Runaway Royalty, Ch.2

CHAPTER 2: ROYAL ROMANCE
“...Live and let live,” -Circle of Life, Elton John

I ran all the way to Janine's. It was 11:23 by the time I got there but Logan was waiting out front anyway. Janine's is a cute, little, family-owned, Italian restaurant in the far corner of town. It has a dress code for no flip flops, no shorts, and male's must wear a sports jacket or something like a sports jacket.
His eyes basically popped out of his skull when he saw me. I played dumb and looked behind me and all around like I was looking for some beautiful model or something. He smiled and said “hello” in his adorable British accent. I may be a princess but I am just like any other girl and am unable to see through that amazing accent.
“Hey. Am I... appropriate?”
“Of course. I used to come here all the time with my mother whenever we would visit Santona. That was before she died.”
“Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. Was it a long time ago?” I was genuinely curious although I probably just sounded like I was snooping.
“Yes, she passed when I was about ten or eleven years.”
“I'm sorry.”
“It's alright. Let's go inside to be seated.” We walked inside. I could tell that it hurt him to talk about his mother. So when we sat down, I changed the subject.
“So what are you doing in Santona? Why aren't you in England?” I asked after we were given our menus.
“My great-uncle Peter lives here and he has gone ill. I came alone because I am eighteen. My father and my great-uncle had a huge fight some time ago. Father won't talk about it. The fight happened before I was even able to walk.”
“Oh great. Why do I keep managing to get you talking about death?” After that left my lips I realized it had been the wrong thing to say. “Oh gosh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like that.”
“Cassie, it's fine! I don't mind talking about Peter or my mother.” He smiled and reached out to hold my hand across the checkered table top. I smiled back.
“Hello welcome to Janine's, I'm Sylvia and I will be your waitress for this afternoon,” a pretty red head with a freckled nose and shocking blue eyes said in an American-Southern accent said sweetly. “May I take your drink order?”
“I'll have just a cola please,” Logan said firmly. “Only two ice cubes.”
“Beg pardon?” Sylvia said surprised.
“Well, too many ice cubes will water down the drink.”
“That is by far the most specific order I've ever gotten in this place,” she laughed a jingly laugh. “And for you, miss?”
“Uh, I'll have the same as Logan.” I was dying for a milk shake, but shakes were pretty pricey and I didn't want to order anything unnecessary.
“Alright I'll be right back with that.” And she walked away, her curly hair bouncing.
I surveyed the menu and saw spaghetti, rigatoni, manicotti, basically anything I could get back at the palace. Then my eyes hit pizza. “Um, Logan. Would you be ever so inclined to share a pizza with me? With mushrooms and pepperoni?”
“Pizza? Are you sure?”
“It's the greasiest thing on the menu. I don't get greasy. I think I have had pizza twice in my life time. Both times were while I was away at camp. And I had to sneak out with a few friends for that,” I smiled at the memory.
“Okay then. Pizza it is,” he said with a grin.
Sylvia brought back out cola's and pulled out her pen and pad. She clicked the pen open and said “what can I get y'all to eat?”
“Casandra and I are going to share a small pepperoni pizza with half of it mushrooms and half of it no mushrooms.”
“Casandra? As in... oh my lord...” Sylvia looked like she was going to pass out.
“Shh! Today I am just a regular person just trying to get a pizza! Okay?” I said with a solemn look on my face. Logan noticed it and looked apologetic. After all, he was the one that used my full name. My eyes said that it was okay, but my heart said that I needed to get rid of castle life once and for all.
“Okay your highness. One small pizza coming right up!” Sylvia got her color back but still looked overly excited. That wild look in her eyes worried me.
“Please don't say anything!!!” I pleaded.
“My lips are sealed!”
She ran back to the kitchen to put our order in. I shot a look at Logan. “What?”
“It's not your fault, but when we're in public, call me Cassie, okay? The public knows me as Casandra, not as Cassie. I'm better hidden that way.”
“Alright, I'm sorry.”
