This was supposed to be in the same chapter as the last one, but here it is anyway.

Review shout-outs to bibliophile609, Miss Kaydence, delovlies, and mnbvcxz-xx! Thank you lot so much!

Not much else to say, only that I hope to be updating a bunch over winter break, and the next chapter will be the first group date, with the top three or four characters whose creators have reviewed the most because I'm super petty!

Please review!
-Shades

…

Saturday mornings had always been special to Lissa, and this one was shaping to be no exception.

All she had to get through was a nice quiet morning with Evie and Sophie, with no lessons, because it was Saturday, of course. After that, she had the rest of the weekend off. Joseph had promised to take her downtown for his afternoon off, and Lissa would be lying if she said she wasn't excited.

While their date after the reception for the Selection in the early hours of the morning was basically a blur of jealously and wine, she did find out that Joseph was a lot nicer when he got away from the palace and everyone else he had to impress. If that Joseph was any indication of who he actually was, maybe she didn't even need Wesley.

At least it was going to be special until her young charges had cajoled her into going down to the Woman's Room to visit the Selected. The ladies had been overjoyed to see the two young princesses, and from what Lissa could tell, it was equal parts sucking up and because they were so cute.

It was kind of like being abandoned at a party where you didn't know anyone except the person who had left you, except not. Lissa was hiding over in a corner that she remembered from her own time in Ethan's Selection and had sent Gracie like one hundred texts begging her to come so she wouldn't be awkwardly the only non-Selected girl there, but her friend hadn't even received them yet. It probably had something to do with Damian just getting back from his trip.

All of the rest of her resident gal pals who also lived at the palace were unable to save her for various reasons. Nicole was holed up in her room with morning sickness, and Nat was watching Jamie for her. Elvira said she was working, and Adele was busy with her kids, even though she didn't technically live at the palace. Christine wasn't coming until eleven thirty for her daughters when Lissa got off for the weekend.

She drummed her fingers across her floral skirt, and fussed with her pink sweater for the umpteenth time, trying to look professional and not as awkward as she felt. Evie and Sophie had completely abandoned there, and to be honest, she was a bit miffed. Across the room, the ladies were clustered around them. Even cold and hostile Lady Dresden had cracked a smile as Sophie talked animatedly, perched on quiet Lady Nikolai's lap. Lady Eleanor was helping Evie with a ballet move, with Lady Alyex for help. Of course with their mother and aunt both being dancers, the girls were too.

If she came out and said it, Lissa hated being ignored. It made her feel like she wasn't good enough to be in the esteemed company of the ladies, and reminded her that she had spent the first fifteen years of her life as a Seven, one step away from being the lowest of the low. And she hated that.

Her brother Adrian, now seventeen and almost to graduate high school, would probably now tell her that she was being silly. She had been in the Elite of Ethan's Selection, after all. She was a college graduate, and had raised her family from nothing, and was now working in a prestigious position she loved.

But sitting here in the corner made her think of all the times she had spent here five years ago, only back when she was "the slutty Seven" and when she actually wasn't worth any of the other ladies' time. Back then, Wesley had been the one to pull her out of that and save her.

She didn't need saving this time.

"Um, hey. It's Lissa, right?"

Lissa looked up, startled out of her thoughts. One of the Selected girls has actually deigned to talk to her. She recognized the girl almost immediately as Callista Ives, probably due to a little too much time watching the coverage on television for unadmitted reasons.

Lissa cleared her throat. "Oh, hi. Yes, I'm Lissa Dove…" she blurted out.

Callista gave her a tight-lipped smile and held out her hand to shake. "Callista Ives."

"Nice to meet you," Lissa said, shaking the shorter girl's hand. She had light brown skin covered with freckles and black hair pulled into a tight bun. She wasn't very tall but had killer curves, enhanced by her outfit. While almost all the other girls looked like perfect princesses-in-the-making in their delicate dresses and heels, Callista was wearing an oversized sweater and leggings.

"You're the governess, right?" Callista stated more than asked.

"Yeah, just for those two right now," Lissa said, nodding.

Callista cocked her head slightly. "Isn't that all there is? Besides the little-whats-his-name boy who breaks things?"

"Aidan? He's only four, and besides, he's a boy, so he doesn't need a governess."

