“Um… Hey Sam.” Natalia smiled politely and sat upright.
Sam was the sales guy who had tried to flirt with her at the minimart where Natalia bought some groceries to make an apologetic meal for Arian when he was at the hospital.
Natalia suddenly felt awkward as she remembered her threat;
~~ … I said he wasn’t my boyfriend but didn’t say I was searching. Trust me when I say that whether or not you remain efficient at this counter in an hour depends on my silence. I’m sure the name De’ Argent rings a bell… ~~
Sam awkwardly smiled as well and walked a bit closer. “How are you? Are you here alone?”
“I’m fine, thanks. Actually, I’m not alone. You?” His face heated up as he smiled more freely this time.
”I came with a girl i’m currently courting.”
”Oh.” Natalia breathed. She was grateful he’d changed from being an open flirt.
“Hey, i’m sorry for… you know, being the idiot I was? Thanks for not screwing me.” He apologized and she chuckled.
“It’s no biggie. I’m also sorry for being the temperamental granny.” She copied making him laugh.
“So where’s your…. I mean where’s she?” He looked around before shrugging.
“Her friends are gone as well. Maybe they went to grab something while I was away. Can I sit for a bit?… if you don’t mind.” He quickly added.
Natalia thought about Arian and remembered the queue at the ice cream cart on their way into the park and felt bad for him. She looked at Sam and felt pity for him too and moved, politely grinning up at him. “Sure!”
She thought he’ld sight his… girlfriend?… soon but they got lost the more they talked when she didn’t show up. Sam was funny and lively and reminded her of Eric!
She laughed when he narrated how he almost lost his legs at a game of truth or dare. He confessed that he only participated in the game because his crush was among the group and wanted to steal a kiss after she’d dared!
Dumbo! She chuckled again.
“Am I interrupting?” Arian’s voice cut through their talk.
Sam’s lively face instantly died into recognition and fear as he hastily stood up.
“Um… no… I was… you haven’t… Nata…”
“Arian meet Sam. I met him once and he came by to say hi.” She naively smiled.
Arian raised a brow and scrutinized him, not doing much to hide the disdain on his face. Natalia noticed it and flew up. She smiled and cutely entwined their arms.
“Yay, ice cream! What took you so long?” She aggrievedly pouted.
“I’m sorry, Sugar. But some some brunnette with brown eyes kept on flirting.” He pulled her closer to himself.
Natalia faked a frown. “Did you flirt back?”
“Aish! You know i’ld never.” He played along. “She isn’t even quarter as pretty as you are. Besides, she said she came with some kiss buddy named Sam…. whoever that is.” He shrugged scornfully.
“Jane?” Natalia heard Sam whisper behind her and put the whole puzzle together.
Jane was the tramp Sam was courting…. flirting with HER BOYFRIEND!
The princess swallowed the impulse to storm over to the ice cream cart and pull out all her fake hair!!
“I worked so hard to get you the ice cream. Now may I have that kiss?” Arian adorably pouted. Natalia slyly tried to pull away but he held her to himself flawlessly.
“Arian!” She breathed, flushing from the number of giggling eyes turning their way. A gorgeous couple wearing matching outfits was bound to draw attention and the increasing audience made the princess flush hotter.
“Pleeease.” He made a cute face.
“Okay! Just a tiny little one.” She whispered and he nodded mischievously.
Natalia suspiciously narrowed her eyes.
“Don’t even try any….” Arian connected their lips without warning, cutting her off. He skipped the teases and dived straight into the passionate smooch.
An alarm bell lazily rang out in Natalia’s head, signifying time out. She tried to break off but in the process, her ice cream fell off.
“Arian!” She squirmed tearily, watching as the cream merged with the green grass.
“Mhn?” He murmured distractedly, placing flurry kisses all over her face.
“You wasted my ice cream!” She whined and hit him.
“Let’s go to my place and you can have all the ice cream you want…. if you let me lick it off you.” He slurred in a sexy voice which made her scowl, but eventually turn into a giggle, and then a blush.
Sighs.
“Nooo! I don’t wanna go home now. Nanny will force me to have a nap! Arian let’s go over to your house instead.” Tommy whined, misunderstanding him.
Natalia turned sharply to find him seated on the park bench with her phone.
When did he…?
Did he see…??
Crap!
“What… house?” She asked. Sam had long disappeared.
