Mondo Pastello | girlxgirl | Comple... - Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Two days ago; Tuesday.
Sarina was sleeping in, not wanting to leave her bed for any reason. Besides, her gymnastics was only that afternoon and she graduated from school the previous year, so there wasn't any place for her to get to. It was all perfect. That it is until her mother stormed into her room with a strange expression.
"Ugh, I want to sleep," Sarina muttered, throwing the blanket over her head.
"You might want to get up. Molly's here," her mother announced before exciting, leaving me with confusion etched into my brow. She looked over to see it wasn't even noon yet and began wondering why her friend was here. She rose from her bed, not bothering to pull any clothes on headed to the living room with her blanket wrapped around her. Sarina entered the room to see a lively Molly, a bounce in her step and wide eyes permanent on her face.
"Sarina! Are you not awake yet? You must not have seen it yet then!" Molly spoke quickly while Sarina's tired mind was trying to process what her overly excited friend was saying.
"Seen what?" Sarina asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes with her sheet. Molly was about to continue before she suddenly titled her head and peered at Sarina curiously.
"Are you wearing any clothes?" Sarina pulled away at the blanket, revealing that she was at least wearing undergarments. "Anyway, you need to see this!" Molly ran and jumped over the couch, landing skilfully on the other side before scrambling to find the television remote. Sarina sighed with irritation and walked up to the couch, turning and around and tipping over the couch spine to lie upside down on the comfy material. Molly finally found the remote and turned the apparatus on, scrolling to the channel she was looking for.
"What is all this about?" Sarina groaned, but Molly didn't answer. It wasn't until she hit the channel that Sarina remained uninterested.
"...it might have been under terrible circumstances, but I feel that everyone will feel more at ease now that we know who our Princess is," the anchor-woman spoke, tapping at her cards as she peered at her partner.
"Yes, but I think the King isn't too happy with this development. We already saw the Queen's fury as she raided the hospital, but didn't the King say just a few weeks ago that he thought dyeing your hair was taboo?" he asked curiously, and the woman's eyes widened.
"That is true! How does he feel knowing his own daughter's hair is purple?" at this, Sarina's brows furrowed. Why was Molly showing her this?
"For anyone just now tuning it, yesterday night Princess Melanie, the royal we have only heard about until now, was checked into the hospital. The staff were oblivious to who she was until our esteemed Queen herself barged into the hospital, absolutely furious with her daughter. We have yet to find out what had happened to the Princess, but we do know her injuries consisted of various scratches on her body, mirror pieces in her feet and hands and something that is known as a Boxer's Fracture, commonly formed by punching the wrong way. Had our Princess been in a fight?" the woman summed up, and the man continued.
"She was released early this morning from the hospital after observations during the night, the Royal Guards protecting her from the media waiting outside but there was one successful photo taken of Her Highness and although she doesn't seem very welcoming in the photo, we can presume she had just gone through something terrible. Show the photo," he looked off camera, and the image of them was replaced by something that Sarina would never have expected in her life. There she was, in all her glory; Alice. She was being carried bridal style by a Royal Guard, his red coat and bearskin revealing his authentic reality. There were more guards around them, the camera aimed perfectly between two of them. Her purple hair was messy and stuck to her face, her face full of tears and old makeup. She was still wearing a hospital gown, her feet and hands covered in bandages and a brace on her right hand. She looked terrified out of her mind, clawing at the Royal Guard who was carrying her. On further inspection, Sarina realized she knew the guard. It was Ian!
No way, no way, ran through her mind as she tried to process everything but instead listened to the woman continue speaking, wanting to get as much information as possible.
"We learned that Princess Melanie has been sneaking out of the palace and went by the name 'Alice Coleman'. After her photo was released, a man who wishes to remain anonymous had recognized her and uploaded a video of a fight he recorded in a café a few weeks back. The fight was between Princess Melanie and a man with the name of Caleb Adams, her boyfriend," the woman was clearly into all this gossip.
"Or rather ex-boyfriend. The Princess had confronted Caleb late last night, accusing him of cheating on her. Whether he did or not, we still don't know. Caleb has made no comment except that he had no idea that he was dating a princess. Caleb's mother commented that the Princess's appearance was already terrible when she arrived, but left with her fractured hand because she had punched Caleb. We can assume that our Princess is suffering a very serious case of heartbreak,"
"Do you think he cheated on her?"
