Fake It

I write down June 1st in cutesy bubble letters to commemorate the begging of our wedding planning this morning. It's been a little bit over a week since I yelled at Zain and since then, I think he's been a lot more thoughtful in consideration to my feelings. I smile at the thought. Lately, I've been introduced to many of the princes. It's been weird to say the least. There's Prince Louis, who is the most sexed-up man I've ever met. Yes, he's got a reputation for being a bit of a man-slut, but at the most he's just not afraid to openly share his sexual adventures. His assistant, Emily, is quite amazing, might I add.

I also met Prince Liam. He's a big softie. Like, I accidentally dropped one of his glasses and he didn't even flinch. He just smiled at me, saying, "It's fine. I've been meaning to replace these glasses anyway." My blood ran cold at first, because how much of a donut could I be? He's so fucking nice! It's no wonder he and Zain are best friends. Zain won't admit it, but he trusts him a lot.

Last, but not least, I met Prince Niall. His accent is really thick, and a bit hard for me to understand, but for the most part, we were able to communicate with the least amount of words possible. He has a sister, an amazing sister. She's a bitch, but so am I. We click in a way that I don't with Hana. I love Hana, I do, but she's so nice that we clash when I'm irritated.

I love the princes. They're amazing and not at all what I thought they would be. Especially Zain. I vaguely remember a child memory where, for some odd reason, I hated him. I'm not sure why, but I really demised him. Whenever I ask Zain about it, he gives an equally vague answer before leaving the room. I don't try to fight him on that. I mean, something really bad probably happened.

With the surprise influx of wedding planning, I even forgot to eat breakfast this morning. I let Hana drone on about the strict difference between peonies and roses. Apparently, one means good fortune and a happy marriage, while the other meant immortal love. It's dumb, but not all that uninteresting. I smile at Hana, spinning in my seat slightly, as I say, "Peonies sound amazing." She nods at me, placing a picture of peonies in the wedding file.

--

Later in the day, Zain and I go to an interview with the most famous television host in all of Mirlano. Alice Vincent is an all around sweet person, she is. But I hate her. You're asking, "Why? You barely know her." Exactly my point. We barely know each other and yet she has the audacity to ask a question along the lines of, "Should we be expecting a baby anytime soon?" I almost thew up a little at the statement. My cheeks flooded pink and I turned sharply to see Zain in pretty much the same state.

I smile at Alice, telling her, "We haven't talked about it, but hopefully we'd have a girl first."

"Why a girl?" She asks as if that was a stupid answer to her horrid question.

"I always wanted a daughter. A son would be equally as amazing, but with the hardships that Prince Zain himself faces as being heir to the thrown, I'd much rather have more time to understand the royal system before I start pushing out a heir to the thrown who doesn't know much more than I do about what he'd have to do." I declare. I tried not to yell, but hat was rude of her to question me about my choices about my future.

When Alice fumbles for the next question, I look up at Zain on my right side to see him smiling at me.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'd like to have a daughter, too." He says with a shake of his head.

"Really?"

"Shut up, Layne." He tells me when he can't seem to get any redder.

--

After the annoying interview, and an exchange between Zain and our bodyguards, we walk through the town of Rosa. We keep a low profile while we're here as much as we can. Zain abruptly pulls me into a small coffee shop. I almost scream at him, but he's already slipping into a seat at the counter. He motions for me to sit down next to him and I do.

"Hi, Patty. Is Linda here today?" He asks the girl behind the counter.

She smiles so bright you might think she just won a million chreks. She looks to be around the sixteen, but she's pretty curvy so I'm going to go with nineteen with some change. She nods quickly before saying, "Yeah, she's in the back."

"Can you ask her to come out here?"

"Will do." She replies, already walking to the back.

I turn to Zain to ask him something, but-

"Zain!" a little girl yells. She runs around the counter to Zain and clutches his leg. He grins at her, picking her up and placing her in his lap.

"How are you doing?" He asks her, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Great!" She exclaims.

"Good. There's someone I want you to meet." He says, situating her so she's facing me.
My eyes go wide and I'm not sure what to say.

"Oh, really? Hi!" She says, holding her hand out to me, "You must be Layne."

"I am." I say taking her smaller hand in mine.

"I've heard a bunch about you. Zain never shuts up about his fiancé."

"Linda..." He scolds under breath.

I only smile at their exchange.

"I had to bring you to meet her. All she ever says is, 'where is you new fiancé? You have to let me meet her.' Little Linda here is persistent." He explains.

"You're lovely, Miss Layne." She tells me.

"Thank you."

We spend an hour with Linda and Patty before they're forced to close shop.

--

A while latter, we continue walking around Rosa. It wasn't as if we couldn't go back to the castle, but when you are in there for an extended period of time, it becomes annoying to even walk around the castle grounds. I find out that Zain goes to that coffee shop because Patty is his older sisters friend. He found it on accident, but he recognized Patty immediately. Linda's her younger sister and when she asked Zain to help her make sure she could be Linda's legal guardian, he agreed. He visits whenever he can.

Time goes by fast and before we know it, Zain began to painic.

"W-we have to find a way back to the castle." He yells quickly.

"Why?"

"Layne, we have a city curfew! No one is supposed to be out after midnight! How bad would look if the heir of the throne is out past midnight?!"

"Pretty bad." I say without thinking.

"Yeah, it fucking is." He mutters.

I laugh at him for cursing before suggesting, "I have an apartment a couple blocks over. We could stay there for the night."

He sighs in relief with a nod.
--
The second we arrive at my apartment, Zain says, "Oh... This is... nice."

I try not be offended by that as I walk past him and into the kitchen. I pull down some ingredients for spaghetti as I hear Zain shuffle around.

"You don't mind spaghetti, right?"

"Sure." He responds.

After I get the sauce and the noddles boiling, I walk into the living room to look for my charger. Instead I find Zain siting on my couch as if he's been her before.

"I like it. It seems to fit you."

"Thanks." I mutter and I walk over his legs to look in the outlet.

"You can get some. I think it's done." I tell him. He nods and goes into the kitchen.

"Where do you keep the plates?" He asks me and I really don't remember.

"Try the second drawer from the fridge."

"Okay." He replies and you could obviously hear dishes moving around in there from a mile away.

"Please try not to break anything." I warn him as I try to look for my phone charger.

"I'm trying."

My nerves were on the fritz and wasn't at all because of the fear of him breaking one of those fucking expensive teacups.

"Sexy Mama mitts? Really?" He asks me.

"I calls 'em as I sees 'em." I tell him, still looking for that damned charger.

"Where are your utensils?" I hear Zayn ask.

"Have you tried looking?"

"If I didn't, do you think I would be asking you- never mind I found them." He says.

I just shake my head as I plug my phone up. I sit in front of my television as I try to look for a movie. Not Hannah Montana the Movie, or even Tangled. They're not very good first date films. Not that this is a first date, because it's not, but still.

I put Red into the DVD player, and run to my room to find my bunny slippers. I walk back in, pulling one of my sweaters over my head. I move my hair out of my face, noticing two plates on the coffee table.

"Is that for me?" I ask.

"Yeah, I wouldn't two plates of spaghetti simultaneously even if I were paid." He says.
I smile at him as I sit next to him.
We somehow fall asleep to gun shots and gore with all of my lights on. I will or will not admit to falling asleep on his shoulder.

Notes

This is really long and way too early for my usual writing schedule. But I love this.