Preventing a Royal Engagement
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! On with Chapter 2! =D
Chapter 2: Telling the Friends
Tinka barely got any sleep during the night. She was constantly jerked awake after being haunted by nightmares of her wedding to Anton. She knew that she should consider herself lucky that he was interested in her and that he would make a good husband for her, but she did not want to marry him. She was still furious at her parents for arranging her in a marriage to him and was in no mood to talk to them.
The sun had barely risen when Tinka woke up, after only a few hours of sleep. She quickly brushed her teeth, wrapped her hair into an upper ponytail, and threw on one of the casual sparkly outfits that she recently designed. She grabbed her backpack, quietly crept downstairs, and swiped a granola bar from the kitchen cabinet. Before her parents even woke up, she was already out the door and off to school.
Since she was busy with an extra credit assignment for her fashion class, Tinka did not get a chance to talk to her friends until lunch. During their time in the cafeteria, they all agreed to go to Crusty's after school for pizza. Tinka was all for it, as she believed it would be a good time to tell them about her arranged marriage and ask them for advice on how to get out of it.
Once the final bell of the day rang, Tinka made her way to the front doors of the school, where Rocky, CeCe, and Dina were already waiting, as planned. Ty and Deuce joined the girls, soon after, and they all began their journey to Crusty's.
"I'm glad we're going to Crusty's," Ty said, as they walked. "I could really go for a slice of pizza."
"Me, too," Tinka said, as she reached for Ty and was granted his hand. "All that betwinkling in my fashion class certainly made me hungry."
"Wow," CeCe said, randomly. "Since when do we have a rich kid at our school?"
"What are you talking about?" Tinka asked with a puzzled look on her face.
"I think she's referring to the limo parked out front," Rocky explained, pointing straight ahead.
Tinka looked up and, once she noticed Anton standing next to a black limousine by the curb, she immediately released Ty's hand and stormed over to him. Ty followed her, in confusion, with Rocky, CeCe, Deuce, and Dina right behind him.
Anton, meanwhile, greeted Tinka with a smile and a bouquet of red roses, as though he did not notice the annoyed look on her face, nor her holding hands with Ty. Before he decided to stop by and see Tinka after school, he put on some casual clothing because he did not want to draw attention in his royal robes. However, judging by Tinka's reaction to seeing him, he had a feeling she was going to draw attention anyway by making a scene.
"Ah, my lovely Tinka," he greeted, as she approached him. "How wonderful it is to see you again."
"Don't speak to me like that," Tinka said, sternly. "You don't own me."
CeCe, Rocky, Ty, Deuce, and Dina were taken aback by Tinka's negative attitude, which even surprised Tinka herself. She knew it was expected of her to speak politely to Anton, as he was a royal prince, but her mannerisms seemed to have evaporated like mist once Anton spoke to her as though she was one of his prized possessions.
"Forgive me," he said, apologetically. He held out the roses and added, "I bought these for you."
Upon realizing that a complete stranger was trying to hit on his girl, Ty clenched his hands into fists. He would have lunged forward and given the guy a piece of his mind, if it were not for Deuce and Dina holding him back.
"That's very kind of you," Tinka said, "but I don't accept gifts from people I barely know."
"Who's this guy, Tinka?" Ty questioned with an icy tone in his voice.
"A friend of my parents," Tinka answered, hiding some of the truth from him. She was extremely concerned that Ty would acknowledge himself as her boyfriend and there was no doubt in her mind that if he did, Anton would report it to her parents, and she did not want that happening. The sooner she and her friends went to Crusty's, the sooner she could explain everything to them. The last thing she needed was her parents finding out about her relationship with Ty, or Ty accusing her of cheating on him.
"I understand," Anton said, lowering the bouquet, "but I would be delighted if you would, at least, let me escort you back to your apartment."
"I'm not going home yet," Tinka explained to him. "I'm going out for pizza with my friends."
"Would you like me to escort you and your friends to your desired destination?" Anton asked.
Upon hearing this, CeCe had a starry look in her eyes. Being the local celebrity that she was, she had always wanted to ride in a beautiful limousine and the opportunity finally came knocking at her door.
Tinka noticed the star struck look on CeCe's face and quickly told Anton in a firm voice, "No thank you, we'll walk. The pizza shop isn't very far from here."
"As you wish," Anton said, oblivious to the disappointed look on CeCe's face. "My family and I will be joining you and your parents for dinner tonight, so I will go to your apartment and inform your parents that you will be home later tonight."
Tinka did not say a word as the driver, who was standing by the back of the limousine during the entire conversation, opened the back door. Once Anton was seated inside, the driver returned to his place in the driver's seat.
Once the limousine pulled away from the curb, Rocky looked at Tinka and asked, "What was that all about?"
"Let's go to Crusty's first," Tinka said. "I promise that I will explain everything there."
Rocky, CeCe, Deuce, and Dina nodded, simultaneously, and continued their walk down the sidewalk, leaving Ty alone with Tinka.
Since no one was around anymore, Ty was going to accuse Tinka of cheating on him, but the miserable look on her face told him that she wanted nothing to do with Anton. He smiled at her and offered her his hand, and she took it and squeezed it affectionately.
Together, the star-crossed lovers followed their friends down the sidewalk, towards Crusty's.
