Valerie's POV:
I sliced into the chicken my mom had made, savoring the aroma of the roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes. It was dinner time, and tomorrow, Mira was leaving for Calon City. We still hadn't spoken since our fight yesterday, and I hadn't run into her at work.
My mom suddenly asked, "Val, why don't you want to go to Calon City?"
I looked up, knowing Mira must have told them. "Of course, Mira told you guys."
My mom pressed, "You haven't answered my question. Why is that? Don't you know how many people want this opportunity you're rejecting?"
I shrugged, taking a sip of water, avoiding eye contact. "I just don't feel like going to Calon City."
My mom argued, "Do you know how many people that want to go to the Palace? It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"
I pleaded with my dad using my eyes, hoping he'd intervene. He turned to my mom and said, "Sheila, if she doesn't want to go, then it's okay."
But my mom quickly shut him down. "No, John, she needs to think about her future."
I felt my anger and frustration growing. What was it with them and wanting me to go to Calon City? I had my reasons for not wanting to go.
My mom said in a lighter tone, "Val, this is for your own interest. Don't you have dreams? Do you want to be a maid forever? Even if you want to be a maid, you have to aim higher, and the Palace is the highest you can go, my dear. So, I'm saying you should reconsider."
I sighed, pushing my food away. "I know, mom. I know you want the best for me. That's why you do all of this. I know you hate your job, but you keep doing it for us." My mom looked down, her expression softening. I continued, my voice cracking, "Mom, I don't want to leave you guys. I don't want to work in the Palace. I'll do just fine here, and I promise to be the most obedient daughter. I promise to work very hard. If you don't want me to be a maid anymore, I promise I'll listen to you. I'll do anything you ask me to do, but please don't tell me to go to Calon City."
I stood up shakily, clearing my plates away to the kitchen. I returned to the dining area and said, "Thank you for the meal. Goodnight."
I walked away upstairs to my room, my mom calling after me, "Valerie, come here this instance!" My dad also called, but I ignored them both, shutting my door and sliding down against it, bringing my knees to my chest and resting my head on them.
No one understood why I didn't want to go to the Palace. I had told Mira about helping the prince that night when his motorcycle broke down, but I left out the part where he confessed his feelings. I thought I might never see him again, and I was fine with that. But now, I was asked to go to the Palace, and I couldn't. I didn't want to. I wanted to run away, from him, from everything, from the guilt I'd been feeling. It seemed like my nightmare was coming true.
I was sure of one thing: I wasn't going to Calon City, and I definitely wasn't going to meet Prince Nova again. Never.
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I woke up feeling normal and a little sluggish. I brushed my teeth, bathed, and went to my room, where I was surprised to see a beautiful pinafore dress with a white blouse and a black shoe, laid out on my bed. A note on top of the dress read, "Valerie, this is for you. Love, Mum." I smiled, feeling my worries melt a little. I wondered why my mum was doing this - was she apologizing for pressuring me yesterday or had she agreed to let me not go to Calon City?
The clothes and shoes looked new, and I wondered when my mum had bought them. They looked a little too fancy to wear to work, but I didn't care - I was just happy to wear something nice. I styled my hair half up and grabbed my phone and bag before heading downstairs.
"Good morning, Dad," I said, seeing my father arranging the table for breakfast.
He looked up and smiled. "Morning, kiddo."
I asked, dropping my things on the sofa in the living room and heading to the dining area, "Where's Mum?"
My dad said, "She must be somewhere around the house," but I noticed he said it weirdly.
I shrugged, thinking about my plans to see Mira today before she left for Calon City. I glanced at the clock and saw it was already 8 am. I hurriedly ate my breakfast, wondering if Mira was still angry with me. My dad kept glancing at me, and I felt a bit uneasy.
Just as I finished eating and washing the dishes, my mum came downstairs, sweating and looking like she had been working hard. I was about to ask her where she had been when I heard a car pull up outside.
I was confused and looked out the window to see a sleek black car with tinted glass windows. I couldn't see inside, and my dad said, "Seems like they're here."
I looked at him, my brows raised, and asked, "What's going on?"
My mum smiled and came over to me, putting her hands on my shoulders. "You're going away for a while," she said.
My eyes widened in surprise. "But Mum, Iâ"
She cut in, "I know what you said last night, and I understand, but Val, it's time for you to start thinking of yourself."
My dad came over, standing by her side, and said, "Your mum is right, kiddo. You've never thought about what you wanted for yourself, but right now, it's going to be just about you."
I looked between my mum and dad, feeling stubborn. "But I don't want to go to Calon City," I said.
My mum replied, "Well, you don't have a choice, Val. The car's already waiting for you."
I swallowed, feeling my resolve breaking. "But I haven't packed, I'm not prepared at allâ"
My dad cut in, "No need to worry about that, we already took care of it."
