A Queen Without A King

Chapter 11

I stab my fork through the stack of pancakes on my plate. My parents are going on and on about how last night's ball was amazing as we eat breakfast. After we wished the guests good night and everyone had left, I practically collapsed in the middle of the floor from exhaustion.

I don't know why yesterday was any different from any other ball, but I was completely done once the night was over. I typically would stay up late and help get things back to the way they were, however, I could barely stand up straight. 

I honestly don't even remember last night after a certain point. All I know is that I somehow ended up in my bed because when I woke up this morning, that's where I was. I probably dragged myself there once I gathered enough energy.

"I'm so glad that you two are working together!" my mother cheers. "You two will make a marvelous king and queen someday".

"Mother, I don't-" I start but Owen cuts me off.

"I think we will too," he agrees with my mother. I look over to him and give him a questioning look. "The night when we planned the whole thing went so smoothly, I can only imagine how we'll do with bigger projects".

Owen is overpraising our relationship, at least in my opinion, it honestly isn't that amazing. I understand that we need our parents to believe it's real, but he's pushing it by talking about our future together when he knows damn well it isn't going to happen. 

"You two looked amazing together last night too," my mother continues, "everyone was talking about you guys". 

"It's true," Aveline says. I look over to her and wait for her to explain. "Did you see the post that Madeline made of you two? She posted it before the ball had even really started".

Aveline takes out her phone and pulls up Madeline's social media page. I look at her latest post and it's of Owen and me by the door of my bedroom. The picture she took of us before we went down to the main hall. I look to see the number of people who've liked the picture, 14.8M likes. That's insane. The picture has been up for less than twenty-four hours.

My sister passes her phone around the table for my family to see. If Madeline was here right now, I would strangle her. She should be glad she left yesterday night with her fiancé. I'll call her later and ask her to take it down, although I doubt she will. However, if it gets taken down, people will assume that we broke up or something. So I guess that it'll have to be up there forever now, well at least until our break-up.

"Okay, well I'm done here. May I be excused?" I say while standing up. "Owen and I have some plans for the day, so if he could be excused as well?"

"Of course," my mother beams. "Have a good day, both of you".

I wait for Owen by the door and wait for him to walk out first. As soon as we're far enough from the dining room, I start talking.

"You can't do that," I start.

"Can't do what, princess?" Owen stops and faces me.

"Tell my mother about your made-up plans for the future," I sigh. "You're going to get her hopes too high for me, and I don't want her to be destroyed when we call this thing off. She is my mother and she's always hoped that I would find someone". I needed them to believe it, but not to the point where they're so invested that they'll be devasted when we go our separate ways. I'm not that cruel.

"Orillia, if we don't seem to want a future together, they aren't going to buy any of this shit," Owen defends. "I don't even think we're selling our relationship that well. I mean, to the public, the pictures are definitely convincing. But inside the palace? We could merely be good friends to anyone who sees us".