Surprisingly Royal

👸Chapter 18:have fun

Chapter Dedicated to cant_stop_mcrying

I feel a hand on my shoulder, and when I turn, Mum and Emily are both standing there.

"You look beautiful, my dear," Mum says, her eyes glistening with tears she's clearly trying to hold back.

I want to ask her how she managed to get a dress this elegant. We're not poor, but this gown? It looks like it costs a whole fortune, and we definitely don't have the time or money for something like this on such short notice. I mean, I feel like royalty just wearing it. But I decide to save my questions for later. I don't want to ruin the moment.

"Thanks, Mum," I say simply.

"She looks absolutely gorgeous, and it's all thanks to me for doing her makeup and, of course, to Auntie for picking out this stunning gown," Emily adds with her usual smug grin.

I roll my eyes and turn to Mum instead, telling her about our ride to the palace. She scolds me for not mentioning it earlier, but eventually agrees.

"If you girls are okay going with them, then that's fine. I'll meet you both at the palace later. I need to drop something off at a friend's place first," she explains.

"Alright, Mum," I say, walking to the bed to grab my purse.

"You're not seriously planning on going to the ball barefoot, are you?" Emily asks, eyes wide.

That's when I glance down and realize yep, no shoes. Not that I noticed, with this giant, fluffy dress swallowing my legs. I feel like I'm dragging around an entire curtain set. These dresses are so extra.

Honestly, I don't get why we have to go all out for royal events like this. Do people in other countries also force themselves into dramatic gowns and ridiculous heels? Or is it just Angellos and our never-ending list of traditions?

It's not like I don't know what the world outside looks like. I've read enough school textbooks and storybooks to know we're pretty behind in a lot of things. Progress seems to happen everywhere except here. Maybe change just isn't welcome in our kingdom.

"Come on, put these on," Mum says, snapping me out of my thoughts as she hands me a pair of gold wedges.

Thankfully, they're not as tall as Emily's heels. I seriously don't know how she walks in those things. If I wore them, I'd probably fall flat on my face and take down a few chairs with me. But hey, I'm not ashamed. Heels just aren't my thing. Fancy clothes and I? Not best friends. Whenever I get the chance to wear something like this, I'd rather toss it aside and stay in my room all day, comfy and alone.

No wonder I don't have many friends.

I'm not the type to go out and be all bubbly with new people and I'm perfectly okay with that. Mum, on the other hand, thinks I should be more outgoing. She always says I'm too reserved and that I need to enjoy my youth.

But in my opinion, the more people you know, the more problems you have. I'm fine with the few I already know.

As I strap on the heels, the doorbell rings.

"I think your ride is here. You girls hurry up, I'll get the door," Mum says, rushing out.

The second she leaves, the nerves kick in. I haven't been to a ball in forever. What if I have to dance and completely embarrass myself? I'm not even sure I remember how to move without looking like a giraffe on roller skates.

"Hey, are you nervous?" Emily asks, clearly picking up on my mini breakdown.

"Yeah... a little. It's just... this whole thing. I'm not used to it. And it's a ball, Em. With important people. The king is going to be there! What if I trip or say something dumb or—"

"Nope. No 'what ifs,' Ciara," Emily cuts in, taking my hand. "You're gonna be fine. Just relax and enjoy the night. That's what matters. Who cares if big names are gonna be there? They're still people. They mess up too. Stop overthinking, and for once, let go and actually have fun."

"You're the best, Em. Seriously. Thanks for being here," I say, pulling her into a hug.

"I know I'm awesome," she says, then adds, "But please don't mess up my hair with your tight hugs."

"Alright, ma'am," I say, laughing as I let go.

Just then, Mum calls out, reminding us to get moving.

We quickly grab our purses and shawls, making sure we have everything, and head out of the room.

At the door, I spot Matilda talking to Mum. She looks amazing. Her dress is absolutely stunning, and her blonde curls fall in perfect waves around her shoulders. She smiles the moment she sees us.

"Oh my gosh, Ciara! You look incredible in that dress," she says, walking up to us.

"You look gorgeous too," I reply, and she gives me an overly dramatic bow, which makes me chuckle.

That's when I realize Emily and Matilda haven't met in person yet.

"Emily, this is Matilda the girl I keep talking about," I say, introducing them.

"Oh my gosh, you're Emily? Ciara talks about you all the time! But she didn't say you were this pretty," Matilda says, pulling her into a hug.

Of course, I roll my eyes again. I've lost count today.

"Nice to finally meet you, Matilda. I hope Ciara said nice things, because she can be a little harsh about people's personalities sometimes," Emily jokes, hugging her back.

"Since when am I harsh about people's personalities?" I ask, folding my arms.

"Want me to list names?" she says, raising an eyebrow.

Before I can fire back with something sassy, Mum interrupts us, reminding us we're late.

Thanks, Mum. I was this close to winning that one. (Note the sarcasm.)

"Oh shoot! I totally forgot they're waiting for us in the carriage. Carlos is going to kill me," Matilda says.

I hug Mum goodbye, and the three of us head out.

We reach the carriage and, as expected, find Carlos sitting inside with a sour expression.

"I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting," Matilda says. "I got caught up in conversation."

"What were you even doing in there? We've been waiting here for almost fifteen minutes," Carlos snaps.

Can this guy drop the attitude for one night?

"Oh please, Carlos. It's been ten minutes, not a decade. Stop acting like I left you stranded," Matilda fires back.

"Whatever," he mutters, and then his eyes shift toward Emily and me.

His gaze lingers a little too long, and I can feel my cheeks heating up. But as soon as Fynn starts complimenting our looks, Carlos looks away.

I introduce Emily to everyone. They immediately pull her into conversation, but as usual, Carlos acts like we're invisible.

Seriously, why is he always like this?

Poor Emily, I hope she's not taking his cold attitude personal. I really don't want her first night out with us ruined by that guy.

Carlos keeps sneaking glances our way, but the moment I catch him, he looks away.

I want to say something to him, but I hold back. I've already decided tonight is for having fun and not dealing with his attitude. If I let him get to me, he'll ruin the whole evening.

So I ignore him.

He stays quiet for most of the ride, staring out the window. Only speaks when someone directly asks him something. Shocking, really. But honestly? I'm glad. The less he talks, the better for my sanity.

We finally arrive at the palace. There's country music playing softly, and outside, I spot rows of elegant carriages waiting for their owners to finish up inside.

We step out one by one and begin walking toward the grand ballroom.

⸻

Sorry for the delay, guys!
I'll try to update more often 🩷
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- Beryl ☺
@iamnanaserwaa8