~Adrina's Lovers~

Chapter 1: Dinner

"Dinner!" I heard my mom yell from all the way downstairs. I hoped off of my squeaky bed and rushed down the two flights of stairs. I lived in a traditional house where it is 3 floors but the houses are super narrow. I had been told that people used to call things like these townhouses, but that was a long time ago. 

Once I reached the kitchen my mom stood with her brown hair in a mess and her foot tapping, "What have I said about stomping down the stairs," she growled. My mother was a kind woman but had a fiery temper that scared me most of the time. 

"Sorry," I said quickly, "but if I had gone quietly then you would yell at me for not hurrying," I added quietly. 

"Are you sassing me?" my mom asked sharply. 

"No no no," I said and ran to my seat. My dad was already sitting there reading a paper. Even with his hair being a light blonde you could see all the gray prominently. He was in his early thirties but was working so much that he had lost quite a bit of color to his appearance. 

"How was your day dad, I didn't even hear you come into the house," I said as happily as possible. He looked up at me. 

"Oh I guess I'm just quiet sweetheart," he said and smiled. It was a weary and forced one, clearly he didn't want to be talked to, I thought. 

My mom walked into the tiny dining room. It was pressed into a wall and the kitchen was just threw an archway. The living room was long but super narrow, just before the dining room and the stairs behind me led to the top two floors. 

My mom thrust her hands into the air, "where's your sister?" she yelled at me. 

"I don't know," I said, "I only pay attention to myself!" 

"What did I tell you about the sass!" my mom yelled at me. 

My dad sighed and my mom and I both went quiet, not wanting him to be stressed much more. 

"Marie!" My mom called back up the stairs again. 

"Coming," I heard a distant voice yell back. I then heard the pounding of feet against the stairs and a tiny figure came around the corner. 

It was my little sister Marie. She was a small blonde girl with dark brown eyes that were hidden in the brightness of her hair. She was really short for being 11 and was a bigger brat than her size, but I still loved her. 

I expected my mom to yell at her for her pounding on the ground, but she didn't. She always liked her more than me anyways. Dinner was fine and quiet my dad saying nothing. Marie chewed like a million cows at the same time and it was the most annoying thing ever. 

"Do you think that the prince will finally speak tonight?" Marie asked and the whole table looked at her. 

"I don't know," I said, "he's probably sad about the whole thing. If my future bride was just murdered I wouldn't want to tell the whole world about how sad I am." 

"Let's discuss something else," my mother said gripping her fork angrily, "and we'll get our answer later tonight." 

Both Marie and I shut up right away. When I was about to stand up to put my empty dish away and my mom snapped her fingers, "you will stay here until everyone else has finished." 

"I was just-" I started. 

"Adrina," my mother warned and I sat back down. 

Marie grinned at me after my mom looked away. I wanted to kick her but knew I would get in trouble so I resisted the urge. 

Marie took an extra half hour to eat just to prolong my pain and even my mother was getting annoyed. My dad just sat there quietly with his hands clasped as though in prayer. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once it was 6 my mom, Marie, dad and I sat down in the living room and turned the small screen on. It went to the only channel we had. It was the Zaryn News, the news for the whole kingdom, the only free one. 

The screen started black but then came to life as it showed the Zaryn News set. The royal family was sitting down, everyone except for the prince. 

 It showed the king sitting with the queen. Even threw all of her makeup you could see the bags and darkness under the queen's eyes. The king sat with a stone face, unreadable, and unfriendly. Queen Stara was pretty with curly black hair and chocolate brown eyes. King Edmund had dark eyes with dark hair, his jaw was square and his forehead was slightly large. The spot that the prince should have been was vacant, but the seat next to it had an occupant. 

It was Princess Isabella sat down with her hands in her lap. She looked like a younger, less tired, version of her mother. She had the same curly black hair with stunning chocolate brown eyes. She had a heart face and her lips were a soft pink against her olive skin. 

I sometimes wished I looked like her. I had boring brown hair with green eyes. I had been told I was pretty by people, but I still always felt ugly. 

"Well that settles it," I said with a humph, "the prince will not be speaking." 

Marie sighed, "I was hoping he would." 

"We all did," I replied, "Well I'm going to bed, I don't care about their stupid game show." 

Everyone said goodnight and I rushed back upstairs. I tried not the stomp on the stairs as I sprinted up them. I couldn't wait to see HIM. I knew my parents didn't check when I went to bed cause they didn't care. 

I brushed my hair and put on a dark jacket. I ran to the window and slowly opened it. I might have been on the top floor but I had mastered how to get to the ally that was behind our house without breaking all the bones in my back. And without another thought I started my sneak to the floor.