The Princess and the Writer

CHAPTER TWELVE

Anne stood frozen in the embrace, her arms hanging limp at her sides,wondering why on earth Nick, of all people, was hugging her...with no sign of letting go in the near future. Feeling awkward and unsure of what to do, Anne held her breath and shut her eyes, as if that would wake her up from this strange phenomenon. Finally, unable to take it any longer, she started to inch away.

"Will you please just let me go," she sqeaked out.

Khin released her and stood back to look at her. It was amazing. Seeing her alive and well before his very eyes after watching her be killed by Nadira was the greatest gift he could ever receive.

He shook his head and a smile appeared on his face.

"So it was no lie that the writer brought you back," he said. "I should have known that she would not keep you away from us for long."

Anne could only blink. Why was Nick talking to her as if they were friends? How could this have happened in the story? This was far from how things were in the real world.

"I'm confused," Anne finally said slowly.

Khin furrowed his brows. Alright, it was true: the princess did not know him. It made sense - he had never spoken to her at all, watching her only from a distance. Her sudden death had opened his eyes to how much of a fool he had been. He ought to have spoken to her. He was determined not to make the same mistake twice. He took a step forward.

"You don't know me," he said, "but I-"

Anne inched back. "Teral's friend."

Khin moved closer. "You know me."

"I know enough," Anne responded, still inching back.

Khin cocked his head, hearing the accusation in her voice.

"Like what?" He asked.

"Like you're a Baya," she replied. "Like you tried to kill the writer. Like you, Teral and Nadira are joined at the hip."

For the first time since she came to Redeem, memories of her dreadful experiences at school flooded her mind. It incensed her to recall that in every one of those incidents, though Nick had not taken part in picking on her, he had stood by and watched, his silence practically allowing them to torture her. And then he claimed that she was not worth it? He was not worth it!

"You never once had anything nice to say to me," she said. "All you did was frown at me and say I am not worth it."

Khin raised his brows. How did she know that? He never said those words out loud, but he had repeated them in his mind time and again as he watched her get smitten with Teral. It was not that he truly meant those words; he had simply been mad at her for being so easily fooled by the likes of Teral. She was the great Princess Nena. How could she allow herself to be beguiled for so long?

Anne saw the look in his eyes and frowned even more.

"How could you just stand by and say nothing when you knew what your best friend was doing the whole time?" She demanded. "You are just like him."

"I am nothing like him!" Khin declared, stepping forward to make his point.

Anne inched back again, unaware that she was at the edge again. She let out a yelp as her foot slipped and would have fallen over were it not for Khin grabbing her arm and pulling her to him.

Anne stared at him, her blood racing. He looked sincere, a far cry from the stern Nick back in the real world.

"When I said that you're not worth it," he explained, "I only meant that you are worth more than what you settled for."