Unexpected

22 | I have a deal for you

Dedicated to Ella because she constantly hits me when I don't update. She's such a bully. Send help. :( 

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I looked at Nate's pale blank face then looked at my mom once again.

"Mom, what are you talking about?!" I asked. "Why is there an engagement party all of a sudden?"

"Well, Nate's parents and I had a discussion and we decided that we were going to have the engagement party during the Christmas party that I have been planning. That way, our close friends and relatives won't have to fly and gather here again some other time," she explained.

"But it's so soon plus I don't want to get engaged yet," I complained.

"It's been decided," she said firmly.

The others were all staring at us but hurried away when they noticed me looking at them. 

"It's always been decided when it comes to you. Can't I have a part in the decision? It's my life after all," I said desperately trying to control my anger.

"Just leave it, Isabella," she said and walked away.

I just stood as I listened to the clack of her heels as she walked away. I looked at Nate's face and he still had the same blank face he had before and I decided to lighten up the mood and ease the tension.

"Hey, so I guess there's another thing the press could say about us now huh?" I joked.

He just looked at me and said, "I should really get this off my face. Permanent marker is not easy to remove."

I stared at his retreating figure and debated on whether to follow him but I guess that he needed some space. Although we were both subjected to the torture that my dear mother has managed to put upon us, Nate's still new to this thing. I think that he's just not used to being told what to do especially on very important matters. 

I decided that it's best to leave my mother be for the time being and discuss things with my father. I went upstairs and opened the door to his office to see him reading some documents.

"Oh hello bumpkin," he said as he looked at me.

I took a seat on the soft couch and said, "Mother decided to have an engagement party on Christmas."

"Really? That soon?" he asked curiously.

"Yes and I... I'm just not ready Dad," I confessed. "With her everything's always decided without even taking my opinion into consideration. She always thinks that I'm always rebelling to her but it's just because she's controlling my whole life."

"I know what you mean. Your mother can be a bit bossy and unreasonable sometimes but it's not something a good talk cannot fix," he assured me. "I'll talk to her when I finish with all these files."

"Dad, how come Mom does not tell you anything about her decisions?" I asked.

"It's because I'm a bit too preoccupied with political matters. Important matters that cannot be delayed and I think that she saw it best not to bother me but it would have been absolutely fine for me if she included me to the loop," he said, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Important matters? Anything to worry about?" I asked.

"Nothing too bad," he said. "Look, Honey, I know that you have never had normal life like the other kids you know. It just comes with being a princess. It's a burden but that's just because you have power to make things better for others. I'm sorry if I'm not always there when you need me."