The Princess in Me

Chapter 6

"May I introduce you to Prince Shawn. "

Oh my god! Shawn! I looked at him for the first time in almost a year. As he walked past me he made eye contact and he smiled! Smiled! Did he really just smile at me? I felt tears start burning my eyes. I got up out of my seat and ran out of the dining room. A few tears were running down my face and I had no idea where I was going. But I just ran out of that room because I couldn't stand seeing him.

I stopped running and leaned up against a pillar trying to calm myself down but I was too upset. I was heaving so hard and couldn't control myself.

Why? A part of me doesn't want to be angry with him and hate him for what he did but I am way too angry right now. I wish I could just run up to him and hug him but I can't.

A hand touched my shoulder. "Hey."

Oh god I knew that voice. "Hey!" I screamed at him. "What do you want!"

"What's the matter? You ran and left the dining room. "

"What's the matter? What's the matter! Are you really asking me that!" I continued yelling at him. "I don't want to talk to you. You should just leave…"

"Why? Just talk to me. Please. " He pleaded.

"I trusted you! And you broke my heart. I never heard from you, but I emailed you and tried to contact you so many times. I thought that I meant nothing to you after a while. It's been 11 months and 25 days since the last time I saw you... I really missed you, but I thought that you didn't miss me. I thought that you were my friend! I guess I was wrong." I poured all my feeling to him. "Now can you just leave and leave me alone." I started walking away.

He grabbed my hand. "Please don't go. Let me explain."

"I don't want to hear it right now. Okay! Just leave me alone!"

"Please. I had no other choice. Or I would have never seen you again. And I didn't realize how much pain I put you through. I'm sorry! Just please listen to me!" He pleaded. "Just please forgive me!"

"I don't know if I can do that..." My voice cracked while a few tears fell down my face.

"Please! Just let me explain. Give me five minutes. Please!"

"Fine."

He grabbed my hand and led me into a room. There was shelves with books on them, a fireplace, and some comfy looking chairs. I'm guessing that this place was a library or study.

"I'm sorry." He began saying. "But I couldn't talk to you because if I had then I would have never seen you again."

"What do you mean?"

"The reason that you are here is to be in the competition."

"The competition?"

"Yes. The competition to become queen..."

"What!?!?"

"It's a tradition for the Upcoming Heir to the throne to have a competition for their future partner. It has been like this since the country was formed in 1700AD. For the first 9 years of the heir’s life the parents get to pick potential partner and for the second 9 the child gets too. When they turn 18 it begins. But after someone is picked to be a candidate you cannot talk to them or have any contact with them until the competition starts. You go through questioning to make sure that you haven't talked to them and if you have they are disqualified. Then after you have to go on dates and stuff with them and go thought a few competitions."

"Is it a competition for love?" I asked.

"Yes and no. It just ends up that way."

"But how can you have a competition for love?"

"I don't know. It was forbidden for me to see anyone until the this competition. This really is all new to me. And it has always worked out for all the kings and queens before me."

"It's always worked out?"

"Yes." He said. “Mostly. Everyone has found love but not all have taken the throne.”

“Hmm… Your time is up…” I said weakly.

 "I really didn’t want you to feel this way about me. That’s why I wrote that letter to you. I wanted you to be here and the only way was not speaking to you. Do you forgive me?"

"Shawn… I… You have no idea how hard it was for me. I really liked you, and after a while I came to the conclusion that nothing could happen between us. Now you telling me that it was all because you want to possibility fall in love with me?” I was very conflicted and confused. It feels amazing that he would want to fall in love and marry me but we are also young and he hurt me. I only know that I need to forgive him, and I know I still want to be friends with him. “Shawn…”