30 Days with Prince Obnoxious, What Could Go Wrong? [Part 22]

[Day 24]

"Hello?" I said. I recognize the area code as Manhattan's. "Hey Melissa. It's me, Nick."

After what had happen, you have no idea how relief it is to hear Nick's voice. "Listen sweetheart, I was wondering, if you had finish your little work over there, could you...come here?"

"Huh?"

"It's just that I need a PA - now that business is booming. I can't even arrange everything myself without forgetting a thing or two. I didn't want the PA they had offered me before. They're all...boring."

I grinned. That means I must be a bit interesting right?

"Will you Mel? Will you please? It's a chance not to be miss...unless you're an idiot."

In other words, if I say no I'm stupid.

"Oh, Nick. I don't know..."

There was a whining-kind-of-sound on the other line.

"Please Melissa? I need to work with someone I know. And you're good with arranging stuff!" he exclaimed. I laughed. "What about your others unemployed friends?"

"That's it. I don't have one. And most of them right now are either in surgery, got back from surgery, pregnant or is...beneath the earth if you know what I mean."

There was a knock on the door.

"The pay is not as ridiculous as you have in Vallencia as a babysitter. But rest assured that it would be enough to pay every one and single of your bills and keep your tummy full. What do you say?"

"I'll have to think about it for a while Nick. I've got to go. I'll call you later okay?"

With that, I flipped my phone close and sprang to the door.

"OhmyfriggingoshtomorrowisChristmasandIhavenoideawhattobuyandandandyouhavetocomewithme!!"

"Jason...I have no idea what you were saying."

"COME ON!"

And once again, I'm being dragged to go shopping for Christmas.

"Emily!" I yelled as Jason nearly strangled me with my own colourful scarf. "Emily...Just....stay put, if you're hungry stuff is in the fridge, don't go anywhere near sharp things and- and, just watch the purple dino that dance around saying you love him show!"

I killed that purple dino...twice, in my dreams, with a mini machine gun. Just because he said that I love him, which I clearly don't. That stupid dino.

"Oh Barney? I love him!" Jason said giddily.

Silence.

"...Why did I say that? Come on!" He bellowed and dragged me away to town.

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"Pretty isn't it?"

"Breathtaking, yeah," I sighed and sipped my hot latte. Jason have a really good eye for really good views. "The Eiffel tower is really a splendid creation."

We were shopping for almost six hours! And I didn't buy anything much! Jason bought so many items that we were carrying about 3 dozen bags! And he's a guy!

I later found out that he has a lot of contact around the world, including Paris. And so, he wanted to buy something nice for all of them. Such a nice man.

He suddenly gasped and kicked a stray cat 10 yards away. My eyes widened, shocked.

"I swear it was an accident!"

"Right," I said, still shocked.

"Anyway, how many days have you worked as the princess' babysitter?" he asked, looking at me. I lowered my gaze to my latte. It was a very chilly evening, but I've been in such extreme conditions before in Vallencia that it didn't even bother me anymore.

"Today is the 24th."

"One week left hm?"

I swallowed hard and nodded.

"I'm going to miss you."

I flushed and nodded again. "I'm going to really miss you too J."

"But hey, we still can contact each other regularly," he replied, smiling. "And I can go to Washington a couple of times on a business trip," he said casually.

"How'd you know I live there?"

"There's this thing called personal files. Do you think the secret service would let anyone in the palace without checking their backgrounds first?"

Thankfully, I have a clean record.

"Oh Jason...I don't think I'm going to be there."

"What do you mean?" He said, tilting his head to the side a bit.

"Nick had offered me a job at his agency, with a decent salary in The City."

"That's wonderful news!" Jason said, grinning. "Congrats."

"I haven't take it though."

"Er, why?"

"I don't know, J."

There was a very comfortable pause where we sipped our beverages before continuing our conversation.

"You're going to miss them are you?"

"What?"

"Emily and her now cute personality. She's going to miss you terribly. And Alex and his obnoxious self - even if he drives you crazy at times-" he chuckled and set down his cup on the saucer. "-but that's just how he is you know."

"No, no I don't." I said, almost too quickly. Jason's eyebrows furrowed.

"He's an egomaniac Mel. Can you imagine him being the kind of guy who helps old ladies across the streets?"

"No...I always imagined him trampling over them and laughing when they cry out in pain," I said. Jason threw his head back and laughed. "No, no he's not that mean. He's obnoxious and arrogant Mel, that I know. But he's only doing that because he cares. He cannot show compassionate gestures like normal people do because...he's full of ego," he said, ending the sentence giddily and taking a big gulp of his coffee.

"Oh."

"Now, let's get back home and celebrate Christmas' Eve with the person we all love okay?"

"...I DON'T LOVE ALEX!"

Jason jumped a bit and raised his eyebrow. "N-no...I meant Emily."

"Oh, oh right. I'm sorry."

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Emily was depressed, I can tell by the looks of it. As soon as I stepped in to the room and hung my coat, I could feel the dark aura hitting me like a tidal wave. As soon as I'm in it, it's hard to get out.

"Emily sweetie, what's wrong?" I said and pulling her up to sit on my lap.

"Father and mother aren't going to celebrate Christmas with us again because they are too busy again."

I looked at Alex who was sitting across the room, near the window. He looked terrible, like he hadn't been sleeping for days. He had a can of beer in his grip.

I mentally sighed and hugged Emily tighter.

"Now, now Emily. Let's not let that ruin our Christmas spirit," I said cheerfully as I could. I felt really sorry for Emily, and angry towards her parents. They can't even spend at least an hour here with Emily before running off or what? It's the holidays and why the hell are they still working!

Emily still looks a bit sad.

"Look, if it makes you feel any better, I bought something very special for you," I said in a whisper of excitement.

"Really...?" she said, already brightening up a bit. I nodded giddily. "Yes, really. But you can't look at it till tomorrow!"

That got to her and she jumped right off my lap and straight into her room. Doing what, I have no idea. But she had a big grin plastered on her face.

I gathered up all of my courage which took me almost 15 minutes and looked towards Alex, already blushing so red I thought I might passed out from the tingling, hot sensation on my cheeks.

"A-and...I've got something for you too, Your Highness," I said politely. His head snapped towards me, almost surprised. "Uh...just...just call me Alex. And give whatever you got for me to Jason or something. I don't want it," he said hurriedly, and I could have sworn he was flustered as soon as he turned to walk to his room.

That was weird.

I sat there alone, watching the city lights outside the window.

I haven't realized how much I'm going to miss them when I'm done here.

Unwillingly, I let a tear fall down. I wiped it immediately and cursed myself.

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A/N: This is terrible. I tried to bring a bit joyfulness in Melissa lately but I couldn't bring myself to do it. And the last chapter was such an anti-climax, I realized that I'm trying to make it up to you guys at the very last chapters ;D Just wait.

Sorry for the kind of sad feeling I had put in this chapter. And thanks for reading ^0^

~Ayrese