Pulling Strings

One

"How is this possible?" The queen asks.

You must be wondering what lead up to this; the royalty knowing I exist.

Well, let's rewind this month...

~One month earlier~

I was doing the usual, selling coffee, tea and sweets at the café my close friend Andrea owns.

I get a gold coin (worth about 50 dollars now) per hour, which is good pay.

But for once, there weren't that many orders coming in.

I licked my chapped lips and looked down with a sigh. "Andrea?" I called for my boss, putting down the tab where I was playing Galaga on the computer.

"What happened, Ann?" She answered, sitting on a dark red, blood-like, colored seat. She put down her coffee onto the beautiful, black, floral table and typing something on her laptop, probably some school work.

"Why aren't there many customers? Usually this place is packed full." I asked her, pulling the tab back up and making sure the volume was off.

"Today is the Royal's War. Remember? I thought you wrote a whole 10-page essay on that when you were 14 for the college application." She said.

Right. Now, there's no high school, unlike the older days and instead of summer break, we take that long break during the winter. And I'm already done with school, thank the gods.

"Oh, that essay." I said, "I wish we could attend. It will be amazing if we could."

"I know it would, but--"

"Only the advanced can go." We said in unison.

We're known as civilians. We have no abilities/powers.

The advanced humans, or advanced for short, have abilities/powers. They're treated better than us and nearly all of our customers are advanced.

The door opened and I put down the tab, looking up to find my best friend, Drew, standing there. His blonde, nearly white, hair is combed in it's normal stance, his light brown skin shining with sweat and his sweet, friendly purple eyes make a smile come to my lips. It makes me surprised that he has no girlfriend.

"Hey, Drew." I smiled, glancing at him before turning around, knowing already what he wants; a coffee and a sweet donut.

I gave it to him and smiled, "It's on the house."

"Thanks, Annie." He smiled brightly, kissing my cheek over the counter and walking away.

Okay, now, get that smirk off your face, him and I are not a thing. No matter what anyone tells you.

"You two are practically a thing." Andrea said without looking up.

Don't listen to her!

"Shut up, Andrea!" We said in unison.

The young woman snorted and went back to typing. She's 16, two years young than me and is still in college. Her final year is coming up soon and, though it's winter, she's working on extra credit work.

I sighed, putting up Galaga again and beginning to play.

"Why do you like that game so much?" Drew asked, seeing my screen.

"Because someone related to me invented it and it's adicting." I answered.

"That game was made like, 200 years ago. It's 2148, Ann." Drew stated.

"I know but you can call me old-fashioned." I shrugged with a smirk.

"You are weird." Drew said.

"I like to call it unique." I smiled.

"I like to call it cute." I heard him mumble under his breath.

I decided to pretend I didn't hear it, "What?"

He shrugged, "Nothing."

Sorry it was so short...