Chapter 1

“Coffee!”

I glare across the counter, but the jerk isn’t even looking up. This day is getting worse and work

“I have a name you know,” I snap back at him.

“It’s Rose”

“I don’t need a name, I just need my coffee” He snaps back at me.

Trying to decide whether I should be rude or polite, I keep my anger at bay.

“If you wanted coffee, I would be nice to the people who are serving the coffee” I fake a smile trying not to make the situation worse.

“I’ll take that into consideration...sorry,” He says in a nicer tone.

The man turns back to continue his meal but I still don’t pour the coffee. I see his face lighten as he smiles at me. The man licks his lips before he tries to speak to me again.

“May I have some coffee, please?” He asks me politely.

“Of course.” I smile at back at the man while pouring him a cup of black coffee.

It’s only been a few hours of the shift and it’s already rough. Usually, I have more patients but not today.

My eyes find themselves looking at the clock, only an hour to go, thank god.

“You’re at it again I see,” Ella says.

Ella is my best friend, we’ve been close since forever since both of us started working at the diner. She always has perfect timing.

“He deserved it, he was way out of line.”

“You’ll never get any tips if you keep on snapping at the customers like that, Rose”

“Who wants tips anyways? I do this job because I like dealing with difficult people” I answer sarcastically with a laugh.

We both laugh as I hug her.

Setting the pot of coffee down, I turn the TV on. There’s some breaking news trending.

“A secret source leaked some valid information to us. A princess has been living amongst us in secret her whole life. Even she doesn’t know her true identity.”

“Wouldn’t that be amazing, to be her” Ella’s voice brings my focus on her.

“I’m sure its just nonsense” I scoff.

“The princess will be flown to Rome tomorrow and rule in her rightful place.”

A picture of the castle appears on the screen. That finishes the breaking news.

“Wow...” Ella and I say at the same time.

“It’s nice but its too castle-y for me. It’s too old fashioned.” I explain.

“You’d rather stay in your apartment?” Ella asks.

“After living in a tiny apartment my whole life I couldn’t live in a huge castle, something completely different from the scenery of New York. Too much of a change as well.” I explain further.

“I’d buy you one of those noise machines” I laugh at Ella’s comment.

“Yeah, the noise of New York,” I say playing along.

I can’t stop laughing as Ella imitates car horns and alarms going off.

“Hey, wait a minute, what are you doing here anyway? It’s your day off!” I question her.

“Oh, I came in so that you could go to Tracey’s party...”

“I hate that bitch, why would I go to her party?” I’m so confused.

“Would you like to guess who’s band she hired?” She starts to hint, it better now he who I think it is.

“It better not is...!”

“It is...” Why couldn’t it be anyone else?”

Let me explain, my boyfriend Alex has a band and Tracey has been crazy about Alex ... and it’s not for the music. She’s been trying to get with him ever since I started dating him.

“You have to go, you need to make sure that bitch doesn’t do anything with your man.” She smirks.

“Thank you so much, Ella. You’re a life saver.” I hug her again.

“You better hurry though, the party is already going. I’ll cover for you.”

“Okay, thank you again!” I smile at her and run out the diner.

The bar where Tracey’s party is being held is only two blocks away from the diner, should be there any minute but I can’t go dressed in my work clothes.

“I can’t go like this” I mutter to myself.

“My apartment is too far...shop it is,” I mumble again.

I run into a store and two dresses just lump out at me straight away. A black dress and a red mini dress. Black it is.

“Damn I look sexy,” I mumble under my breath.

I pay for the dress, telling the cashier I’m going to pick my clothes up tomorrow. I start running to the bar.

When I arrive, Alex and his band are already playing, onstage. He winks at me as I walk into the room.

“Oh, hi Rose. I’m glad you could make it” I turn around to see Tracey with a fake smile on her face.

“I bet you’re very happy to see me,” I say sarcastically.

We don’t have a good relationship, as you can tell.

“Happy birthday...” I say more nicely.

“Did you bring a card or anything?” Rude bitch much but I did kind of show up uninvited.

“Yeah, I must’ve brought you something.” I pretend to dig around my bag.

“I’m sorry, I must’ve left it in my apartment” I look at her annoyed face.

“It’s the thought that counts, I guess” She doesn’t even bother looking at me.

“If only you could see what I think of you” I mumble under my breath.