"Caleb seemed furious when he was asked about it, yet chose not to answer. I think that this is a case of regret. Had he known she was a princess, he wouldn't have cheated on her," the two anchors continued to banter while Sarina was watching them, upside down. Her jaw had fallen and Molly was inspecting her friend, trying to read the makeup-less girl. In one huff, Sarina flipped herself over until her feet were planted in front of the coach and she stood up straight.
"My pastel ballerina is the Princess?" was the first thing that excited her mouth, her eyes wide and disbelieving. Molly nodded frantically, excited.
"I know right! Oh my dear chicken nuggets we know royalty! Or you know royalty but I've met her and I know her by association but she like totally talked to me and I've made her smoothies. Wait! I literally served royalty! I should get my own show," Molly rambled, excited while inside Sarina was having the biggest struggle. On the one side she was a little upset that Alice or... Melanie, didn't tell her anything about this. On the second side she was happy that Melanie had confronted Caleb and left him. He didn't deserve her one bit. And on the last side she was concerned, concerned about Melanie's wellbeing both physically and mentally. She was injured and it didn't seem as if it would take just an overnight to heal. Would she be able to dance? But on top of that, she had just gone through possibly one of the worst breakups in the history. What kind of breakup ends up with you in the hospital and with your face plastered all over the news?
"Do you know where she is now?" Sarina found herself asking, worried out of her mind. Molly looked at her stupidly.
"Uhm, the palace?" Sarina felt like an idiot and nodded slowly, falling back into the couch.
"I can't believe this..." Sarina shook her head in disbelief.
"Do you think she'll ever come back to the café?" Molly asked, curious.
"Not with all this media," Sarina answered, shaking her head.
"But like... we can make rose smoothie the country's national drink of something. Like... isn't she going to be the Queen? That would be so cool. We could be famous!" Molly ranted. "Wait! Don't you have her number?" Sarina frowned before nodding. "Well call her!" Sarina cringed and stood up, exiting the living room, leaving Molly to her own thoughts. She couldn't even think of doing something like that. Calling the Princess? Who does that?
She suddenly found herself thinking of everything she's ever said to Melanie and then thought of herself telling those words to a princess. Which she did, but now she was more considerate of those words. But she really hoped that Caleb felt awful right now, because Sarina wanted to do nothing to go find him and give him a punch to the other side of his face. And a few other places.
"Sarina! I just a message and coach wants early practice today!" she heard Molly call from the living room, her own figure in her room getting dressed. As she heard this she sighed. She had just put on normal clothes, and now she had to strip again and put on a leotard.
♕♥ ♕♥ ♕
Training for the Royal Variety Show was become even more of hassle as the weeks grew shorter, and now Sarina felt herself wondering whether nor not Melanie would see it. In person. She was royalty, after all. Every night Sarina would lay awake and think about Melanie. How hard her life is and what drove her to create an entire double life for herself. How her injuries were coming along and how broken her heart was. How living as a princess was like and how she probably missed dancing. Her brothers, where they the princes? So many things but not once did she grow mad. Sarina understood Melanie but had a need to talk to her, to find out how she was.
Because she felt something. She felt something towards this girl who Sarina knew she just had to keep seeing over and over. The feeling of dancing with Melanie was a type of clarity, knowing that having the other girl in her arms was meant to be. They were like puzzle pieces that have to come together to make one whole. But while Melanie was the important piece that made up the picture, Sarina was just that random one coloured piece. They were from two different world, and yet they came together.
But she knew Melanie didn't see it like that, or even considered it. It never came to mind. She only ever thought of Caleb, and now she was recovering from that. Maybe one day they'll come together, but that won't happen if they never see each other again. But she was afraid to call. This soon, at least.
But the world had other plans for her. Everyday more investigation was done by the media, and the ballet school was discovered and interviewed and the café was as well. Caleb was questioned even more when they discovered he also did ballet and even a pas de deux with Melanie. They absolutely loved it when they learned the dance was for the Royal Variety Show and that meant performing for her. Apparently Melanie had managed to get contact to the Madame that she would take part anymore, so now Caleb had a new partner.
Anna.
It was almost torture.
Sarina was thankful for not being at the café when the media raided, and instead had to quit a few shifts to get more practice time in. She was the main tumbler in the show and also had two times in the performance the responsibility of catching Parker when she was airborne. It was stressful.
