The Prince and the Bookworm

Chapter 36

"I hate leaving." Mariah complained with a forlorn look on her face. We were both sitting on the bed in the room we had shared at our grandma's house, packing up to go back home.

Normally, I would have been fine with leaving. As much as I loved my family, I was always grateful when the holidays were over, and I was able to fall back into my own routine. But this Christmas had been different. It was fun having Dallas spend it with us, and I was finding myself not ready for it to be over.

"I'll see you in just over a week." I reminded her, a smile spreading across my face. Just after the beginning of January, Mariah and her family were going to start their move into my apartment building. I felt an elation inside me as I thought about it. Ever since we were little girls, Mariah and I had always dreamed about living together. Whenever we would stay at Grandma's, we would stay up late at night, plotting of ways that I could sneak Mariah home with me without either of our moms noticing.

Needless to say, it never happened. One year we attempted it, but we never got to actually put the plan in action, due to the fact Caleb decided to rat us out.

"I can't believe we're really going to live in the same building." Mariah mused out loud, as though reading my thoughts. I hummed in agreement, nodding my head.

"And the only thing that would make it better is if your idiot of a brother wasn't coming along too." I added in a raised voice, knowing full well Caleb could probably hear us from his room next to us. As I may have mentioned, my grandma's house has incredibly thin walls.

"Just ignore him. Once I learned how to do that when I was 12, my life got so much better." Mariah suggested, earning a genuine laugh from me.

"You know," I looked up as I heard a Caleb's voice. "Words hurt." He was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. As though to extenuate his point, he dramatically threw his hand over his heart.

"Then don't listen." I said, picking up a pillow of the bed. I threw it in his direction as hard as I could, nailing him in the head. Instead of throwing it back, he just let it drop to the ground, throwing me an annoyed glare.

"And people wonder why I don't feel nurtured by my family." He muttered before he turned and stalked off, shaking his head slightly. I rolled my eyes, not feeling the least bit sorry.

That kid deserved ever pillow that has been and ever will be launched at his face.

"You know," Mariah started, her tone sounding like one of a therapist. "Once we move into your apartment building, you two are going to have to start getting along."

"Ugh," I groaned, stretching out across the bed. "You sound like my mom. "

"Well your mom has a good point."

"Never say that again. It physically pains me to admit my mom is right about something."

"Why do you hate Caleb so much?" Mariah questioned, steering the conversation away from my mother. The bluntness to her words shocked me into sitting up.

"I don't hate him." I corrected. "He just drives me crazy sometimes."

As much as I hated to say it, the reason was probably because we were so much alike. Caleb and I practically grew up together. He was like the male version of me, and our whole childhood was spent trying to compete over who was the better person. It was honestly stupid, but it was why we butted heads so much.

"At least you don't have to live with him on a daily basis." Mariah sighed under her breath.

"I'm not sure that'll be the case much longer." I reminded her, the thought a little overwhelming.