His Royal Sweet Tooth

Chapter 2

All the other contestants on the bus were excited as we pulled up to the palace gates, everyone but me.

I didn’t sleep or eat, and I felt like I was functioning on autopilot, afraid to face this moment as we drove through those big shiny gates, with no other option but to deal with it.

Nicholas was going to ask me questions and take photos with me, and the thought of seeing him, talking to him and having my picture done with him made me visibly sick.

I haven’t seen him since that day, even then, it was four months later that I got a text from him, which wasn’t unusual, other than it was random, after so long of not speaking, or seeing each other.

Even though we never continued what we had, I saw him constantly, he was busy becoming King, I knew whatever we had, he didn’t have time for, and I accepted that.

I deleted his contact information and tried my best to move on.

I never thought I’d get to see him again though, we lived in two completely different worlds, worlds that hardly ever cross.

Unless you win a TV cooking show.

I felt like I had done something wrong, even though what I did was standard after a breakup if you could even call it that.

We dated for a few hours, and we didn’t break up, but it was clear to me that we were over.

“Alright gang.” The show producer and creator and famous British chef, Evon Dontly claps his hand, as the bus comes to a stop right outside the doors to the palace.

“We’ll be meeting the King and his family today, I know this is an exciting time for us all, especially Charlie, our winner of the show, who will have a one-on-one in front of cameras with the King.”

Everyone clapped at me while the guy I sat next to, John, patted my back and smiled, whilst all I could do was muster up a convincing smile, as my insides turned inside out.

“There are a few rules as you all are aware now, no pictures once inside, no going anywhere alone, and please- don’t freak out, it’s a big day for us all, let us have fun then, yeah?” He finishes, as everyone but me laughs.

This was my hell.

*****

The inside of the palace was exactly how I saw it in photos.

Extravagant, big and overwhelming. 

We had been directed to go into a viewing room, which they had set up already for the one-on-one with me, and then everyone would have their meet and greet with Nicholas, and then we would get our photos with him.

I was inside with the rest of the TV crew, standing and waiting for Nicholas, who would be showing up any minute now.

The room was spinning, and I was incredibly warm, if not on fire, I didn’t know where to look to calm myself down, but I knew that if I moved, I would start freaking out, and want to just leave and embarrass myself. 

What was I doing here?

The thought of meeting him excited me, but that excitement drowned out the moment the reality of it all sunk in.

Suddenly, the doors to the viewing room open and I feel as though my heart stops in my chest, and as though I had just died.

I hear him walk into the room, and taking what courage I had left, I look up and turn my head, to where Nicholas was, making me freeze just like the first time I had seen him.

He was dressed in a nice suit, with a white shirt, he looked like a supermodel like usual, clean cut, perfectly styled blonde hair, smile as white the color, not a single flaw on the man.