Grace Encounters

San Myshuno
Brownstone Apartment Buildings

William’s hand trembled as he reached for the doorbell, needing five attempts before he finally pressed it. Dressed in his cousin Ryan’s dark gray hoodie, modern white cargo joggers, and Converse, he hid his buttery blonde hair under a dark baseball cap to avoid recognition. Despite the casual attire, his aura of class and attractiveness was unmistakable and the way he carried himself set him apart from other teenagers.
A familiar voice crackled through the intercom, soft and melodic, yet with a hint of curiosity that always made his heart skip a beat.

“Hello?” Grace’s voice sounded, sending a wave of warmth and nervous anticipation through him.

“Grace, it’s William. May I come up for a moment?” he implored, his accent crisp and refined, betraying the anxiety he felt inside.

A few agonizing seconds of silence followed, making his heart sink, until the buzzer sounded, and the door clicked open. With a sigh of relief, he pushed it open and stepped into the daunting hallway, heading straight for the elevators to the second floor. As he exited the elevator, he noticed her door was ajar. He hesitated briefly before knocking and gently pushing it open when there was no response.

“Grace?” he called softly. She peeked out from the kitchen, waving him in. He meticulously brushed his shoes on the doormat before entering, closing the door behind him. Unable to bear the suspense, he made his way to the kitchen.

Grace was dressed in worn blue jeans, a white knit sweater with a light-colored knit vest over it, topped with a thick triangle scarf in fall colors wrapped around her neck. Everything looked handmade or second-hand, as usual. Her long auburn hair was in its usual messy ponytail, and she wore her horn-rimmed glasses. She was at the sink, washing dishes and struggling to dry them due to limited space to put the wet wares. He took the dish towel from her, their eyes meeting in a silent exchange.

They finished the task together in silence. Once their hands were dry, she grabbed his and led him through a door, into her room, shutting the door behind them. She pulled out some magazines from a table and flashed them in his face, both displaying damning images.

“Explain!” she demanded; her voice hoarse with emotion.

“Well, it is precisely what you think it is. At least no one can recognize you. No one has, have they?” he inquired, attempting to sound reassuring.

“I don’t mean the photo. Explain THIS!” she pointed at his full name and title in the headline, tapping on it. He blushed, swallowing hard.

“Indeed. That is precisely why I came here. I must apologize for the manner in which you had to discover this.”

“A prince?! Are you kidding me?! Why me?! Was all this a joke? Like in those teen novels and chick flicks?! Did you make me the butt of a sick joke?! But why?! How did I deserve that? What have I ever done to you? Was this a bet or something?!” she exclaimed, her voice rising with each question.

William’s face fell, his eyes filled with regret. “Grace, no, it was never a joke. I swear. I never meant to hurt you or make you feel like this. I care about you deeply. This isn’t some bet or prank. I just… I didn’t know how to tell you.”

With an exasperated groan, she let her arms drop to her sides, giving him a certain glare. “Seriously now?”

“Yes. I was afraid,” William admitted softly. “Afraid of losing you, afraid you would like me for the wrong reasons, afraid you wouldn’t see me the same way. But I realize now that keeping it from you was a mistake. I’m so sorry, Grace.”

“This has got to be a joke. A big fat joke and I am the butt of it. I thought you were different. I’m so sick and tired of being made fun of, bullied, just because I refuse to be part of the status quo,” Grace sighed.

He cleared his throat and shook his head. “No, it isn’t a joke. And it never was. In fact, I am here to extend a cordial invitation for you to meet my father. He is quite eager to make your acquaintance.”

“What?!”

“My father. He’s in town because of, well… that,” William pointed at the magazines she was still holding. “And he rather insists that I introduce you to him.”

“Your father? If you are really a prince, that would make him a …” Grace couldn’t finish the sentence, her face twisted into a horrified grimace.

“…a king, indeed. His Majesty, King Maximilian Edward Henry Cromwell.” William confirmed.

Grace stared at him with wide eyes, her breath catching as she dropped down onto her bed. William gently took the magazines from her hands, placing them on the table, and crouched down before her, holding her hands tenderly.

