Trapped by the Past

Chapter 6: The Dinner

"Ok, how was your first day at school?"  Rose said. After we got to the Palace, I jumped out of the car as soon as the door opened, knowing full well that I had to go through an interrogation with dad and the boys. I knew it was inevitable and I had to have that conversation with them sooner or later but I would rather have later than sooner.

So here I am in my room with Rose, telling her everything that happened today and how different it was different from the what I thought. Since she was a year older than me she went to the same school that I was going and has already finished it.

I even told her about Aiden. To say that she was shocked would be an understatement. she was more shocked than I was. 

"What the hell?" She said when I told her about how Ethan and Aiden had an staring contest. 

"I know, right?" I say. "It was weird."

"Wh-" Whatever Rose was about to say was cut off by a knock on the door.

"Come in." I say. And a maid enters my room with her head hung down as they are trained to do in front of us. By the way I hate that but I can't do anything about it.

"Princess," Says the maid. "The dinner is ready and your Father wants you at the dinning table." 

"Ok." I say. "You can go now. Thanks." She bows her head and leaves the room. "Well," I say to Rose. "I have to go now. Seems like I have been called for the interrogation." I say with a giggle. 

Rose giggles. "Don't exaggerate. It's just a dinner." 

I roll my eyes at her as we make our way down the stairs and I make my way to the dinning room while Rose goes to wherever it is that she has to be right now.

As I am about to enter the room, I hear different voices, strangers voices. I furrow my eyes as I enter. 

I usually wear a formal dress to dinner since you never know when there would be visitors, and currently I am wearing a navy blue simple dress that reaches just above my knee with a pair of navy blue high heels and earrings and a neckless to go with my dress. So when they all hear my heels against the floor they all stop talking and look at me.

My eyes go wide as I stop on my tracks as I look at the table. Aiden and His family are at the dinning table, and were talking to my dad and the boys.

I can feel every one looking at me while I stand there staring at Aiden's green eyes like an i***t.

What the hell? What is going on here? What is Aiden and is family doing here, in the Palace? These and a hundred other questions were going in circles in my head, while I was staring at Aiden.    

Suddenly dad clears his throat and I snap back to reality. I hadn't realized that there was tears in my eyes. 

I don't know why but suddenly I have to get out of here. I couldn't breath properly and I felt like the walls were coming closer and trying to suffocate me. 

I turn on my heels and go straight to the gardens were I come whenever I need to breath or clear my head.

I sit on the bench and bury my face in my hands and let the tears run down my face. 

I don't know how long I stayed like that, but it was a long time before I heard footsteps coming my way. Thinking it was Ethan or one of the other boys I don't look up to see, just continue to cry without any sound. 

"Wow." The voice says. "So much enthusiasm after seeing your best friend after, what eight years?" It was Aiden's voice. I can recognize his voice anywhere, even though I haven't heard it in eight years.  

I snap my head up as I hear his voice and my eyes go wide and I blink a few time to make sure my eyes are not playing any tricks on me. I was really Aiden. 

"W-wh-what," I stutter, so I try again after taking a deep shaking breath. "What are you doing here?" I ask in a shaky voice.

"Nice to see you again, too, Soph." He says as he sits beside me on the bench. 

"Answer my freaking question, Aiden." I almost shout at him. I was mad that he came back and brought a lot of hurtful memories with him. Why did have to come back now, when I was living my life happily and was trying to forget about him and the pain that he caused me. 

"If you would have stayed you would find out." He said in an annoyed tone. "But you didn't and now neither of us knows what is going on."

"Wow," I say with sarcasm. "You want to put the blame on me?" I said while I was shouting at him. 

"It is your fault." He shouts back. 

I opened my mouth to reply, but shut it and take a deep breath before I say anything that I would regret. 

"How did you even find me?" I asked instead. 

"Your brother told me." He says with a shrug.

I don't know why but I was disappointed. I thought he remembered that this used to be out spot, but I guess it wasn't just that important to him that it was to me. 

I sighed and got up from the bench and made my way to the Palace. I looked over my shoulder to see if Aiden was coming or not and saw that he was still sitting on the bench looking around. 

"Are you coming or not." I asked, more like demanded in a tone that used in formal business. 

He looked at me with raised eyebrows, as if he was amused. But when I sent him a glare he stood up and the look of amusement vanishing from his face. He ducked his head and followed me inside, with him following me.

I guess he remembered that we weren't friends anymore and he had to follow what I say. 

As I entered the dinning room, again, all eyes fell on me and Aiden looking between us as if trying to see something but couldn't see it.

Dad cleared his throat. "Take a sit, you two." He said.

I took a sit and so did Aiden. He sat opposite of me. After a few  seconds everyone went back to eating. I was playing with my food and was deep in thoughts. But I could feel a pair of eyes on me, and sure enough when I raised my head Aiden was staring at me. As soon as our eyes met I dived my eyes back to my food. 

Why was he staring at me? I thought. 

After that I occasionally felt Aiden's eyes on me but I didn't dare to look up and see. I don't know why but every time I looked at his eyes, I felt like I could get lost in them, and I know that was not a good thing to happen. 

I was thinking about Aiden and the memories that we had when we were kids when I heard "Aurora?" I heard my dad say. 

"Yes?" I looked up and saw that everyone was looking at me. 

"Didn't you hear what I said?" He asked, with his eyebrows raised.

I could feel my cheeks become crimson red. " Sorry," I muttered under my breath, my head hung down and trying with my hair to block the others from seeing my now crimson face. 

"It's not like this is your first time zoning out instead of eating." Ethan said with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and a smirk on his face. 

"Shut up." I said kicking his feet under the table since he was sitting next to me. 

"Ouch." He whined. " What was that for?" He said with puppy eyes.

I heard a soft chuckle from across the table, or more precisely from Aiden. I glared at him to shut him up, but that earned him another chuckle.

I turned and looked at my dad. "I'm sorry," I said with confidence. "What were you saying?"

"I was asking you how was your first day at school?" He asked.

At that I looked at Aiden, across the table, and he is looking at me.

"It was... eventful" I say with a pause to think about how to word it.

At that I see my father's amused expression flickers for a second. I don't know what that expression was and it was gone before I could fully read it. He raised his eyebrows at me. 

In response I just shook my head. I knew what he was asking: need me to come to the school?

After that a silent fell upon the table while the servants cleaned up the table. 

"Dad," I said in a firm tone. "You wanted to say something?" 

"Umm... I think it's better to talk somewhere else." He said. My eyes went wide. Did my dad, the King, stutter? 

I looked at my brothers, they all were looking at me with shock written in their faces and eyes. 

"Shall we?" He said, while standing up.

We all stood up after him and followed him as he leave the dinning hall. After we were sited in the 'living room' everyone was silent for a couple of minutes. 

"Aurora, you are getting married after the graduation," dad said. "to Aiden, of course." He added after a pause.