“I feel the same way” She heard me.

Tracey walks away and I let my phony smile drop. Alex and his band are still killing it. I rush into his arms when they finish their first set of songs. I was to busy trying not to rip her head off, that I actually missed a few songs.

“I’m so glad you’re here, I thought you were working tonight?” Alex exclaims.

“Ella came in to cover my shift so that I could see you play tonight” I answer his question. I embrace the hug from him.

“Well, we will have to thank her later for that, won’t we?” I hear Tracey’s voice behind me again.

I turn to glare at her, but before I can make a sarcastic comment, Alex grabs her arm.

“Did you hear us?” Alex asks her.

“Yeah, I did and he seemed really impressed. Do you want to go to meet him?” She asks him, while I look at him with confusion written on my face.

“What’s she talking about, Alex?”

“Well...” He starts but gets cut off by the bitch.

“Well ‘she’ is talking about a music producer. He is my uncle.” Tracey explains.

She’s giving me a look and I really want to wipe it off her face. Punching the birthday girl will make me look bad.

“Want to go meet him?” She asks Alex as if I’m not there.

“Hell yeah!” He replies to her.

Tracey grabs his hand and starts dragging him away. I stand still, not sure what to do. She is stealing him away from me.

“Come on, Rose!” He shouts behind his shoulder.

“Go ahead with her, I’ll stay here” I reply back. I don’t want to get in the way of his career even if he is making a deal with the devils’ uncle.

“Are you sure?” He asks me.

“The spoilt princess is waiting,” I say giving him a reassuring smile.

“The only princess I see is you.” He whispers to me.

“Of course she is, now, come on.” She says and she continues pulling him away from me.

‘Breathe Rose, breathe’ I tell myself.

I refuse to acknowledge that this very rich and evil woman is trying to make her move on him somehow, on my Alex.

His princess comment would mean a lot if he stayed. I head for the bar to try to forget this. However, I don’t get a chance as I see my mother calling.

“Hello?”

“Rose, I need you to come home,” she says.

“What’s going on mother?”

“Something is wrong...” I can hear the fear in her voice.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Get home.” I hear her start to cry as she ends the call.

I put my phone in my bag as I start to run home, not wasting another second. I can hear my phone ring, causing me to stop. I look and see my sister is calling.

“Rachel, what’s going on? Is mom okay?” I rush asking her.

“I can’t even explain it!” She sounds happy, almost unnaturally happy.

“What happening?”

“I-I think I’m going to be queen!” She replies back almost screaming.

“Like a drag queen?” I ask her dumbly.

“Just get home quick!” She hangs up on me suddenly.

I start running again. About 5 minutes into the run I start to hear footsteps behind me. I turn to see a man following me. I can only make out the outline of his as its really dark. I kick into a sprint as my house is a few doors down. Trying to grab my keys with my bag flopping around everywhere.

I get to the door and rush opening it. Getting in I slam it shut and slide down it.

The world is going crazy today.

...

After about 10 minutes, I get up and walk through the door of the living room. My mother, my sister and my brother, Michael, are all standing there waiting for me. All of them look depressed apart from Michael. He looks happy.

“What took you so long Rose?” My mother asks.

“We’ve been so worried!” Rachel adds.

I can’t even get works out from my mouth. I want to tell them what happened but it’s like I’m frozen.

Before I can say a word, the door opens behind me, a young man, a very handsome God-like young man walks in followed with an older looking gentleman behind him. My eyes wander all over the handsome man. His brown hair, laying in a hot mess on his head. Blue icy eyes staring deep into my soul, a God-like face, probably made by God himself. Don’t get me started on those abs-.

“I’m so glad we’re all here” The older man interrupts my thoughts.

“What are they doing here,” I ask my family.

“Fate, maybe?” The handsome guy winks at me.

“Stop that” I snap as my cheeks turn red.

“We have some news” My mother replies.

“Your sister is the lost princess,” The gentleman says. I stand still.

“This isn’t like a Nigerian Prince thing, where end up owing money?” I ask as my sister glares at me.

“My lady, this is for real” The handsome guy replies.

“I can’t believe this...” I look at all of them in disbelief.

“It’s not all... Your sister is getting married” My mother finishes.

This is all too fast.

" You will be traveling with her to attend her wedding in Rome.” The gentleman says.