The Imperial Mall was the largest building in the whole of Mercia. It boasted of many restaurants, boutiques, an arcade and a spa.
Just next door to the Mall was the country club which was only open to the likes of the royal family and their counterparts. It wasn't as big as the Mall but it was impressive as well and it was a place where Joni had always wanted to go.
Jared pulled up next to a black Maserati which had the emblem of the royal family as the license plate and you'd know without a doubt who owned the car.
"Isn't this your brother's car?". Joni jerked her thumb towards it.
"It is." Leon sighed through his nose. "We'd probably not run into him. Come." He gestured for her to go ahead.
"Oh wow! Everyone is wearing their Sunday best." She remarked dryly. "I look like I'm going to the market."
"You're fine." He told her.
"Joni wait!". Leon called out to her when he saw her heading towards the main gate of the country club. She'd changed into her casual clothes but her hair was wet and dripping down her back since she hadn't bothered packing it up. She was probably too pissed off to do so. He caught up with her and grabbed her forearm to stop her but she yanked her hand away and turned to glare at him. "Leave me alone Your Highness." She snapped. "I think your sister has done enough damage." "Oh so we're back to that now? 'Your Highness?". He asked. "We never left it." She said. "Where are you going?". "Home... Where else?". She frowned. "Let me take you home." He said. "I brought you here so..." "No need." She cut him off. "I've got legs. I'll walk." "Three mile
"What? No way!". Ina cried. "It's my right as the first daughter of this family!". "Is it?". Anna and Andrei chorused then they glanced at each other with smiles on their faces causing Ina to groan in exasperation. "Leon! Say something!". She urged him. "Oh now you want me to say something? I thought I'm an embarrassment to you guys?". He questioned mockingly. "I don't care either way about who gets the crown or not. What I want and need from you Andreina Emilianne Sebastiani is for you and that idiot I call my brother to leave me the fuck alone!". He bellowed at her. "The next time you try that rubbish with me again... I'll forget that you're a girl and I'm going to deal with you. I swear on grandma's grave."
Joni's POVTwo weeks. Not that I am actually counting but it's been two weeks since I talked to Leon and... I think I don't like it very much.We're still seat partners alright but it's like I'm in a different world than he is. We are from different worlds but he's done everything to make me part of his own world but foolish me had to open her stupid wide mouth to ruin everything and now I'm on the outside looking in.Lunch time came and I still couldn't find the courage to talk to him since he didn't want to talk to me. I was wrong to have vented my anger on him but the words seem stuck in my throat."Your Highness." Collins walks over to our table and bows. "Are you okay?".Leon looks up at
Leon's POVI stare at Joni from across the room wondering why she is smiling. She hasn't stopped smiling since the incident with my iPad happened earlier today and a very large part of me think that she implicated her stepsister just because she could.She knew that I wouldn't get mad at her about it so she made her sister take the fall instead.The little minx. She'd get what is coming for her as well and it'd not be pretty."You won a lottery?". I ask her."No. Why would you think that?". She frowns at me as she attempts to shove a big piece of pizza into her mouth.I stare at her mouth as she chews and swallows her food momentarily forgetting what she'd asked me. I've always wondered how it'd feel to kiss her but I probably would never find out.I can't even hug her so that is saying something."L
Three days laterLauretta halted in front of Leon's room and hitched the bag higher on her shoulder. She'd been told that he'd spent the night in school and was in his room so she'd come straight here. She couldn't risk leaving the money in her locker and having it stolen.It was all of her mother's savings for almost three years. She was supposed to use it to buy more goods in her store but after they were visited by the police two days ago, her mother had had no choice but to cough the money out and now they were broker than a broken bottle.Lauretta raised her hand to knock, hesitated for a second before she took a deep breath and rapped on the door."Who is it?". Leon's voice asked from behind the door."Um... Good morning Your Highness. It's me, Lauretta." She replied. "I have brought... um the money."The key is turned in the lock and then opened to
Andrei's POVI like to think that I'm an impartial King. My son Jaxon thinks I favor his brother Leonidas above all of them and that is not true. They've had me for eleven years since he was away and Leonidas has never resented me for not being by his side all those years which I'm grateful for so I let him make decisions on stuff that only concerns his 'friend' Jonina which unfortunately is also the cause of the recent squabble among them.In the years since I became King, I have never had any cause to hurt someone so bad, they'd wish they were never born - with the exception of Elroy of course. I think of all the teenagers in my kingdom as my children which is why I created a charity foundation to help the less privileged ones to get quality education and become whatever they want to be in future.My father was a good King but he never would've done half of what I've done for this people all by myself so it pains me
Joni's POV "Are you happy now?". Celestina asks me. "You lied against my daughter that she broke Prince Leonidas's iPad and now because of you, she has also been suspended from school. Is it until you kill all of us before you're satisfied?". I stare impassively at my stepmother with my arms folded across my chest. It is a freaking Wednesday morning and I need to get ready for school but I don't think she'll let me go in peace until she's given me a piece of her mind. The woman is pure evil and I really don't want to have to deal with her this morning. It also doesn't help that... I woke up feeling cramps in my abdomen and I know exactly what that means. "You pleaded with me to beg the Prince to have mercy on her and he did." I remind her. "You should be happy he didn't banish her as he'd wanted to." "Just because she kissed him? Is he the first boy that a girl will h
Leon's POVI am literally the most stupid seventeen years old boy on planet earth. Yes. I am a very stupid and insensitive bastard and I feel like beating myself up.I would if I could but it's not possible. I could ask Jax to do me the favor but I know the idiot would take great pride in doing that and more. He'd probably retaliate for the times I'd humiliated him in front of mom and dad and unfortunately the guards as well.I sigh and look over at Joni. I'd panicked when she suddenly slumped and would have hit her head on the water closet if I'd not been fast enough to catch her. It'd have been an entirely different story - a story I'd probably be too dumbfounded to explain.I'd let my excitement overtake my senses and I'd committed a crime that is against the rules of platonic relationships.If there is something like that.I should probably get a