Gaming royalty!

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

The alarm was blaring at an annoyingly high rate. There was only darkness outside still. The warmth of my bed called to me like a scorned lover.

“Ugh! Five a.m. is too early to be alive!” I groaned as I slowly rolled out of bed.

I hated waking up early. I was a night owl, usually up late gaming or reviewing games. Today, though, I had to get ready to go. Thankfully, I was already packed for the trip. I was heading to Vegas for a gaming championship.

You’d think the Princess would be accustomed to waking up early. Nope! After all these years, I still struggled with getting up early. Even now, I begrudgingly walked over to the bathroom and got in the shower.

Afterward, I stood in front of the mirror trying to give myself a pep talk.

“You got this, Nessa!”

“You can win!”

“You are a royal, after all…” I murmured that last one to myself.

Although I had full confidence in my gaming skills, I still always had pre-show jitters. I mean, who wouldn’t be nervous about winning a national championship. Not to mention this was my last chance to prove I made the right decision coming out here years ago. I had to prove it to myself. I had to prove that this wasn’t a waste of time and talent.

Even though I was ranked as one of the best players, I still knew I had something more to prove. My parents’ disapproval of my dreams was only part of it. I mean, imagine if the world found out the famous Dark Unicorn of the gaming world was none other than Vanessa Samantha Monroe, Princess of Montrevilla!

Our homeland was a small country in Europe that my family had ruled for centuries, with rich traditions and old-fashioned beliefs.

I was third in line after my brother Christian and my sister Elizabeth. I adored my siblings and was quite close with my brother.

Christian and I had a nurturing sibling bond. After having secret gaming sessions together, it was he who encouraged me to pursue my dreams. He always knew I was the free spirit of the siblings.

I had always looked up to my big sister, Elizabeth—except I never wanted to be like her. I admired her conviction to what she believed was true—her unrelenting loyalty and admiration for our mother. Liz loved our mother situating her future. I honestly was really dreading my arranged marriage, unlike her, especially since mine was approaching much quicker than I was ready for.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love my family and abide by my royal expectations. I just didn’t believe what they believed. I also knew I’d never have to rule! I wanted more than anything to just be myself. I didn’t want to be royal. Unlike most of my family, they lived for being royal. So I tried to live my life for what made me happy—gaming and computers. My brother and sister loved the spotlight. I couldn’t stand it, as I always felt I didn’t deserve something I was just born into. Imagine being given a privilege just for existing.

I finished getting dressed, trying to get my head in the game for the competition. I checked my reflection. I was wearing the perfect pair of hip-hugging jeans—and man, did they make my curves look amazing. Not that my long legs needed much help. At almost six feet tall, I poured out beauty effortlessly. My long, curly rainbow hair (my signature look) fell loosely over my shoulders. Even though I didn’t need any makeup, what I did use was only to enhance my natural beauty so that my flawless skin and sultry hazel eyes would cause any man to turn his head. I finished off my look with a fitted black leather jacket and my team shirt underneath.

The team worked really hard on the design, and overall, I couldn’t have asked for better teammates. We worked together seamlessly and even easily found middle ground in disagreements. The boys never treated me like anything but a gamer and teammate. The funniest part is you’d think a girl gamer on a national team would be the big shocker—but no, it was my hair!

Most people thought my hair was a wig since the colors were always so vibrant. Nobody understood the work or money that it took to keep it up. They also didn’t know I had the budget to do that upkeep. I had a secret income nobody knew about. Plus, the crazy hair actually made it easier to hide. Believe it or not, no one would think a princess of a European country would do that. I knew that although my family might not approve of it, this was my time for me. I wanted to be different and embrace parts of myself I previously had to hide.

I grabbed my bags and keys. I walked around the room and did one last check. Afterward, I quickly rushed outside to see Abby waiting for me.

Abigail Reynolds—or Abby for short—was my lady-in-waiting. She was also my best friend, one of the few I could trust with my life and my secrets. She had been with me all my life. Her mother currently works in the kitchen and had welcomed a surprise baby boy a few years ago. Abby was so excited to have a baby brother.

Even though her brother was a later addition, I knew she missed him. She’s only gotten to watch him grow up on a screen. I’m sure she’s excited to go back home and see them.

My parents (you know, the King and Queen) had allowed me to move out here as long as I kept my identity a secret. They always knew I’d be a target for anyone trying to take advantage of the crown. Also, I agreed I would marry as soon as I got home…

I knew one of my royal duties was to marry a royal. What I wanted, though, was to love and to be normal. That was hard to do in my current situation. Almost impossible, really.

So even though I didn’t like it, I agreed. Getting out was better than staying. I knew what was expected of me, and the time to go back was coming near. I was about to turn twenty-five, and with that, my mom and dad made their expectations very clear. My deadline was up, and I wasn’t looking forward to going back.

After the championship—win or lose—I’d have to go back home shortly after. I guess the only thing that made it easier to leave was that I had no emotional connection to any man romantically. Not that they didn’t have eyes for me. Quite the opposite. I tried to make myself seem standoffish. I mean, I perfected RBF, and yet anyone who met me seemed to fall in love with my charm, which outshined my beauty. I was a full crème brûlée—hard on the outside, warm and creamy on the inside. Anyway, you get the picture. I know it sounds braggy; that’s not my intention.

I watched as Abby finished putting the luggage into the trunk. I offered to help. She wouldn’t let me, even if I tried. She finished and closed the trunk with a thud.

We piled into the car that was sent for us from the company. As I let out the most guttural groan, I threw my head back. I decided that since we had a few hours between L.A. and Vegas, I wanted to get a few more hours of sleep. I hated feeling tired before my competition—it threw off my edge.

So I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, not knowing who or what lay ahead. One thing I did know was that five a.m. is still too damn early to get up, and with that thought, I let out a chuckle to myself. With my eyes closed, I soon fell asleep for the rest of the way.