30 Days As A Substitute Prince

Chapter 6

People say a friendship usually starts in the most unexpected ways. Sometimes it's an accidental crash into each other on a walk, or  simply a kind gesture of a helping hand after falling. 

Either way, most times it's the start of something beautiful. 

As for Chad, he couldn’t understand how he got so lucky, as he stared at their intertwined fingers. It caused his heart to skip a beat, especially when she tightened her grip on his hand. 

Aria felt just the same. Her mother had told her that they could do anything they want, as long as they comply with the rules of courtship. And once they stepped into the cool, September air, she knew exactly what she wanted to do on their first day of their courting. If she had thought about it before, she would've worn something smaller, but it was too late to change now. 

"I would like to show you something," Aria told him, catching his attention from their intertwined hands. He smiled sweetly at her, as if telling her that he would go anywhere with her, because he would. 

"What is it?" 

She giggled. "Come on." She pulled him along the path that led from the back of the castle, through some tall trees with small blooming wildflowers sitting on either side of the path. 

Chad's excitement grew when he noticed how happy the princess seemed to be showing him whatever she had to show him. The glint in her emerald eyes hinted  a familiar view of passion for whatever she wanted to show him, and the  smile that never fell from her face made the morning seem brighter. 

Soon, they were slowing down and Aria stopped suddenly in front of him, looking playful. Chad watched her in anticipation as he wondered why they stopped. 

"Close your eyes," she instructed with a giggle. 

"What?" Chad laughed nervously, but he wasn’t sure if he heard her correctly. 

"Close your eyes, " she repeated, looking a bit impatient with excitement. 

Doing as he's told, Chad closed his eyes and reached out to take her hand again so that he wouldn’t fall. The small patter of Aria's feet on the trail sounded again as she started moving, put at a slower pace so as to not throw off Chad. He followed her blindly the rest of the way until she stopped again. Still, he didn’t open his eyes. 

"Can I open my eyes now?" he asked, chuckling a  bit as he heard her giggle a little farther  than she was moments ago. 

"Not just yet," she shouted, confirming Chad's suspicions that she was a distance away. 

Curiosity ate away at him as he stood frozen in his place. After what felt like years later, the sound of her feet drawing closer filled his ears again, and then he suddenly felt a cold, hard thing nudging his nose. 

He yelped and flinched back, his eyes snapping open on impulse as he searched for the foreign thing. 

Aria was already in a mess of laughter in front of him as he peered around, seeing her clutching a duck to her chest as she continued her laughing fit. 

A duck? 

It was then when Chad took the moment to look around, and he was immediately pulled back to reality at the beauty of the place. In front of them sat a small, still pond that was clear as crystal. Inside was what seemed like a family of ducks--five to be exact, and the little fellow Aria had would make six. 

But what was even more shocking, was the building behind the pond. It wasn't a finished building, as it had no roof. But the antique beauty of the building was calling to Chad. He could already see himself making a painting of this very view. He couldn’t help himself.