The Nerd

Chapter 8

On Saturday I grabbed my short dress, it had floral print all over but it was one of my favorites. I put on my tiara that I brought and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like I was ready for a date. I expected that my first date would involve my mother and grandmothers helping me get ready but I felt confident that they would approve of this outfit. A little while later a knock came on my door and I opened the door. "You look beautiful." Andrew said as I stepped out. I smiled. "I'm not lying, Kerttu, you are the prettiest girl I ever laid eyes on."

"Thank you." He nodded and I took his arm. He led me to a restaurant that was on this floor and he opened the door. It was completely empty except for a violinist, chef, and waiter. "This is fancy."

"Only the best for a princess." I took a seat and the waiter came with champagne. "The best food you can make."

"Yes, sir." The waiter walked away and came back with a tray full of fancy appetizers.

"Delicious." I said softly. Andrew looked up from his food and stared at me.

"I am."

"What?" I asked, startled.

"I'm in love with you. You know you are when you can't stop thinking about them. I can't stop thinking about you. I haven't even thought about my parents. Nor my siblings. You bring out a better side to me."

"Tell me. Do you just want my crown?"

"Not one bit. I full heartedly love you."

"Andrew, I can't. I can't love you. I just can't." For the first time in my whole life, I doubted my ability to love. "And if I did it wouldn't live up to Grandma and Grandpa's or Mom and Dad's."

"Why can't it?" He urged.

"It can't. My parents are the greatest love story I know."

"You're the spawn of it." I rolled my eyes.

"Doesn't mean anything."

"Yes it does, it means you are capable of living up to it."

"If this is how this date is going to go I'm leaving."

"It's not, I promise." He sat there quietly the rest of the date and I ate quietly.

"So, you have a goodnight, and I'll just be leaving." I said before I got up.

"Wait. Before you leave, can you tell me something?"

"I guess."

"Can you ever love me?"

"Maybe." Just then I got the sudden urge to kiss him. I ran towards him and kissed him. He kissed me back and when I pulled back I felt a connection. "I can, I can love you."

"That's all I need then." He walked me back to my room where Arnold was waiting. "Good luck, she told me she could love me."

"Good luck to you then, she is going to love me." I giggled and Arnold took my hand. This is the guy that I liked and yet Andrew was someone I thought I could love.

"So, your date, how did it go?"

"Good." I felt my cheeks turning red and I looked up at Arnold.

"Are you nervous?" He asked.

"No. Excited." He gripped my hand.

"To fall in love with me?" He asked. I glared at him and he frowned.

"I'm not in love with you but I do know I like you." Arnold gave me a soft smile and I returned one. As we walked I began to think that if I would never fall in love with him, just as I started thinking that he stopped and lifted up my chin.

"You might not be right now, but I'm telling you, you'll regret it if you don't, because I've been through hell trying to get you. And now that I have you close enough to have you, you shut me out. I love you, Kerttu, I have since you were five." He kissed my lips hard and I kissed him back.

"I'll get there, I promise." He kissed me one last time before walking me back to my room. "I need to call Grandpa, so this was perfect timing." He smiled as I opened my door.

"I love you," He whispered, loud enough so only I could hear him.

"I like you." And I could hear the stomping of his feet as he left. I picked up my phone and dialed Grandpa's number. He picked up on the first ring. "Hi, Grandpa."

"Hello, my darling." He breathed into the phone. "How's it going?"

"It's going well, I'm sure you heard the reporters say that I'm dating two men right now?"

"I sure have, what's up with that?

"I am confused." He chuckled, and I giggled at his laugh.

"Like your mother and grandmother." I laughed harder.

"I know, Mom went through how many guys to get to Dad?"

"Kile proposed but she banished him, Henri, poor guy had to give his best friend to her."

"What about Grandma?"

"We don't like talking about this because I threatened to kill the guy, but anyway. You know Aspen Leger?"

"Of course."

"Well, he happened to be your grandmother's ex, and you know me, I loved her from the start so when she touched his chest I knew. She lied to me, I was heartbroken. The night before we confessed our love to each other, it was unbearable. I gave her these letters, I'm sure you read them. She loved them and I wanted them back. Anyway, the woman that was in the final two, Kriss, I believe, hold on. AMERICA, DARLING, WHAT WAS THE LADY THAT WAS IN THE FINAL TWO'S NAME?"

I could barely hear Grandma yelling back. "Kriss Ambers, my love. "

"THANKS, LOVE! It was Kriss, anyway she loved me, and in way I loved her but it was on a friendly level, not the way I love your grandma. To this day I can't believe I did this, but it was totally worth it. During the rebel attack I jumped in front of America, taking a shot for her, I almost died."

"I'm glad you didn't."

"I'm glad I didn't either, but both of my parents died, so I was pronounced king and I was given proper care and lived. The next day America came up and I proposed. I love her, Kerttu, she's more than what I asked for."

"She loves you, too." Grandpa sighed.

"I know, I knew during the Selection, I knew before she told me. She's my soulmate, I didn't know it then but I knew from the moment your mother and uncle were born that she was."

"How do you know?"

"When you can physically feel your soul everytime you're with the person."

"I think I know who my soulmate is then."

"Good luck with that. I love you, Gertrude."

"I love you, too, Grandpa." We stayed on the phone for a little while after just listening to each other breathe. Soon after he said goodbye and I fell asleep soon after thinking about my soulmate.