The Way I Loved You ✓

28. The Princess Diaries

The Princess Diaries is a series of epistolary young adult novels written by Meg Cabot. The series revolves around Amelia 'Mia' Thermopolis, a teenager in New York who discovers that she is the princess of a small European principality called Genovia. The series follows Mia's life throughout high school in the 2000s and juggling regular teenage life with being a royal princess. [Source: Wikipedia]

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Fun Fact: Nathan asked his eleven year old sister, Sawyer (a swiftie) for song recommendations.

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Chapter Twenty Eight: The Princess Diaries

The thrum of music echoed through the gym. The scream of delights fluttering through the air, the sounds of the soles of the shoes hitting the floor, the heat of the surrounding bodies enveloping us, but I wasn’t aware. I was acutely aware of a pair of green eyes gazing at me, a smirk tugging on his lips, as Nathan Callahan noted my every move.

“Is this what you call dancing?” He said, dryly, the sarcasm dripping from his voice.

“At least, I'm trying,” I replied, as I shook my shoulders along with the beats, while the rest of my body remained immobile.

“Aha,” He pointedly looked me over, from my moving shoulders to the rest of my stiff body, “Sure you are.”

Taking in his criticism, I tried to move my hips, but I ended up mimicking the move that dads do when they warm up, rotating their hips like they’re playing hula-hoops.

Nathan couldn’t his amusement any longer. He clamped his fist over his mouth, trying to tamp down the laughter shaking his shoulders. I was so, so bad at this. And with him looking so delighted, I forgot to be offended. Instead, I grinned while trying to move my arms as well.

“Please,” Nathan said, doubling over.

“Why?” I said, “Am I reminding you of your grandma?”

Nathan leaned on my shoulder for support, and I realized that I would do anything, including making fun of myself, to make him laugh. What a dangerous revelation.

“You just...,” He said, leaning back and staring into my eyes, then shaking his head. I stopped moving for a second to take notice of him.

“Are you having fun?” I whispered between us, as the music got louder. I really hoped he wasn’t regretting being here.

“You know what” Nathan opened his mouth to reply, as Theo started to circle us while shaking his hips. Nathan and I both turned to him as Theo bumped into us.

“I almost don’t,” Nathan said, while his eyes followed Theo disapprovingly.

My answer was a laugh and then a scream as Theo hoisted me up, holding my waist, and gave me a twirl. Then he released me right into Nathan’s arm. It was fortunate that he caught me in time before I went barreling towards the floor.

“I understand why you call him a neighbor!” I shouted over the music as Nathan moved me around.

“Oh, do you, now?!” He replied, as Theo twirled Leanna into the same way.

Everyone kept dancing like there was no tomorrow. Theo got hold of Nathan at one point. As I saw the helpless look on his face, I laughed to myself and slipped out of the dance floor.

It was no wonder I was done dancing before anybody else. I wasn’t athletic enough. All this jumping and moving around was making me sweaty and thirsty. So I looked for drinks and found nothing. I was making my way into the bleachers to have a seat when someone blocked my path.