Royals

Chapter 26: nora

I don't know why, but Mason and I suddenly hung out more during our lives in the castle.
We would hang out in the garden almost every other day. This was how it went the first time;
I walked through the halls of the castle, taking towels to Sarah, her mother and her adorable little sister Kayla.
"Thanks Nora!" Sarah exclaimed. I laughed and went back on my way. Heading towards the stairs.
"Hey Nora." A voice calls. I turn to see Mason.
"Hi Mason." I say causally. Remembering our last conversation and what happened...

     "I'm not jealous." He spat out.
   "Well you sure act it." I say taking a deep breathe.
     "Am not." He shot back.
    "You totally are." I say laughing quietly.
    He let go of my arm and pinched the brim of his nose. "Nora you are acting childish."
      I dropped my jaw, but I quickly closed it. "I'm not acting childish! You!! You are just jealous beca—"
     Then Mason pulled me towards him. His lips connecting with mine...

"Are you busy?" He asks rubbing his neck.
"No not really why?" I ask raising an eyebrow. Without responding her grabs my hand and pulls me down the stairs.
"Where are we going?" I ask as he continues to pull me along. Still without responding I huff out an annoyed sigh.
After being pulled along, I end up in the garden. Alone, with Mason...
"I thought we could hang. Forget about everything that has happened. Just like old times.." Mason replied sheepishly.
I shake my head, "Mason, it just feels too weird."
Mason sits down and pulls me next to him. "Come on, I miss the old Nora.."
I feel my cheeks get warm. "Mason.."
"Nora. Plea—" I cover his mouth.
"Loo—" I gasp in surprise as he grabs my wrist.
"Nora why don't you like me? We used to be best friends." He says quietly. Mason reaches his hand out, but I grab it.
"We've just grown apart." I say slowly, wary of my words.
"Well can we please start over?" He asks searching my eyes.
After a long time I sigh and nod. Mason let's go of my wrists and hugs me tightly. Warmth spreading throughout my hold body. I guess I missed this too.

~*~

"Garden?" Mason asks as he walks besides me. I shake my head no, making him pout. "Why not?"
I laugh, "Mason, it's two days away from Isabella and Adrianna's sixteenth birthday. We have lots to do."
"But I wanna spend time with Nor Nor." He says still pouting. I feel my cheeks heat up at the nickname.
"Another time we can hang. After the party." I say.
"Well what do you have to do that is so important?" Mason asks, still not giving up.
"Nothing at the moment, but soon I will." I say now stopping to face him.
He raises an eyebrow, "So you aren't busy.."
I look at him confused, "No I'm not."
    "Then the garden it is!" Mason cheered. I rolled my eyes at him as he pulled me along.
   
   "Nora!" A voice called from behind us. I immediately recognized the voice and let go of Mason's hand.
      "Hello, Collin.." I say.
    Collin nods, his eyes quickly glance down to where I held Mason's hand. But as soon as they were there, they left and focused on my face.
     "My mother would like to see you." He says slowly.
      I look at Mason with a knowing look that said 'I told you so.' He just rolled his eyes at me.
      "I'll go now. Where is she?"
   Collin threw his hands into his pockets, "Out back. I'll come with you, because I'm heading that way."
     Mason grabbed my hand, which stopped Collin short. Collin raised an eyebrow.
      "I'll go with Nora, I'm going to the dining room." Mason says slightly smirking. I feel the urge to roll my eyes, but I don't.
     Collin steps forward and gets in front of Mason's face. "Actually I can take her since I'm going to the same place."
     Mason opened his mouth to say something, but I clamped a hand over his mouth. "I'll just go myself." I say quickly and head down the hall.
    
     My feet scurry down the steps and down the hall. I hear a pair of feet following me. Knowing that it's either Collin or Mason. I keep going, my hand grabs the knob of the dining room door.
     Warm arms wrap around me and I almost scream. Almost. I'm whirled around to come face to face with Mason. Again we are alone.
     "You always have a thing for up close and personal now, don't you?" I say still breathing heavily.
     Mason sucks in a breathe and let's go, stepping backwards. His face flushing a light pink.
     "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." He said quietly. "Especially in front of the future king, knowing I would probably get kicked out.." He said laughing at he last part.
    "You barely said anything bad." I say shaking my head.
     "Yeah well you had left..." Mason said rubbing the back of his neck.
     "Of course you did Mason.." I say rolling my eyes.
      My eyes drifted to the side of us. We were still alone and it felt weird. I stepped back and turned towards the door.
    "I uh, have to go." I say barely above a whisper. Mason gives me a push and nods. I nod back and walk towards the back of the castle.
   As soon as I am outside, I'm ushered over to Adrianna and Isabella.
    "Nora!" They both exclaim. Both embrace me in a long hug and I hug back.
       "What can I do for you soon to be birthday girls." I say smiling.
      "Actually we aren't sure." Isabella says, "Our mother hasn't really told anybody what to do yet."
    "Well she's told Lillian." Adrianna says nodding towards Lillian who is talking with Queen Elizabeth.
      "When do you think we'll find out?" I ask.
    "Soon I believe." Adrianna says  brushing off her dress.
    Both of them wore a lilac colored lace dress. Probably done by Melody, she was incredible at dresses. Melody did most of their dresses except for the very fancy ones.
     
     Someone clapped their hands, getting everyone's attention. It was Collin. He stood up on a small stage placed near one of the towers that were on each tower.
     "Thank you Collin." A voice said sweetly. It was Queen Elizabeth's. She turned and faced everyone, smiling.
      "Two days everyone! We have almost all the food prepared. We need to start doing the decorations. Which I have a list of who I want doing all that and other things..."
     "Let's give my amazing sister's the best sixteenth ever!" Collin exclaimed. 
    His voice stretching across the whole yard where we all stood. Voices cheered and quickly started getting to work.
     Two days, I thought. Just two days.