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

~11~

Zayn and Genevieve looked at Aria stunned. The queen wore a confused and startled expression on her face. Aria looked annoyed and furious.

"What?" Zayn asked breaking the silence.

"You heard me." Aria crossed her arms.

"Is this true Zayn?" Trisha asked.

"What? No! Aria, what are you even doing here?"

"I was just dropping in to meet your mother. I didn't get to meet her the other day." Aria smiled. "And as I was trying to find her, I happened to see you both getting quite snug together out on the field for just shooting an arrow." she tapped at her phone as she walked towards Zayn and Genevieve and held it up to show them the pictures she had taken of them.

"You were spying on us?!" Zayn exclaimed.

"Someone had to let the queen know what you both were up to." Aria said smugly while studying her perfectly manicured nails. "We don't want some commoner to ruin for what could happen between us."

"Enough!" Zayn stepped forward. "Nothing is going on between us! I was simply helping her to shoot the arrow."

Genevieve was shaken up from the accusation. She couldn't breathe, let alone defend herself. With embarrassment she kept her head low.

"I didn't know she got play time too." Aria stared at Genevieve raising an eyebrow.

"Aria, you can leave now. Thank you for dropping by." Zayn concluded looking away.

"No problem. I'll see you soon." Aria kissed him on the cheek. "And relax babe."

Zayn cringed from her contact but he didn't let it show.

Before stepping out of the room, Aria went up to Genevieve and whispered, "Focus on your job or else you'll regret it."

Genevieve looked up at her with fear. Moisture started to collect in her eyes but she held them back.

Aria smirked and walked out of the room with the sound of her heels echoing in the large room.

After a few moments of silence passed by, the queen spoke up. "Zayn, what's going on?"

"Nothing." he looked up at her.

"Genevieve?"

Genevieve looked up at Trisha with a cloud of mortification hanging above her. "Yes, your majesty?" she said quietly.

"Is there something going on between you and Zayn?" the queen didn't look angry. She simply wanted to know the truth but Genevieve couldn't bear having this conversation with her.

"No your highness. I assure you I have no feelings towards Prince Zayn." she said quickly stealing a glance towards Zayn.

"Alright. Madeline needs you in the grand hall." the queen dismissed her.

"Yes my queen." Genevieve curtsied and walked out of the room.

"Mother, won't you believe me?" Zayn asked once Genevieve left.

"I do sunshine." Trisha sighed. "It's just those pictures Aria showed me."

"I swear I was only guiding her on how to shoot. She had never tried to so I was giving her the chance to. I don't know what Aria is up to. But please don't believe a word she says." Zayn pleaded.

"Fine." the queen exhaled. "Now, aren't you needed upstairs to have your measurements taken?"

"Yes." Zayn walked out of the room but only to go find Genevieve.

Genevieve was quickly walking down the castle's corridors holding back her tears. Just when she was about to make a turn into the hallway that lead to the grand hall, Genevieve felt someone grab her arm pulling her to stop her from taking another step. When she turned around to face the individual, she was it was a concerned looking Zayn. "Please let me go Zayn."

"Are you alright?" he asked noticing her eyes shimmering from the tears that were collected in her eyes.

"I'm fine." she looked away.

"Genevieve-"

"Can we please not talk about this right now? I have work to do." she cut him off as she sniffled.

Zayn's hand dropped away from her arm but his eyes still remained on her, who was still avoiding to look at him. He noticed a tear finally managed to escape from her eye. As it rolled down, he extended his hand forward to wipe it way. "You're not fine. You're crying Gene-"

"I said I'm fine." before he could touch her cheek, Genevieve swiftly wiped the tear with her hand and stepped away from Zayn.

Genevieve stood away from Zayn and looked at him upset. She felt terrible for pushing him away like this but she couldn't get herself into a controversial mess, especially when she had no intentions on getting close to him romantically.

"Don't worry I've spoken with my mother. She doesn't believe what Aria accused us of doing."

"Thank you." she spun on her heel and turned the corner leaving Zayn behind.

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Dinner was spent in an awkward silence between Zayn and Genevieve. Both weren't aware of any of the conversations that took over the table. Zayn constantly looked over to Genevieve from across the table to see if she was doing better, but Genevieve was busy trying to not make any eye contact with him. After leaving Zayn behind in the corridor earlier in the day, they were seeing each other again now at dinner.

Genevieve couldn't wait to leave the castle and head home for the day. Since the accusation, it was suffocating for her to be in the castle. No matter how busy she got herself with the work she was assigned to do, Genevieve still felt uncomfortable about the whole situation. Even though Queen Trisha believed Zayn and her, she still couldn't help but feel mortified whenever she was around the queen. Dinner was passing by agonizingly slow. With being in the same room as Trisha and Zayn constantly staring at her, it was hard to digest her food. In fact, she had lost her appetite long time ago.

Once dinner was over, Genevieve hurriedly grabbed her stuff and got into the car that Christopher was waiting in for her. She didn't want to meet Zayn and be stopped by him. She just wanted this day to come to an end already. During the quiet ride home, Genevieve's thoughts went to what had happened earlier in the day. Thinking about it and hearing Princess Aria's threating voice, tears began to fill her eyes again.

When the car stopped in front of her house, Genevieve thanked the chauffeur and quickly got out. She fished for her keys as little by little her vision started to blur from the tears that started to pour out. She jabbed the key into the keyhole and pushed the door open.

"I'm home!" Genevieve announced as her voice cracked.

There was no reply.

"Mother?" she walked around the house looking for her. She was interrupted by the sound of knocking on the front door. Genevieve opened the door to find a short middle-aged brunette woman. It was her neighbour Susan. "Oh hello Susan."

"Hello Genevieve." she replied looking worried. "Your mother is at the hospital. She was over at my place and she ended up coughing terribly. And there was blood. Frank drove her there and admitted her in."

UGH STUPID ARIA -.- but man oh man y'all have no idea what's gonna happen in one of the upcoming chapters ;)

So Zenevieve aren't all rainbows and bunnies now.... :(

But what's up with Matilda? 0-0

Thank you for being awesome by being so enthusiastic when commenting! LOL i always laugh reading them haha :D

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- B1DL