"All kids need someone," Callista said. "And it seems like their parents are too busy to be their parents so they have to hire someone to do it for them…" she looked Lissa up and down, and then shook her head.

Lissa raised her eyebrows, fighting back the urge to jump up and put this girl in her place. She took a deep breath. "Actually, Christine and Andrew are great parents, and so are Nicole and Ethan. And yeah, they have a lot on their plate, but I don't know any parent's who spend every waking moment of every day with their kids."

Callista was quiet for a moment, frowning. "Touché," she said. "Still, maybe they need to focus on the country a bit more. Cute kids, though."

This time, Lissa was unable to fight back a retort. "Did you come all the over here just to rip on the monarchy's parenting?"

"Actually, I saw you sitting here alone and couldn't stand to be around that flock of chickens any longer, so I thought I'd come see if you were more interesting."

Lissa was saved when the doors opened, ushering in King Andrew. Callista stepped back and looked at the ground as the rest of the girls jumped to their feet and attempted to curtsey and be polite. Evie and Sophie ran towards their dad and tackled him around the legs with a bombardment of giggling and happy squeals.

If Lissa had ever seen the king look awkward before, right then topped it all. Andrew waved to her, and then addressed the Selected.

"As you were, ladies. I don't want to interrupt," he said, running his hand through his reddish-brown hair. Lissa watched them argue amongst themselves about in strained whispers as they decided whether they should sit down or stay standing. Andrew, Evie, and Sophie headed over her way, and Callista excused herself without a word.

"I know it's only ten, but I thought I'd pick them up early," Andrew said, looking taller than usual holding the hands of his daughters. "Christine put me on kid duty."

Lissa smiled. "I'm sure they'll be excited to spend time with you," she said, never knowing quite what to say to her boss who was also the king and the older brother of her ex kinda-boyfriend and the guy whose Selection she had been in.

"Well I know we've been having you work extra hours since the Selection, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to let you off for your weekend early," Andrew said, as Evie tugged on his suit jacket urgently. He scooped her up, much to her delight, as Sophie hugged Lissa goodbye.

"I leave them in your capable hands, then, sir." Lissa curtsied, and she could feel the eyes of the all the Selected as she had a conversation with the king of Illea like it was no big deal. Faking confidence, she shot Callista her best "I told you so" look, and sauntered past the rest of the Selected.

She half-wished she could be there among them, competing for Wesley, but at the same time, would she have been the same girl now if that had been different?

Maybe some things were just not meant to be.

Joseph met her back in the parking area for the servants a little bit later. Out of his uniform and into a casual navy polo shirt, salmon-colored shorts, and aviators, he somehow managed to look incredibly different.

"Hey," he said, breaking into a grin. "you're off early."

Lissa smiled, and her stomach filled with some pretty giddy butterflies as he lightly kissed her cheek in greeting.

"So I am," she replied. "The king himself decided to pick up the girls earlier than planned."

Joseph opened the door of his red hatchback for her. "Ahh, maybe I should start liking him a bit more, then."

"Maybe you should." Lissa climbed in the passenger seat and shrugged out of the sweater she had worn earlier to make her cream floral skirt and pink crop top be more work appropriate. Joseph came around to the driver's side and sat down next to her.

"Ready?"

"Absolutely!"

The palace was located not too far away from downtown, but still secluded away from the city, so it took a while to drive there, but Lissa didn't mind. It was a gorgeous day and the views were stunning, and it was warm and sunny. Joseph opened the sunroof and the windows and drove down the twisting coastal highway like a maniac, but he assured he had down it a thousand times.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Lissa shouted over the wind as he took the car around a turn at what she would most definitely not classify as a safe speed.

Joseph looked over at her, smirking, and Lissa gripped the door handle as he took his eyes off the road. "I've been driving this road since I was sixteen, I promise you it is," Joseph yelled back, the wind muffling his words. They quickly realized conversation was hopeless, so he turned on the radio and gave diva-worthy performances of every song that came on, leaving Lissa gasping for breath from laughter.

After they left the hills behind, and traffic slowed them down enough that they could hear each other enough to talk, Lissa spoke up.

"You've been working at the palace since you were sixteen?" she asked.

"I was a footman before Prince Ethan's Selection…you probably wouldn't remember me. I was so bad at my job they barely had me doing anything. I got promoted about halfway through."

