Chatper 355


    Chapter 0355


    The next morning at breakfast, the candidates were gossiping as per usual. Topics were spa rse,


    especially since we weren’t allowed to watch any television. But the girls amused themselves with who


    was feeling under the weather, and who was wearing what to the ball.


    I tried to participate more than I had before. My heart still ached some, but talking with Veronica and


    Julian had helped more than I realized. Though Susie had previously known, it was difficult to speak


    freely with her, as we were always around others when together.


    It was nice to have so many friends around me, ready to support me.


    Beside me, Elva was digging into her waffles. She had two cheeks full when Nichs walked through


    the door.


    She tried shouting his name, but I quickly reminded her, “Finish chewing. Then you can go say hello.”


    She eagerly nodded and chewed at a faster pace.


    “Slowly, now,” I reminded her, worried she might choke.


    Nichs continued walking as if he hadn’t noticed. Maybe he hadn’t. He seemedser-


    focused today as he marched straight to Olivia.


    Olivia slowly lowered her fork. She tapped at the corners of her mouth with her napkin.


    A camera crew followed Nichs in and quickly found different positions as Nichs stopped


    at Olivia’s side.


    “Olivia,” he said.


    She batted her eyshes up at him. I didn’t hate her for it. I knew this was part of the game, and Olivia


    very well could have been the best contender in the ce. She came from a well- connected pack. She


    was well-trained and strong, both in physicality and me ntality.


    So I didn’t hate her. But I did hate what was taking ce right in front of me.


    I would have run away if I could have. But that would only draw the camera lenses to me. For Nich


    s’s sake, for the sake of his sacrifice of our near-rtionship, I had to keep my


    backside in my chair and endure.


    “Yes, Prince Nichs?” Olivia said sweetly.


    “Will you apany me on a date tomorrow?” he asked.


    “Why, I would be honored,” Olivia replied.


    “Good.”


    1/4


    +15 BONUS


    My already-tattered heart shattered further in my chest. But I tried to keep my expression


    muted, as the other girls’ eyes widened in excitement. It had been some time since there had been any


    kind of fresh gossip. This would sustain them for days.


    Only Susie frowned at the news, and nced at me. Veronica held no reaction; she merely continued


    eating breakfast.


    Elva, however, heard every word, and did not have the experience to know how to hide her reaction. Or


    the knowledge that she should.


    “No!” she shouted.


    “Shh, Elva,” I said gently.


    But Elva wouldn’t hear of it. As I reached for her, she scurried under the table, only to reappear on the


    other side, closer to Nichs.


    I rushed toward them, desperate to stop the scene, but I couldn’t get close enough before Elva spoke.


    “How could you, Nickss?”


    “Elva,” Nichs said. His eyes held sympathy. “Please understand -”


    “Why don’t you ask Mommy on date?” Elva said. She had real tears now.


    I froze. The cameras panned up from Elva to my face. Nichs looked too. I didn’t know


    which was worse.


    Quickly, Nichs cleared his throat and dropped down to one knee, joining Elva at her level.


    “Now, Elva,” Nichs said softly. He wasn’t his usual unguarded self with Elva, not with the cameras


    watching, but he at least curbed some of the edge. “I have to spend time with every


    Elva only frowned deeper. “Then why not Mommy?”


    “Elva, honey,” I said, stepping toward her. I ced my hands on her shoulders. “It’s okay. Please don’t


    bother Prince Nichs.”


    “It’s all part of being a prince,” he said.


    Elva touched my hands with her much smaller ones. “Why are you talking so weird?”


    Nichs blinked, startled.


    “You are being mean,” Elva said.


    “I’m not…” Nichs started to say, but I could see how Elva must have felt. Compared to his


    usual charm, this colder version of him must have seemed like night and day.


    2/4


    +15 BONUS


    Nich s’s panic was clear on his face. The kingdom wasn’t ready to handle who he was in private. Or,


    perhaps more urately, Nichs wasn’t ready to share that side of himself.


    I immediately stepped in. “Oh, Elva. You know Prince Nichs is a very important prince. He


    has


    many duties and responsibilities and ys many roles.”


    “I guess…” Elva didn’t seem convinced.


    Iughed for the cameras. “I think we’ve all read too many stories about prince charming.”


    Some of the other girlsughed in solidarity. Every little girl enjoyed the fairy tales of princes


    and white horses. Even, it seemed, the girls who had known princes personally.


    Elva’s face switched from annoyed to confused, and the cameramen seemed to grow bored of


    it. They turned the cameras onto Nichs instead.


    Nichs rose to his feet. His reliefsted only a moment, before vanishing under his cool


    princely veneer.


    Eventually, I was able to coax Elva back to her pancakes, and Nichs made his retreat.


    Later, as Charlotte helped me tailor the base of the dress we’d made for the ball, she couldn’t keep


    from sharing her own gossipy news. Having a friendship with Charlotte was ideal. Not only was she a


    great conversationalist, and a staunch ally, but she could also watch television and fill me in on the


    outside world.


    The outside world right now, apparently seemed really invested in my love life.


    “What,” I said, my voice tinged with disbelief. “You are telling me that people are making polls for which


    of the princes I should choose?”


    “Not all the princes,” Charlotte said. “Just Julian or Nichs.”


    “But I’m only dating Julian.” As far as they knew. Charlotte knew better but didn’t call me on it, with Elva


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    and the nanny in the room.


    “It doesn’t matter,” Charlotte said. “A certain part of the public has be borderline obsessed. They


    analyze every stolen nce and touch you have ever shared with Prince Nichs. There’s several


    Comptions of touches? Looks?


    “Sometimes they cover it on the evening news,” Charlotte said.


    “That kind of gossip can’t be considered news.


    “It can, when it’s included with the day’s recap. Since things have been slow, they’ve been looking to


    the fans to fill in some of the content to fill the daily program,” Charlotte said. She stuck a pin into the


    dress to mark where we needed to hem.


    314


    +15 BONUS


    “Then surely, the majority are siding with Julian. I must have twice as many clips with him.”


    Charlotte shrugged, but didn’t say a word. That didn’t bode well.


    “Charlotte…” I’prompted.


    She avoided my gaze. “It’s fairly evenly split.”


    “Evenly split? How?”


    “The looks, Piper,” Charlotte said, and gave me a look of her own right now – one that said, they can


    see right through you.


    Was I giving too much away? The heart wanted what it wanted, that was true. And I was never a very


    good liar.


    Was the public truly able to see straight through me, to see that Nichs was the one I truly wanted?


    Maybe they saw through Nichs too.


    Whatever else this meant, one important thing was clear to me.


    I needed to try harder to sell my fake rtionship with Julian.