Unbroken

Chapter 22

The prince finally speaks after the whole room was engulfed in silence; waiting for the prince to answer the question. Was I or was I not his girlfriend. "All I can say is that she looks extravagant tonight." Alexander starts walking down the stairs heading in the path that leads straight to me. Without breaking eye contact he stops walking once he reaches me with every eye in the room following his every movement.

"Why are they still looking at me?" I whisper to him.

The only noise in the room is the constant clicks from the photographers smiling, knowing they are getting once in a life time pictures of the prince and I."Why wouldn't they? You're a beautiful girl in a beautiful dress." The urge to roll my eyes right now is strong.

"The real reason is because you're the new gossip in town. You've never been seen before and poof in one day your everywhere. You're like a new shiny toy to them." Rose explains to me clearing up my confusion.

Glancing around the room every socialite you could imagine is staring at me. Not in hatred, but in curiosity. I hope that they know that is how the cat got killed, and he had nine lives. "Let the ball begin." The king suddenly shouts startling me. The music begins and everyone starts dancing after the king and queen dance for a while.

"Arabella can I-"

Before he can ask for a dance I turn to my darling sister who just saved me, yet she doesn't know it. "Libby let's get you some punch, you look parched." Grabbing her hand I lead her to the punch bowl away from the prince. Fixing her a little cup I hand it to her. "Don't spill any of this on your dress unless you want me to die." If this child spills this juice on her dress I'll for sure die. Both of us walk back over to our parents to see them talking to a couple.

"These are our kids. Arabella and Libby Chase. We recently adopted them." The couple introduces themselves and that's when I realize there the count and countess.

Catherine looks at me and gives me a pointed look telling me to behave. Before I can speak Libby does it for me. "It's nice to meet you both. What did you two get for Christmas." Libby immediately rushed into her dolls and other things she got, making the people around us join our conversation laughing.

"You, Arabella?" Why am I always put on the spot?

"I didn't want anything. I just wanted Libby to get whatever she wanted, but of course they went and got me a new car." I glare at them playfully as they laugh.

They are going to owe me after this. Everyone in this room is fake. They all have there fancy gowns on dancing around, but we all know they are all comparing their wealth to others. "We have a video of her reaction. It's hilarious. She wanted that car. Libby helped us pick it out." I need to find that video and delete it.

"We'll have to see it some time." Both of them start to laugh about my video. "Arabella," The countess pauses looking around making sure no one is listening in on our conversation before continuing, "what's happening between you and the prince." For some reason I feel like I can trust them. They seem to be more genuine than the other people standing around sipping on champagne that cost more than my parents paid when my mother gave birth to me.

"I don't know I-" Libby's giggling cuts me off. "Libby." I laugh hugging her closer to me.

"We're just friends." I say clearly.

"Sure they are. Don't believe her at all." Jack and Sebastian walk up to our group hugging the count and countess.

"Why would you say that?" I ask him.

You can always count on the twins outing everything. "Let me tell you guys something. Those two are made for each other. They are a match in heaven. The only reason they are not together is because of this girl right here. Arabella will turn down his small jesters and make any excuse at all not to date him." Well he's not wrong.