Secret Royalty

Chapter One

Right then, he stood up, extending his hand towards me, causing me to stand upright. "Thanks," I mumbled, grabbing my messenger bag and slinging it over my shoulder.

"No problem." He nodded nicely as he began to walk. I shuffled behind him, out the open door, and to the parking lot in the back.

I followed his trail and watched his confident stride towards the car. "Where do you live?" he asked politely, opening the passenger door for me as he spoke.

Carefully, I slid in, the smell of his cologne masking throughout his car. "On Nantucket Drive," I responded as he sat down on the driver's side.

Jed put the key into the ignition, causing the car to roar to life. "I live a couple streets away," he stated.

I nodded slowly, my eyebrows mashing together as I tried to silently name the streets around my home before quickly giving up, "Good. I'm not out of your route by much."

He let out a loose chuckle, "Not at all, Em. May I call you that?"

I smiled, the first real smile I let loose for weeks. "Sure." I grinned.

"What?" his face became puzzled as he continued to laugh.

I immediately pushed my lips together to cease my talking, but it proved to no use. "It's just that my father used to call me his little Embryo when I was little. It's actually quite foolish if you think about it," I affirmed and watched his face study the road.

"Embryo," he had asked, "Wow, very creative. I think I'll just stick to Em."

I rolled my eyes at the thought of my father and pushed myself not to think of him; I couldn't think of him then. "Good. The name is embarrassing." I forced the smile to continue on my face.

The car turned right and drove down my street. "Which one?" he inquired. I looked out the window and saw my house. The rickety home that was passed down to me from my parents and stood perfectly with its navy blue shudders and yellow door.

"This one." I pointed towards the elderly-looking house. He pulled into the driveway and hopped out, opening my door before I had the chance. "Thanks," I barely nodded and stepped out, my bag thumping against my hip.

I closed the door and stood in front of him, his body leaning against the car. "Thanks for the ride home," I smiled persuasively.

His fingers fumbled in his back pocket for his phone. "The pleasure was all mine. Care to meet up again?" he asked, extending his phone out towards me, the 'new contact' screen shining in my face.

I nodded, biting my lip as I punched in my number before handing my blackberry to him. After quickly adding his number to my cell, he walked around the car before stopping short of the open driver's seat door. "Don't stay up too late, okay?" he questioned teasingly.

I smiled before beginning to walk towards my front door. "Whatever you say, Jed," I called back, my hand waving lazily in the air as his car shut. I rummaged with my keys before pushing the door open. Throwing my bag on the couch, I practically stomped to the kitchen, wishing I could easily short through what had just happened so bluntly.