Nearly two months. That's how long it's been since I last updated this story. I'm so sorry. I caught the deadly disease called WRITERS BLOCK and I couldn't get rid of it until now. Sorry if I disappointed you guys. Forgive me, please ._.

From Street Mouse to Princess

Chapter XXI

As soon as they stepped into an unoccupied chamber, Aiden dropped Sam's hand and she let it fall limply to her side.

"So I take it you know?" he asked, dropping into a wooden chair and giving her a wary look. The girl sighed and sat on the desk opposite of her male best friend.

"We're officially engaged," she said flatly. She threw her head into her hands, groaning slightly. "They're announcing it next week at that stupid ball." The two young people sat in a pregnant silence, both trying to arrange their thoughts. Sam squeezed her eyes shut, silently cursing that idiotic maidservant who couldn't keep her mouth shut. With a start, she realized that it wasn't just her affected by this hasty engagement. She hadn't even thought to ask Aiden how he felt about all of this.

Aiden, a person who ranked second only to Carly. She spent the best of three years pranking, stirring up trouble, and sneaking out of the palace with him. In her early days at the palace, she never even considered feelings for him. No, the two were strictly platonic. But then hormones began taking over, and Sam was not blind. She had noticed that Aiden was a very attractive young man. But still, feelings were quite platonic. They were best friends, but was that enough for marriage?

"Sam…" he started slowly. "We're best friends. I suppose that if we were to get married, it wouldn't be so bad…" Sam's eyes widened, suddenly fearful of what Aiden was going to say. She watched as inched closer towards her. "Before we figure all of this out, I just need to…"

Without warning, he took her face in his hands and pressed his lips onto hers. As if instinctively, she brought her hands to his shoulders and allowed her eyes to flutter shut. She felt his lips part against hers ad she was suddenly brought back to reality. She was about to push him off, but he beat her to it by breaking the kiss abruptly. He let his hands drop back to his sides, but kept his body close to hers. She pulled her hands into her lap and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I – I... What… Why? I – uh…" She trailed off uncertainly as he rubbed the back of his neck, eyes downcast.

"Did you feel anything? At all?" he asked, monotonously. She sighed and placed a hand on either side of his face, moving his so that his eyes locked with hers.

"Aiden, you're my best friend –"

"And you're mine," he interjected. She smiled softly.

"But, I didn't feel anything. Honestly, it was like kissing a –"

"Sibling?" he finished. She nodded. She eyed him curiously as he stood in silence. He let out a deep breath. "Oh thank goodness," he breathed. She cocked and eyebrow at him and allowed her hands to drop.

"Excuse me?" He cracked a full blown grin.

"I do love you, Sam. Just not like that." She shoved him in the chest, realizing what he had done.

"You could've just asked me how I felt, you know! You did not have to lip punch me, Aiden!" She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "Lip punch, when you press your lips to someone else's in a surprise attack fashion!" she explained, catching his questioning look. He tugged on a curl, playfully.

"Oh come on, Sam. My lip punching isn't all that bad. I like to think that I'm a rather good lip puncher," he said, waggling his eyebrows at her. She sent a swift punch to his arm.

"Stop making fun of me!" She rolled her eyes, but felt herself trying to bite back a smile. The weirdness of kissing her your best friend was slowly forgotten. She sobered up quickly, remembering the situation at hand. "Okay, now that we have our feelings for each other sorted out, let's figure out how we're going to fix our little problem."

"Alright, but first…" he started, "I need to know how your feelings for this Prince Freddie guy." Sam scowled.

"Freddie – Prince Fredward, he's getting married to my best friend. I can't be chasing after him if he's to become the king of the Eastern kingdom." She sighed and rested her chin on her hand. "It wouldn't work out for any of us, really." Aiden gave her a hard look.

"You're technically a Lady now, right?" Sam nodded. In order to make the whole 'lady-in-waiting' thing official, Sam had been dubbed a lady by Carly and High King Steven. "So you're an official part of the palace, yes?" Another nod. "Doesn't that mean that royal bindings can be made through you too?" This time Sam shook her head.

"No, I'm not a member of the royal family. They can't validate royal contract through me. And I mean, I never said I wanted to marry the guy." She shook her head again. "No, not marriage." She ignored Aiden's knowing look. "Shut up, Aiden."

"I never said anything…" His innocence was marred by a slight smirk. "Sam, I think you love him." Any happy feelings immediately evaporated from her mind and her mouth slipped into a deep frown with her forehead crinkled with worry lines.

