THE ROYAL REPLACEMENT

CHAPTER 1   LAWRENCE started to wipe the surface of his guitar as everyone else cleaned up on their instruments to call it a day. Of all the performances we've done, this was definitely tiring than all the others combined. We had special guests watching us so we had to spice it up a bit to give them a good show. "Good job everyone!" Before I knew it, Pops was all over the room placing a bowl of brownish cream filled dessert before our table. "New experiment?" Leroy, our band leader, asked while scooping it with his spoon. "Nah, it's a recipe from my aunt in the Philippines. It's called Mango Graham Cake." "Rad!" I dug in with my spoon and found the taste pretty addicting. "Robs, open." Lawrence stuffed the cashews found in the grahams in my mouth. My eyebrows furrowed as I started to chew each piece while staring at him with deadly eyes. I hate him for being a peanut hater. I'm so addicted with peanuts and I can't even share my peanut craze with him. But despite that, Lawrence Carter has been my best bud since I was in middle school. Back then, we were the lame kids who go home with ice cubes in their bags after being made fun with. We were both losers and I guess we share the same social hierarchy which resulted to us creating a pact. And now we're stuck with each other. "Wow, your house is really big." Lawrence said with amusement. I closed his mouth using my fingers and got off his motorcycle. "Thanks for the lift, Carty." I handed him his MCR designed helmet and he immediately checked if there were any scratches. "That would cost you someday, Heffy." "You call me so many names." "Well you do have many personalities." I rolled my eyes. "And I call that one frowny." "Goodbye, freak." I waved my hand while walking towards our house. As I closed the gate, I heard the sound of his motorcycle take off creating all the annoying smoke that went through my nose.  Jerk. I opened the door only to find the sunshine on my stormy day that easily vanished my fatigue. "Oh, hi there!" Peach ㅡ a Samoyed and Kiwi ㅡ a sennenhund, jumped at me and before I knew it their saliva was all over my face. "Oh, I missed you too, buddies." "You're late." A voice coming down from the stairs startled me ㅡ it was my twin sister, Rachaela. Or as I like to call her, Rache. "And you're still awake, why?" Her mood from being mojojojo's relative changed into a powerpuff girl's bubbles. "C'mon! I'll tell you at dinner." I wanted to tell her that Pops made a feast for us at the bistro but she was so excited she was literally dragging me in the dining table while throwing my bag at the living room. Rache and I were twins, that's for a fact. But you know what psychology says, even twins have their own differences. I was all things bad and just the opposite of Rache who was all the good things you could imagine. And we totally have different hobbies and interests. Just think of her as the better Heffley daughter while I'm the loser one. That's just to put it simply. "Hey Mom, Dad." They just smiled at me while they were already holding their spoons and forks. Looks like they starved while waiting for me. "So what's the buffet for?" "Would you just sit first and grab your plate?" Okay, Miss Bossy. Rache put some pasta ㅡ which I strongly argue was her specialty ㅡ and even placed two pieces of garlic bread on my plate. Mom and Dad were all smiles as they were chewing victoriously on their own seats. Okay, something is going on here. Why is everybody acting so weird? "Since you were the late comer for today's evening, I already told Mom and Dad the good news. Wanna take a guess?" "Uhmm, you got your driver's license?" Was that even right to say? I'd bet my 20 bucks that Rache would never even try to hold a steering wheel and would only get inside cars to sit on either shotgun or the backseat. "Even better!" She showed me the back of her hand and pointed the ring on her finger. "I'm getting married!" I almost choked. "You're what?" "I'm getting married, Robs!" She started dancing merrily and kept on twirling with her floral dress hitting my face. I haven't known Rache as joker and I guess her ear-to-ear smile would explain that it really is true. But how? Why? When? "But you're just 26." Out of confusion, those were the only words that came out of my mouth. "That's the point, honey. She already is 26." Mom interfered. "And I think that's the best time to get married." "And it's okay with you two?" My parents both nodded which surprised the hell out of me. You see, Rache is the precious gem of this family. Getting married meant having to move far away, changing the family name and again, departure. I wonder who that guy is and what power did he use to convince my parents on letting Rachaela go.  He must really be of high profile for that to happen. "When?" "Next month." "Already?" Now I lost my appetite. "So when can we meet him?" "On the wedding day. So you have to cancel all your plans that day. You have to be there no matter what." As if I have choice. Dad's words were like laws and breaking them would make me suffer the consequences. "Don't you have a picture of him? What does he look like?" "He really doesn't like taking pictures, Robs. He's kind of a low profile and he hates flash from cameras." "I'll search him up on f*******:. What his's name?" I reached my phone from my pocket but they all just stared at me like I spoke Latin on a Japanese class. "I believe princes don't make their f*******: profiles public, honey." First, I dropped my fork, now I dropped my phone and my jaw. A prince? "You're getting married to a prince?" She nodded. When I said a man of high profile, I expected a business tycoon's son or the heir of a museum or something but I did not expect someone as high as a prince! "His name's Arthur Philippe Chauncey, grandson of King Leopold Chauncey, ruler of the Carrbrooke palace in Manchester, UK." I didn't get any word my twin sister said. It was all too fancy to absorb. She rolled her eyes at my confused expression. So Mom decided to take the stage. "Remember the event me, your Dad and your sister attended last month?" Yeah. The one I ditched to attend a recital. No regrets, at all. "It was a high school reunion, actually. Lionel Chauncey, the King's son, was my classmate when I was taking up my bachelor's degree. We were introduced to King Leopold ㅡ who was also the guest speaker that day ㅡ had a small talk and we've found out that the King was actually looking for a potential wife for his son. And that's when it all happened. I guess the King liked your sister the moment he first took a look at her." Dad's voice was really proud while explaining. So it's an arranged marriage? So that explains why it's all happening too soon. Mom and Dad continued on with the details, and I was really just focused on Rache's expression. The look on her face while eating dinner ㅡ I have never seen her so happy before. "Oops, if you'll excuse me. I have to take my beauty rest. The prince's bride can never be ugly, you know! Good night!" My sister dropped her utensils and climbed the stairs without waiting for us to respond. I would've mistaken her as Ella Enchanted for she was singing and dancing all over the place. "We'll hit the hay too, Robyn. Clean up once you’re done, okay?" I nodded after my parents left their seats and followed after my twin. I took a big bite of the garlic bread my sister prepared. The proud look on my parents’ face were photographic in my mind. I too was happy for my sister, but I couldn't suppress my happiness since things were happening so rapidly and all at too fast. One day I was just a nobody who sings in a bistro... Now I'm in-laws with the Prince of Manchester.