Naughty Princess

2

It only took ten minutes or so for Grace to reach her, but those ten minutes were hell.

Addison felt a stray tear here and there, but she felt all out of tears. She felt sort of numb now, tired. Watching through eyes that seemed like a TV, she was watching a show about someone else.

She scrolled through all her social media, and on every single one, Jessica had blocked her.

Addison was an only child, and her father as well. She had people in her friend lists, but no one besides Grace and Jessica's friends would know. Addison frowned and wiped away another tear. She didn't really have any other friends, and now she felt alone.

Grace pulled up in a little gray car, sleek and expensive, but not new. She had received it for her sweet 16th, which Addison had been envious of. Now that all seems silly.

Grace is a good friend; they've known each other since they were 13 and had lunch with each other weekly even now that they've gone their separate ways as adults. Her friend, dressed in thick sweatpants and a gray knitted sweater, got out of her car and helped Addison put her suitcases in the boot. Her blonde hair turned wet by rain flattened against her face, but as always she remained beautiful.

Addison started to cry again.

Grace drives around aimlessly.

"I'm so sorry this happened, she ruined such an important day for you for nothing!" Addison turned her face from the window to look at Grace, who had her hands gripping the leather steering wheel and was scowling as she kept her eyes on the road.

Her face was still a little damp, and most of her makeup had been wiped off with a small towel. Her hair was thrown up into a bun on top of her head. Addison smiled a little and turned back to the window. Her 21st, and she was spending it homeless and wet.

The streets went past in a blur, rain running down and obscuring her view.

"Definitely memorable..." Addison mutters, leaning her head against the cool glass. Grace keeps talking for a little while, and though Addison doesn't respond, she appreciates it.

"You can stay at my house for now; I still have that trundle bed." That brings Addison back to the conversation; she turns around again from the window.

Grace has always been nice, and when they occasionally went to more expensive restaurants that Grace wanted to go to, she would always shout her. But this was different, and so Addison wasn't sure what to say.

It would take her a while to get on her feet enough to get an apartment; she only has $500 in savings and not even any furniture. She had taken a gap year after she graduated high school, and unlike Grace, she hadn't known what to do. For the past two years, she had been working on and off and had been studying a few languages. Twice she had gone on holiday with Jessica, and once with Grace.

Grace could afford it, but Addison always ended up living above her means.

She felt more stupid now than ever, but even more, she was thankful for having such a nice friend to be able to help her. She wouldn't know what she would've done, who she would have called. Probably no one.

"Thank you so much for all this, Grace. You don't understand how much this means to me." Addison starts to feel her eyes water again, so she brings her hand up to wipe at her cheeks. The car is a little warm, and there's a smell of lavender. She watches Grace grimace, as if in pain.

"I don't care if you're in the wrong or right or in jail. You are my blood sister, remember that pact? We are connected forever, and I will always love you, Addy." A tear trails down her cheek, and her eyes dart to hers before going back to the road.

Addison wipes away her own tears, and they turn up the radio and sing along to pop singles and drive to Grace's family home.