“So how is it that you two are sharing a room?” She demanded.
“He kinda told his parents we were engaged.”
“WHAT?” Anna shouted into the phone.
“Anna, be quiet.” I whispered. “It’s a long story, but basically we were in—”
“You were where with who?” Xavier’s dry voice interrupted me as he walked out of the bathroom, drops of water rolling down his body effortlessly. A towel was tied around his waist and he leaned against the door as he stared at me.
“Nothing. Look Anna, I have to go.” I hung up the phone quickly and stared at Xavier. “I don’t appreciate you eavesdropping on my conversations.”
“You really didn’t have a reasonable expectation of privacy talking to your friend in my bedroom, Lola.” He shrugged and walked towards me. He shook his head back and forth and water drops went flying. He looked back up at me and I smiled at how crazy the top of his head looked.
“Reasonable expectation of privacy what?” I frowned and jumped up.
“Sorry, it’s a term we use in the law.”
“I thought you studied art.”
“And law.” He grinned.
“Well bully for you.” I rolled my eyes.
“A future king has to be knowledgeable in most things.”
“What aren’t you knowledgeable in?”
“Your mind.” He said softly and his expression changed. “And the way I feel when...” His voice trailed and he shook his head. “What games are you playing with me Lola? What magical powers do you have?”
“What games am I playing with you?” I gave him a look. “Is that a joke?”
“No joke.”
“And I guess the only power I have over you is the power of the pu**y.” I said lightly and then slapped my hand to my mouth. I hadn’t expected to say that out-loud. “Oops, I didn’t mean that.”
“Sure you didn’t.” He stopped in front of me. “Maybe you’re using your pu**y to trap me.”
“Xavier.” My face reddened.
“What?”
“That word is so crude.”
“You just used it.” He rolled his eyes. “Did you not?”
“By mistake.”
“Go and get in the shower, Lola. You’re confusing me.”
“I’m confusing you? I don’t even really know why I’m here.”
“What’s there to know?” His voice was exasperated and he walked to the closet. “Do you have anything appropriate to wear to dinner tonight.”
“Appropriate?” I stopped at the bathroom door and looked back at him. “What does that mean?”
“Something a bit nicer than what you had on today? Something befitting the fiancée of a prince of Europe.”
“Oh because what I was wearing earlier wasn’t nice enough?”
“You have to admit it was a bit scrubby.” He shrugged. “I know you don’t have money, but do you have to dress like you shop at, what’s that store, Walmart?”
“Are you telling me you think my clothes come from Walmart?” My jaw dropped at his audacity. Was he really telling me that my clothes looked cheap? I knew I was being more indignant than I should be. To be honest, many of my clothes came from Target and Walmart and I was proud of it. I was pretty sure I was smart, buying jeans for $15 as opposed to $1500.
“I’m just asking if you have anything nice to wear tonight.”
“Sure.” I nodded sweetly. I’ll show him. “I have something really nice to wear tonight.”
“Good.” He nodded in satisfaction. “Now go and shower.”
“Yes, boss.” I mumbled under my breath as I walked into the bathroom and I heard him laughing behind me.
***
His View
I tightened my bowtie and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I looked as I normally did on the outside. However, inside I felt a bundle of knots of confusion. Lola was confusing me. I’d expected her to be quiet and timid and impressed by my wealth. I’d expected her to walk through each room and mentally calculate how much I was worth. Well, that’s not true. I didn’t think she was after my money. She had so little care for money and status symbols. It was something I loved about her, yet, I didn’t know how she’d survive in my world. She’d be judged by her appearance and I’d be judged by her appearance. I sighed as I realized that I was thinking about her being with me in the long term. What did it matter to me if she looked like a model on the catwalk or a bag lady? It didn’t.
I froze as I heard her coming out of the bathroom. I didn’t want to look at her. I didn’t want to feel that habitual need every time I looked into her eyes.
“Is this outfit good enough for tonight?” She said sweetly and I turned towards her. Her eyes were laughing at me as she stood there in a red dress with big ugly yellow polka dots. It was horrendous and as I was about to ask her what she thought she was wearing, I realized that she was playing me. She wanted to get a rise out of me and not one in my pants. I smiled to myself as I decided to keep my mouth shut. Lola would feel more uncomfortable than I would wearing that at the dinner table.
“It’s beautiful.” I smiled at her and watched as her face dropped at my words. Did she really think she was playing with an amateur? Her twenty-one years were nothing compared to my twenty-eight years. She was going down and I was going to enjoy watching it play out.