Broken Hearts and Homework

Chapter 9: Royals (ft. Lorde)

Jack walked through the very fancy front doors, trying to remember who's house this was.
Then Cindy hurried over and welcomed them all, and told them to help themselves to the food table, before hurrying back to where her boyfriend, Charming, was waiting.
Jack looked at Johnny, "I thought it was only Royals!" He yelled over the slightly ironic music.
"It is, and the honorary Royals, and everyone they invite, and everyone the invitees invite." Johnny explained, "Normally we get about 30, but there's like, twice that tonight."
"I love this song! Let's dance!" Punzie grabbed Jack's hand and pulled him to the dance floor.
Jack didn't really think Lorde was made to dance to, but that didn't stop Punzie.
About 1/2 an hour later, Punzie slumped onto a sofa, exhausted, while Jack got them both drinks. In the 2 minutes he was gone, a group of about 20 people had gathered nearby and were adjusting the furniture to make a rough circle.
"What's happening?" Jack asked as he handed Punzie her drink and sat down next to her.
"We're gonna play truth or dare." She took a sip, "This is yummy."
When the circle was complete Cindy stood up and announced, "I now pronounce this game of truth or dare begun! As the head resident of this household, I will start!" She spun a bottle that someone had placed on a table in the middle. "Hatter!" A Spacehead in a tophat moved his arm from its position over the shoulders of a blonde girl.
"Dare." He cracked his knuckles in preparation.
"I dare you to pull a rabbit out of your hat." Cindy challenged.
Hatter cleared his throat and made a big show of taking off his top hat placing it on his lap. He waved his hand over it and slowly reached in and removed... His hand, with two fingers raised to faintly resemble bunny ears. He made the 'rabbit' jump around on the brim of his hat with sound effects. Everyone laughed and he placed the hat back on his head. "My turn!" He said and spun the bottle.
It landed on Aurora, who smiled smugly and said "Truth." Before Hatter could ask.
"Hmm, truth." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "What should I ask her, Alice?" He asked the blonde girl he'd been acting cosy with.
"Hmm," 'Alice' twirled her finger in her hair. "Would you rather make out with Fred or the entire football team."
"Football team." Aurora answered immediately, then looked at a stoned-looking Nerd, "No offence, Fred."
"None, taken."
"Now it's my turn!" She spun the bottle. "Jack!" Aurora declared as it stopped, pointing at the white haired boy, "Truth or dare?"
"Hmm." Jack thought over his options, "Dare."
"I dare you," Aurora's face broke into a triumphant grin, "To kiss Punzie!"
Jack didn't even hesitate, his lips were suddenly on Punzie's and it felt wonderful. They stayed like that for several moments. When everyone else broke into applause, they broke apart, still smiling at each other.
"Omg, was that your first kiss?!" Snowy squealed, and Jack nodded, without taking his eyes off Punzie.
The boys in the room cheered and Jazz's yelled voice over all the others, "I GOT IT ON CAMERA! I GOT THEIR FIRST KISS ON FILM!"
Punzie's head whipped around, "You filmed it?!"
Jazz waved her hand dismissively, "You'll thank me for it."
"My turn!" Jack spun the bottle. "Herc, truth or dare?"
Punzie zoned out for the rest of the game. I kissed Jack! She was ecstatic.

~~~~~

Hiccup's drink was getting warm, but he didn't really want to drink it. He wasn't 100% sure it wasn't spiked. He wandered from room to room, he saw Jack and Punzie playing truth or dare, Mavis and Johnny were standing by the food table, still talking about fantasy creatures that might exist in real life, and Pascal and Sandy were making out in a secluded corner.
Hiccup eventually realised that he hadn't seen Merida in a while, so he started looking for her. After getting directions from one of the Princes, he found himself in a games room with a ping pong table where three guys and one girl were playing two on two.
Hans Southern and Kristoff Bjorman were trying to hold their ground against Astrid Stevenson and Hiro Hamada, who were winning, by far. A dozen or so people mingled around the edges of the room.
Hiccup quickly located Merida by her fiery red hair, getting to her proved more difficult, but with a lot of 'excuse me's and 'pardon me's and a few 'sorry for stepping on your foot's he made it.
She was sitting on a small chest of drawers and seemed to be watching the game with interest.
"Whatcha doing?" Hiccup asked.
"Observing." She answered.
"Observing what?" He leaned on her seat.
