Ilikethis overprotectiveness. He’s feisty and almost—almost—comes across as jealous. Not that that’s possible. I shake the thought away, reminding myself Art has a job to do. He’s probably worried about my security in such a public place. The faster we’re back at my flat in St. James’s, the sooner he’ll be back to his normal self.
Alfie returns a few minutes later with drinks and a piping-hot order of chips. I stir the ice around in my glass and let it cool the drink.
“So, five sisters?”
“Uh-huh, fiveoldersisters. I was the surprise baby of the family.” Alfie settles into his seat and explains to me that as the only boy, he grew up being spoiled rotten.
“I can relate. Being the girl and the youngest means that compared to my brother, there’s a lot I was able to get away with that Eddie was never allowed to.”
Growing up, it made me feel special that Papa and I had such a close bond, but now that I’m older, my perspective has shifted. I carry so much guilt over it. As the future king, Eddie has always had the weight of the crown on his shoulders. I can remember that Papa always treated my brother like a miniature soldier. He received lectures on how to act, dress, walk, and speak as the heir to the throne.
It’s not all that surprising that he chose to act out by partying and going to clubs. Eddie craved freedom and the ability to be a teenager. Except when your father is the king, there’s no room for mistakes. You’re expected to be perfect. It’s difficult for the public to imagine us as people, like them. But we’re human. We can and we do make mistakes too.
If I had to guess, I think Papa learned with Eddie that his children shouldn’t be raised with the same old-world, hands-off approach that he, Auntie Charlotte, and Uncle Frank were given. We’re only four years apart, but our childhood experiences vastly differed. I count myself lucky that in spite of this, my brother has turned out to be a kind, caring, annoying, yet compassionate man. I hope I can live up to being half the person he is.
Alfie takes a few chips and savors the taste, and I decide to move the subject away from discussing my family. “You’re in your final year at the ballet school, right? Do you hope to join a company?”
“We have another two weeks left before graduation. I’m excited, but it’s bittersweet. I’ve been with the school since I was eleven, and now it’s all coming to an end. Unfortunately, I didn’t earn a spot with the Westminster Ballet, but I did earn an apprenticeship with a company in Stuttgart, Germany.”
Oh, he’s moving away soon? And to another country. Why did Jenna set us up for a date, then? She must’ve known. I’m disappointed, but at the same time, I’m genuinely happy for him. From Clara and Jenna, I know that for a dancer, getting into a company isn’t always a guarantee. “Congratulations!” I raise my glass to him and toast him. “That’s brilliant.”
“Thank you.” He clinks his pint against mine. “I’m excited to start my professional career.”
“Are you nervous about moving to another country?”
“No. I lucked out. One of my sisters happens to dance at the same company. I’ll be moving in with her, and hopefully, she’ll start teaching me some German. Luckily, a lot of the company is made up of dancers from around the world. Most of them speak English.”
“That has to be a relief.”
“It is,” he admits. “The only major thing I’m worried about is getting around the city and communicating with people outside the company.”
I nod in understanding. “I think if you’re living there, you’ll pick up the language quickly. Being immersed in a place really forces your brain to adjust.”
“I hope so.” He sighs. “You’re starting uni soon too, aren’t you?”
I finish chewing my chip and nod. “I am. I’m starting at Imperial in about a month and a half.”
He lets out a long whistle. “Imperial. That’s a difficult school to get into.”
I duck my head. It was difficult. I worked my bum off to get top marks on my A-levels. I didn’t want anyone to think I’d been awardedspecial treatment to get into uni. I applied just like all other UK students do. “It was either going to be Imperial, York, or St. Andrews.”
“What made Imperial your top choice?”
“It had the stronger degree program, and I enjoyed the vibe of the campus when I did a visit.”
“That’s important, especially if you’re going to be spending three years there. Are you going to do the dorm experience too?”
“No.” I puff out my cheeks. “The powers that be decided it would be wasteful since I already live in London.” The exact words the PM used were “a waste of valuable taxpayer funds.” Mr. Carrington refused to hear what I had to say about the topic.
Alfie takes a sip of beer from his pint. “But was it something youwantedto do? Given the choice?”
I play with my glass. “Itwould’vebeen nice to get to know some people before fresher’s week.” It’s the first time I’ve admitted that to anyone. I’d hoped to be able to go through the same experience as my cousins. They made brilliant friends with their dormmates.
“Having lived in a dormitory the last three years, I can tell you that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Aside from living close to school, you’re not missing out on much. I still have to do my own washing up, food shopping, and share a tight space with two other blokes. Our rooms are tiny. There is no privacy.”
Hearing him say that makes me feel slightly better. Privacy is a big concern of mine, especially given my past.
“Not to mention you don’t know who you’re going to get as a roommate. Sometimes it works out well, and other times it doesn’t. I know people who’ve had it both ways. There were plenty of my classmates who didn’t dorm and they made friends just fine. I bet the same is true for you and you’ll get to know the people in your classes well.”
