His Choice

⚜ SEVENTEEN ⚜

Edited

---(Name this line?)---

My heart is thundering as I walk off the stage and down the steps. I can't believe Jake forced me up there.

Bastard.

As I reach the dance floor, I feel a tap on my shoulder and I turn around to see Lola. She engulfs me in a hug and I instantly deflate in her arms. We've been kept separated all day with the ridiculous antics of the event.

"You did so well, Ally." She squeezes me and then Annie, who I didn't notice before, joins in and traps me between them.

"I think you definitely caught the Prince's attention too!" Annie giggles as her and Lola pull away. "I can't believe he chose you. It's like he didn't even think about it!"

Hmm, she's got a point. The way he acted was like he knew I could sing, or perhaps it was his way of getting back at me for giving him the cold shoulder.

"Yeah, Lydia certainly wasn't happy about that." Lola smirks like it's a dirty little secret. "She was fuming backstage about how you've ruined everything. I think she hates you even more."

I smile slightly. I don't particularly want to be subject to Lydia's full wrath, but I can handle it. Looking around, I smile as I see everyone dancing and enjoying themselves. A DJ has taken over so that the girls can all participate in the party. It didn't turn out half bad.

Seemingly done with his mad dancing, the King starts leading the Prince and Queen towards a door leading into a private room. I don't realise that I'm staring until Jake's eyes meet mine. He winks then turns his attention back to his father as they chat along the way before disappearing behind the door.

"I wonder where they're going," Annie thinks out loud, but before Lola or I can respond, a sharp shrill scratches through the air.

"Allenica!" Lydia storms her way towards me. "How dare you steal the spotlight from me, you attention-seeking whore!"

"It's your fault for forcing the King's hand with your crowing," Lola snaps back. I'm grateful, she's a true friend.

Lydia scoffs, a hand shooting up to touch her chest. "I'm not surprised that a low-life like you can't appreciate true talent." Her eyes then snap back to mine. "But you, Allenica, you have no chance of winning, so why try and impress him?"

I open my mouth to reply, but Annie speaks before I can, "She didn't choose to go up there. The Prince chose her."

"Only because he wanted to save my voice." Lydia's face starts to heat up and the sheer redness of it concerns me.

I feel bad for not arguing my own case, but Lola and Annie seem to be happy ripping into the diva standing before us.

"Listen, Lydia. Just accept the fact that someone of a lower rank was better than you... Not that it's hard," I finally speak up to start my defence. "It's not all about you and you aren't as perfect as you think you are. Deal with it and stop trying to snuff out everyone else's light so yours looks brighter."

My eyes burn holes into her head, but she returns it with the same amount of fire. Then she moves so quickly, I don't have time to react and I find her fist colliding square with my jaw. I stumble back as the sting notifies me that a nasty bruise will soon be painting itself on my skin.

I want to hit her back, but I won't stoop to her level. Annie comes to attend to my cheek as I see Lola take a step towards Lydia, who is now retreating back to the dance floor with a cluster of girls around her and a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Lola, no. She isn't worth it," I say and she reluctantly returns to my side.

"Are you okay?" she asks as Annie returns with ice from the punch bowl on the side. I give her a nod as Annie places the ice against my skin. I hiss at the contact.

"It's going to leave a bruise, but the ice should stop it being too bad." Annie's experienced touch as she fusses me briefly reminds me of the additional years she has over me. She really is like an older sister and I see her being a brilliant mom.

"I'm going to go up to my room," I announce, not feeling like staying any longer. I don't want to deal with Lydia again, or Jake - I'm still mad at him - and I'm certainly not in the mood for all the questions this bruise will raise.

"Want us to come with you?" Annie asks, concern gripping her face tightly.

"No, it's okay. You two stay here and enjoy yourselves." I smile and they nod slightly.

"Come back and join us if you feel like it later," Lola says as I start to walk away from the hall.

Immediately, my thoughts cloud my other senses and I only briefly notice Jake re-enter the room and beeline for the dance floor as I continue on. To my surprise, the shiner forming on my jaw is the last thing on my mind as Jake's face now pushes its way to the foreground. I would have given him a piece of my mind if his title wasn't protecting him. Though, something tells me he would allow me to speak freely if I did approach him. After all, he had many chances to shut me up when I was spilling my honest opinions under the lone tree.

I stop abruptly, my body urging me to go back and let my lips loose on him.

"What are you doing?" Luke's voice suddenly fills my ears.

"Luke, where did you come from?" I jump, startled at the extra presence beside me.

"I've been walking with you for the past five minutes." He clicks his tongue. "Not that you were paying me any mind at all."

"Sorry," I mumble as I turn on my heels to head back to the ballroom. I only now realise that I've made it to the other side of the palace where our rooms are.

"What happened to you?" Luke redirects his steps to meet mine as he points at my jaw.

"Nothing."

"Allenica," he says my name sternly, but I don't offer him an answer. Once he realises that I won't part with anything, he sighs and continues to walk next to me in silence.

Luke leaves me as I reenter the ballroom, but my heart clenches as I pause. My eyes land on Jake and Lydia in the centre of the ballroom. A lump forms in my throat as I watch his hands freely roam her body as she presses her chest onto his, thrusting and grinding her hips in time with the music.

My eyes burn and I double back on myself - again. Jealousy pastes itself over me and I try to shake it off, refusing to admit that I care. Instead, I spin it and weave a web in my head that tells me this proves he's still a player.

I will not be put through this stress and emotional turmoil for his benefit and entertainment. He will not play me. He has so many women to choose from and it's horrid that he's okay building all these relationships, knowing he'll have to break all their hearts but one.

No. I refuse to be an option. I refuse even more so because it's him - my mystery man. It frustrates me that I can't deny the fact that my crush on him is still there and growing. But the times we spend together in the garden were lies. And since I can't leave of my own free will, I'll sabotage myself.

♕♛♕

Don't forget to vote, comment and follow!

All my love,

Anneka Rose xxx

All Rights Reserved © Anneka Rose 2020