Uno, unfortunately.
"Mom please, please, please. I left my fairy princess doll outside, can I go get her?"
My mom let's the smoke out of her mouth and looks up from her crosswords puzzle. The blue ink pen in her hand flips back and forth between her fingers with her hard stare pointed directly at me.
I pout my lip and beg with my eyes.
I need to go get her. I can't leave the princess alone out there all by herself.
"You go right outside, grab the doll and right back in. I'm timing you so no fooling around. Do you hear me?"
I nodd my head and bolt to the door. I'm out the apartment hallway and through the front door so fast I'm sure I left sparks behind me. Maybe my shoes have wings like Hermes. That would be super cool.
I cut through the grass and go behind our building so I can find the fairy princess still in her makeshift castle.
I don't have a real one but I can always create one. Better than any of the others I know of.
Turning the corner by the big green bush I stop in my tracks to see the biggest man I have ever seen in my entire life.
Oh my gosh, it's a gaint.
He has to be at least half gaint.
Like hagrid, oh my gosh that's so cool!
His hair is cut so short I can see scalp and the tattoos he has drawn on.
He doesn't look told enough to have tattoos.
Maybe giants don't age very fast?
Maybe his mom let's him paint himself whenever he wants.
I wish I could do that.
He is so pretty.
Oh my gosh I know who he is.
The handsome gaint prince.
A real life prince oh my gosh!
He's here for the princess.
How romantic!
Another much shorter and less handsome man points at the prince and laughs with his friends. They call him means names while the gaint does nothing but stand tall and proud. Not bothering to say anything back.
He knows his worth, just like all the princes.
He wouldn't give these ogres the satisfaction by saying something back.
Ignoring them seems to be working too.
When the mean man pokes his chest and calls him the bad word daddy calls momma when they fight I have had enough.
Coming out of my secret hiding spot in the magic bush I put on my bravest warrior face and come to the princes rescue.
"Hey! Don't talk to him like that!"
When the prince looks at me I almost loose all my strength and focus. His eyes are so pretty. A yellow green color that I want to call grellow. It's now my favorite color in the whole world from this moment on ward's.
The mean men laugh but I don't care. I stick my chin high in the air and march forward on them. How dare they call a nobel prince such names?
"Stop being mean to him. It's not nice and I don't like it. Leave him alone. All of you."
The short mean man cackles like all villains when I stand beside the handsome prince.
Ignoring the laughter I have to bend my neck all the way back to look up at the face of this beautiful gaint.
"Don't worry, I'm here to help. They can't take the both of us. Go ahead and get to the princess. I'll hold them off."
The prince looks down at me and I can see the sparkles in his eyes. His lips show a soft smile, I know he gets the plan now.
I flick my eyes to my fairy princess hiding in the magic bush behind him.
I mouth out in a silent whisper to grab her and run away.
"Who's this? Your girlfriend B?"
"No! I am not his girlfriend I am obviously his brave knight. Now get lost or I'll kick your butt. Begone, all of you!"
The prince reaches in to the magic bush and rescues the fairy princess. Looking her over for the first time.
True love!
I can see it in his bright eyes.
When the mean man trys to step closer and ruin their moment I block him, pushing him backwards with a stomp on the foot and a punch in his flabby gut.
"Stay away from the prince!"
I bring my fists up to my chin and ready myself for the fight I will unleash to protect them.
"Don't worry gaint prince, I'll protect you."
The back door opens with a bang. A group of men in dark armor comes running out of the last apartment right as the gaint prince grabs me up and runs with me in his big strong arms. The fairy princess and I are transported else where. I can't see anything and only hear his big foot steps hitting the ground with the drum of his heart beat in his chest.
When he stops running I'm blocks away from my apartment complex and in the park.
"Oh my gosh you are so fast. It takes me like an hour to get here."
I push back from his chest and tuck my ugly hair behind my ear.
My momma hates my hair, she says it's to thick and coarse. The color reminds her of stinky dark mud. She says my auntie Gale had that same color and momma hated it on her too.
But I think momma really just didnt like auntie Gale.
They fight anytime they talk, auntie Gale doesnt like daddy much either.
I stare up at the gaint prince and find the white and brown in his grellow eyes.
"I'm too old for you, love."
He talks.
Wow.
His voice is so deep. Deeper than I have ever heard anyone speak ever.
Like a growl deep in chest.
This is the best day ever.
"I'm not keeping you silly. You're for the princess." I raise up the fairy princess and fix her pink and blue wings to go all the way out for her to show him.
"Well, how old is she?" The prince takes a seat with me plopping down next to him on the metal bleachers.
"Ummm.. I don't really know. They never cover that in the stories. I guess she's however old you are since it's true love."
The prince laughs and I swear I could see magic coming alive all around him.
Like fire flys and tiny sparks to glitter the air.
"True love, right. What's her name?"
He points his gaint meaty finger to his bride, a simple smile shadowing his full lips.
They're so cute together!
I'm lucky to witness this, most of the time the knight is only in stories for the battle before the prince dismisses them so they can fall in love in private.
I tuck her pretty blonde hair behind her eajust like mine and bend her to sit on his knee.
"Her names Dani. Well it's Daniela but she doesn't like that so she goes by Dani."
He nodds with the best smile on his face.
It's true that all princes have a smile bright as the sun.
He is so pretty.