Friday evening came and Sarina was still buys in the gym, stressfully doing pull-ups with the boys' still rings. There was two other gymnasts still here at this time and the manager was somewhere in his office, waiting for the lockup time because he encouraged us to practice more when we had time. The two other gymnasts were also a part of the performances, two guys practicing flips by propelling each other into the air. Occasionally she would hear one of them fall onto the floor, grunting in pain.
She heard the slide door open and was surprised to see two young boys enter. Twins from the look of it. They were both wearing sweatpants and hoodies, their eyes wandering all over to each apparatus with curiosity. The two other gymnasts stopped and looked at the boys with interest.
"Hey, are you lost little man? Little... men?" of the guys, Anthony, questioned.
"Uhm, no not really. We were looking for the gym and we found it," one of them answered, not that they could be discerned from each other. They were identical and had the same clothes on.
"Yeah but this is a private gym," Anthony explained.
"That is true but I want to learn how to do a backflip and I am not going to be doing it in some public gym. So teach me," one retorted sassily, putting his hand on his hip. All of the gymnasts stared at the boy with gaping jaws. "No I am just kidding. Me? Do a backflip? Bloody mad, that is what that is. No, we came for her," he said amusingly, pointing straight at Sarina. She was surprised, her one hand slipping from the ring which send her flying to the side as she desperately gripped one ring. She swung uncontrollably, and Anthony's friend had to run over and catch her from falling. She tumbled straight into him and they went flying.
"Was that my fault?" the twin questioned innocently. They headed over to Sarina who fetched some water.
"So are you sure I'm the one who you're looking for?" she asked, taking a seat on the bench. The twins went to stand in front of her with curious glances.
"Are you Sarina Miller?"
"Yes?"
"Then yes," Sarina sighed at this.
"Who are you guys?" she asked curiously.
"I'm Cornelius," the quieter one introduced himself to her.
"Bartholomew," the sassy one nodded. This confused Sarina.
"And you boys are what? Ten?" she asked, rising from the bench and walked back to the rings. The twins followed behind.
"Thirteen," they said at the same time and shared a look before following Sarina again. She headed to the rings and propelled herself upwards, catching the rings before doing more pull-ups.
"How do you guys know me?" she asked, her voice straining a bit whilst she exercised.
"You are friends with our sister," Cornelius answered, staring at Sarina and how big her arm muscles were as she worked out. He was sure he wouldn't even be able to do one.
"Are you Molly's brothers who I have never met before?" Saria asked in a disbelieving tone.
"No?"
"Then you've got the wrong girl. Now run off," she said, a little irritated by being interrupted. She wanted nothing more than to be captured in her own mind.
"So you are saying that you are not the girl who ran with my sister in front of car and proceeded to dance in the park?" Bartholomew asked rhetorically with an 'uh-huh' tone to his voice. Sarina's eyes bulged out and she let go of the rings, landing skilfully on her feet this time. Her jaw slacked as she looked at the two boys, their faces filled with the utmost satisfaction.
"Are you talking about Melanie?" she asked lowly, so that the other gymnasts didn't hear.
"So you do know our sister," Bartholomew said, acting surprised.
"Sister? Wait a minute, then you..." she narrowed her eyes at them, but their smug expressions said it all. She suddenly felt compelled to bow in front of the two, so she bowed her head. "Your Highnesses," she addressed softly, her mind overwhelmed with intimidation.
"No need for that. We're not even crowned yet. Nut listen, you need to come with us," Cornelius said, nodding towards Sarina who rose her head.
"Yeah. We need you to come help us," Bartholomew added.
"With what?" Sarina asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"Well, our sister is heartbroken and needs a heart-to-heart. Unfortunately, nobody in the palace can offer her any sanctuary of heart," Cornelius explained.
"Yeah. Our parents tried but Mother is mostly angry because all of this is because of a commoner boy and Mother is protective when it comes to Melanie dating and Father wants to make sure she's ready for the crown and that none of this ever happens again. And she doesn't want to see us, because we were sort of one of the reasons why all of this happened. So... she needs a friend. And you are her only friend," Sarina frowned deeply at this.
"I'm her only friend?" Sarina founder herself asking softly. Bartholomew nodded.
"Yeah, but you can wonder about that later. Come on," Bartholomew dragged her out while Cornelius went to grab her stuff. Outside was a black car with the twins' bodyguard, Rodger, in the front seat wearing all black.
"I feel like I'm being kidnapped," Sarina admitted as she sat against the window.
"Don't worry about it. You can't escape anyway," Bartholomew said with a sadistic smile.
"Where to, My Princes?" Rodger questioned.
"Home,"