The sky was an eerie gray and the cold, crisp wind blew her hair about as Patty watched Jonathan's ship slowly sail into the horizon, tears welling in her eyes. She wanted go with him. She'd do anything to go with him. He was her friend, her companion, and maybe even…her first love.
"Patricia, "a voice called out from behind her.
She turned at the sound of her name and slowly made her way back to the car. So this is how it's going to be from now on, she thought. She knew that he had to leave. It wasn't a surprise. So why did she feel this way? Why did she feel like her heart was breaking? He wasn't leaving forever. Just three years…three incredibly long years… Patty took a long deep sigh before tucking her head and climbing into the black vehicle. She gazed out the window longingly as the car sped away.
--
Sky grinned. His baby blue eyes never left her as he made his way across the room. And then…and then he held out his hand. Before Patty knew it she was on her feet dancing with him. Her slippers never seemed to touch the floor as he swept her away. His hand caressed her back faithfully. It felt as if she was floating on a cloud. For those moments no one else mattered. It was just them. They were alone. And the two hundred and fifteen young royals who stood clustered in the spacious ballroom were gone.
As the song ended, their eyes drifted to each other. He held her in his warm blue eyes, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist and then…they kissed.
"Patricia!!"
Patty's eyes sprang open and widened in shock as she found herself sitting up in her bed, the soft down-feathered mattress beneath her. Claudette stood at the foot of her bed, clothed in a flowery pink gown. She leaped onto her older sister's bed and smiled up at her.
"You should hurry. Mother won't be happy if you're late...again" Claudette announced.
Patty rolled her eyes and flung her bed sheets to the side. As she pulled the scarlet dress over her head, the tight waist line squeezing at her hips and stomach. She sucked in a breath as Claudette pulled the corset strings firmly. "There" she exclaimed, with a finishing sigh.
Patty turned to look at herself in the mirror and took on the task of taming her wild brown hair, her mind elsewhere. Why had she dreamed about Sky just a day after Jonathan left? It didn't make since. Sky was a horrible, insensitive jerk while Jonathan was…her everything. He was smart, brave, affectionate... sweet. While Sky... err She shrugged her worries away. It must have been that 2nd piece of cake she had insisted on eating after dinner. That was it. Note to self, she thought. Never eat Beatrice's triple chocolate cake before bed again.