Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Henry and his mother's title as prince and princess were restored. I wonder what had happened in the past since the Queen and Nolan didn't seem happen about the new development.

We three went to school together. Reporters ran after us asking questions as soon as we got out of the car. Thank God for guards. I'm so not going to get used to this new life.

Henry placed his arm over my shoulders smiling. "I'm so happy I'm closer to you."

"Yeah, me too. I won't have to be bored in that lonely place." I smiled​ at him. Just ahead were our friends scowling

"Uh oh. Here comes trouble." Henry murmured

"For who?" I whispered back

"Anna Bill and Henry Milner." Vicki frowned arms folded across her chest.

"Hey guys." I fake a smile.

"Don't 'hey' us, how could you? Didn't you think we deserve to know? We're your friends." Kim fumed.

"Not here." Henry murmured.

"Yeah and what about you? You knew and both of you kept it from us." Brianne asked upset.

"People are watching. Let's go somewhere more private." Guilt ate at me.

"Don't bother about it. I don't know about the others but I've got a class to go to." Vicki stormed away with Kim trailing after her.

"That wasn't cool Anna, you should have told us but you must have had a reason not to, right?" Brianne sighed heavily.

I nod and apologized. "It's been a crazy week."

"You should go to Vicki, she's really upset." She held my arm smiling, "By the way, you owe a whole pack of gist. How's the Prince? Speaking of Prince, why were you with the royal entourage, Henry?" She eyed him warily.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Uhm- I uh- "

"Form words, Mister." she flicked her fingers in his face.

"Lemme just tell you. Henry is a Prince. He's Nolan's cousin." I slowly said.

"What?!"

I spent the rest of my day giving autographs and taking pictures with people who wouldn't have lend me a pen a week earlier. I was invited to different social parties I knew I wouldn't attend and had many fake friends. Really fake people who only want to hang out with me so as to get close to 'super hot Prince Nolan'. Talk about cheap. All they want to talk about is Nolan this and Nolan that. Ugh.

I finally have time to myself when it was lunch. I might have  kind of bribed Kim with chocolate bars. I order for two bowls of ice cream and set to look for Vicki. Kim told me she was in the school garden.

And there she was scribbling furiously in her sketchbook.

"Hey Vicki" I said sitting beside her on the bench. She ignored me still scribbling.

"The silent treatment, really Vicki?"

She continue to ignore me. I sigh and open the ice cream bowl. "Guess I'll just sit here eating this two bowls of ice cream by myself. Summer swirl, just the way you like it." I moaned as I place the sweet creamy stuff in my mouth. "Hmm, so good. The best ice cream in the world. So delicious."

She turned and glare at me. "Really, Anna? Ice cream?" She got up, pinching her nose.

"Your favorite ice cream," It came out like a question instead.

"You didn't tell me about your royal life and come to school in a freaking limo. I had to find out about you from the newscaster on tv that had on terrible makeup, do you think that's fair?" I shook my head but she went on pacing from one spot to the other, "I couldn't believe it so I call your number and hallelujah, it was switched off. I texted and called like crazy trying to convince myself that it was your doppelganger but no it was you. I'm mad at you and you have the guts to bring me summer swirl?!" She stops and face me.

I gulped hard,"yes?"

She growled. For a moment I thought she was going to bury me six feets under. Instead she grabbed a bowl of ice cream."If I wasn't such a sucker for this I would have killed you." She said licking her spoon.

"Thanks, Vicki."

"You ain't off the hook yet."

I gave her my best puppy eyes.

"Ugh, please stop." she sat down and sigh. "You know what's worse? That little princess in Mirror Of The Witch died. I'm so heartbroken. My bestie didn't tell me she was getting married and favorite character died." She sobbed stuffing herself with ice cream.

I pat her shoulder. "In the movie or real life?"

"Of course it's in the movie."

I fight the urge to laugh out loud but lost miserably.

"By the way," she sniffle,"tell me all that had happened and start from the beginning. "

"It's been crazy-" I tell her of Guy, the mafia dude sending his men to our house, the man from the bank, how I realised I was supposed to marry Nolan, my mom not being my mom, my 'adventures' in the palace.  "Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it then I think of my dad and shake off the thoughts. My mom will always be my mom even if she's my aunt. I'm scared of finding out what really happened to my bio mom. It's been crazy."

"Wow. I'm so jealous of you. So much drama in a week."

I scoffed and smile at her. She returns my smile.

"I'm sorry for being mad at you." she hugs me.

"Nah, you had every right to be mad"

"Did I? Did I really?" She laugh a little and sigh. She frowned slightly then turn to me, "Why was Henry with you?"

"Ah," I say slowly, "here comes the bomb. Henry Milner, bless his soul,"I say dramatically, "is a Prince. He's sort of Nolan's cousin."

I watch as her eyes grew big. She let out a piercing scream chasing away birds. "What in the effing world did you say?"

"What you heard darling" I lick my spoon and dip it back into the bowl to scoop another.

"Oh my God. But why? When?  How? Why?"

"I don't know but we could ask Google. I don't want to go back to those archives." I shudder at the thought of reading those books again.

"Is it just me or are you like some magnet to these royals?"

"It would be very wrong for me to say 'Eww' now, wouldn't it?"

"Very." she bob her head wide eyed. "But you know you are sort of lucky. You've got two hot guys for you. You are married to one and the other loves you."

"Vicki, this is no soap opera besides here is another bomb"

I'm all hears."

I look around for anyone who might want to eavesdrop but no one except Vicki and I. It seem silly leaning to her whispering in her ear but still- "Nolan has a girlfriend."

She gasped and choke, starting to cough. "Oh my.. "

I pat her back. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Do you know who she is?"

"He called her Aubrey but I'm not sure if she's the Aubrey I think it is or not."

"Aubrey Lancaster?  The gymnast?" When I nod she shook her "It can't be her, can it? Maybe it's another Aubrey. I mean he lived in New Hampshire for a year, right?"

"Aubrey Lancaster went to New Hampshire last year for some competition so-"

"Let's just keep our fingers crossed."

We walk back together to class. It felt good. I with my three best friends against the world. Okay that kinda sounds like the movie  Assassination Nation. But then my life is sort of between adventure and horror right now.  I need to sit down and sleep it all off.

Not as easy as it sounds though.

Giggling, we tease each other well until Kim gasps bringing us to a stop. "Anna look."

I couldn't believe it. I thought of it but I couldn't believe it was true. There ahead of us were Nolan and Aubrey Lancaster hugging. I pinch myself but they were still there. I knew he has a girlfriend but it should not have affected me that much.

"Well this is going to be very, very interesting." Brianne said. I could practically see the wheels in her head turning.

But then again, it would be very interesting.