The Prince • JB

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE.

THE PRINCE | twenty-five.

B.

Waking up from my slumber may be the most dreadful thing of my whole day. My alarm just decides to disrupt my peace without any regard for my feelings. I reach over to m bedside table and click the home button of my phone.

I turn on my back and just look up at my ceiling. Now that time is dwindling down by the minute, life is beginning for me. I'm going to start college -- the supposedly four best years of my life -- and begin living life.

When I graduate people constantly said, "This is just the beginning."

What does that even mean? It stresses me out, to say the least. I don't even know what I'm going to study. I'm undecided, just like how the rest of my life is. I'm a mess.

"Baby, Steven and I are taking Theo to the doctor's," she calls out from behind my door.

"Okay!"

Yeah, she had the baby. He's the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life. He is so precious. So small. So cute. So naive and pure. I love him. I was nervous about having a little brother, especially because of our large age gap, but he reminds me that there is good in this world.

There was knock on my door, making me sit up at attention. The door slowly opens and Steven peaks his head in.

"Morning," he smiles. "I just wanted to let you know that there's a package for you outside."

"Oh, okay. Thanks," I give him a small smile. I got off my bed and say, "Let me know what the doctor says."

"Of course. See you later." He closes the door behind him, leaving me alone to think. What package? Did I order something and forget?

I did my morning routine quickly and rush downstairs to the front door where we leave our packages. I slowly stop in my tracks as my eyes landed on a small box. I walk over to it apprehensively, completely confused as to where it has come from. I lean over it to see the label.

New York.

Who the hell do I know from New York?

I run to the kitchen to grab and knife, then run back to the package. I got on my knees and started opening the box quickly.

"Ha," I force out a laugh. "Ho-ly shit." I reach into the box and first grab a lantern. There's a note attached to it.

From our first night together...

I then grab a small, miniature horse.

...To you laughing at me playing polo...

"Oh my God," I whisper. I bit my bottom lip, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

Then there was a box for a hammock.

...To our endless days in hammocks together not caring about the world...

I reached into the box and grabbed some photos of us. I forgot we took these. I smiled despite the fact that tears were rolling down my face. There were pictures from our day in the aquarium and the day he was teaching me French.

I sniffed softly, wiping the sides of my face.

He's here.

He has to be.

Maybe not here, here, but he's closer than before.

There was one last thing in the box. I grab it slowly, seeing an address on it.

Meet me today at three. My driver will be outside your house waiting to take you to me. I can't wait to see you.

Justin.