Chapter 7 What Do You Want, Andrew?

• - First of all, we didn't really get married. I said looking at him.
• - Ah, this hurt deeply in my teenage heart, which I swore it was true. He chuckled sarcastically, placing his hand over his heart and bowing slightly, as if he'd been hurt.
• - Second, it's not a ring, ring or whatever it really is. It was just a key ring.
• - That you kept for eight years? He shook his head. – What would you do if I gave you a real jewel?
• I blushed and he laughed, touching my face:
• - Her skin betrays her...
• I took a step back and continued:
• - Thirdly, I want you to respect Gael... Because he's my boyfriend.
• - Then you must respect him first.
• - I didn't understand...
• - Your eyes condemn you, brat.
• - What are you trying to say?
• - That you want to repeat the kiss as much as I do.
• I felt my heart beat wildly and a butterflies in my stomach leave me practically immobile, with a mixture of feelings inside me that I couldn't explain.
• - I... I don't feel like repeating myself... - I lied blatantly.
• - What a shame. I'd like to show you what a real kiss is. I bet you would want to kiss me for the rest of your life after trying it.
• - And there's the fourth place... - I tried to continue, ignoring what he was telling me, almost out of breath.
• - I'm curious. – he looked at me.
• - Gael doesn't run like a girl. There are girls who run much better than him.
• - I doubt.
• - Well, don't doubt it.
• I turned my back and started walking. Andrew was pretentious, cocky, and...
• - Ale... I won't get the kiss as a reward for recovering our ring?
• - I... Your... - I didn't even know what to say.
• I climbed the stairs furiously, sure he was watching me closely.
• Lunch with the Chevaliers was peaceful. Andrew never once looked at me at the table, and I was so upset I might even have regretted the things I said to him. Yes, I couldn't deny that I liked that man. He couldn't get out of my head. And my hope was that when I saw him again, after eight years, that childhood passion would be gone. But I was wrong: nothing has changed about my feelings for him. Even the fact that I found him conceited and overbearing didn't stop my obsession. Was it obsession? I didn't even know what I thought about Andrew Chevalier anymore. The only certainty I had was that he made me feel butterflies in my stomach and sensations I had never felt before... Except with himself, when I was still a child.
• After lunch, he and Henry went with my father for a walk to see Alpemburg Castle, which, although much smaller than Noriah South's, was still an easy place to get lost in if you didn't know.
• I spent the day reading in my room. I didn't want to see Aime because of what she had done, nor Pauline because I had doubted her, much less my mother who was curious about the ring.
• I got a reminder on my cell phone not to forget about the prom dress. Yes, the next Saturday was my high school graduation. And soon I would have to decide where I was going to go to college. And the place couldn't be Alpemburg, that much I knew. Even though it looked like my parents wanted to get rid of me, I knew it was for my own good. They wanted me to grow up and mature. And attending high school in Alpemburg, being a princess, was a bad experience for my adolescence.
• I didn't even feel like choosing a nice dress for the event. But I had to find something cool to wear at night. I got up excitedly and went to the closet, choosing a below-the-knee A-line dress, with a loose, slightly flared skirt. The neckline was “princess” style, which I thought was fun to mention. But he valued my small breasts, which I made sure to wrap in a bra with a big cup. The brat is gone, Andrew Chevalier. I'm a woman...or almost one, I thought as I looked at myself in the mirror, not looking anything like a real woman...or even experienced. But deep down that was me: Alexia. The eighteen-year-old girl who was still a girl many times, when she ate ice cream with her grandfather and smeared herself all over, even getting her clothes dirty. Or when she walked hand in hand with her father around the racetrack and he picked her up off the ground, twirling her feet high when she won a race. Andrew needed to really get to know me, as I was. Because I wasn't a woman like Laura…or any other he'd ever known.
• God, why couldn't I stop thinking about him? Get him out of my head, please. I asked, looking up, as if talking to Jesus.
• I did light makeup and put on comfortable shoes. When I realized it was nineteen o'clock. I went down to the dining room, where everyone was waiting next door, in the space next to the table, sipping a few drinks before the meal.
• When I saw my grandfather, Sean, my heart filled with love. I almost ran to him and hugged him, feeling the grip of his arms behind my back.
• He looked at me intently and took my hand, spinning me around.
• - You look beautiful, Ale.
• - Thanks.
• - After all, it's no ordinary dinner. He smiled, speaking in my ear.
• I grimaced and looked around to make sure no one had heard. And no one really heard, due to our distance from the others, but my eyes met Andrew's, who were looking at me intently. I felt my heart jump immediately and the so good, but at the same time strange, butterflies in my stomach.
• We were told dinner was ready and then we headed to the table. The Bretonne d'Auvergnes took their seats while the guests waited, as was their custom.
• - Sit down where you feel most comfortable, please. - said my father.
• My eyes met Andrew's as he came around to sit next to me.
• - Andrew, sit next to me... Please. – asked Aime.
• He stopped, almost reaching his chosen seat, which was the chair to my left. Then he turned around gently, doing Aime's will. I didn't even know if it was better to have him next to me or almost in front of me.
• - You can sit where you usually are, Sean. Henry said politely.
• - No way. Guests first. – Sean said gently.
• Henry sat next to me and my grandfather sat next to him. Sean didn't live in the castle, by choice. But he had a house very close by and he came to see us daily. He and my mother were very emotionally attached, as were my father and I. But it was impossible not to love my grandfather intensely, because he was just a perfect man.
