The Difference

Chapter 25

Troy and I dance and dance until our feet are numb. Ava and Brad continue to whisper to one another in the corner and I worry until I get a reassuring smile. 

"I think it's time we head out," Troy says, pulling me close to him. "We left on bad terms already and I don't want Grandma to find out. The longer we're gone the more suspicious she's going to get."

"So soon?" I question, pouting. 

"One day, I'm going to be able to fly you all around the world, any day, any time," he says proudly. 

"Oh yeah?"

"When I'm King of Ceralita in a few weeks, you'll see. You can fly to me on weekends and fly to Paris or Costa Rica or Greece when you're mad at me. Then come back for another weekend until I do something to piss you off again," he jokes and I grab his hand as we walk off to meet Brad and Ava. They abruptly stop talking as we approach and don't protest when we suggest heading home. 

Again, I fall asleep on the plane ride home. When I wake up, Troy isn't next to me. He's near the back with Brad as they whisper-talk. He catches my glance toward them and immediately rushes over to me.

"Hey," he says.

"What's going on?" I question. Brad walks past us out of the plane as I see Ava's ponytail follow him in the corner of my eye.

"Oh, nothing. Brad said to wake you up, but I told him not to. Let's go," he says, smiling. I stand up and my feet ache from the two-hour straight dance workout in my cowgirl boots. 

"I should've worn my more sensible shoes," I note.

"Your feet hurt?" He questions and doesn't wait for my response before he picks me up effortlessly and carries me off the plane to the Stingray. It reminds me of Eric. I laugh at the way he looks like he could be Eric's twin, yet they are completely different people. My heart belongs to Troy and there's not a thing in the world that could change it anymore. I think of the first time we met and wonder where we'd be if he didn't pursue me even after I initially rejected his invite to the ball.

"What is going on in that head of yours?" He says, setting me in the car as if I were a doll. Brad and Ava pull out in front of us and Troy hurries to catch up with them.

"Just thinking about how quickly my life changed."

"In what way?"

"I don't know. I just never imagined we'd be where we we are now a month ago," I say, as Troy reaches a hand over and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear, gaining my attention. We share a smile as he responds. 

"To me, it's crazy it's only been a month or so. I feel like I've known you for years."

"Why did you decide to pursue me even after I rejected you?" I blurt out.

"Well, you technically rejected my invitation to the ball, not me in general."

"Okay, your invitation. Why did you come to work the next day looking for me?"

"I was looking for streamers, Rosemary," he jokes.

"Troy?"

"Fine, I'll tell you. Remember when you were a kid and it would be your birthday and you got a party and a cake and your friends would all come over and it was just the most special day?"

I try to picture in my head what he's saying and nod so he can continue.

"Well, seeing you was like that for me. When our family moved out of the mansion and worked out the deal with Grandma of my Dad taking things over for us, I lost a lot of my friends. I mean, it was so cool when your family had a mansion that could fit ball pits and a wrestling ring and blow-up obstacle courses. But you move to the city and all of a sudden your small house can hardly fit your family, let alone anyone else, and no one really wants to come celebrate with you anymore. When I saw you, I felt like it was my birthday all over again. It was like all those times Mom would come home with my power ranger cake or my Spider-Man cake, or whatever my obsession was that year. Our birthday parties were probably the only fun thing Grandma allowed us to do. That's why winter was always my favorite season. When February came, so did my birthday, and so did the happiness."