"People. Like her, for example." She pointed to the other side of the room where a strawberry blonde girl sat.
"Anna? What do you observe?"
"Every time Hans does a good shot, she cheers, but he only half notices, he's too busy boasting to everyone in the room. Whereas Kristoff only looks at her, but she doesn't notice. It's a little love triangle right before my eyes."
"Hmm. What do you observe about Astrid?" Hiccup pretended he wasn't all that interested.
"I see that you at least used to have a crush on her." Merida looked at him slyly. "And she never returned the feeling."
"Meh, what can I say?" Hiccup shrugged, "I grew up with her, and she's capable, tough, funny, and beautiful. How could a guy resist?"
"I don't think Hans'll have too much trouble resisting." She was right, Hans seemed about ready to throw his paddle at Astrid's head.
"Should we split them up before they start fighting?" Hiccup's eyebrows furrowed with concern.
"Astrid can take care of herself." Merida said, "And the only person close enough to be involved in any fight they start is Anna, and even if she couldn't take care of herself, I'm sure Kristoff would leap at the opportunity to save her."
"Good point."
They remained in silence for a few moments before the sound of a large bell rang through the air.
"What was that?" Merida asked.
"Musical thrones!" A nearby Princess answered.
"What's musical thrones?" Hiccup asked.
"Come and see!"
They followed the crowd to the 'ballroom', which was the biggest room in the house.
Cindy stood on a chair in the middle.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Princesses, Princes, Queens, and Counts." She announced. "Welcome to our regular game of musical thrones! I will explain the rules so please listen closely, even if you already know the rules, because this time things will be a little different!
"Musical thrones is a game many of you know as musical chairs, and the rules are simple! When the music stops, you sit on a chair. The catch is that every round one chair will be removed, and if you don't have a chair to sit on, you're out!
"But, this time, we have too many people, and not enough chairs, so we'll be playing it with a tiny variation!
"Normally there's only one chair per person, but the new rule is that there will be two people per chair, a Princess on the lap of a Prince. Every boy is a Prince, and every girl a Princess. We're evened out, so it'll be fair.
"Additional rules: 1, you cannot sit with the same Prince or Princess every round, you have to mix it up, we'll be watching. 2, you can only sit on the wooden chairs in the middle of the room, the sofas on the edge are for the losers. 3, you have to dance, and you can't hover around a single chair! Any questions?"
"Do I have to play?" Yelled Merida.
"Yes. Any other questions?"
No one had any so they started the music. Everyone started dancing, some more awkward than others, but the air was tense, everyone waiting for the music to stop.
Punzie danced in the middle of the room, alone, she and Jack had separated, agreeing that they wanted the opportunity to pair up later in the game. The song was one of Punzie's favourites and she almost didn't notice when Cindy pressed pause.
She ran to the nearest seat with a boy in it and jumped into his lap. Then she looked to see who it was.
"Oh, hi Hiccup!" She grinned, "fancy seeing you here!"
"You're heavy." He grunted.
"That was just a test round, "Cindy called, "Now we'll start removing chairs!"
The music started up again and Punzie made sure Hiccup was ok before going back to her dancing.
The next few rounds she found herself on strangers laps, with hurried introductions as they tried not to laugh.
The fifth time she looked to see who's lap she'd acquired, she saw a familiar face.
"Hello, Punzie!" Pitch smiled. Punzie could see Jack in her minds eye.
He would not be pleased.

~~~~~~~

Merida and Hiccup.

Merida101: You stink at dancing.

HicHicHiccup411: Where are you?

Merida101: I got out two rounds ago! I thought dates were supposed to be attentive to each other!

HicHicHiccup411: I thought we weren't dates

Merida101: Well, we're definitely not now.

~~~~~

Jack and Punzie.

PrincessRapunzel6: Why hasn't the next round started, can you see?

FrostFlake: Yeah, two guys are having a go at each other over who sat down first.

PrincessRapunzel6: Which two guys?

FrostFlake: The lovely young lady on my lap says its Dimitri and Ruffnut.

PrincessRapunzel6: Which lovely young lady has the honour of being on your lap?

FrostFlake: President Vanellope Von Schwetes. Who's honoured lap is your throne?

PrincessRapunzel6: Pitch.

FrostFlake: WHAT?!