𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝘼𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙨

OVER-FRIENDLY STRANGER

I glimpsed myself in the mirror. The figure seemed pleasing. I was always offered a beautiful figure when I made an afford to look good. I was wearing a grown embroidered with sliver crystal, having the colour of snow. It was a sleeveless gown, the front part reaching inches above my feet while the back portion strolled to the ground.

I was amazed when I had first glanced at the piece. I glimpsed myself again in the mirror, adoring myself. The beautiful piece of cloth had forced me to take extra afford. I had combed my brown hairs into a bun, allowing two loose strands from either side to kiss my cheeks. Applying a layer of mascara with a slight shade of pink on the lip. I was done, adding the last detail. A hairband of silver colour, a huge butterfly on the top. I smiled at my hard work.

"What a pretty girl!" I heard a compliment, turning to face the source. The proud smile was overlapping his face. A pang of sudden guilt covered my heart. The news would break his heart! But I managed to fake a smile at him. He frowned yet didn't voice it out. "Seems like the entire crowd is going to eye my princess." He seemed protective as he managed to place his hand over my back. The look of adoration never left his face.

"Shouldn't they be busy staring at your queen?" I countered back indicating my mom.

"No!" he waved off, chuckling at the end. "Don't tell anyone, but the Queen had lost her glow. She is an old woman now!" He acted like whispering to my ears, I giggled in response.

"Oh! Yeah, King doesn't seem any young as well." I played along, he pouted at my words.

"Princess had changed a lot. Now she no longer finds King young..." I laughed hard listening to him, he seemed so cute.

"Maybe princess had found her prince." Mom joined our conversation making the laugh to die. I huffed in annoyance, glaring at mom. The topic of prince never pleased me, not when my parents teased me on the matter.

Unlike other moments dad didn't continue, his hand on my waist tightened. I saw a hint of concern in his black orbs. I wanted to question him yet I was afraid of the answer.

"Let's get into the car, we might end up late." With those words, he walked out of my room. I stared at mom with a question, she pressed a smile.

"Come..." following dad we walked out as well.

The ride for the venue was filled with silence. It depicted dad mood wasn't pleasant. Mom attempted to initiate a conversation twice but dad jerked it off. I kept staring out of the window, lost in thoughts. It wandered from dad to Ehaan. Somewhere I knew dad had a dislike towards Ehaan. They hadn't met officially yet his unusual disappearance on the competition day hadn't gone unnoticed. Dad hadn't concealed his revulsion from me but I never musted up the courage to question about it to him.

I shook my head trying to divert my mind. The last encounter I had with Ehaan flashed in my mind. His eyes showed concern, he slapped Mia. Those furious strikes towards the parking lot and later treating my wound. I glanced at my bruise soft skin, my parents hadn't noticed it. Intentionally I had applied some cream to hide it from prying eyes. I knew I had started concealing things from my parents. I never was such a girl but from the day Ehaan had entered into my life, I had become one.

It was getting complicated. I couldn't share everything with them. I had no energy left to explain them above all and most importantly they won't ever understand. Dad disliking towards Ehaan would increase if he got a mere hint of Ehaan's earlier revenge towards me. The cold stare of Ehaan flashed in my brain, the stare he offered me before leaving. He was so strange! One moment he would go soft and another second turn the monster he was. I bit my lip, inhaling deeply. I was drained by all the events happening in my life. I needed a break!