My mum turned to him and said, "Honey, please go get her things." He nodded and went upstairs to my room.
My mum smiled, her eyes shining. "Val, you look so beautiful in this. I'm glad I made the right choice of clothing. I bought it yesterday, I already had this plan as a backup, in case you didn't agree to go when I asked yesterday."
I looked down at the clothes I was wearing, feeling a mix of emotions.
I was about to say something, but my dad came down the stairs with a luggage I didn't recognize. He handed it to me and grinned. "This is yours, kiddo."
My mom added, "I helped you pack, sweetie. You're all set."
I stared at them, my mind reeling. Then, I burst into tears. My mom hugged me, rubbing my back. "Don't cry, Val, or you'll make me cry."
I realized why my mom looked sweaty earlier - she had been packing my luggage!
She released me, and I rubbed furiously at my eyes. "But I haven't even told my room goodbye," I said, my voice shaking.
My mom smiled, caressing my jaw. "No need for that, Val. No going back."
I nodded, still in shock. Then, my dad said, "Oh, before I forget," and reached into his pocket. He brought out a scarf - the same one I had knitted for Prince Nova and thrown away in the trash can yesterday. It looked clean and neat. How did he find it? He took my hand and pressed the scarf into it. "Don't forget to give it to him."
I nodded faintly, still trying to process everything. "What about Alia, the other maids? I haven't told them I'm leaving," I said, feeling a pang of guilt.
My mom's expression turned mysterious. "There's no need for that." She went to the door and opened it, shouting, "You guys can come in now!"
To my surprise, Emily and Lydia stood there with big grins on their faces. They came over and hugged me tightly. "We're going to miss you, Val," Emily said, tears in her eyes.
We started crying, holding each other tightly. Lydia then handed me a big envelope. "Alia said I should give this to you," she said, her voice trembling.
I took it, puzzled, and nodded. "Thanks."
Emily quipped up, "Everyone said they're going to miss you and you should come back safely."
Lydia added, "We'll talk a lot, okay? Tell me everything about the Palace... and Prince Nova." She teased, and I rolled my eyes, smiling.
Just then, the car honked. I turned to my parents, fresh tears coming out. My dad looked sad, and my mom's eyes shone with unshed tears. They both hugged me tightly. My mom whispered, "Call us every day, okay?"
My dad added, "No regrets, remember?"
I nodded to both of them, feeling a sense of determination. My mom cleaned my tears and said softly, "This is your time, Val. Don't ever look back."
I took a deep breath, grabbed my luggage, and followed my parents and friends out the door. I looked at them one last time, knowing I'd miss them dearly. They were my life, and I was going to make them proud.
My dad shouted, "No regrets, remember!"
I grinned and said, "No regrets." I waved at them one last time and walked shakily towards the car.
Mira came out of the car, dressed in a beautiful blue dress, smiling. She approached me and hugged me tightly. I smiled and hugged her back, knowing in my heart that I wasn't going to Calon City to win the prince's heart but to help Mira capture his heart instead. No regrets.
â â â
As we set off on our journey, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. Excitement for the new adventure ahead, but also nervousness about leaving Eldrida for the first time. Mira, sensing my mood, reached out and took my hand.
"Hey, Val, we're in this together, always," she said with a warm smile.
I smiled back, feeling a sense of gratitude for my bestfriend. We chatted and laughed as the miles flew by, the trees of Eldrida gradually giving way to rolling countryside. It was a half-day journey, and we made the most of it, sharing stories and secrets, our conversation flowing easily.
As we traveled, we talked about our fears and worries about going to the Palace. Mira confided in me about her concerns about meeting Prince Nova again, and I shared my own anxieties about navigating the complexities of royal life. But with each other's support, our fears began to fade away.
We stopped at a few places along the way to stretch our legs, grab a bite to eat, and even indulge in some ice cream. Mr. Michael, our driver, was kind and courteous, making sure we were comfortable throughout the journey.
At one point, Mira turned to me with a mischievous grin. "You thought I was going to go alone, didn't you? But you'll always be with me, Val."
I smiled. "I'm sorry for what I said that day, I promise now to never let you face all of this alone."
Mira's expression softened, and she apologized too. "I'm sorry for kind of pressuring you, Val. I know I shouldn't have."
We hugged each other tightly, our apologies forgiven and forgotten.
As we entered the capital city, Calon City, Mira and I looked at each other in awe. The streets were bustling, even at this late hour of the night. People milled about, laughing and chatting, and the city pulsed with energy. We saw cars zooming by, a sight that wasn't often seen at this time of the night in Eldrida.
As we made our way deeper into the city, we caught sight of the Palace in the distance. My heart skipped a beat as we approached the gates. Mira had the same expression as me â a mix of excitement and nervousness.
"It's time," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
I nodded, taking a deep breath. We were really doing this. We were going to the Palace, and our new adventure was about to begin.
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