God Save the Queen (22 page)

Chapter 31

The Offer

             
The next morning I woke up to the incredible news that I was allowed the day to myself. Since my last “me” day was a little, shall we say, interrupted, I decided to pick up where I left off--in the library. I made my way toward my safe haven with my favorites in tow. Once I got in there I was tempted to lock the door, but decided against it because it might look like I was up to something. No, I’d rather be inconvenienced by an interruption than deal with suspicions and crazy conspiracy theories. So I plopped down in my favorite chair, mentally dared that door to open, and then plunged headfirst into my reading.

             
About four hours later, I was finally interrupted. I heard the door knock three times and hoped if I ignored it, whoever it was would go away. But the knob was already turning. I buried myself behind my book, but when I heard the familiar sound of throat-clearing, I reluctantly looked up to see Kevin in front of me, looking a little down.

             
“What’s up?” I asked, putting my book down.

             
“Nothing, just a little confused that’s all.” He snapped out of it and remarked, “So, I see you’ve resumed your reading.”

             
“Trying to, anyway,” I said, hoping that wasn’t too subtle. “I had to put it off when Michael got back. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that there won’t be any more distractions until I finish this book.” Silly me, worrying that I was being too obvious. It turned out I wasn’t being obvious enough.

             
“Speaking of which, where
is
Michael?” He didn’t sound the least bit interested; more likely he just wanted to keep the chit-chat rolling.

             
“He went off to Spain. I don’t know where or why he’s there, all I know is that he’s promised to bring me another gift I don’t want or need.” I shook my head and looked back into my book.

             
“Wait,” Kevin started. “You mean you don’t know what he’s getting you?”

             
I looked up yet again. “No, and I don’t care.”

             
“But everyone else knows what it is.” He studied me again. “You seriously don’t know, do you?”

             
Now I was getting annoyed. “No I don’t know what it is. But your sudden interest in my
not
knowing heightened my interest in the matter.” I started walking toward him. “So pray tell me: what
is
Michael getting me?”

             
Kevin sighed. “You won’t want to hear it, Anya.”

             
“Yeah, I didn’t want to know that Michael was cheating on me either, but you told me that. Now ‘fess up.”

             
Kevin put his hand up in protest. “Okay, hold on. First, you
did
want to know what the secret was, and second, you wore me down until I told you.”

             
“And I’ll wear you down again unless you tell me what he’s bringing me back from Spain. So why don’t you just save us both time and tell me?”

             
Kevin moaned as if he really, really didn’t want to tell me. Whether he realized it or not, he really, really did. Oh, I don’t mean he’d take sadistic pleasure in telling me; I think he just wanted to keep me from hearing it from someone else who might not break the news so gently.

“Come on, let’s hear it,” I sighed, bracing myself.

He looked up me with those big puppy-dog eyes, then whispered, “He’s getting you an engagement ring. He’s going to propose when he gets back.”

             
I stood silent for a moment or two. I backed up before I exploded on Kevin. “He’s going to what?! Propose? But he can’t … I mean, I thought that he wasn’t going to.”

             
Kevin shrugged. “Well, he is now.”

             
I just lost it at that point. “Are you kidding me? He can’t propose to me. I mean he just can’t! We aren’t meant for each other. Simple as that! That’s why he cheated on me. It has to be the reason. Oh, this is just great. And now because of LaGard and his ridiculous contract, there’s no way that I can get out of this--no way at all!”

             
When I finished blowing off steam, Kevin finally spoke up. “Well, I’ve thought about it,” he said slowly, “and there is one way.”

             
I glared at him. “Oh
really,
Kevin, and what would that be? Huh? What’s your smart idea?”

             
He smirked. “Quite simple, really. You could just do the same thing to Michael as he did to you.”

             
“What do you mean?
Cheat
on him?”

             
Kevin nodded.

             
I threw my hands up in the air. “Oh yeah, Kevin, like that’ll work! Brilliant! For starters, how would I ever be able to find someone willing to do that? Should I put on hot pants and stand on a street corner? Oh, but then I’d have to remember
not
to wear my crown, or else they might recognize
the Empress of Russia!
”

             
He took a step forward and looked at the ground. “Uh, you wouldn’t have to go that far,” he said softly. “I know someone.”

             
“Oh please! Who? Who do you know that would be willing to do that?”

             
Kevin looked up. “Me.”

             
I gasped as I heard the words escape his mouth. “What? You … you can’t be serious.”

I backed up against the bookshelf
, but Kevin started making his way toward me. “I am completely serious.”

             
“But you can’t! It would be a criminal offense, for one thing.”

             
“It would be huh?” He took another step.

             
“It can get you thrown in prison.
Siberia,
Kevin.”

             
He was standing right in front of me now, our bodies almost touching. “I hear it’s lovely this time of year. The icicles are in bloom.”

             
“Michael would kick your ass,” I whispered as his hand brushed my cheek.

             
“I seriously doubt it. Anya, can you be quiet for a moment?”

             
“Why?”

