Surprisingly Royal

👸Chapter 10 : Everything is Over

I walk up to her door and knock.

Nothing.

So, I knock louder.

Finally, the door swings open.

"Can't you see you're not welcomed here? Or should I explain why your presence isn't needed before you disappear?" Em snaps, her tone sharp and cold.

"What's going on? Why are you acting like this? And yes, please, do explain because I have no idea what the hell is happening," I say, confused and frustrated.

"What's going on with me? You've got to be kidding. I should be the one asking that. Do you even realize what your actions have caused? Do yourself a favor and get the hell out of my house," she yells.

"What did I even do? I seriously don't understand this. If anything, I'm the one who should be mad at you for breaking your promise. But look at me, standing at your doorstep like some desperate stranger, getting treated like I don't even matter," I shout back.

"Oh, so now I'm the villain? You want to know what you did? Fine. I'll tell you how you ruined my sister's life.

Your lovely mum showed up at my house one morning, ranting to my parents about how Melanie's being mistreated. Now, how did she even know that?

It wasn't me. Nobody in my family told her. So who else could it have been?

I trusted you, Ciara. I confided in you. And you went ahead and spilled everything to your mum."

"I didn't know it was supposed to be a secret, Em. I just wanted to help. I thought if I told Mum, she could explain things better to your parents because maybe, just maybe, they'd finally listen to someone. I never meant to cause problems. We were only trying to help."

Maybe I should've asked Mum if she really went to talk to Em's parents. But everything happened so fast, and I was too busy figuring out how to sneak out that I didn't even think to ask.

And Mum never said anything about it after.

"If I wanted your mum's help, I would've gone to her directly. I came to you because you give me strength, Ciara. Being around you makes me feel safe. But now, I've lost that.

Because of what your mum did, I've lost my one safe place."

"But Em—"

"Let me finish." She raises her finger at me, silencing me before I can say more.

"Your mum's little visit wrecked everything. You know what punishment I got for opening up to you? The worst kind. I've been told to stay away from you completely. And not just you ,everyone. They don't want me talking to any of my friends anymore.

And Melanie? She's being forced into marrying some total stranger just because our parents are terrified of what people will say. They're selling her off like she's some burden to hide. And I made that happen... by trusting you." Her voice breaks as she starts crying.

How could they do this to her? How could anyone be this heartless to their own daughter?

I want to scream.

I know I messed up. But we were genuinely trying to help Melanie.

"Em, I'm so sorry. I swear if I knew this would happen, I would've done anything to stop it. But this isn't fair. Your parents were probably already planning the marriage. My mum was just the perfect excuse to speed it all up.

Please let me talk to them. For Melanie. For us. This isn't right."

"Ciara, please," she says, her voice softer now, but firm. "You've done enough damage. Just... stay out of this. Don't come back here. I'm doing everything I can to stay away from you. You need to do the same.