepts me and we have such a good friendship. He doesn't push me to be more than I am, he accepts the quiet Casey."

"Do you feel like Creed tries to change you?" Stevie asks, tilting her head.

"I don't think he's asking me to, but I kind of have to. Quiet Casey isn't exactly queen material, just ask Isaac and Effie," I roll my eyes before shutting them briefly. I look back up at Stevie, "What do I do?"