Once the six teenagers arrived at Crusty's, they seated themselves in a booth near the back, so they would not be disturbed by neighbouring tables. Rocky, CeCe, and Dina sat across from Ty, Tinka, and Deuce. After breezing through the menu, they placed their order for two large pizzas: one meat lovers and one vegetarian, a basket of garlic bread, and six large Cokes.
"Okay, Tinka," Rocky said, once the waitress left with their orders, "what's going on?"
"Yeah, who was that cute guy that stopped by the school to give you flowers?" CeCe asked, dreamily.
Tinka sighed and said, "His name is Anton Byalikov; he is the current prince of the old country."
"Well, that would explain the limo," Dina remarked with a laugh.
"What is he doing here in Chicago?" Rocky asked, curiously.
"His family is visiting my family," Tinka explained. "I met them right after I returned home from my date with Ty last night."
"Something tells me there's more to this story," CeCe said. "After all, it's not every day you see royal families from foreign countries showing up at my door, nor showing up at my school to give me flowers."
"Well, you're correct, there is more to this story," Tinka said, biting her bottom lip.
Ty sensed how tense Tinka was and draped his arm over her shoulders. He could tell that what she was about to tell them was upsetting her, and he figured that it would be easier for her to spill the beans if she felt him there, right next to her.
Tinka cracked a small smile at the comfort that Ty was providing her and whispered, "Thank you, Ty."
"No problem, baby," Ty said, trying to be brave for his girl. "Now, what else do you have to tell us?"
Tinka sighed, again, and said, "I'm arranged to marry Anton."
Upon hearing the news, Rocky, CeCe, and Dina gasped, simultaneously. Deuce's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. However, neither of the four was as shocked as Ty. The rapper's mouth dropped open in shock and Tinka swore that she could hear his heart break.
"What?" CeCe cried in surprise. "How did this happen?"
"Anton contacted my parents a while ago and asked them for permission to marry me," Tinka explained, looking down at the bare table.
"And they gave him permission?" Dina asked, although she had a hunch that she already knew the answer.
Tinka nodded, sadly, and said, "When I turn eighteen and I have graduated from high school, I'll have to marry Anton and move back to the old country."
"Babe," Ty said with a look of despair on his face, "you didn't agree to this, did you?"
"Of course not!" Tinka cried, startling a waiter nearby. "I love you, Ty. I would choose you over any man, any day."
Ty breathed a sigh of relief when Tinka told him that she would never leave him, willingly, for another man. However, he was still concerned that she was involved in an arranged marriage and would not be able to rest until he was positive that she would not have to marry Anton.
"I don't want to marry, Anton," Tinka whispered, as a tear slid down her cheek.
"Tinka, this is an arranged marriage, not a forced marriage," Rocky told her. "You should be able to have a say in this matter; you have the right to reject him."
"I did reject him, but my parents are strongly encouraging me to reconsider," Tinka explained. "I feel trapped; I don't know what to do."
"Well, I think you should go to your parents and firmly tell them that you don't want to marry Anton if you don't want to," CeCe suggested, "and use your mom's history to get your point across."
"What does my mother's history have to do with my situation?" Tinka asked, confused.
"Actually, for once, CeCe's idea is a good one," Rocky agreed. "If I recall correctly, your maternal grandfather forbid the marriage between your parents, but your mother gave up the throne of the old country to marry your father anyway, right?"
"Yes," Tinka said, slowly.
"If she gave up your father for the throne, her father would probably have forced her to marry some man she did not love, right?" Rocky continued.
"It's highly likely," Tinka replied, listening attentively.
"Well, if your mother had the freedom to control her life and marry the man she truly loved, then you should be able to have that same freedom," Rocky concluded, satisfied with her explanation.
Tinka nodded as she believed that Rocky made an excellent point. It did not seem fair, Tinka thought, that her own mother was able to make decisions about her life and that her own daughter was, for some reason, not able to have that same freedom.
"You make a valid point, Rocky," Tinka said, her spirits lifted. "I'll speak with my mother and father tomorrow, as I'm in no mood to speak to them tonight, especially with the royal family at the apartment for dinner."
Just then, the group's waitress returned with their drinks, ending any further conversation about Tinka's arranged marriage.
After the group left Crusty's, Ty walked Tinka back to her apartment. When they arrived, they could hear laughter inside, and they both immediately knew that the royal family was there for dinner, as planned. Ty quickly kissed Tinka goodbye and left, after telling her that he would see her in school tomorrow.
Using her key, Tinka entered the apartment. The sound of her unlocking the door was loud enough to alert both families inside of her return because soon after she closed the door, she saw Squizza and Anton hurry out of the dining room to greet her.
"Good evening, Tinka," Anton greeted with a smile.
Tinka simply nodded her head in his direction and, without making eye contact at him, said, "Good evening to you, as well, Prince Anton."
Anton sighed by Tinka's use of the word Prince as it meant, once again, that she viewed him as merely an acquaintance and nothing more.
"Tinkabell, your father and I would be delighted if you would join us and the royal family for dinner," Squizza said to her daughter. "We have just started."
"I'm not hungry right now, Mama, as I have just returned from eating pizza with my friends," Tinka explained, masking her frown with a smile. "If I may be excused, I have a biology test to study for."
Before Squizza or Anton could say another word, Tinka brushed past them and made her way down the hallway, looking forward to the peace and quiet that her bedroom provided her with.
Chapter 2 Up! Questions? Comments? Should I continue?
Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D
~TeenQueen661
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