The Princess Academy

Chapter 12: Speechless

Me and Chase continued to walk until we reached the garden. I noticed that my friends and the princes still weren't there yet. I ask one of the servents to direct us towards the path of my parents. When we finally see them, my heart began speeding up. This was it. This is the moment when I find out if I do, in fact, have a brother.

"Mom, Dad. Can you explain to me who this is?" I ask them. They turn around and stand there quietly. They look at each other.

"I'm sorry but that is no way to address my mother and father." Chase said to me.

"They are my parents. It's what I've called them all my life. Which I don't recall having you in at all." I say to him.

"Isabelle. Please." My mom says to me. She then turns to Chase and gives him a stern look. "We weren't going to tell you two about each other until Isabelle finished her studies at RPA. And if not then, then when she was engaged and preparing for her wedding. Isabelle, Chase is your older brother. He was born here in Jendle and has known about being royal his entire life. However, when I became pregant with you, I didn't want you becoming a stuck up princess like others. So your father and I decided to have your brother stay here while we moved away. Of course, because your brother still lived here, your father always visited him. And Chase, we didn't want to tell you about Isabelle because we thought that you wouldn't be able to handle the fact that you had a little sister to protect and look after. That's another reason we moved away. We wanted you to have the best enviorment to train. No stress. No worries. And Isabelle, without having a big brother, you've had a good life too. Both off you are still yourselves. We are still your parents. And you are both still our children. You each just now have an extention to your family now." my mom said. I was speechless. I had an older brother. How can this be? I only thought that I was suppose to meet six princes that wanted to marry me. Not six princes and my brother. I could feel the tears rushing in. I quickly run away from my parents and the dinner set-up.

I run to a quiet spot in the garden. No one was around to see me cry. Thank God too. I don't like having people watch me cry. The only person I've ever been with okay seeing me cry is Al. God I wish he was with me now. I wish my roommates were with me now. I wish someone, anyone but my parents or newly found brother, were with me. I take a seat on a chat, and hide my face in my dress as I cry. I look up, whipe the tears away from my face and look around.  No one was around me. I was completely alone in the garden. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in.

"Isabelle?" I hear a voice say. I open my eyes and see Scott standing in front of me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"I say you talking to your parents. I didn't hear what was said, but I did see you run off. Is everything okay?" he asked walking over to me.

"No. It seems like all my family does is keep things from me. They don't tell me that I'm royalty. They don't tell me that I have to attend a boarding school when I turn 16. They don't tell me about my older brother." I say beginning to tear up. He comes closer to me and bends down so his eyes me mine. He grabs my hand.

"Hey, its okay. Look, when I was first told about Al being my half-brother, I was upset too. But then I realized that no matter what, he was my family. Sure, I never talked to him before and of course I was mad when I found out that my birth father chose him over me, but my father still loves me. And not just him, but Al treats me as though we are actually brothers. That we don't come from seperate families. Family is family, no matter how long it takes you to find out about them. It doesn't matter about birth parents either, family is about surrounding yourself with the people who care about you. Izzy, you have a bunch of people who care about you here. Your parents, Aria, Hanna, Kristen, Al, and me. And I bet your new brother will love you within the first month of knowing you. You should know this by now. People care about you and only want you to be happy. People like Al." he said coming in closer. "People like me." he whispered with only inches between our faces. All I could think about was kissing him. That's all I wanted to do right now, but I knew I couldn't do that. If someone saw it, my parents would eventually find out and not be happy about it. I quickly pull away. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gotten that close." he said. Aw...who cares what my parents say.