             
My question was answered when Kevin took me in his arms and kissed me forcefully on the lips. Three months of avoiding this moment suddenly melted away as we became more entangled, our kiss became deeper. I felt his fingers run through my hair, my hands pulling him even closer. I was wrapped in his smell, his touch, as I felt his hands run down my back and around my waist.

             
Then a thought came crashing down over my head: If I went along with what Kevin had proposed, wouldn’t that make me just as guilty as Michael? Maybe even worse. For starters, I wasn’t like Michael in any way; I couldn’t deliberately hurt him, even if he had done the same to me. I suddenly panicked as my hands fought to break away from our embrace. “No,” I mumbled through the lip-lock Kevin had me in. I pushed him away until he backed up a few feet, both of us breathless as I whispered, “No.”

             
Kevin looked at me as though I had lost my mind. “No, what?”             

             
I looked up at him and shook my head. “I can’t, Kevin. I just can’t.”

             
He stood there in silence for a while and then yelled out. “You can’t? What am I to understand from that?”

             
I tried to stay calm but my voice began to shake as I said, “I’m not Michael, Kevin. I can’t go around cheating on him. He’s my fiancé.”

             
“Are you serious?” he bellowed in disbelief. “He cheated on you, Anya. He did it first, he started it, remember?”

             
I nodded. “I know, Kevin. But I can’t do that. I’m sorry.”

             
“You’re sorry?” he sputtered. “Sorry? Anya, I found a loophole.…”

             
“No, you didn’t. That’s just
your
way out of this. There aren’t any loopholes Kevin! The contract is ironclad. You know that!”

             
We both stood in silence as we both glared at each other, neither of us giving an inch. Finally Kevin asked, “So you’re really going to stay with him then?”

             
I nodded, although I wished I didn’t have to.

             
“Fine, then,” he murmured. “Then I have no other choice than to quit my job.”

             
I glared at him, “Oh, that’s really mature. You’re going to
quit?
All because I wouldn’t kiss you?”

             
“That’s not it, Anya. I just can’t stay here. It just makes me sick every time I see you around him. You know, I came in here today because I really thought that what we had was more real than what you have with Michael. Apparently not. Well, I gave it my best shot, I can live with that.”

             
I grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. “You can’t leave Kevin, you can’t leave now. I need you, now more than ever!”

             
He pulled his arm away. “No you don’t. You have Michael. You can’t have us both.” He started to walk away.

             
“Kevin, please,” I called, but he didn’t stop; he kept on walking out the door and slammed it shut so hard that the room shook. Or so I had thought. The room wasn’t shaking;
I
was. I picked up my book and threw it in an angry rage against the slammed door. After that, the only sounds to be heard were my muffled sobs as I fell back in my chair.

*
              *              *

             
I slept in until one the next morning. Michael was back already and we were to meet in the dining hall at three before going to the opera, but I knew now that he was going to ask me to marry him. He had the whole thing planned, even the dress I was to wear. It was ridiculous and too extravagant for my taste.

             
I rolled out of bed and slumped my way over to the couch. I sat down as Mari walked in with my breakfast-slash-lunch and an envelope in her hand.

             
“So are you ready for the big day?” she asked quietly. The castle walls had ears, so I assumed she knew about the fight Kevin and I had.

             
“No, not really,” I sighed as she placed the food in front of me. I pushed it away as I had no appetite at the moment. Then I stared at the envelope in her hand. “What’s that?”

             
She looked at it wearily as she handed it to me. “It’s for you. I found it taped on your door.”

             
As soon as I opened it, I recognized the handwriting. My hands started shaking even before I read it.

             
Dear Anya,

             
I am so sorry for how I said things yesterday, but I meant every word, even though you may not understand why. And that is why I am writing you this letter.

             
Ever since the day I first met you in the principal’s office, something strange happened to me. When you refused outright to come with us, I treated you so badly, and I didn’t understand why. It wasn’t until later when I could admit to myself that I was in love in you, and your rejection hurt more deeply than I realized. That’s why I was so obnoxious. I was afraid of losing you, and only felt confident when being a hard-ass. Afterwards, when you wouldn’t talk to me, I sank into depression. That night at the Halloween dance was no accident. I knew it was you, but pretended to be upset when I unmasked you just to hide my true feelings. Sound ridiculous, I know, but LaGard sensed how I felt about you and forbade me to talk to you. The night of the palace bombing changed everything, of course. Do you remember? That was the night we became friends and I would never go back and change that.

             
But now I am leaving, and you are going to marry Michael. Though it pains me to say it, I think my leaving will be the best thing for both of us. You can marry Michael without any second thoughts, and though I will hurt inside, I will be at peace knowing that you will be happy. I would like to see you in the library after your proposal as a good friend would, so that I can congratulate you on your new life. Then we may part as friends.

             
Yes, friends, for though I’ve always loved you and will continue to love you, no matter where I go, I will always treasure those “friend times” we had together: The Glass Room, catching fireflies, and watching
Titanic
and knowing exactly when to pass the tissues. I will treasure those memories always.