• Dinner was served. I wasn't hungry, even though I hadn't eaten anything all afternoon. I think Andrew's presence at the table made me nervous. But if I continued like this, I'd be even skinnier, because I didn't know how long they'd be there.
• We were silent while we ate, which wasn't very common in our family as we talked a lot at the table. But that was when there were no guests.
• After dinner, my dad invited everyone into the living room, a large, expansive place with countless drinks available to everyone, including freshly ground coffee. We always received visitors there after meals, especially in the evening.
• It was one of the biggest rooms in the castle, with lots of little mini spaces to sit and talk. I particularly liked it there. Aime luckily did not participate in this part. My mother sent one of the servants to put her to bed, as it was late. So, after being by Andrew's side for nearly an hour, she let him go.
• I sat in a comfortable armchair, kicking off my shoes and letting them touch the plush rug. Pauline was still sitting upright, her legs slightly drawn up, as if she were posing for a drawing. I felt sorry for my sister sometimes, for not being able to be normal. Of course I knew it wasn't right for me to take off my shoes in the presence of visitors, but I was in my house, even though it was a castle, and among “relatives”, as my father insisted on remembering.
• It was then that I noticed the looks exchanged between my sister and Henry. It was visible to anyone who wanted to see it. They couldn't hide.
• Henry handed Dereck and Kim's party invitation into my dad's hands, saying,
• - My parents insist on the presence of the D'Auvergne Bretonnes at this ball in Noriah.
• - And we will, for sure, Henry.
• - I'm already curious. said my mother. “I know Dereck throws great parties.
• Henry laughed:
• - My parents don't like discretion, as you well know. They chose a theme: Masquerade Ball.
• - How interesting. said my mother. - I'm already looking forward to it. Don't you girls?
• - Very anxious. - Pauline said. – Thanks for the invitation, Henry. Thank your parents on our behalf.
• - Thank you, Pauline. He looked at my father. – Do you think I should call you Highness, Estevan?
• - Of course not, Henry. We are family. – Estevan insisted on remembering. - Just as I don't accept being called Majesty by you, I don't want you to call her so formally.
• - But I noticed Gael calling her Highness. - Andrew observed. – Doesn't he make it on your family list, even though he's Alexia's boyfriend? They don't have a commitment... Current... Or future? – he was confused.
• - Many questions in one, boy. – observed my grandfather, smiling ironically.
• I thought about answering, but let my father do it:
• - There is some resistance by the future queen in power. So I demand that everyone, except family, of course, treat Pauline as she should be treated: heir to the throne of Alpemburg.
• - Didn't answer the boy about Gael not being on the "family" list, being Alexia's boyfriend, Estevan. - said my grandfather, looking at me.
• - Well, Gael will only effectively be part of the “family” when he marries my daughter Alexia.
• - Which may not happen so soon... or even never happen. – Sean observed, lifting his whiskey glass towards me.
• - Sean, of course I want the union between Alexia and Gael. I like him. He's a man from a good family, older than her, mature, responsible. His father will soon join the court. We're big friends. And Gael is interested in joining the court too.
• - I thought you didn't like her involvement with older men. - Andrew said, seeming to want to return to an old argument.
• - Why shouldn't you like it, Andrew? – I got up, going to them and trying not to go back to the past. “My father wants what's best for me. I hugged my father.
• – Alexia is quite mature, even at her young age. said my mother. – She and Gael get along well. I believe in a possible marriage. – she looked at me.
• - I would very much like to. – confirmed my father. “By the way, I don't want any other man for Alexia but Gael. – he was even clearer.
• - But he wouldn't force her to marry him if she didn't want to, would he, Estevan? my grandfather asked.
• - Of course not, Sean. Satini and I know a lot about arranged marriages and how much it can make people suffer. I would never want that for my daughters.
• - Estevan and I were promised since we were born... But we fell in love without knowing who we were. We suffered a lot until we found ourselves as the future couple predestined by our parents. We would never accept one of our daughters marrying someone without love.
• - So you mean that, although you want Gael to be her husband, you don't object if it's anyone else? Andrew asked, making Henry spit out his drink.
• I looked at him in disbelief.
• - I think I drank too much. said Henry. “Honestly, I'm not used to drinking anything that strong. - justified. – Forgive my bad manners.
• - Where exactly do you want to go, Andrew? my father asked seriously.
• - If one of your daughters wanted to marry, for example, a poor man... Normal, without any title or claim to be someone in life. said Henry. – That's what he meant, Estevan. Because we always wonder, my cousin and I, about this question of marriage between nobility, royalty and normal people.
• Spoke a now sober Henry, trying to save his cousin.
• - They can choose whoever they want, as long as Satini and I approve. – my father said dryly.
• I remembered everything that had been done to keep Alef away from Pauline. No, we didn't exactly have a choice. If so, my sister would be with Alef, even if he was a reckless idiot.
• - Sean, you're also invited to the masquerade ball. Henry said, changing the subject.
• - It would be my pleasure, Henry. But since all the D'Auvergne Bretonne will leave, I make a point of staying here, taking care of everything. But I know they will make my granddaughters enjoy their stay in Noriah Sul very well.
• - Certainly. Henry smiled, looking at Pauline.
• My dad started an affair with Sean and Andrew came up to me, whiskey in hand.
• - What are you looking for anyway, Andrew? I asked at once.
• - You know what I want. – he said looking at me.
• - What do you want, Andrew? my mother asked, stepping between us. “I think I arrived just in time for our promised conversation.