The Little Queen

The Little Kiss

Starlie's POV

Theodore came stumbling into the bedroom early the next morning. He tripped on seemingly nothing and almost fell flat on his face had it not been for the end table he threw himself into to break his fall.

"Goddammit! Where's the fucking light?"

I switched the lamp on, the room illuminating and Theo's disheveled appearance coming to light. He looked like he had been ran over by a train.

A fat train.

His hair was all sorts of messed up, his eyes droopy and bloodshot with the darkest circles underneath them. "Theodore, you need to go lay down," I sat up and pulled the blanket closer to me as he kicked the bedroom door shut.

"That's why I came in here," he moved away from the nightstand and tried to get on the bed but ended up falling before he could secure his position. "Fuck!" He screamed.

"Shut up," I sat up and leaned over the edge of the bed, outstretching my hand to him. He gave me a stupid look before pulling himself up and finally reaching his goal of getting onto the bed. "Congratulations. Now go to another room. I don't want you in here with me. Remember what happened last time?"

"This is my room and I don't care what happened last time. Your dad is a fucking prick. It's hot as shit in here," he unzipped his black hoodie, "I don't care what other people think. I," he jabbed his finger into his chest repeatedly, "know nothing happened. Fuck everyone else."

"Theo, what's wrong with you? You're acting weird."

"I drank a lot...and then Penelope pissed me off so I drank more. Now I don't even know what's going on and everything is making me angry. Why are you holding that blanket so close? Are you naked?" He asked with such innocent eyes, it was almost cute.

I wasn't naked. Like Theo already said, it was really hot in here. The giant fireplace was roaring and on top of that, it was winter time so all the beds in the castle only had wool blankets. I wore a bandeau bra and shorts to bed since I thought I was going to be alone, "No, I'm not."

"Weird," he kicked his shoes off before climbing up the rest of the bed and crashing his head onto his pillow. He was only there for a little while before he snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me down to be next to him. "Remember how you cuddled me because I wouldn't give you my pillow?" He asked with a smile.

I nodded as his grip around my waist became tighter. "Yeah," I looked up to see that he was already looking at me. His hand slowly moved to my hair where he played with a few loose pieces before softly grazing the side edge of my cheek and then just resting there.

My breathing hitched in my throat as his face moved closer to mine, his eyes closed.

I wasn't ready. Not in the slightest. But if not now, then when? What if I ruined it and he went back to hating me?

I couldn't live with that.

I placed my hand on the side of his neck as our lips softly collided.

It was everything I had ever thought it would be. I felt the butterflies, I felt my stomach knot in suspense and I felt Theo react the same way.

I actually found it quite hilarious that he was willing to kiss me when my face was as disfigured as it was. We were certainly living in confusing times.

Reality came flooding back in one terrifying wave and I pulled away from him, "Theo, no," I pushed him away gently and sat up as he gave me a very startled look.

"What's wrong?"

"You're in bed with me, we're alone and you just kissed me. Three strikes, Theo. If anyone finds out I'm so screwed."

"Hey," he slowly got off the bed and took one of the throw blankets with him. "Everything is going to be fine. I'll go sleep on one of the benches out in the hallway."

He was so fucked up on something, it was impairing his ability to think. There were a million guest bedrooms, why would he sleep on one of the benches?

"Are you ok?" I asked him as he draped the blanket over his shoulders and started heading for the bedroom door. "You're worrying me."

He glanced over his shoulder and winked at me but it was probably the worst wink I had ever seen, "Never been better," he turned back around only to trip over nothing but his own two feet and fall right into the door.

"Theo!" I shot off the bed and ran to his side. He moved his head from side to side as if he were trying to crack his neck and winced in pain a bit before standing back on his feet again. "You need to lay down. Just," I sucked in a deep breath, carefully thinking about what I was going to say next, "lay in the bed but stay as far away from me as possible."

"Yes ma'am," he said slowly before walking back over to the bed.

~~~

I couldn't have been sleeping for very long before the most annoying ring of the alarm clock blared through the entire bedroom.

It must have startled Theodore more than me because he jolted awake and shut it off well before I could.

"Good morning," I said quietly.

Theo went completely stiff, almost as if he were afraid to turn around, "Good morning?" He repeated back, sounding very unsure of the words.

"I hope you're not acting as crazy as you were earlier? Are you ready to walk on your own without falling?"

He whipped around to face me quicker than I could even blink, "Starlie? Why am I in here? Why did you let me stay?" He panicked and that honestly did nothing for my own anxiety.

"You were going to sleep on a bench, I couldn't let you do that. Now I'm wishing I would have though. What happened to you? Why were you being so weird last night?"

"Oh, God," he tangled his fingers in his hair as he looked at his phone. "Get dressed, we have to have breakfast with my family," he got out of bed and hurried into his massive closet.

One of the servants had brought me a few changes of clothes from home last night so I was good for a few days. I got out of bed and walked over to the chair I had thrown them on and picked up a blush pink midi dress with puffed sleeves.

"What happened last night?" Theodore asked from the closet.

My heart dropped to the floor upon hearing the words. I should have known he would have never kissed me of his own doing, he never wanted anything to do with me before, why would that have suddenly changed?

I decided that I didn't give any fucks about what anyone thought from here on out. Theodore could fuck off, the King and Queen's rules could fuck off, my dad could fuck right off, and Opal...well...you already know.

I started to take my clothes off, well beyond the point of caring if Theodore walked out and saw me or if anyone else came in and saw me either.

I was numb, completely bare of any emotion.

Maybe it would just be better if I was exiled.

"Starlie?" Theodore walked out the second I had taken my bandeau top off. I just stood there as did he, but I think he was more shocked than anything. He snapped out of it and looked away as I began to put my dress on. "Are you ok?"

"Peachy," I said all but too bitterly.

"What is wrong?"

I struggled to zip my dress up but eventually got it before I slipped into the  nude pumps. "Absolutely nothing. I'll see you at breakfast."