“Arian has a secret house. Didn’t he tell you?” Tommy puckered his lips, looking at her weirdly. She directed that same look to Arian who was back hugging her tightly.
“Thanks Tom.” He scowled lightly. Tommy giggled nervously and hastily looked away.
“I’ll tell you some other time, Sugar…”
***
“Hey girls.” Ricky beamed at the trio. Natalia and Nicky beamed back.
“Ready cupcake?” He looked at Elva. She nodded with a smile. They were gonna have a lunch date outside school today.
“Ricky, why isn’t Arian yet in school?” Natalia whined.
“I really don’t know. I tried reaching out but all his phones are switched off. Selena skipped as well. Maybe he’s being lazy as usual.” He shrugged and pocketed.
“Miss him already?” He smirked tauntily and she pouted, hugging her books closer. The girls almost laughed because she looked like a baby!
“Don’t worry, Sugar. He’ll be here soon.” He mimicked Arian making her scowl playfully.
“Bring back take aways!” Nicky yelled after them…
***
“What would be your orders, please?” The waitress purred a little too sweetly.
“I’ll have pasta and Russian salad. Thank you.” Elva dropped her menu.
“Yuck!” Ricky made a sour face. “Babe you can’t eat that. You’ve lost too much weight lately. We’ll both have Paella and Rissole as the main dish then Madeira cake and malted milk for her and Sponge cake for me as dessert.
“Oh! And get us the best fruit wine you have. Please tell the head Chef to make the texture of the Salisbury steak exactly the way I like it. Thanks.” Ricky waved her away.
And he didn’t even look at the menu!
Elva looked in pity as the waitress tried to jot everything down in a flash, forgetting about her purposeful smile.
“Are you trying to turn me into a cow?” She mused and he shrugged.
“Are you alright?” His eyes softened as he touched her cheek.
“I’m fine, Rick…. just stressed.” She touched his.
“Do you wanna talk about it?”
“Nah, not really. I’ve just been studying a lot that’s all.” She muttered a part of the truth.
“Oh.” He breathed and entwined their fingers.
“Did you really mean it?” She lowered her eyes.
“Mean what?”
“Would you still like me if I’m literally as fat as a cow?” She raised her eyes.
“No.” His answer was short and to the point.
Her heart fell.
“Elva, I don’t like you. I love you. I’m so into you that no matter the way you look, nothing will ever change the way I feel about you.” He stated and she almost drowned in the amount of love in his eyes.
“Even if you look like a toothpick.” He teased. She flung a napkin at him.
School and her final training as a Royal Assistant had been stressing her out. The Queen had suddenly demanded she continued her training twice as hard without lagging behind. It made Elva stressed and worried deep down.
And a part of her feared for Natalia.
“I love you too.” She whispered from the bottom of her heart. Ricky grinned.
“Pfft! Who wouldn’t fall in love with all this.” He smugly gesticulated to himself and she chuckled.
“Idiot!”
“Yours truly…”
***
Natalia was scared.
Arian wasn’t in school and wasn’t picking her calls either. She tried to ignore it but the aweful feeling that something terrible had happened to him kept dampening her emotions.
She shook off the negative feeling once more and paced outside the theatre’s door.
Nicky had asked her to be her wingman but the princess was too worried to stay calm, so she’d come outside. She tried to reach him again but the call went straight to voicemail.
She made up her mind and called Mom Rose. But Mom Rose told her he’d left home some hours ago.
Natalia fought her helpless tears. She was starting to feel dizzy. She’d skipped breakfast because it’d become their habit to share her sandwich together and also skipped lunch because she couldn’t eat without him.
A message buzzed into her phone and she quickly brought it out.
But it was from… Leonardo?
He asked her to meet up at one of the school garden saying it was important. They’d been there together like a thousand times so it was easy to find.
It took Natalia a couple of minutes. She looked around and found him seated at their favourite spot, lost in thoughts. She hurried over and sat next to him.
“Leo, are you okay? Why do you look so broken. Is it your mom? Did something happen?”
Leonardo remained speechless till she was done.
“Is it true?” He whispered and looked at her.
“Is what true?” She whispered back, feeling depressed by the amount of hurt in his eyes.
“You’re dating him?” He said with effort. Natalia silently looked away, feeling a bit guilty and bad. She clamped her fingers together and mouthed a silent yes.
He scoffed and stood up.
“Why would you?!” He yelled and she flinched in fear…
Chapter 84