'A Princess and a Commoner: Star Crossed Lovers'

The Dance of Choices (THE FINAL CHAPTER)

As I descended the grand staircase, the light of the ballroom enveloped me like a warm embrace. A wave of déjà vu washed over me—this was how I had first met Prince Julian. I remembered thinking he was a prideful, arrogant jerk, all charm and no substance. Yet here I was, about to dance with him, realizing how kind and genuine he truly was. "Princess Isadora," the whispers trailed after me, a mix of admiration and expectation. My heart fluttered as I took my place at the center of the festivities, ready to dance away the worries of my world.

Prince Julian stepped forward, his hand outstretched. I took it, feeling the familiar comfort of his presence. We glided onto the dance floor, the music swelling around us like the tides. With a flourish, Julian addressed our gathered guests.

"Thank you all for coming to yet another ball after the last one—believe me, no cannonballs this time! Instead, we'll have fireworks!" He grinned, and laughter rippled through the crowd. "How much better of an alternative is that? Let's continue this joyful evening!"

As we twirled, I felt the happiness radiate through me, but in the back of my mind, a whisper of doubt lingered. I could almost convince myself that I would get used to this. Suddenly, just as I was getting lost in the music, Julian stopped dancing, his expression shifting to something more serious. "Julian.. what are you-"

"I can't do this," he said, pulling me closer. "Feel this," he said, placing my hand on his chest. "My heart only beats for you, Isadora. My eyes, my mind, only for you. But yours? Yours is a door that's swinging all over the place, and you know what? I don't blame you." His voice dropped to a whisper, filled with yearning. "If only I had been a second early, before you met him. Would that have changed anything?"

"Julian, I—," I stumbled over my words, feeling the weight of his gaze. "But that's not what it is, and that's not what happened."

"Isadora," he continued, his voice strained, "you're marrying me for the wrong reasons. You don't feel the way I feel. Let's face it—my heart will always beat for you, but yours doesn't beat for me."

"That's not fair Julian! " I tried to protest, but the truth was undeniable.

He shook his head, a mixture of frustration and sadness in his eyes. "I'm not blaming you at all. You've always been worth it. Just know that I'll always love you. I would want nothing more than to marry you, but I can't be the one who holds you back. You deserve better than a prince who can't fulfill your heart's desires."

In that moment, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him, my heart breaking. "I'm so sorry, Julian. I didn't mean for it to be this way."

He leaned down, pressing his lips against mine—a bittersweet kiss that held everything we were too afraid to say. "I hope you know you'll always have a friend in me," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.
I continue hugging him,but we both knew to ourselves that this hug was nothing more than platonic.

"Okay, well, I should go," I murmured, feeling the weight of the moment.

"Go? I'm leaving!" he said, trying to lighten the mood, but I could see the hurt behind his playful words.

"Okay, okay, I'll go!" I laughed nervously, turning to make my way out, my heart still tangled in the moment.

I dashed out,running miles away from the castle,searching for Gabriel.

I really should have used a horse OR A CARRIAGE

Then I saw a silhouette running in the distance... GABRIEL! I saw him running toward me, and we met in a field illuminated by flickering fireflies. The wind tousled my hair, and in that perfect moment, we stood face to face, the world around us fading away.

Our gazes locked, and I could see the love reflected in his eyes. It was as if the universe was whispering that we belonged together. "I couldn't let you go... how could I, only a fool would," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've always loved you."

Meanwhile, the words Julian had spoken earlier echoed in my mind. It was only because every time he looked at me, I was always looking at Gabriel. In that moment, I knew it was true.
"Gabriel," I breathed, stepping closer, feeling the pull between us.

With a burst of courage, I kissed him, and everything felt right in the world. The fireflies danced around us, mirroring the sparks igniting between our hearts. In that moment, nothing else mattered. It was just us, and it was perfect.

THE END

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Thank you so much for reading my book! It was my first one ever, inspired by a short story I wrote when I was younger.
To know I wrote a more detailed version of it, is absolutely amazing.

I hope you loved all the characters. And enjoyed travelling in this world.

Please follow and vote this story. And join me on my writing adventure as I'll most definitely write more stories for you all‼️

signing off for now,
CLOVERYLA