Royal Pain in the Ass (26 page)

I immediately started scrubbing at my face and pulling pins and such out of my hair and let it fall back down around my shoulders.
 
Once I managed to get my hair down and the makeup off I looked almost human.
 
I started the water and put it as hot as it would go and stepped in.
 
I let the water scald my skin and it felt good.
 
I reflected on everything.
 

Six months ago I was just trying to get my degree and live a life of meager proportions.
 
I was a swing manager, about to get a promotion to first assistant, then maybe my own store.
 
I had that audition with the Orlando Philharmonic orchestra I was going mad practicing for, studying for finals and helping Mom out with whatever I could.
   

Now Mom was gone, everything I
’
d ever known was in a country I couldn
’
t return to until the king decided I could, and I was here learning to be something I wasn
’
t. 
I immersed myself into the water and started washing all the product out of my hair.
 

I was angry.
 
Angry at a lot.
 
Angry at the fact that she was gone.
 
Angry that my father hadn
’
t been there for her or me.
 
Angry that all of a sudden I had to pretend to be something I
’
m not. 
Angry that Millie had chosen Ethan for Angelica and she was going to get hurt.
 
Angry that I couldn
’
t do anything to help her.
 
Angry that I didn
’
t have an outlet here.
 
Angry at the whole situation.
 
I looked around the bathroom.
 
I saw a crystal soap dish.
 
I got out of the tub,
 
picked it up and threw it against a wall and it shattered.
 
I looked around and started throwing everything breakable.
 
A porcelain soap dispenser, a jar of bath beads, a candle holder, anything I could get my hands on.
 
I just started throwing and breaking everything.

Xavier burst in.
  “
What is going on in . . . oh my,
”
Xavier started, his eyes lingered on me.
  “
Ju-Juliet,
”
he stammered then looked away.
 
It was about then I realized I was naked.

“GET OUT!”
I screamed as I ran for a towel.
 
Running naked on a slippery marble for floor while you are wet and the floor is covered in fragments of glass and porcelain is a bad idea.
 
I slipped and managed to slice myself up.
 
I curled myself into a ball and watched the crimson rivulets start.
 

“Here,”
Xavier draped a towel over me.
 
His boots crunching on the glass.
 
I felt the tears coming again.
  “
Come here,
”
Xavier picked me up.

“
Your clothes,
”

“Don
’
t matter,”
Xavier assured me as he carried me effortlessly over the shards.

“But,”

“
How badly are you hurt?
”

I sighed and felt myself relax in him arms.
 
He placed me on my bed and went to retrieve another towel.
 
He started dabbing at my legs and I winced.
 
Xavier pulled the towel off and looked closer.
 

“
You have shards of glass in your legs.
 
I imagine in other places as well.
  I
’
ll be right back.
”

I looked at my legs.
 
They were little more than a shredded mess.
 
I started inspecting the rest of me and realized my legs had taken the brunt of the damage.
 
I got up and went to grab clothes quickly.
 
I pulled on a pair of underpants and a bra when Xavier burst back in as I was fighting with a shirt.
 
He quickly turned away.
 

“
Juliet,
”

I wrapped the towel around myself, but in my haste, I managed to scrape against my legs.
  “Ow,”
I muttered and I let myself sink to the floor.

“
Let me look.
” 
Xavier had gone to fetch tweezers and was now gingerly pulling out shards.
  “
Those seem to be all the ones I can get to.
” 
Xavier sighed.
  “
How about the rest of you?
 
Are there any others I missed?
”

I shook my head.
  “
I, I don’
t think so.
” 
I suddenly realized just how close he was to me.

Staring at the concern in his chocolaty brown eyes made something feel tight in my stomach.
 

“
What in the world were you doing?
”

I shrugged.
  “I
’
m not really sure.
”

“
Why would you start smashing things?
”

“
I was just frustrated.
”

“
So you smashed everything?
”

“
I haven
’
t had an outlet since I got here.
 
I have no idea what I
’
m doing here, and it
’
s just been one thing after another since I
’
ve arrived.
 
I guess I just vented.
”

“
That
’
s you
’
re version of venting?
”

I shrugged.
  “
Not my usual, but a way.
 
I have to say, I do feel a little better.
”

Xavier sighed then pulled me into a hug.
  “
You are something else.
 
Go get dressed,
”
Xavier left without another word and I stared at the closed door.

I wasn
’
t sure what I was feeling, but I wasn
’
t sure I cared.
  
I wasn
’
t sure if I liked it or not, but I pushed it to the back of my mind.
  I
’
d worry about it later.
 
I pulled out a pair of loose jeans and a concert tee and threw myself on my bed.
 
I wasn
’
t alone for long because Gwen snuck in.

“
Hello gorgeous,
”

“
Hey Gwen,
”

“
I hear you
’
re under house arrest again.
”

“
Something like that,
”

Gwen gave me a devilish smirk.
  “
Well, that
’
s perfect.”

“
Why?
”

“
The penguins are playing again tonight and Harper really wants to see you.
”

“
I don’
t know.
”

“
Come on, it will be fun.
” 
I glanced at the door.

“
What about Xavier?
”

“
What about him?
”

“He
’
ll know if I sneak out.
”

“
So we
’
ll be sneakier.”

I sighed.
  “You
’
re not going to let me say no, are you?
”

“
No, you
’
re going to come have fun.
”

I sighed.
  “I
’
m in so much trouble, Gwen.
”

“
So what
’
s a little more then?
”
Gwen smirked.
  “Now, let
’
s start planning this.
”

Gwen said let
’
s plan, but it was really she already had it all planned out and I was just supposed to go along with it.
  “
Have you eaten?
 
I made Xavier take you a cookie.
 
Did he give it to you?
 
If not, I have more.
”  
Gwen pulled out a pouch full of cookies.
 “
So, you are confined to your room.
  I
’
ll have Xavier take you dinner, then you tell him you want to go to bed early, and not long after that, I
’
ll come get you.
”

“
And what if Xavier figures you out?
”

“
He won
’
t he not that smart.
”

“
Gwen, he already asked before you even came in here if we were sneaking out.
”

“
That tricky bastard.
”

“
Gwen, what have you already told him.
”

“
Nothing important.
”

“
What did you tell him?
”

“
That it was his job to make you feel better.
”

I sighed.
  “Gwen, go get me Xavier,”

“
What are you up to?
”

“
Just go get him.
”

“Don
’
t spoil my plans,”
Gwen warned.

“I promise,”

“
Alright,
”
Gwen grudgingly got up and went to go get Xavier.

I was staring at the ceiling when he came in.
  “
Gwen said you needed me?
”

“Yeah,”

“
What
’
s up?
”

“
I wanted to give you a little heads up.
”

“
What
’
s that?
”

“I
’
m going out tonight.
”

“You
’
re what?
”
Xavier asked, raising an eyebrow.

“
You heard me.
”

“
And what makes you think I
’
ll allow this?
”

“It
’
s your fault I got hurt.
”

“Oh? 
Please tell me how this is so?
”

“
If you hadn
’
t come barging into my bathroom while I was stark naked, I wouldn
’
t have run for the towel and slid across a glass encrusted floor.
”
I shrugged.

“
So, despite the fact that you smashed everything in the bathroom, you
’
re going to say it
’
s my fault because I
‘
barged in
’
on you?
”
Xavier asked making air quote.

“
Yeah, you
’
re getting it.
  Yay!  I
’
ll tell Gwen to bring you a cookie.
”

“
That is such backwards logic.
”