"Is that your name?" His hands stick in his pockets of his jeans with his thumbs hanging out.
Letters paint the top with a foggy image I cant really tell what it really is on the tops of his hands.
I think it says "life" maybe?
"No. My name isn't as cool. What's your name your Majesty?"
He sucks in a breath and watches me.
"It's okay, we're safe now. I put a inchating spell over us. No one can see or hear us."
His lips twitch again, another beautiful smile is brought to life.
"I'm Mason. What's your name?"
I look down at the fairy princess and fix her dress from folding up and being crooked.
I have to make sure she is looking her best, today is after all her wedding day.
"You can call me... Roxy."
Prince Mason laughs alot at that and i dont know why.
I like that about him, I'm sure Princess Dani will be happy in his company if he laughs like that all the time for her too.
"I can call you Roxy. Right. Well Roxy thank you for whatever that was back there but in the future you can't go around picking fights like that. You could get hurt."
I twist in my spot to face him better and bring my legs up to do criss cross apple sauce.
"I didn't pick a fight with the bad guys, they picked a fight with us. We're a team. I got your back. I might get hurt but that's the knights job. To protect the prince and princess forever."
Prince Mason nodds along with another smile on his pretty face.
Yep, I'm sure Dani will be happy for the rest of her days with this beautiful gaint.
"You're a white knight?" He leans up to pick a white flower from the branches above us. These magnolia trees cover the whole park in smelly white petals.
I never cared much flowers.
I always thought flowers were kinda dumb. They just die and smell bad.
"No, I'm a black knight with red inlays. Matte black none of that shiney stuff to catch the light and give away our position. Dark red like crimson. To hide the blood."
Mason laughs really loud this time and clasps his hands together.
His eyes grow and brighten to show off the color in them.
The sound of his hands colliding bounces off the spell I placed around us.
I can feel his happiness in my bones.
"Roxy Red the black knight, I thank you for protecting me and my.. princess Dani. How can I ever repay you?"
I put my first finger to my chin and think real hard on what I want.
I forgot all about the payment.
"You could bring Dani by to see me after your honeymoon. I don't have any other friends but her and, now you. I'll miss you both when I have to say goodbye."
Prince Mason picks up princess Dani and let's her whisper in his ear. I cant hear anything even though I shouldnt be trying too. This is private. Daddy would get the belt if he ever caught me ease dropping again. Last time was enough for me to learn my lesson.
Prince Mason doesnt seem to notice thank goodness. He nodds and agrees with whatever princess Dani had to say.
"The princess and I have talked about it and she said she would like that very much. She doesn't want to leave her bravest knight and best friend either."
When I smile this time it hurts my cheeks.
Prince Mason puts the white flower in my hair right by my ear and sticks a petal in the princess's hair so we can match.
I keep it there for princess Dani, even though I'm a battle trained fighter dani is a princess who loves flowers and all that other stuff. For her and her prince I will wear it in honor of them.
"Do I look pretty like her?" I turn my head to show him a better view.
"You are gorgeous Roxy Red. The bravest and most beautiful girl in the entire kingdom."
My face feels like a fire was set in my cheeks and burns the grin on my face that I try to hideaway.
I don't know what kind of magic giants have but I feel it in his words.
"Let's get you back home, do you live at those apartments?"
I nodd my head and watch as he steps off the bleachers with his hands out to pick me up.
Prince Mason takes me back, Carring me on his broad shoulders with princess Dani riding shot gun on mine.
"When I get older I want drawings like this painted on my skin. I want to be cool like you are. I could put lighting bolts all over me and bring the thunder."
Mason's shoulders shake when he laughs. His whole body does. I've never seen anyone do that before. I like it.
When my daddy laughs he makes one sound and it is never good. My mom doesn't laugh at all. I used to laugh all the time but they say I sound like a hyena when I do and tells me to stop.
I don't laugh anymore.
"Sounds awesome Roxy Red. I could see that fitting you. You know how to bring the thunder already."
When we walk into the parking lot I point to which building is mine and tell him it's door number twenty one.
Men in black armor hang around by one of the old people buildings that I never go in. Mom said that's where the old lady's live and call the landlord to complain about us.
So I leave them alone.
Prince Mason takes me to the door and let's me down. I give princess Dani a big hug and tell her how happy I am for her to have found her happy ending before I hand her over to her to prince charming.
"Pinky swear you'll come back to see me? If you don't want to it's okay. Don't lie about it, I hate liers. I don't want to hate you."
I twist my fingers and look at my sneakers.
Prince Mason bends down infront of me, taking a knee and sitting princess Dani on top for both of them to look at me.
His hand takes my chin in his meaty grip to tip it up and look at him in his pretty grellow eyes.
"I pinky swear that I will be back with the princess to see you my Roxy Red. Cross my heart and hope to die."
He holds his big pinky for me to take and braid them together so we can seal our promise.
His littlest finger is the size of my entire hand but I make do.
We pinky swear and cross each others hearts.
"Goodbye prince Mason."
I swing my arms around his big head and squeeze him tight just like I did princess Dani.
"I'll miss you."
I let go and run into my house.
My momma isn't in the living room anymore.
I'm not sure wher she's is but I dont care right now.
My eyes are stinging again.
I let the couple of tears I didn't want him to see get swiped away.
I hate saying goodbye.
I don't like it at all.
