I wander around aimlessly. I wipe my arm across my eyes once again to clear the tears that kept coming like rivulets of rain. My eyes were puffy and bloodshot. He was such a jerk! How could he even say something like that? He would never know what it's like to be poor. I sigh as I sit down on the newly mowed lawn. I look up at the clouds as cold splotches of rain patter against my skin. I tuck my knees in against my chest and bury my face in my knees, soaking up the rain. I replay the scene over and over again in my head and each time it hurts even more than the time before. I feel the wind blow gently and it sends shivers down my spine making goosebumps rise on my arms. I feel someone pull me into their sturdy, toned arms. The soft touch of their fingers reach my forehead as they stroke back loose strands of hair from my face. I shudder as another gust of wind blows sending chills through my body. They grasp me tighter, pulling me in closer to their chest and they hang their head over to observe me.

William looks down at me, distraught clearly distinguished in his facial features. He puts a hand to my fair-skinned cheek. "Evelyn, you're freezing cold and unnaturally pale." In that moment, I greatly wanted to roll my eyes at him and say something to show how infuriated I was but I couldn't speak or do anything as a matter of fact. My throat felt constricted and arid and my whole body felt rigid like an igneous rock after being cooled and hardened. He begins trotting towards the castle with me in his arms. I watch his face as determination crosses over it and he continuously trots towards the castle. His hair drips water and he flips his hair to keep it out of his face. He looks at me and gives me an apologetic smile. I dart my eyes away before looking at him again ad he turns away to look straight ahead. The wind was rustling his hair and he looked...well, he looked gorgeous. I couldn't help but notice the way he narrowed his eyes as he tried to concentrate, the way he tilted his head slightly to the right as the wind blew, and the way he smiled to himself when he realized how close we were to the castle. Getting caught up in all his beauty, I still had to remember I was mad at him as much as I wanted to hold him closer to me and bury my face in his chest to get warm, I had to hold my ground. As we arrive to the castle, he bursts through the doors like a knight into a tower to save the princess from a fire-breathing dragon. He sprints up the stairs and into his room.

I fidget uncomfortably and open my mouth to speak. "It's f-f-forbidden." It comes out merely as a hoarse whisper.

He shakes his head. "That hasn't stopped you before." He sits me on the bed and points to his maid. "Jennifer, run hot water in the tub and add some midnight honey musk bubble mix." Jennifer comes to me, helping to lift me off the bed and she ushers me into the bathroom. After hurriedly closing the door, she grabs a towel and sets it on the toilet seat, which was adjacent to the tub. She dismisses herself and I undress before stepping into the tub. The tub was filled with steamy water like that from a hot spring and white bubbles, smelling like midnight honey musk, envelop the tub. I lie back as a warm sensation floods my body, making my skin tingle. It felt like a fire spreading throughout my body starting at my fingertips. The bubbles covered the entire area of the tub, you couldn't see into the tub. All you could see was the bubbles and my head, which was above the surface of the water. I close my eyes in peace and listen to the silence which, somehow, relaxed me. I jerk my head up as the door opens and in walks Prince William.

He sits down on the toilet seat after moving the towel onto his lap. "I guess our date will have to be a little late."

I stare at him, a fire burning in my eyes before leaning back again resting my head against the wall.

He leans forward resting his elbows on his knees. "Evelyn." After a long moment of silence, he clears his throat. "I am deeply sorry. I was not thinking about how it would effect you. I didn't mean it to sound like that." I look at him alertly. 'Was he really apologizing?' He swallows a lump in his throat and I can see the sorrow in his eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt you..."

I take a breath and exhale slowly-slower than a snail making its way across a leaf. He looks to the floor hopelessly. "I know you weren't trying to hurt me," my voice is shaky and barely audible but what else could I do. I was still torn over the situation earlier, and I felt self conscious. Whether he knew it or not "but you did." I think of how to word it. "That was personal and things you say can actually hurt and offend people, believe it or not." He laughs and I look at him before glaring at him coldly. "You're really gonna laugh?"

"No, I'm laughing at the fact that what I say matters to you." He jumps up from the toilet seat-like a squirrel hopping from tree to tree- as I splash water at him.

"Get out!" I point to the door as I try to hide a smile.

