Runaway Princess

CHAPTER 9

DEMIAN AND GARRETT seemed to know where we're going as they expertly moved around the streets of Illeà. Meanwhile, I keep on looking around the area even though I've already seen it before a thousand times everytime I go out to the balcony and wave to the people, cameras filming my every move.

But this time though, I know it's different. I'm free to do anything I want and no one is now watching me, I have no one stopping me to roam free and there'll be no media to interview me and no paparazzis to criticize everything I do. It feels so good to know that I'm free and out of that prison I've been in for 16 years. It fills me with confidence and euphoria.

"Isla, come on, stay with us," Demian held my wrist and pulled me along with him. I followed behind him as we walked on the pavement. I could feel the crisp midnight air against my skin, filling up my lungs and making me feel refreshed.

"Where are we going?" I asked and walked faster to catch up with his pace. I rubbed my arms and covered my cheeks with my hands, its so cold.

Demian wrapped his arm around me and pulled me closer to him. I felt my cheeks heat up as I felt his warm body pressed against mine. I shrinked into his touch and we stayed like that as we walked.

We reached the end to the street we were walking at. There was another street intersecting with it where some cars and buses drove by. I looked back and saw the palace behind, looking small from this distance. I let out a small smile.

This is it, I cheered in my head. I'm free.

I looked back and saw Garrett turning back to us, placing his hands on his hips and squinting his eyes a bit as the wind blew. "Should we hail a cab?"

"I-I have some money here," I said and gave him my purse. He reached out for it and opened it. I furrowed my eyebrows when his mouth fell open and his eyes widened in amazement.

"Why?" I asked him. He looked back at me and Demian and stepped closer to us.

He pulled out the money and waved it in front of my face. "Are you kidding me? I've never seen such a thick bundle of money before! I could live off of this for months!" He exclaimed and looked at it.

Demian grabbed the money from him and put it back in the purse. "Go get a cab, she's getting cold," he said and and hugged me sideways with both of his arms. Garrett stood at the edge of the sidewalk and leaned forward bit. Then he raised his hand and made a signaling sign.

A black cab stopped in front of him. Me and Demian walked forward as Garrett talked to the driver.

I looked at Demian when he placed his cap on my head and adjusted it. "Bow down when we get inside. You're gonna get recognized."

I nodded and looked up at him. His red eyes looked back into mine and I can't just help but to stare in awe at how beautiful they are. They gave off this kind of gleam that made it look even more beautiful, and the fact that I've never seen anyone with eyes like his made it even more special.

"Uhh, guys?" I looked a Garrett who was standing in front of us, looking back and forth at me and Demian. I bowed my head in embarrassment and got inside the cab, Demian following behind me while Garrett sat beside the driver.

I did what Demian said and bowed down my head. I leaned on the window so that my neck wouldn't hurt that much and won't get stiff. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep but the cab kept bouncing up and down as it went over some humps. I just gave up in the end and looked down on my lap. I hope the ride won't take that long.

After about thirty minutes the cab stopped. I looked up and opened my purse and pulled off the rubber band on the bundle of money and paid the amount the driver said. After that we got off the cab and it drived away from us.

I looked in front of me and saw a brown, small, two-storey, compacted house. It has small fence in front with a door on the right corner with a single window on its left on the first floor, a large glass door with a balcony on the second floor which looked like the bedroom. Its taller than it is wider.

We crossed the street and opened the small gate and entered through the fence. Garrett walked to the plant pot on the windowsill and lifted it up, taking a key from the tray underneath it. He went to door and opened it then made us go inside.

He opened the lights and I looked around. There's a couch for three to four people facing a fireplace with a coffee table in front of it, a single couch on its side and a tiny TV above the fireplace.

"So, yeah," Garrett looked around and exhaled. "This is the house my parents left me when I was in college. Its not that much, but its an okay place to stay in for the meantime," he said. "There's only one bedroom, so, me and Demian will sleep here downstairs and you can occupy the bedroom upstairs."

I nodded at him. He sat down on the couch and I went to the staircase and went up. I walked through the small corridor leading to the bedroom and entered.

I turned on the lights and looked around. It doesn't look bad, actually. There was a bed for exactly two people that was against the left wall. There was nighstand beside it with a lampshade on, a cabinet on the right and another door which I guess lead to the bathroom. It looks cute to me.

I went to the glass doors and pulled all the curtains shut and went to the bed and sat down.

The mattress wasn't that soft as it didn't go all the way down like the one my bed has. I pressed my palm down on it and bounced up and down a few times. I guess I'll get used to this eventually. This is what I wanted anyway, right? To experience what its like to live a normal life.

I stood up and lifted the covers and went underneath it. I laid my head down on the pillow and hugged the other one beside it instead. I pushed up the blanket a bit so that I could cover my body properly and closed my eyes.