Since Mary drove us in her car, it made sense she'd drop me back after our little adventure. The "fun place" they hyped wasn't half bad, to be honest.
She followed me out of the car and stopped right in front of the house, smiling like she'd just won a prize.
"Fun night, huh?" she asked, eyes sparkling.
"Yeah, it wasn't bad," I replied with a shrug. "You're showing up at school tomorrow, right?"
"Of course," she said, throwing her arms around me in a quick hug. "Goodnight," she whispered near my ear.
I froze for a second. There it was again that softness in her eyes, that lingering look.Mum was right. Mary's feelings for me were no longer subtle. She wasn't hiding it anymore. But could I blame her? Most girls would kill just to stand close to me, let alone be my best friend. Still, the shift in her energy lately had become too obvious to ignore. "Goodnight," I replied casually, taking a step back. She turned to leave, then suddenly spun around and pecked me on the cheek.
What the hell?
"That's not allowed, Mary," I muttered, rolling my eyes.
She laughed and dashed off to her car, clearly unbothered by the boundaries she'd just crossed.
Don't catch feelings, Mary, I thought as I watched her leave. I'm not the one you fall for unless you enjoy getting your heart broken. I walked into the house and found Mum standing by the window, watching the driveway like she'd been there for a while. Weird. "Mum?" I greeted, slightly confused. "Evening. "Was that Mary?" she asked, her smile soft but sly. "Yeah..." I answered slowly, unsure where this was going. "She's a beautiful girl. Don't you think so?" Mum turned, eyes glinting with mischief. "She'd make a lovely girlfriend."
Here we go again. I groaned internally and walked toward the wine bar, grabbing a bottle of red and popping it open. "Mary and I are just friends," I said, pouring the wine straight into my mouth. "That's all it's ever been.""She's still girlfriend material," she insisted, taking a step closer. "Come on, Daniel. You two have history. Chemistry." I ignored her, focusing on the wine instead of her relentless matchmaking attempts. Love wasn't on my to-do list. "You know," she said wistfully, "I always wished I had a daughter. Someone to spoil, to braid her hair, teach her how to dress up."
I blinked. "Wait, are you saying you wish I were a girl?"
Her eyes widened. "No! I'm just saying it would've been nice if you had a sister. Or at the very least... a girlfriend who could balance out your stubbornness."
And there it was. I grabbed the bottle and headed for the stairs. "Goodnight, Mum," I called out, done with the conversation. "Xavier! Hey, I'm still talking to you—"
But I didn't look back. I just kept walking.She never changes. And neither will I. I've got a long road ahead, and love isn't part of the journey. Give me a girl, and I'll give her a night to remember.But my heart? It's not for sale.
Planet amazon
Esther's heart pounded as the guards escorted her through the garden path toward the royal chambers.
They passed through large leaves that formed a natural curtain, entering the majestic throne room where the Queen waited seated, powerful, and furious.
Princess Hera stood beside her, eyes low, as if she couldn't bear to look at me. The room was filled with attendants and silent spectators. She was forced to kneel before the Queen, her shimmering leaf-gown glowing under the light. "Esther," she called, her voice sharp as a blade. Esther bowed her head, trembling.
"How dare you violate the sacred rules?" the queen snapped. "You entered the Holy Chambers without permission and nearly caused the loss of a royal subject!" Esther said nothing, paralyzed by fear.
Oh Hera... why would you do this to me? She thought,
"Have you gone mute?!" the Queen roared.
Esther raised her head slightly but didn't dare meet the queen's eyes. "I'm sorry, my Queen," she managed, her voice barely audible. The coldness in the queen's eyes told her she had already been judged. "For your disrespect and your crime," the queen announced, "you will be imprisoned for seven days without food only water. And during that time, you shall be whipped daily."Esther's mouth dropped. No.No, this couldn't be happening." She thought , she lifted her gaze to her, shocked. "What? No I didn't do it! It wasn't me! Princess Hera... she was the one who " The room fell silent.
Hera flinched, her eyes wide. For a brief second, I saw fear flash across her face. "You dare accuse my daughter?!" the Queen thundered, standing from her throne. "You think you can frame the Princess to save yourself?" "Please," Esther turned to Hera. "Tell her the truth. You promised... You said " "Silence, Esther!" the Queen barked. "You will not soil the name of the royal bloodline with your lies!"She stepped forward, voice colder than winter. "For this act of treason against the royal house, I hereby sentence you to death at dawn!"
A collective gasp echoed through the hall. I couldn't breathe. Did she just say... death? Guards rushed forward and grabbed Esther , dragging her to her feet. "No! Please! I didn't do anything! Why do you hate me so much?" she cried, eyes filled with helplessness. "What did I ever do to you?!" But the Queen just smiled a cruel, satisfied smile and waved her hand. They took her away.The cell was dark. Damp. Silent except for her quiet sobs. She sat curled in a corner, broken.Tomorrow morning, I will die. For a crime I didn't commit. For a mistake Hera made. For being hated. The Queen despised me, always had. And now she had a reason to erase me completely.Why me? Why didn't I have a mother? Why was I so alone? Why did Hera betray me? She was trembling, cold, and hopeless. until she heard something. A noise outside the cell. Faint at first, then louder. Footsteps? She stood quickly, wiping her tears, heart racing. Suddenly, the leaves covering the cell parted—and a figure appeared. Hooded. Face concealed. Who...? She staggered back.
"Don't be afraid," the voice said softly. "I've dealt with the guards. You need to leave. Now. Before they found out."she stood frozen. "Run," the hood added. "As far as you can. Go where no one will find you."Then she turned and disappeared into the shadows. Who was she? What just happened?