"And you've been there since?"

Joseph nodded. "Yeah, ever since I finished high school. I'm a lot better at being a valet than a footman. I remember you, though."

"What are you, some kind of a stalker?" Lissa teased, nudging him with her knee. To her surprise, Joseph turned a delightful shade of red.

He shrugged, "I just remember thinking you were really pretty. Especially during the whole birthday masquerade ball for you and Prince Wesley. I spilled my whole tray of drinks when you walked in because I was staring at you. I couldn't remember which one you were, and I walked right into another footman. After that, I worked with King Andrew's valet, back when he was still just the heir."

Lissa laughed, imagining a teenage Joseph actually being that terrible at something. "Well, I guess I'll take it as a compliment, then. Even if you didn't remember who I was."

"There was just so many of you back then, kinda like there is now! I only ever remembered you after that because of how you finally got me into a better career."

He said it positively, but it made Lissa get quiet for a second. "Not because I was 'one of the Sevens' that everyone talked about?"

Joseph took advantage of one of the stoplights to look her in the eyes. "Lissa, first off, you weren't a Seven anymore then. And I was a Six. Still am." It was his turn to get quiet. "Look, I know how it must seem, I mean, I'm just a valet, and you've been to college, you've got like two degrees, and I barely graduated high school-"

"Hey," she stopped him, putting her hand on his arm. "I've never really cared about all that stuff anyway."

If it was possible, Joseph looked at her in a way that only be described as bashful, and Lissa snatched her hand back. She quickly changed the subject.

"You also have a nice red car."

"Well, the job pays for everything else I need, so I figured I might as well get a nice one."

"So, talk me through downtown Angeles. I don't think I've ever been here, except for like five minutes driving through with Gracie."

"As it just so happens," Joseph said, "I'm a native, so you're in good hands."

Maybe the specialness of her Saturday was saved after all. They ditched the car in some free parking area Joseph knew about and set out on foot to explore the city. He took her to lunch and showed her all the cool landmarks and places to go, even the areas of the city that been destroyed during Mitch Levi's attempted rebellion. She found out he had left the palace after the Convicting during Ethan's Selection, the one that had had an extreme loss of life. He had left along with many others and stayed with his family further south for the months until the monarchy had been restored.

She teased him about his singing in the car, and how he acted when he was working and endlessly about spilling the drinks years ago. He showed her a different side of him, one that wasn't a jerk about everything who had to better than everyone.

"This place has the best ice cream ever, but it's totally addicting, so I'm warning you," Joseph said, taking her down a side street.

"Would it be so bad to take me again?" Lissa joked, letting her hand hang by her side, accidentally brushing Joseph's many times before he got the hint and held her hand as they walked. The giddy butterflies were back.

At least they were for a moment.

Until Joseph caught sight of someone across the street, and his face fell almost immediately.

"What is it?" Lissa asked as the butterflies turned more to dread.

He shook his head. "I seriously just wanted one day away with you. And we can't even get that."

Lissa looked over to where he was glaring and spied just exactly what she didn't want to see.

At first, she wasn't quite sure if it was him or not, with the casual clothes, incognito baseball cap, and dark sunglasses. But he was close enough for them to hear him laughing, and that laugh was unmistakably Wesley.

One of the Selected was with him, wearing a bright yellow sundress. Lissa was pretty sure it was Lady Iris. They were flanked by three plain-clothed guards trying to look inconspicuous, along with Elvira. Wesley was holding a guidebook, and following Iris, who was talking to him excitedly. He had his phone out, and they stood with the background of one of the skyscrapers behind him, taking selfies with ridiculous faces.

Somewhere in her heart, felt a twinge, seeing him out with someone else, smiling and laughing. Like they used to be. She didn't want to feel it, but it was there all the same.

Only now he was him and she was her and they were different people but it still-

It still hurt.

"What should we do?" she asked Joseph

"We could run away, pretend like we didn't see them?" He had already put his sunglasses down and was trying to look normal as they turned away from the group to hide better.

There was that feeling again, the one that Lissa didn't know if she wanted to take matters into her own hands and forget about Wesley, even if it meant staying at the palace, or if she wanted to run away and never see him again, or maybe she wanted to be reminded of him every day and never forget him even if she couldn't have him.

