Take Me A Hundred Years Back

Chapter 3: The Escape

"I want to have a sleepover at Aurora's tomorrow."

Aurora is my best friend, whose family of scientists specializes in the physical sciences. I would have bought the lie that she was named after the Disney princess of the same name, but I knew it was related to science when I heard her reciting her lessons on her way to the farm.

"That's a very peculiar way of reviewing your lessons," I told her when I was just inches away from her.

She flinched. "H-how did you know?"

"I'm obviously from a family of scientists, duh, silly."

"Will you tell me off to officials? I heard many families doing that for money. It's scary."

"I'm still loyal to science, so I won't. Don't worry about it."

I reached out my hand. "My name's Crisper."

"Aurora. A weird name you have there."

We chuckled, and that was the start of our friendship.

Anyway, back to my conversation with my mom.

I saw her hesitating for a bit and said, "It's weird why you suddenly want a sleepover. It's not like I want to prevent you from having fun, but I'm not allowing you to do that, not now that we need to devise a plan to prevent you from going to the Capital. You may go out now, but please go back before sunset."

I didn't argue; I knew that if my mom decided on something, there was no way I could change her mind. At least I can meet up with Aurora and convince her to come with me.

—

A girl my age appeared at the door after I knocked thrice.

She's around 2 inches shorter than me (I'm around 5'5"), as white as snow but not pale as her cheeks and lips are as red as a cherry, straight hair that flows until her back, and her eyes have monolids and black pupils. It's Aurora.

"Hey, Crisper, what's up?"

"I need to talk to you!"

"Oh, okay, let's get inside."

"No, no. No one should hear anything about this."

"Mom! I'll be outside! It's Crisper," Aurora shouted.

I pulled her immediately.

"My mom won't let me go and meet the Prince."

Aurora chuckled at what she heard.

"And? We can tell your mom that we'll go together."

"That's not the issue here. She says it's dangerous to go to the Capital immediately because of what happened with my aunt. She wants me to pretend like I contracted the flu or something."

"Wouldn't that be nice? It's not like I also wanted to do that, but I'm also chosen to go."

"Are you kidding me? I need to see the Prince. I want to marry him."

Aurora chuckled again.

"I didn't know you're a lovestruck girl who wants her fairy tale ending."

I hit her playfully.

"Of course not. You know I have my reasons. You know I want to be the Queen someday to change this country. And this is my best chance!"

"I suppose you're planning to drag me to something; that's why you're here. Go straight to the point," Aurora said then she stuck her tongue out at me.

"I want you to go with me to the Capital. Let's meet up later at midnight."

—

"I don't know who's crazier: you, who wanted to go to an unknown place secretly at midnight, or me, who agreed to go with you," Aurora exclaimed under her breath.

"You love me," I laughed.

"We're lucky there's no curfew or shit like that here. But don't you worry about our moms getting upset with our escape?"

"Girl, I've already thought about that, but they won't think about it once we've restored humanity's faith in science. Walk faster!"