The Inside Story

Chapter Eight

 I gasped at Queen Margaret's closet. Her's was similar to mine, but much larger and had a chandelier. On the floor we were on, there were dresses, skirts, and blouses in every color and style imaginable. She walked through the closet, and to the stairs. We descended the large staircase to the bottom level, which made me want to faint. There were shoes, purses, jewelry, and crowns. 

  She guided me to the jewelry, and handed me a bracelet. It was a silver chain, and had a tiny diamond in the center.   She then led me to the crowns. 

  She picked up a small diamond tiara and held it in her hands. 

  "I get a tiara?" I asked. She smiled. 

  "Every princess needs one," she said. She placed it on my head, and I turned and looked in the mirror. 

  "Thank you, for everything," I said.

  "It was my pleasure. Since I just have sons, I never got to do things like this," she said, sitting down on a couch in the middle of the room. "You're the closest thing to a daughter I've ever had."

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  "Oh, so you finally call me, Stella?" Ari said through the phone. 

  "I'm sorry, I just have a lot going on," I said. I was pacing in my room, trying not to freak out. 

  "It's fine. The only productive thing I've done over the break is went on a date. Otherwise I've just eaten pie and watched Netflix. Meanwhile, you're off finding secret scandals hidden in the silk purple robes of Europe's eviliest monarchy," Ari said. I groaned.

  "Before I get into my problems, how was the date?" I asked. Ari sighed.

  "Stella, you're such a nice person, asking me how I am before going into a three hour rant. You're to good for me," Ari said. "But the date was amazing, and I got to wear his jacket, and it smelled really good!" She said quickly. "Now your story."

  "The Montgomery's aren't that bad."

  All I heard on the other side of the phone was static for several minutes before Ari spoke up again.

  "Do they secretly operate on people who know their dark secrets too?" Ari asked.

  "No, they're all really nice!" I exclaimed.

  "Explain!" Ari demanded.

   "The reason that King Joseph and Queen Margaret are forcing Alex to be King is because he doesn't think he's a good enough leader, and he wants to be able to work with the orphans!" I exclaimed. 

  "Alex? You call him Alex?" Ari said. 

  "Yeah, he asked me to," I told her. 

  "Oh my lanta," Ari said. "And you are going to the Christmas Ball tomorrow night?"  

  "Yep," I said. 

  "Well, dang," she said.

  "Yeah," I said. 

  "Well, when you have any more news call me," Ari said. 

  "Will do. Love you, Ari," I said. 

  "Love you, Stella," She responded. She hung up first, and I collapsed on my bed. At eight o'clock, Alex came into my room.

  "Lottie, how are you today? I've barely gotten to see you," he asked, coming and sitting on my bed.

  "Good," I said.

   "I was wondering, when are you returning to America?" I looked at him, did he want me to leave? He got the message. "Oh! Not like that! I was just wondering just like, to know." 

  I laughed. "I really don't know," I said. "I have friends and a job up in New York, so I'll have to return at some point."

  "Do you like it here?" He asked. 

  "Yeah, except for the fact that there are Fiat stealers everywhere," I said, making Alex laugh. I looked at him. "Alex, why did you come and get me last night?" I asked. 

   "It's not important," he said. He began playing with the watch on his wrist. 

  "If it wasn't a big deal, why were you crying?" I asked. He looked at me, in a way that made him look like he was about to cry again. "You can trust me," I said. 

  "I got a panic attack," He said quietly. "I don't remember what it was over, but I got one. And the only thing I could think to do was come and get you."

  I looked at his face.. There were tears starting to stream down his face, and he wouldn't look me in the eye. His hands were shaking, and his breathing wasn't steady. I grabbed his hands, and he looked up at me. 

  "I'm glad you did."