She was never going to forget. She was always going to love the color of his eyes, and she was probably always going to search for someone with the same contagious effect that Wesley had on her. She didn't think she was ever fully going to get over him, the way he walked, the way he talked, the way he smelled like Christmas. There were still going to be those times when all the regret and pain and came rushing back, no matter how much hoping and wishing she did.

She was going to miss him with all her heart.

But she was going to be okay.

Lissa looked at Joseph. "I honestly don't care if he sees us or not. Is it going to cost you your job or anything?"

He shrugged. "I don't think so."

She risked a glance over her shoulder. Even across the street, Elvira had most definitely seen them, judging by her smirk, but so far, Iris and Wesley seemed clueless.

Unfortunately, Wesley chose that exact moment to spot the ice cream parlor that they were standing right outside of. Lissa turned away as fast as possible so he wouldn't recognize her.

(Okay, so she did care.)

"Did he see us?" Joseph pressed.

"I don't know!"

"ARE THOSE MY SHORTS?"

The shout came from across the street, followed by a car laying on its horn. Lissa whirled around to see Wesley almost get hit by a car as he dashed across the street, attracting more than a few stares from passersbys. Elvira followed right behind him, with a look that could kill, ordering the cars to stop by holding up her hand.

Joseph was starting to turn that delightful shade of red again, only this time there was what might have been princely usurpation in his eyes. People around them were starting to notice what was happening, and Lissa could see them eyeing Wesley and Iris.

"AYYY!" Wesley yelled at the top of his lungs. "JOE! What the hell are you doing with my shorts!"

"You took his shorts?" Lissa gave her date an incredulous look.

Joseph held up his hands in protest. "He wasn't going to wear them! He said they were stupid!"

Wesley reached them, and by then, Lissa could see some of the people around them were taking pictures of him, and she could hear murmurs of "Prince Wesley". Iris and the rest of the guards caught up by then, and the Selected girl was looking nervous and upset.

It was only then that Wesley seemed to notice that Lissa accompanied the shorts-stealer. He stopped in all his slightly misplaced rage and met her eyes. The anger in his body language spiked as he looked btween her and Joseph-

Still holding hands-

For the second time that day, Lissa snatched her hand back. And it only made Wesley angrier.

"I could have you fired," Wesley snarled at Joseph. One of the official cars from the palace pulled up, next to them, and two police cars were stopping traffic. Now everyone who was around was staring at them, and more people were noticing.

Joseph looked like he was trying really hard not to hit Wesley. "You weren't going to wear them," he said through clenched teeth. The guards were now getting a worried Iris into the car.

"Does that give you the right to wear my stuff? Are you even supposed to be off right now?"

"Does it matter? You're not even there!" Joseph retorted, not backing off. Lissa grabbed his arm in an attempt to pull him off, but he shook her off.

Wesley paused only to take a deep breath. "ITS STILL YOUR JOB!"

"You said it yourself, you don't need a valet!"

"You're right, I don't. You're fired." Wesley assumed his prince-tone and straightened his shoulders. He looked around and seemed to realize the crowd they had drawn.

"Wes, please-" Lissa stepped forward. Wesley looked at her, and the fight seemed to deflate out of him. Elvira and the guards were now clearing people away, now flashing her palace-identification

There were a million things that Wesley could have said. But what he did shattered what was left of her broken heart.

"Don't call me Wes."

It was almost as if they had never happened at all.

Then there were a million things that Lissa could have said. But she didn't say anything.

Wesley didn't break eye contact as he allowed Elvira to herd him towards the car. As they got closer, Lissa could see his feet falter until he was just dragging them as Elvira took him by the arm. His balled-up fists were shaking so hard, and it was like he wasn't seeing reality anymore as he clumsily pushed his commanding officer away. Elvira grabbed his wrists, holding them in place as she spoke to him, gently.

And even from where Lissa was, she could see tears rolling down the prince's face, see his crumpled face, and how much his chest was gasping and his shoulders were shaking.

Joseph was pulling her away, out of the crowd that was taking pictures, now including several members of the paparazzi, despite the instructions of the police gathered to stop. Lissa looked over her shoulder, seeing Elvira stuff Wesley into the car, and then a few seconds it pulled away.

She did this to him.

This was her fault.

…