“You're forgiven. But if photographers come, we run.”
“Gotcha,” he said, smiling widely.
We sat and talked for a while about basically everything. He talked about commoner life and I talked about palace life. I guess he isn't technically a commoner, but he isn't royalty.
When our pizza came, Sylvia put it on a tray at the end of the table so we wouldn't burn ourselves. I watched as Logan cut into a slice on the pepperoni and mushroom side and handed me the silver plate. He cut himself a piece on the plain pepperoni side. “What's wrong with mushrooms?” I asked.
“I do not like eating fungi for I am a fun guy,” he joked.
“No seriously,” I laughed.
“I became very frightened by mushrooms at a very young age.”
“No way what happened?” I asked as I took a mouthful of cheese.
“My brother used to hide them around my room and thrown them at me when I was a kid.”
“Oh my gosh that's terrible!” I cried.
“Yeah. But it's cool. I was like four so I never really had to give anything up,” he said with a small smile. I liked his smile. It made me smile.
“I see. Well next time tell me so I won't order them! Extra toppings are expensive!”
“It's fine! I have plenty of money. My parents are quite wealthy.”
We ate the rest of the pizza. I was surprised at how much I ate because I didn't think I was that hungry. I ate my entire half and he ate his entire half.
When we paid and tipped Sylvia, we left the restaurant and went to walk in the Victorian gardens. We took the main path and walked through all the way.
“So why did you leave England? I mean I know you said you were staying near your uncle but why leave now?”
“Well I heard there was an upcoming ball that my father was invited to and I figured why not? So I stole my father's invitation and told him that I was going to visit Great-Uncle Peter and he agreed to let me fly over here. I am staying near Peter but I wanted to attend the ball as well,” he said as he reached down to take my hand. I let him.
We walked along holding hands. We sat down on a bench in front of a fountain of Zeus and Juno. Water nymphs circled the bottom to 'praise the gods' or something. My parents were very interested in Greek and Roman mythology for a while when they were designing the garden.
A man came by selling cotton candy and soft pretzels. “Do you want some?” Logan asked me.
“Sure,” I said. He got us pretzels.
“Here ya go. One soft pretzel hot off the rack.” It was buttery and salty and absolutely delicious. We never had these at the palace either. I had to sneak ice cream. And the ice cream is set aside from the servants for me because I asked them nicely.
“Can I just say that this is the best day I have ever had?”
“Ever?” he sounded doubtful.
“Yes. Well, since my sisters were born.” I made a face.
“Yes I read about your relationship with your sisters. Gia and Lena, correct?”
I nodded. “Gia is thoughtful and loud. Lena is kind and annoying.”
“Why don't you like them?”
“It's not them. It's my whole life... it's complicated.”
“We have time.” I checked my watch and realized that we actually didn't. It was nearly four-thirty, which was tea time with my family in the main dining room.
“Not really. I have to go.”
“So soon?”
“Yes. See at four-thirty every day, my family and I have tea time and we drink tea and eat cake and don't talk to each other. I have to go, it's mandatory.” I got up and started walking in the direction of the palace.
“Wait, Cassie, please let me at least let me give you a ride home.” I agreed, and we got a cab. Logan told the driver to park a block away from the palace so no one would see me. I thanked him one last time.
“Thanks for such a great day. We really have to do this again.”
“Cassie. I really like you. And I've wanted to do this all day.” He took my hands and pulled me close. He leaned down – for I am much shorter than he is – and kissed me. I stood on my toes so he wouldn't hurt his neck leaning down so low. And I kissed him back. His scent filled my entire body with happiness.
When he pulled away, I looked up at him. His eyes were sparkling. I smiled and he hugged me tightly. He set his head on mine and I hugged him back as I inhaled his scent some more. He smelt of Dove soap, aftershave, and David Beckham cologne. I loved it. Before I left, we had the taxi driver take a picture of us on my cell phone. I made it my background.
I walked backwards so I could watch him leave. I waved as the cab pulled away from the curb. I then turned around and ran for the palace.