“Grace, I am truly sorry. Everything else I ever told you was the truth. Well, except for the room tour. That wasn’t my room, but if you wish, I will show you the real one this time. I promise, no more lies, no more deceit from now on. Please, say you forgive me.”

Grace sighed deeply, her eyes filled with a mix of frustration and affection. “How am I supposed to explain you to my family? They already think I’m the crazy one with all my books and love of poetry and esoteric stuff. That’s why I live with Grandma; she gets me. The others are all kinda embarrassed by the ‘Treehugger Hippie,’ as they call me. If I pull princes and kings out of some magic hat, they’ll have me committed!”

Failing to fully suppress a chuckle at her reaction, William looked at her, his expression softening. “You have parents?”

Grace rolled her eyes. “No, Will, I was made in a lab. Of course I have parents. Everyone does.”

“I meant live ones. I assumed they were… gone. You never mentioned them.”

“Well, yeah. No, I have a family, but I wanted to live with Grandma, and they were more than happy to allow it to get the black sheep out of their lives. I can tell each holiday when we go see them. Grams and I both feel like aliens. To be honest, I haven’t told any of them about you. Only Grandma knows. Well, she knows some. Obviously a very toned down and definitely censored version. And she definitely does not know about it being you, or rather us, on those cover pages. She will never find out, only over my dead body. Yikes.”

William smiled and plopped down next to her on the bed, then quickly jumped back up. “Sorry, that was inappropriate…”

With a sigh, Grace pulled him back down beside her, giving him a look that clearly said, ‘Are you serious?!’

“After prom night, I think we can skip the formalities, don’t you agree?” Grace said.

William blushed but couldn’t help grinning. “Will you come meet my father? Please.”

Grace pointed at the magazines, her voice tinged with sarcasm. “Your father knows about that, right?”

William nodded. “Well, yes, of course.”

“No, I meant, does he know why you were… I mean, why your butt… well… you know?”

“Oh, that. Yes. He asked me rather directly and I did not wish to lie to him, so I explained the context. I didn’t feel that I had a choice,” William admitted, struggling with the awkward truth.

“Oh great! Not only does your father know we did it, but to level up and show things can always get worse, you are asking me to go meet a king, THE King of Henfordshire, who knows what I did with his son on a Ferris wheel ride? Sure, why not, maybe afterwards we could go skydiving naked, ’cause, why not, right?” Grace said, her tone dripping with irony.

William shrugged. “Well, I think nowadays everyone just assumes that sort of thing happens or will happen when someone our age and older has a boyfriend or girlfriend. So, I don’t think you should focus on that particular bit. Besides, my father is more concerned about the fact that my rear was exposed rather than the reason why.”

Grace raised an eyebrow. “Boyfriend?”

“Isn’t that what I am?” William asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

“I don’t know. Are you? Then again, I guess it’s implied, considering… you know. Ha, I guess I have a boyfriend now, ’cause I don’t think either one of us is the type to do THAT without real attachment,” Grace said thoughtfully.

William’s expression softened even more. “So, you are still attached to me?”

Grace hesitated, her voice uncertain. “Umm, kinda weird question, but I guess yeah. I mean, you know more about me and my dreams and such than anybody else, except maybe Grandma. Then again, do I even know anything about you that was real?”

William took a deep breath, his eyes earnest. “Everything I shared with you about my feelings, my thoughts, and my dreams was real. The only thing I hid was my identity, and I deeply regret that. I want you to know the real me, Grace. I want to be honest with you from now on.”

Grace looked at him, her eyes searching his. “I guess we’ll have to see. I honestly don’t know how I feel about all this, Will. Not saying no, just need some time to wrap my head around all this. For now, let’s just take it one step at a time.”

William’s expression grew more urgent. “Grace, I understand, but it’s really important that you meet my father soon.”

“Yeah, no, I get it’s important to you, just why? What’s the damn rush? Can’t the public commemoration of our first time callus over first?” Grace retorted.