"But Carly is supposed to marry him. Their marriage is what's going to bring the two kingdoms together, not a relationship with some former street rat." She laughed humorlessly, rolling her eyes. Aiden lifted her chin up so he could look her in the eye.

"Sam, look me in the eye and tell me that a marriage between Freddie and Carly is what would be best, for everyone?" Sam bit her bottom lip, dropping her gaze to the ground.

She could just imagine what would happen. Carly would have to break things off with Brad, the only man she truly loved, and marry someone who had to be with her just for the better of the kingdom. It would be a loveless marriage, one where both would spend the rest of their lives wondering what would've happened if things were different. As for herself, she's be married to her best friend. It wouldn't be too bad, considering it was Aiden that she would marry, but her heart would always long for someone else, as would Carly's, for Brad. She looked back up at Aiden.

"None of us would get out happy ending, huh?" He nodded, sighing deeply. She shook her head. "But then again, this is reality, Aiden. Who really even gets their happy ending?"

"We all deserve one, don't we?" he asked, taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Carly should be able to be with Brad. I should be able to ignore my uncle's wishes and train to be a guard in the castle. And you, Lady Samantha, certainly deserve that happy ending with your Prince Charming. You've done so much for others, for Carly and Brad. It's time for you to think about what you want, right?" Sam sat in silence, pondering over Aiden's words. Slowly, she nodded, rising up from where she was sitting. She exhaled heavily.

"I know exactly where to start."

"Carly, we need to talk about some things." Sam joined her best friend on the couch, pulling her legs up onto the cushions. Carly nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I suppose we do." The sun had set hours ago, it was nearing midnight already, and the two girls sat in the light of a small oil lamp situated on the table, their faces illuminated almost eerily. Sam could barely make out the vacant expression on the brunette's face. After a couple of tense moments, she broke the silence with a question.

"Do you love Freddie? Or like him, in the least?" She couldn't help but feel a small twinge of relief when Carly shook her head. Her relief, however, was soon overridden by slight anger. "But you're going to marry him?" The brunette frowned.

"Perhaps I may learn to love him… in the future." Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Besides, this marriage, not for pleasure, but for business."

"What about Brad?" Sam shot back. "You love him, don't you?" Carly's porcelain face was marred by an ugly grimace.

"He will learn to live with it. If I have to live with marrying someone I don't love, then he should be able to live without me in his life," she said stonily. Sam couldn't believe the words coming from Carly's mouth. She leapt up from the couch, he hands balled into fists.

"I cannot believe you!" The princess seemed taken aback by her sudden outburst. "It's time you realized that you're not just a little pawn that has to be told what do in her life! Your whole life has been dictated by other people, nursemaids, tutors, Sir Montgomery, your father. You're a strong woman, Carly Shay. Nearly four years of friendship has shown me that, but why won't you let the rest of the world see that?" She took a deep breath. "But at the same time, you're so selfish, Carlotta. When will you wake up and see that your choice is going to hurt everyone. Brad will forever live with a broken heart, Freddie will be stuck in a marriage with someone who doesn't even love him. Why don't you just let him go and let someone else love him? Someone who knows that he likes watching sunsets on the balcony. Someone who knows that his favorite color is green, it shows in his wardrobe. Someone –"

"Like you?" Carly interrupted her rant abruptly. Sam snapped her mouth shut and crossed her arms over her chest. "You're such a hypocrite, Sam! You're here telling me what I should do, but what about what you should do? Why don't you wake up and see the looks he sends you when he passes you in the corridor? Why don't you quit avoiding the balcony on the third floor where I know the two of you kissed? Why don't you just let him love you?"

"I don't know!" Sam shouted. Both girls were panting heavily, on the verge of tears. Without a moment's notice, the fell into each other's arms and they sunk onto the couch, tears sliding down each of their faces. As their tears subsided, Sam let out a snort.

"We're a messed up pair, Carls." She untangled herself from Carly's grasp and wiped the tears from her cheeks using the back of her hand. Carly did the same, but with a handkerchief instead.

"We are," she said, smiling softly. They sat back down on the couch, somber once again. "I want to fix this, Sam, I really do. It's time I told my father what I wanted. And Brad, he doesn't deserve to have his heart broken, he's too wonderful." Sam grinned, taking Carly's hand in hers.

"Well, then I have a plan." She took a deep breath. "At the ball next week, we're going to…"

fin.

Sorry again for the unacceptably late update.