The Difference

Chapter 26

The day before the ball, I hardly even remember waking up and getting ready. I do remember forgetting to put mascara on my left eye and having to rush to fix it before a long day full of rehearsals for the ball, setting up, and dealing with Mrs. Marigold. 

Of course, with all the seriousness of the day, Ava males sure to look her best, sporting a red long-sleeve satin dress, tights, and sensible heels. Me, on the other hand, I'm not too sure how my outfit came out. It could've just been the lack of mascara tampering with my confidence, but as I study my outfit on the car ride to the mansion, I can't help but sigh. My mauve-colored dress hits my calves at a length so awkward I struggled to find the perfect shoes with it. I settled on plain nude heels, which were comfortable enough, but I felt so bland in this outfit. Not to mention, I forgot to put a necklace on as Ava was rushing me. I play with the bow in the front of the dress, untying it and doing it over until we arrive at the mansion. I walk past the guards, caterers, cleaners, and the Marigold family (minus Brad and Troy,) and make my way upstairs, mascara in hand. 

Troy's room is empty, and I look around in confusion. Shrugging, I use the mirror above his dresser to fix my mascara. Just as I put the wand back and close the top, Troy sneaks up on me.

"Hello beautiful," he says. I turn around and he's leaning against the doorway in a light gray suit with a white shirt underneath. 

"Well, don't you look handsome!" I comment as he approaches me. He takes my hand and spins me around, getting a once-over on my outfit.

"Wow," is all he says.

"It's not that great. I didn't really have anything to wear for the rehearsal. I think I look kind of plain, actually," I study my outfit again in the mirror and am reassured of this. 

"It's missing something. I think I know what it is," he says, telling me to wait here while he runs to grab something. Moments later he returns with a white box.

"So," he begins. "We have this sort of tradition in the family. Like I said, we used to make exotic jewelry in Ceralita. Well, we still do. We have a huge collection over there. Some things we started to keep here, stuff Mom and Grandma have worn through the years. After a while, we had so much of it they decided to start a collection for Brad and I to give to our families. Grandma and Mom took it so seriously when we were younger, and they made us both promise that we wouldn't touch any of it until we were absolutely certain we were with the girl we wanted to share our lives with. Now, I know I'm somewhat jumping the gun here, but Rosemary, I love you, and I want you to be the one I share this with."

He opens the box and pulls out a stunning necklace. It's gold with aquamarine (coincidentally my birthstone), diamonds, and peridot embellishments all over it. Troy carefully picks it up and places it on me, clasping it in the back. It weighs a ton, but it looks so beautiful on. 

"There's even a whole vintage collection, as Mom and Grandma call it. Necklaces, earrings, uh, rings. Obviously, that's something I'd let you pick. The necklace, though, I've been eyeing up since they first told us their idea for the collection as a kid. So many times Grandma would see me walking from that room when she'd call me in from the library to have dinner. Every time I walked past it, I just had to look at it and make sure it was still there for my special someone. Then, I met you."

Troy kisses me and I'm so giddy I feel like a kid again. I hold my hand to the necklace and can't help but smile.

"I love it, and I love you," I say between kisses.

"Let's get away for a while?" He questions. Those big blue eyes look down at me and I can't help but argue. He pulls my hand before I even give an answer to a room right down the hall.

"Where are we going?" I question.

"My favorite spot," he says.

"You said the column where you wrote your initials was your favorite spot," I argue.

"Well, this is a close second," he says, sliding open a secretive-looking door and quickly pulling me inside. 

"I feel like I'm in Beauty and the Beast," I smile, taking it all in. There must be a thousand books in here! There's a fireplace, tables, chairs, couches, decorative coffee mugs, and books, everywhere. Troy makes his way across the room, dragging my hand as I stop often to take it all in. He reaches the end of the wall where a large counter top sticks out at about the height of my chest. He helps me climb up before joining me, leaning in for another kiss. He reaches a hand behind me and pulls a book off the shelf, opening it up and blowing off the dust. It's a copy of The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

"Such a random choice, don't you think?" He questions, smirking.

"So ironic, Troy," I say, and he pulls me in front of him, wrapping his arms around me, still holding the book. He begins to whisper the words to me and I wonder how he can read the pages from so far away. I look back at him and he's not even looking at the pages, just at me. 

"Hear my soul speak:

The very instant that I saw you, did

My heart fly to your service"

Troy continues to recite romantic lines to me as I lean back into his chest and focus on the way his breathing makes my hair move slightly off my shoulder and how relaxed our heartbeats are in this moment. It was one of those moments you wish you could frame because you're certain it won't be like this all the time. I think of the long list of things we have to do today and my breathing gets heavy.

"Troy," I speak up.

"Sh, let me just enjoy this moment," he says, planting a kiss on my shoulder. We sit there for a few moments longer just enjoying the silence and comfort of one another. Finally, he asks if I'm ready to go and helps me down. We walk downstairs hand in hand as everyone starts to take their seats. Mrs. Marigold shoots daggers at us as Troy and I walk down the staircase. Applause echoes through the ballroom as everyone rises for Troy. I look at him, clearly uncomfortable. 

But he's 22. He can't be a king. 

I realize my feelings are talking and tell them to be quiet. I need to let him make his own choices.

 He starts to blush at the attention of the room and squeezes my hand a little tighter in nervousness.

"They love you," I reassure him.

"I'm not worried about if they love me," he says, smiling at me. We reach the end of the staircase and to my surprise, he kisses me, in front of everyone. The crowd erupts in cheering and laughter, some couples even kiss one another in celebration. It all confuses me, but I continue to smile. Mrs. Marigold has already stormed off by the scene we just caused and Ellen comes to greet us.

"Hello, Rosemary" she says, pulling me into a hug. When we pull away she notices the necklace. She looks a little shocked until her mouth curls into a smile. Her eyes begin to tear up as she pulls Troy into a hug. One tear escapes her eye and she quickly wipes it away.

"It looks stunning on you," she says sincerely to me.

"I'm so happy for you both," Ellen says to us, before giving a toast to "the next King of Ceralita and to Rosemary," it makes me sound plain, but I smile anyways. Besides, am I really even ready to be a queen?

Mrs. Marigold rushes back in, tucking a phone into her blazer pocket. She notices Ellen with us and walks our way.

"I see you're wearing a Marigold necklace," she comments, snatching Ellen's champagne glass and drinking it in one breath. She gives us a fake smile before handing the empty glass back to Ellen and returning to her guests. We all let out a sigh as we follow her to the table.