William shook his head, his tone earnest and refined. “I wish it were possible, but Father must issue a press release very soon. He will need to state that he has always been aware of you and fully endorses our relationship. He’ll claim we were simply swept away by passion, and he wishes for it to be as truthful as possible. Therefore, he desires to meet you at the earliest opportunity.”

“Of course, a press release, sure, why didn’t I think of that? Maybe I should issue one too, aimed at the one or two people in my life who would even care enough to read it,” Grace said sarcastically. William grimaced, and she sighed. “It’s not directed at you, Will. Or William, I guess. Does everyone call you William?”

“Usually. My sister used to call me Liam, but now she fancies a boy named Liam, so she stopped as it became rather awkward. My grandfather’s name is also Liam. Fun fact, my mother’s name is Grace. Aria-Grace, actually. I always thought that was a sign,” William explained with a soft smile.

“If your family’s signs from above lead their heir to a tiny bookshop hidden in some big mall in San Myshuno to meet a girl like me, you are in trouble,” Grace said, unable to suppress a laugh.

William couldn’t help but laugh too. “Say you’ll meet him.”

“Will…iam…” Grace hesitated, stumbling over his full name, a reminder of the weeks she had only known him as Will.

“Will is fine. I would finally have a nickname of sorts,” William said with a gentle smile.

“Well, Will or William, I can’t go meet a king. I can’t even wrap my head around the fact that you’re not just Will. You still seem like Will somehow. It’s like one of those body swap movies where you look the same but are someone totally different. But now that I know, it’s kinda obvious you’re nothing like other teen boys. You’re, like, super different. I was so distracted by your accent and the fact that a guy like you loves books as much as I do, I didn’t think about it much. But I can’t just show up and meet your dad. Even if I wanted to, I don’t have anything remotely appropriate to wear,” Grace said, shaking her head.

“Grace, he wishes to meet you, not your wardrobe. And I shall be there as well. It won’t take long; he scarcely has the time to be here now, but naturally, he came once the headlines emerged. I must return home with him too, very soon. I was hoping you could meet him tonight,” William pleaded earnestly.

“No, no way! I have to figure out what to wear and read up on what to do when meeting royalty. At the earliest, after school tomorrow,” Grace insisted, her voice tinged with panic.

“You don’t have to read up on anything, Grace. This isn’t an official audience, just a casual meeting, so he can form an opinion on you,” William reassured her, trying to calm her nerves.

“A-ha! See, and for that, I need to look and act the part. I know NOTHING about meeting royals. I think there is even a difference depending on which country they are from, so no, Will. William. Either you give me time to do this right, or I won’t do it at all,” Grace said, crossing her arms over her chest, her anxiety evident.

With a defeated smile, William nodded. “All right, tomorrow afternoon then. Shall I pick you up here?”

“No. Let’s meet at the bookshop. I remembered some books there; hopefully, they haven’t sold yet. I need to read through those first,” Grace suggested, her voice softening slightly.

“Grace,” William began, intending to repeat that she didn’t have to read up on court etiquette, but he gave up, sighed, and instead said, “Thank you. 3 o’clock?”

“Make it 4. You can’t miss me, I’ll be the one having a coronary,” Grace replied, her voice tinged with nervous humor.

“Grace, truly, it’s merely a formality. And, perhaps, a great deal of curiosity. My father is quite kind. Besides, he’s been encouraging me to date for over a year now, but none of the girls he introduced me to were remotely interesting. Naturally, he’s eager to meet the girl who changed my mind. Trust me, he’ll be absolutely charmed by you,” William said reassuringly.

“All right. Fine. 4 PM tomorrow. I’ll be there,” Grace agreed, still sounding a bit overwhelmed.

“Thank you,” William said gratefully.

“You gotta go now. I have a lot of prep work to do. Luckily, I already have all the homework done. This is intense. I need to do some meditation, burn some focusing incense, and maybe spray some lavender to help me relax and focus, while I research all the books I need and see if we even have them. Then again, there is the internet, I know you can’t believe everything you read, but at least I guess I could find some pointers and ideas for what to wear. Busy night,” Grace listed, pulling William up by his hand, out of the room and towards the apartment door. When she tried to open it, he pushed it shut again, leaning down to kiss her. She resisted at first, then wrapped her arm around his neck, leaning into it.

