The Perfect Princess

Chapter 25-

"Alright, that will do for today." William shouted at all of us as we hunched over from exhaustion.

The men around us hoorayed silently and fled the premises.

Me and Zaria lifted our hands above our heads in unison and tracked up towards my room.

Cole awaited us.

We stormed upstairs while giggling slightly but still completely out of breath.

I have felt so happy since Matteo came back, I was such a mess when he left and I hated myself for that so I promised myself not to put myself through that again even if I feel horrible.

We don't even bother knocking on the door as we barge into my bedroom.

Cole sits on the bed looking at us with a big grin on his face.

He stands up slowly, "why does this bed look like 2 people slept in it?" He asks while pointing back to the bed that has yet to be made.

I cover my mouth quickly, "Well you see-"

"Matteo Huxley," Zaria says with an annoyed expression as if she's had to describe this to thousands of people.

Cold squeaks, like literally squeaks.

"I knew things weren't all 'enemies' with you guys." He grabbed me and gave me a huge hug and Zaria joined in.

"Hows things with Eliza?" I ask while pulling away from the hug and following him to sit on the floor.

"Shes fine, things aren't going like how yours and Matteo's is though." He says while crossing his legs on the carpet as Zaria sits next to him on the other side.

"I am sort of like hooking up with one of the stable boys," he whispers and my eyes widen so wide they nearly explode out of my head.

"You're what?" Zaria shouts loudly and jumps up off the floor to face us.

Cole closes his eyes beside me, "There's nothing romantic going on between me and Eliza so I needed a release somehow!" He uses his hands for reference and I laugh out loud.

"He's got a point, release is release," Zaria says while sitting down next to us again.

"God look at us 3," Cole says and he swings his arms around our shoulders and pulls us closer to him.

"if you'd ask us 5 years ago where we would be in 5 years we wouldn't say here," Cole mumbles.

"Well my fate was not a question but I understand you two." I say quietly and Cole intertwines his hand with mine.

"It worked out for you, didn't it?" He speaks and I nod while giggling.

"I missed you Via," he whispers in my ear and I smile brightly.

"I missed you more," I squeeze our hands.

"Remember the time Cole snuck into the bar just to hit on that really hot barman back when we were 17?" Zaria says breaking the silence and we all burst into laughter.

"What? He was totally into me." Cole retaliates and laughter fills my ears.

•••

It's been days since I've seen my father around the castle.

He left with Joseph and hasn't came back yet, I worry that he is dead.

"Octavia? You alright in there?" Matteo knocks on my bathroom door as I look at myself in the mirror.

"I'm fine, almost ready to go." I hear his footsteps retreat from the door.

I begged Matteo all day yesterday to take me to the village with him and he's finally agreed. As long as I stay in his eye view the whole time.