My Happily Ever After

Chapter 20

Sunday, castle visit day

I stare into the mirror as I put on my lip gloss. I don't know why I'm feeling so nervous. The castle visit is special for all the students so I really don't need to panic as if the attention will specifically be on me.

Calm down, Anika!

"Oh WOW, you're ready one hour early." Aria chuckles as she enters the room with our tea and snacks.

Awww! Isn't she the sweetest?

"Man, why did I put on my lip gloss?" I groan, realizing that now it'll just go to waste when I drink my tea.

"Cause you're a weirdo." Aria laughs and nudges my arm lightly.

"Why are you so worked up?"

"I don't know Ari. I just feel... something different. As if, something is going to happen today."

She looks at me curiously and then says that I'm thinking too much and everything will go smoothly.

"I hope so" I sigh and carry on finishing the tea with some snacks. Caleb will be here to pick me up soon and the rest of my friends will meet me at the Castle, or well, outside the castle.

I wait for another hour, applying lip gloss three more times and Caleb arrives. He keeps on honking until I run down the stairs after saying bye to my parents and Aria because guess what? WE'RE TWENTY MINUTES LATE! All because of Caleb!

"Where the heck were you?" I ask him, feeling a little pissed.

"I'm sorry. I was busy with the arrangements."

"Huh? What arrangements?" I look at him, confused.

"Nothing. Just something came up at home." I can tell he wants me to drop the matter and the attitude so I do.

The car ride was fifteen minutes and Caleb made a point of telling me that we would've reached sooner if we went through the woods. Who in their right mind would do that? And what will we do going through the woods when the main entrance is on the other side? Climb up the room and trespass?

He parks the car and I'm out of it in no time, running towards our friends whom I spotted waiting for us already. The big iron gates are shut closed and the teachers are trying hard to get the students form separate lines, according to their sections.

The castle stood tall and proud and we all were left gaping at it.

"Please tell me there is some rich young heir of this place whom I can marry and settle down here." A girl from our class says and we all burst out laughing and the teachers rolled their eyes, trying hard not to laugh.

"See, we aren't late at all." Caleb nudges my elbow and I roll my eyes at him. We all start forming the line when the teachers actually started yelling at all of us after the guards said the young master will be ready to see you any minute now.

The young master part just gave hopes to so many girls and Ashley wiggles her eyebrows at me, saying that I might just be the one the young master needs. I scoff at her.

The doors open and we step into the magical land. Synchronized whoaaaaaaaaaaaa can be heard as we all take in the beauty of the castle grounds. Am I a part of the fairy tale?

There are so many beautiful flowers and the greenery all around just won my heart. This place is massive! Even the ground area is huge!

We enter the castle and it blows our mind yet again. It looks so beautiful. The castle still has a vintage vibe with a touch of modern era and just by this I can tell that the Duke has an amazing taste.

Our principal is standing on the temporary stage and is about to start his speech but I can't help but look around the castle in awe. The urge to explore is so strong that I'm fidgeting from one foot to another.

"Greene, you okay?" Dimitri whispers from behind me. This is it. This is your chance to escape from this boring assembly, Anika! Play your cards right.

"Uh, I have to pee really bad." I start fidgeting a bit more to emphasize. His mouth forms an oh and looks here and there, searching for our teacher. Now that I think about it, I shouldn't have had that tea. What if I really have to go and I can't find the washroom in this labyrinth looking castle.

"Mr. Hall!" Dimitri whisper yells, trying to catch our teacher's attention without hindering the principal's speech. Thankfully he notices and walks towards us.

"Yes?" he asks.

"Sir, I really need to use the washroom."

His eyes widen and he comes a bit closer to us, whispering the direction, no, the probable direction of the washroom. I hope I don't get lost.

I nod and sneakily get out of the line, being careful not to disturb anyone. They all are listening to the speech really carefully. I only understood the part about Mr. Alexander Wilhem announcing the student who will get the scholarship and will get to stay in the castle for probably a month.

I take three turns and find myself lost. There is no one in sight for me to ask where I am.

I then decide to take my time and explore the castle and enter a room and gasp when I see there are multiple paintings adorning the walls. Every single one of them telling a different story.

The beautiful textures, amazing strokes just taking my breath away as I try to imprint them in my mind with my wide eyes. I stroll in the room, taking in all the details of the beautiful artistic works but then I feel the sudden need to go and pee. Shit!

I hurriedly get out of that room, accidentally shutting it out loud.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God! I shouldn't have had that tea in the morning." I mumble as I run here and there in the castle, trying to find the washroom. I try to open some doors but they were locked. I walk a little further and turn right and notice a staircase and I run straight up.

I jiggle all the doorknobs and much to my bad luck, they are all locked.

I start to run because it's getting a lot harder for me to hold it in and I really don't want to embarrass myself. I run till the end of a hallway and find myself standing in front of a double door room. I don't know why but I start knocking on that door loudly, expecting someone to open in despite me not knowing if anyone's in there or not.

The room fortunately opens as I stand there with my eyes closed, squeezing my thighs together.

"Can I please use the washroom? It's really urgent?" I say, bouncing a little, feeling impatient. I don't even want to imagine how stupid I look.

"Yes." The person answers in a whisper and points a finger in the direction of the washroom and I just make a run for it. All I can make out is that it is a man who answered me and a very tall and muscular man. I didn't even see his face and I don't even know how the room looks like.

I hurriedly finish my business and wash my hands and then splash some water on my face too. Now, it's time to go out and thank the gentleman for allowing me to use his washroom.

I step out with a bright smile on my face, ready to thank him for his kind gesture but as soon as my eyes meet the shining blues and I recognize that traitor who is standing in front of me with a million dollar smile, looking breathtaking in a black three piece suit, it is wiped away from my face and anger takes over.

"You!"