When the kiss ended, William smiled down at her, winking. “4 o’clock sharp tomorrow then. Don’t be tardy, that is considered exceedingly rude at court.” He opened the door and headed for the elevator, while Grace playfully curtsied, “Yes, Your Majesty.” William turned back to her after pushing the call button, “It’s Highness, actually,” when they noticed the woman by the trash chutes, staring at them.

“What? Never heard of roleplay before?” Grace told her, then shut her door. William was still chuckling about it as he exited the building a little later.

San Myshuno
Myshuno Mall
The next afternoon

Grace stood outside her grandma’s bookshop, nervously adjusting her dress. She had spent the entire night reading up on royal etiquette and trying to find the perfect outfit, even falling asleep twice in class until it was computer lab time, where she secretly continued her research. She finally settled on a simple yet elegant dress that she hoped would be appropriate. Her usual second-hand, Hippie/Boho style was replaced by a knee-length navy blue dress with a modest neckline and a fitted waist. She had tamed her usually unruly auburn hair into a high bun, and a touch of makeup highlighted her gray eyes and freckles. She wore jewelry which was clearly her grandmother’s. The bookshop, nestled in a quaint corner of the bustling mall, was a stark contrast to the towering highrise nearby, where William’s family resided.

William arrived promptly at 4 PM, looking dapper in a tailored suit. He spotted Grace and smiled, his heart warming at the sight of her. He approached her with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

“Grace, you look lovely,” William said, his voice filled with genuine admiration.

“Thanks, Will. William,” she quickly corrected. “You look pretty sharp yourself,” Grace replied, trying to hide her nerves.

“Are you ready?” William asked, offering his arm.

“As ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s get this over with,” Grace said, taking his arm.

They walked together towards the highrise, the contrast between the cozy bookshop and the luxurious penthouse becoming more apparent with each step. As they entered the building, Grace couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe at the opulence surrounding her, her steps echoing off the lobby’s marble floors and walls.

The elevator ride to the penthouse was silent, both of them lost in their thoughts. When the doors opened, they were greeted by a housekeeper, who led them to a grand living room where King Maximilian was waiting.

“Father, this is Grace Harper,” William introduced her, his voice steady despite the butterflies in his stomach.

Grace curtsied awkwardly, feeling out of place in the lavish setting. “Your Majesty, it’s an honor to meet you.”

King Maximilian smiled warmly, putting her at ease. “The pleasure is mine, Grace. William has told me a lot about you.”

They sat down, and the conversation flowed more easily than Grace had anticipated, the king masterfully directed the topics. King Maximilian was charming and genuinely interested in getting to know her. He asked about her interests, her family, and her dreams, making her feel valued and respected, and he even occasionally sprinkled in some polite humor to further ease the tension.

As the meeting progressed, Grace began to relax, realizing that despite the grandeur, they were just people trying to connect. William’s reassuring presence beside her helped, and she found herself laughing and sharing stories.

By the end of the meeting, King Maximilian was thoroughly impressed with Grace. “I can see why William is so taken with you. You have a good heart and a sharp mind. I look forward to seeing more of you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Grace said, feeling a sense of relief and accomplishment as the king exited the room to make some phone calls, as he explained.

“See, that wasn’t so bad. It went exceedingly well, wouldn’t you agree?” William smiled at Grace, who nodded.

“Yeah. For one, I didn’t die of a heart attack, as I imagined, so there’s that. And I didn’t faint. My other worry. Yay me!” Grace said with a relieved laugh.

William was about to lean in to kiss her when someone behind them cleared their throat. They sprang apart and saw the rest of William’s family standing there, staring at them.

“Well, so this is the lovely Grace we’ve heard so much about. Welcome to our home. I am William’s grandmother, Vivien, this is my husband Liam, our son Nick, his beautiful wife Adrianna, and I am sure you remember our loudmouth grandson, William’s cousin, Ryan,” Vivien introduced everyone with a warm smile.

