Cursed Prince

Chapter|03

Viana bit her nails nervously.

"Don't do that!" Jamie swatted at her hand. "Let them dry." Apparently, Jamie had insisted that a movie night at Devin's house was lame. Not only that, but she also decided that she would be in charge of where they would go.  So, she picked an overpriced restaurant and made a reservation for two. 

"It's fine." Jamie insisted. "It's not my credit card I'm giving anyway."

Viana stared at her acrylic nails in wonder. "I can't do anything with them!  They're too long." She whined. To prove her point she tried picking up the nail polish bottle.  It slipped from her grip and the apricot ice color spilled all over the desk.

Jamie gave her an annoyed look and continued to curl her hair.

"Jamie! I don't see what the big deal is! I sit with Devin every day.  Why do I need to dress up? Her destain seemed to ossify to the point where Jamie was getting irritated.

"Why do you whine so much," Jamie muttered. "There, I'm done.  Don't touch anything and just sit there. I told Devin to pick you up at my place already." 

As Jamie started cleaning up, Viana swung her legs absentmindedly, bobbing her head to the ticking of the clock.

"6:20," Jamie screamed from downstairs. "20 more minutes."

"Hope these nails dry in time," she muttered. She carefully got up from her seat, knowing that if she messed up her nails, or hair, or any part of her being, a certain person downstairs would go haywire.

"Viana.  I told you to stay up!" Jamie said scornfully, watching Viana wobble awkwardly down the stairs.  "Are your nails ruined?" 

She rolled her eyes. "They're fine."  She stared at the clock nervously as the 6:25 turned into a 6:35. When the doorbell rang, her heart jumped out of her chest.

Deep breaths.  Deep breaths.

"He's early!" Jamie said. "Ok now leave. Shoo. I got a party to start!"

She shakily reached for the doorknob but was stopped as a furious Jamie blocked the exit. "Are you trying to ruin your nails." She spat before swinging the door harshly open. A surprised Devin straightened up as the door revealed his entrance.

"You told me to shoo!" Viana complained.

"Uh- hey!" Devin said, unsure of what else to say.

Suddenly, For some unexplainable reason, Viana was nervous. She was not only going out with a guy who sat with her at lunch every day but was practically Jamie's brother, in a weird unrelated way. But for some reason, she grew tense, and when he looked at her, she shuddered.

He laughed unsurely at the awkwardness between them and ran his hand over his hair. Jamie rolled her eyes and muttered something about "how uneventful" it would be, before pushing Viana out the doorway.

"Be home before 5 am." She waved, before shutting the door.

"Future winner of the 'parent of the year award' right there." Devin grinned and opened the car door. Viana slid into the shotgun seat and blushed. In fact, the entire car ride there, she was three shades of pink.

In the car, Devin would ignore Viana's questioning stares as he steered the car through road after road.  Roads with lots of bends, signaling an approaching headache.  It was a relief when Devin finally stopped at their location.  Viana was just about ready to blow chunks.  The restaurant screamed expensive as they approached the glass doors.  She tried to settle her nervousness, but panic bubbled internally as step by step, she approached the building.