The Prince & The Pauper || z.m. [Book 1]

~6~

This was it, Genevieve thought. She had no idea how it came to this with having to meeting Zayn only less than twenty-four hours ago but she was going along with it. Either way, Genevieve wasn't in any control of herself.

Zayn was only an inch away from Genevieve and she braced herself. Then all of a sudden, she heard a faint tune which had a faster tempo than the classical melody they were closely bonding to. Still unaware of her surroundings, Genevieve continued to stare into Zayn's piercing eyes.

"Shit." Zayn murmured.

"Huh?" Genevieve came out of her trance and scrunched up her eyebrows.

Zayn straightened his posture and picked up Genevieve from her leaning position in the process. With a look of frustration masking his face, he reached for something in his back pocket. Genevieve expectantly looked at his hands to see what he was retrieving. Zayn pulled out his phone and brought it up to the side of his face.

Genevieve finally recollected her consciousness and realized the upbeat music was the phone blaring its ringtone. She stepped back mortified looking away. She tried to process what had just happened in the matter of minutes. She questioned herself why she was allowing herself and Zayn to interlock her lips with his.

"Yeah, I'll be there right now." Zayn said speaking to the person on the other end of the line.

Genevieve awkwardly stood holding her arms waiting for the phone call to end. Deep down inside she didn't want the call to end because then she would have to discuss with the prince what had just happened between them. Her cheeks were still tinted red and her heart pounded in her chest but this time due to embarrassment. Genevieve wanted to flee from the room but she knew very well that would be rude.

"Alright thank you." Zayn ended the call and put his phone back where he found it.

Genevieve looked up to his face to find him unreadable. He wore expressions mixed with frustration and embarrassment. But nevertheless, she wanted to hear what he wanted to say.

"Um I have to go. I have some business to take care of." he said glancing away before he completed his sentence.

Disappointment rushed through Genevieve. "Oh. It's fine. I'm sure Madeline is looking for me also."

Zayn gave her an apologetically smile and walked past her leaving Genevieve staring at the wall plastered with a vintage floral wallpaper. Genevieve was stuck between feeling upset about the prince not acknowledging the incident that just took place and mortified for letting herself go this far. At the moment she craved the feeling of his lips on hers but she mentally slapped herself for even thinking about it. She obviously didn't have feelings for Zayn. She never did and was never going to. So why the craving then, Genevieve thought to herself. But what left her more confused was, why was the prince acting this way?

Mentally exhausted by her puzzling thoughts and feelings, Genevieve groaned and walked out of the larger room. As she walked down the hallway, she heard Madeline and Trisha conversing in the foyer. She quickened her pace and joined them in the room.

When she entered the room, she saw the queen leaving once she gave her next orders to Madeline. On hearing Genevieve step into the room, Madeline turned around towards her.

"Genevieve! There you are! I have such exciting news! Oh my God, what happened? Why is your face all red?" Madeline went from grinning to looking concerned.

"Uh," Genevieve placed a hand on her cheek to hide her blood rushed skin. "Must be because I was in the sun for too long." she gave her a small smile praying Madeline would believe her.

"Oh. Anyway, her majesty just told me the most amazing thing!" Madeline returned to smiling widely.

"Really? What did she say?" Genevieve put her hand down and smiled also wanting to hear the good news.