Once upon a Princess (Atypical Series #1)||✔️

5. Hartley Household

ALEXA

Cindy came home around six that day and gasped when she found me sitting amongst her children watching a sitcom.

"Isaac!" She yelled.

"Hey! Why am I the first to get in trouble?" He whined, scowling at Nate who was trying hold back his amusement.

"Poor girl, you probably want to return home so badly," She croaked, running a hand through her hair.

"I actually don't," I replied, finally voicing what has been on my mind since earlier that day.

Arianna grinned as Isaac and Nate regarded their mother cautiously.

"Lexi honey, you can't stay here for long. They're looking for you." She assured me.

"Are they really? I countered, bitterness seeping into my words.

"It's been a whole day since I've been gone. Nothing in the news or articles. Nothing," I continued.

Nate took in a sharp breath and Isaac cleared his throat. Cindy sat in the single chair and pondered over my words,

"So, are you trying to say that you don't want to go back?" She asked incredulously.

The four pairs of eyes rested on me awaiting a response.

"I don't know. I mean I'm not in a rush, you guys are so wonderful, and they're not even worried about me," I choked on the last part, feeling tears rush to my eyes.

A strong hand hesitantly rested on my back to comfort me, my eyes flickered upwards to meet Nate's and he gave me a small smile. I blinked away my tears.

"I understand if it would be too much pressure of me staying here," I said, glancing at Cindy's worried face.

"No! That's not the case. You're welcome here for as long as you want,"

"Just hope the guards don't come barging down our doors looking for you," Isaac snickered.

We all gave him an unamused look in response.

Was it so bad that I didn't want to go back? It was only a day and this family has warmed my heart and made me feel something that I hadn't felt since my mother was alive.

"This is just like that TV show where royalty swaps with normal folk for a week," Arianna laughed.

"Yeah except everyone knew of the arrangement!" Cindy snapped, Arianna winced.

I was burdening Cindy.
"I'll let you guys escort me back tomorrow if you don't mind, I'm sorry for burdening you with this pressure of keeping me here," I apologized.
The three siblings turned to their mother expectantly with pleading eyes.
"Alexandria honey, you can stay as long as you need. I just hope trouble doesn't come knocking on our door," She muttered the last part, peering out the window.
"Yay! Another girl in the house and she's a bloody princess! Ugh, I wish I could tell my friends this," Arianna exclaimed, clutching her phone in excitement.
"No!" Everyone else shouted.
She winced once more, "I wasn't really going to do it, my friends are blabbermouths anyways,"

"What would you guys like for dinner?" Cindy asked, shrugging off Arianna's babbling.
"Nate and I brought home fish today ma," Isaac boasted, his smile lighting up the room.
"Very good Zacky," Cindy cooed, rising from her chair.
I felt a snort escape me before I could stop it,
"Zacky?"
Isaac's ears were completely red now and his grey mischievous eyes were tame with embarrassment now.

"Maaaaa," He whined, "You promised you'd stop calling me that. I'm 22 now."

"You could be fifty with two children and four grandkids, I'd still call you Zacky," She giggled, sending him a wink.