Crashing Down

Chapter One: Suprises Suprises

Jessica

I made my way to the pond. Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the fresh air of Ileria. Today was a beautiful day and nothing could possibly go wrong. I patiently waited for Seth to come meet me.

It was my eighteenth birthday, and he promised to take me somewhere. Seth and I have been best friends since birth. He's five months older, which he always points out.

Our parents thought it was a brilliant idea to make their children best friends. Our mothers were best friends back in college while our fathers were best friends since high school.

A pair of hands covered my eyes suddenly. I gently removed the hands from my eyes and grinned. Without glancing behind me, I knew who the person was.

"Seth, I know it's you," I giggled as he let out a frustrated groan.

"Why is it you always guess right?" he muttered with a slight frown.

On command, I rolled my eyes and responded, "You're the only one who does that. It's not that hard to figure out."

He shrugged and engulfed me with a big hug. I couldn’t help but giggle.

Releasing from the embrace, Seth smirked, "I brought you some pie Jess." He waved the delicious pie in my face.

My mouth began to water at the sight of the apple pie.

"You are such a tease Seth Wilson!" I moaned as he held the pie above me, preventing me from being able to reach for the delicious dessert. He's a good six feet, while I'm only five foot four. His crazy grin was wiped from his face and replaced with shock. I tackled him to the ground.

We laughed till' we had tears in our eyes. Before he noticed, I snatched the pie and devoured it. I didn't bother saving any for Seth. That's what he gets for taunting me. His mouth opened to say something, but his ringing phone cut him off. I wasn't surprised. He received numerous phone calls from different people.

He was the crown prince of Ileria. Ileria is a small country near the coast of the UK. We have our separate portion of land. It's the twenty first century but we have our own modern system of governing. Ever since Seth was young, his parents have been preparing him for the crown.

Being next in line to the throne is stressful for Seth, but he knows his duties. Once he finished his phone call, he flashes me his million-dollar smile that would make a girl's knees feel weak. Up to this day, it still gets me every time.

"We are having your birthday celebration at the castle," he announced. I squealed in excitement and rushed towards his car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once we arrived, Aunt Leanne and Uncle John, the King and Queen, greeted me with warm welcoming hugs. Aunt Leanne looked stunning in her purple sundress. Her silky blonde hair was tied back into a high ponytail. It was simple, but elegant. She looked as regal as a queen should be.

Uncle John, on the other hand, stood tall like a big teddy bear. He may look large and intimidating, but he is as soft as a teddy. He was the older version of Seth and very handsome for a man in his late forties. You can definitely tell where Seth got his good looks.

"Happy Birthday Dear!" Aunt Leanne exclaimed with a joyful smile. I returned her smile and thanked her. Uncle John opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by his ringing phone. Royals and their phones, pfft.

While speaking on the phone, his expression turned grim. My eyebrows knit together in curiosity. What could have happened? Uncle John awkwardly cleared his throat and looked me right in the eyes.

Silence filled the room, and I instantly knew something was wrong. He glanced at Aunt Leanne and me. It seemed as if he was debating to tell us something or not.

"Jessica, your parents are de-dead," he declared with sadness in his eyes. My whole body tensed and my throat became dry. I couldn't stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

"M-my parents, de-dead?" I croaked.

Uncle John squeezed his eyes shut and spoke, "I'm sorry Jessica, but they are gone."

After hearing this, the world stood still. It was as if time had stopped and I couldn't move.

I just stood there frozen and dead silent, trying to register that my parents were now gone.

Forever.