He shakes his head stubbornly. He was as stubborn as a mule and that makes me want to whack him upside the head with a broom sometimes-correction, a lot of the time. "Nope, I'm not going anywhere." I grab a handful of the foamy, fragrancy bubbles and blow them at him like a wind blowing snow in a harsh winter month. He sprints to the door after dropping the towel back on the toilet seat and he yells behind him, "Don't take too long or you'll get all wrinkly like a raisin!"

I laugh before scrubbing my body head to toes and carefully step out of the tub. I wrap the towel tightly around my body before cracking the door and poking my head out. "Um...we sort of have a problem here."

I hear some shuffling. "And that would be?"

I sigh and mentally roll my eyes at his obvious ignorance. "I need some clothes!"

"Ah, they're on the left side of the bed by the nightstand." I can hear the smile in his voice.

"I'm in a towel. Do you truly think I'm going to go get them?"

"Well considering you just got a bath and you're clothes are on the bed, I know you're in a towel and if you want clothes, you're gonna have to come get them."

I groan. "I hate you right now!"

He chuckles. "I can live with that."

I open the door and tiptoe out as I hear him shuffle through papers and opening drawers. Instantly, my feet hit carpet, the plush dark burgundy squishing between my toes like a sponge.

I grab the neatly folded clothes in my hand and nearly jump out of my skin as I turn and end up face to face with William. "Funny how fate works, huh. Now you're the one in a towel."

I cross my arms trying to shield my body from unnecessary observation. I did not want any sexual thoughts to cross his mind. None! Nothing sexual was ever going to happen between us. He could get any thoughts of the sort out of that pretty little mind of his. "And I'll be headed back to the bathroom now, if you don't mind."

He smiles. "Of course, I don't want to see you in this situation. It gives off too much sex appeal." He walks away without another word.

I walk back to the bathroom, clutching the clothes to my chest, my knuckles ghastly white. I couldn't help but feel a little offended at his comment. 'He didn't want to see me in that situation. It gives off too much sex appeal.' Was it because of my body, or just me in general? I shake my head violently. 'No, I wanted this. I don't want him to want me or see me in a towel. Maybe this was a sign. A sign things were finally going right. I swiftly throw the clothes on: a pair of dark tinted flare jeans that hugged my waist with three buttons above the zipper, coral and sea green striped socks, a white v-neck shirt with floral decorations, and a light grey knit sweater. I walk out of the bathroom after delicately hanging my towel over a rail.

William hands me a blow dryer. "Here, I know girls need to beautify or whatever. But make it snappy."

I take it graciously. "Speaking of, I think you need to beautify or whatever. You stink like wet dog."

He puts a finger to his chin in sarcastic thought. "Hmm...I wonder why that is. Maybe because I spent over thirty minutes looking for a girl in the rain."

I laugh heartily as I shake my head. "No, I don't think that's it. I don't recall you looking for any girl."

"Haha, very funny." He pulls me to him, arms around my waist. "I believe you were Little Bo Peep's lost sheep I was looking for in the rain."

I push him away and run to the bathroom. "You, go. You stink and you're all wet. You need to clean up...alot."

He crosses his arms over his tined chest and taps his foot impatiently. "If you'd hurry with your prepping, I could get a shower."

"Okay, okay." I wave my hands frantically before shutting the doors and plugging in the blow dryer. I thoroughly brush my rat's nest of hair, getting out tangles and knots and begin blow drying. As it turns on, it sounds like a car engine zooming to life. I nearly jump out of my skin at the unfamiliarity of the sound.

Twenty minutes later, Prince William bangs on the door. "You almost done? Like seriously, you've been in there for twenty minutes now. Have you forgotten that I smell like wet dog and need a shower?"

I turn the blow dryer off, setting it down on the counter gently, and laugh. "No, I definitely did not forget. Anyways, I'm done. Jeesh, ever heard of patience?" I brush my hair once more, letting it fall down my back.

I open the door and he stalks past me holding back a grin. Closing the door, I hear the water start. I walk over to the bookshelves, shuffling through the books, finally deciding on To Kill A Mockingbird. I sit on his bed and begin reading it, crossing my ankles comfortably. I lean back against the plush pillows and listen to the rhythmic sound of the running shower water as I read.