Competition •{Complete}•

Chapter Fourteen

Dad, Niall, and Connor walk away just as Mom comes up to me.

"We need to go with your father," she says. I nod.

As we walk to Dad's study, I wave back at Wesley and Zayn. Zayn nods back and Wesley waves back.

"You know why they were fighting, right?"

"Some of it, but not exactly," I answer.

Mom opens the door for us and we walk in. Father stops talking when we walk in and Connor and Niall glance at me. Niall turns his head quickly for some reason, but I lock my gaze with Connor's. Mom comes and taps my shoulder and points next to my dad, where I go and stand; right in front of Niall.

"Now that I have told you fighting is not accepted in the palace, unless it is some kind of lesson or training, I would like to know why you two were fighting. Niall first; Connor don't interrupt," Dad says sternly.

Niall clears his throat and looks at me. I look away.

"Your Majesty, Connor was jealous of something I did-" I glance over at Connor and see his hands in fists at his sides and an angry look plastered on his face.

"What was he jealous about?" Dad questions.

"I sort of had sex with the Princess-" Niall answers. I look away. My mom's eyes are wide.

"You what! Allison, is this true?" Dad yells as he looks at me.

"Yes, Dad it is," I admit quietly.

"Oh, Allison," Dad says now, calmer. He looks away from me. "Go on, Niall."

"Of course, Your Highness. Well, I had flipped out on the Princess after-" he looks up at me with pleading eyes. I cross my arms over my chest. "-we did what we did. That's why she was in her room all day. The Princess wasn't ill. Earlier tonight, I was yelling at myself on my balcony and she was outside in the garden. I didn't know that. But we apologized to each other and Connor overheard it. Al- The Princess went up to explain everything to Connor. When she was done, I was heading to my room and Connor pulled me aside and started yelling at me. So I punched him and he punched me back."

"Okay, Connor tell me your story."

"Yes, sir. First off, I wasn't jealous. I just think that Niall shouldn't have had sex with the Princess of Dilha when he doesn't know he's going to marry her-"

"Bullshit! Don't act like you're so much better than everyone else! I'm sure you've slept with other girls before, too!" Niall yells at Connor.

"QUIT!" I shout. Everyone looks at me in surprise. "Stop acting like children! Get over yourselves and stop acting like you're better than the other!"

I run out of the room, but not without slamming the door. I walk to my room and slam that door, too. I pull back my closed curtain blocking the balcony doors and stand out there. I wrap my robe tighter around me as the October night winds blows.

"Honey, are you okay?" I jump a little and turn around to see Mother.

"I'm fine." I say.

"You really had sex?" She asks.

"Yes," I say. "Why doesn't anyone believe me? I'm not a child anymore. I'm not the perfect 'good girl' everyone wants."

"I know you aren't." Mother's voice cracks. I hug her. "In my eyes you're still a little five year old Caster girl running in the halls." She starts crying. "You're getting married soon, but it feels like just yesterday you were learning how to do the simplest of tasks."

"Maybe it was just yesterday," I joke. Mother laughs with me. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too."