Our newly bought house looked as if it had been lived in before we arrived. The carpet was an ugly grayish color with huge, dark stains that looked permanently embedded into the flooring. Paint from the beige walls was chipping off onto the floor. A lone couch was sitting in the center of the living room, a deep gash causing stuffing to pop out of the middle cushion. Dust was gathering in the corners, combining into clumps.

“I’m seriously thinking about turning around and going back home.”

I turned to look at Shailene. Her eyebrows were pulled down, forming a crease between them. She seemed disgusted by what lay before us.

“Let’s try our rooms. Maybe they’ll be better,” I suggested.

I adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder and rolled my suitcase to the right. Flipping the light switch, the room illuminated with light so I was able to see my bedroom. It didn’t look any better than what was in the living room. A small twin sized bed sat in the corner, stripped from any blankets.

Sighing, I hefted my luggage onto the bed and unzipped it. As I began to unpack, I heard a shrill scream echo through the house. My heart began to race as I jumped into action, sprinting to find Shailene. Her room was farther down from mine.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, gripping the doorframe, struggling to catch my breath.

She pointed to the corner, hand shaking. “T-there’s a spider.”

A spider? Really? I rolled my eyes, annoyed. “Shay, you scared the crap out of me!” I yelled, looking for the spider. “I thought you were being attacked!”

I stomped the unwanted intruder with my shoe, squashing it into the already dirty carpet. “There,” I said firmly, “it’s dead.”

Her long, brown curls fell in her face and she brushed them back. Her expression was still somewhat disgusted. “Now I have bug guts in my room.”

Again, I sighed. “Look, I killed the dang thing. Get over it. A little bug guts aren’t going to kill you.” Shailene was always complaining about something. She huffed.

We were both already frustrated and we hadn’t been here in London but two hours at most. Our flight here from America had been delayed and we had to wait an hour before they even boarded the plane. And the flight was rough. The pilot experienced some turbulence so it was bumpy and uncomfortable. Once we had arrived, we had to walk to our house because we hadn’t yet exchanged out American dollars for pounds. It seemed that our day was going horribly awry.

“How about we take a break and go sight seeing?” I suggested, crossing my arms across my chest.

Shailene’s deep brown eyes brightened and a smile tugged at her pink lips. “That sounds perfect. Just let me change first.”

I nodded and closed the door behind me as I left. Since my suitcase was open, I pulled out an outfit for me to change into as well. I wore a pair of multi-colored leggings with a tribal pattern and a plain blue shirt to match. Then, I waited in the living room for Shailene. I didn’t take my chances with the couch, but leaned against the wall instead. She soon appeared, looking refreshed. She wore a pair of super tight jeans and an orange peplum top. Her brown hair curved into beautiful ringlets at the ends, falling just past her shoulders.

“Come on,” I said, going for the door. Shailene followed behind me.

We walked the streets of London, admiring the Victorian style buildings and houses. Everything held a rustic feel. It was breathtaking. One of the reasons Shailene and I had moved here was to see the world. We had decided to buy a house together and stay with each other no matter what. That’s what best friends do.

“What’s that, El?” Shailene asked, pointing to a castle like building in front of us. There was a gate in front; two pillars perched on each side. I was in awe by its beauty.

“That, my friend, is Buckingham Palace.”

“Really? That’s so cool!” Shailene cooed.

“Yeah,” I said, stepping forward, wrapping my fingers against the wrought iron gate. “It is.”

Just as I was about to say something else to Shailene, someone behind me cleared their throat. I turned to face the stranger, seeing a man dressed in uniform. A bright red coat with golden buttons fell down his torso, along with a pair of pants hanging loosely from his legs. My eyes traveled upward, spotting a black, fuzzy looking hat sitting atop his head. His expression was serious, lips pulled taut.

“I’m sorry to bother you miss, but the prince requests your presence.”

I raised an eyebrow in curiosity, looking over the man’s shoulder to Shailene. She shrugged. The prince was requesting my presence? The prince? Was this some kind of joke?

“You must have the wrong girl,” I said, laughing the situation off, waving my hand. The prince would never want me.

I started to walk away, but the man grabbed my forearm. His grip was surprisingly strong. “No. You’re the girl. Blonde hair, blue eyes, weird patterned leggings.”

My cheeks flushed with heat. “Why would he request my presence?” I asked. Shailene was listening closely.

“I don’t ask question miss. I only follow orders,” he replied. His expression never wavered once. “Now if you could please come with me.”

I looked back at Shailene. The man still had a firm grip on my arm. She ushered me on, mouthing the word, ‘go!’ I gulped, swallowing thickly. “Wait,” I said. “Can I bring my friend?”

I pointed in her direction. Her cheeks turned a light shade of red. The man looked to Shailene then back to me, finally sighing. “I don’t know if the prince would allow it. He specified that he only wanted you.”

What was so special about me?

“I’ll be fine, Ellie,” Shailene interjected. “Go on. Have fun.”

“But-“ I started to protest.

“Come on miss. We must be going,” the man intercepted my rant, dragging me forward by the heels of my shoes.

As I struggled to keep up with his pace, I looked over my shoulder to find Shailene standing there, smiling and waving. I returned her gesture. But one thought stood out in my mind ever since the man in uniform approached me.

Why had the prince requested my presence?

Notes

I hope you guys like this!! Please do not be a silent reader! Leave a comment! I love to know what you think even if you just have to say one word.

To those of you who have read my other stories. Are you noticing a pattern? I always use girls with blonde hair!! Maybe it's because I have blonde hair, who knows!!