They all approached, and Grace couldn’t help but stare before bursting out, “Has anyone ever told you that you look just like the singer ViVa?” Her voice trembled slightly, her eyes wide with disbelief.

A moment of silence hung in the air before snorting, chuckling, giggling, and outright laughter ensued. Ryan, ever the dramatic, put his hand on Grace’s back, turning her slightly, and pointed at a gallery wall she had missed earlier.

“Take a look at this,” he said with a grin.

Grace’s eyes grew wide as she took in the gallery wall. It was adorned with a series of pictures spanning decades, each capturing a different era of Vivien Cameron’s illustrious career as the pop icon ViVa. From her early days as a fresh-faced starlet in the 80s, to her rebellious phase in the 90s, and her transformation into a global superstar in the 2000s, the images showcased her evolution and undeniable impact on the music industry. There were iconic album covers, magazine spreads, and candid shots from world tours, all unmistakably confirming that William’s grandmother was, in fact, a world-renowned G.O.A.T. superstar.

Grace turned back to Vivien, her mouth slightly agape. “You’re… you’re really ViVa?”

Vivien smiled warmly, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes. “Yes, dear. I am. But today, I’m just William’s grandmother, delighted to meet you.”

Overwhelmed by the revelation, Grace’s vision blurred, and she felt herself swaying. Before anyone could react, she fainted, collapsing into William’s arms.

“Grace!” William exclaimed, gently lowering her to the floor. Vivien and the rest of the family rushed over, concern etched on their faces.

“Oh no! I thought meeting Father would be the biggest shock, but it was Grandma! Oh dear, and I promised no more surprises! I was so focused on getting her used to the idea of who I am and meeting Father, I didn’t even consider this! She must think I omitted this on purpose!” William exclaimed, his voice filled with panic and regret.

“See that, Viv? You still got it. Still knock people out of their shoes, other than me of course,” Liam told his wife with a chuckle.

“Looks like someone’s got more ‘splaining to do. Wonder how she’ll react when she hears about Grandpa Blaine. Or Uncle Blake, Aunt Mila and Reed, famous actors. Or Uncle Chase, in case she likes Grunge Rock. Or maybe…” Ryan started listing off.

“RYAN! Go get water,” Vivien ordered.

“What water?” Ryan asked, confused.

“For Grace, you dingbat. Go,” Vivien said, exasperated.

“Why am I being sent to the well in the village marketplace to fetch the family bucket of water? Ask him, she’s his girlfriend,” Ryan protested.

Vivien turned to him, giving him a look. THAT look. Ryan immediately scurried away.

“When the brat returns with the water, we’ll give you some space. I don’t think we need to call Rohan over for this. Just explain everything to her this time, William,” Vivien said kindly.

“Hey Mom, maybe you could sign one of William’s cover pages for her, since she seems to be a fan of yours,” Nick suggested with a smirk.

“How about I roll up one of those tabloids and whack you in the head with it instead?” Vivien retorted, shaking her head.

“So violent, shame on you, Mom,” Nick laughed.

They left William and Grace in the sprawling living room. Grace finally blinked her eyes open. After a moment of confusion, she sat up and accepted the glass of water he handed her, taking a few sips, just staring at William.

“How much more is there? Quit playing, Will, just tell me,” Grace asked, her voice shaky and filled with uncertainty.

“Ahem, I am not certain. This would be easier at the palace; we keep a book with the family tree, which is always kept up to date and goes back centuries. I could just fetch it and go over it all with you. You see, to me they are just family members, it’s hard for me to think of them as anything else. Grandma is just Grandma, who used to have a career in entertainment,” William suggested, trying to sound reassuring.

“Right, just grandma, got it. You don’t understand. In the real world, which is what we call what’s outside this penthouse and where I live, we don’t have famous family members and if we do, we are acutely aware that they are famous. We would DEFINITELY remember to mention if ViVa were our grandmother. We also don’t keep volumes worth of family trees dating back to the beginning of time, and girls like me do not meet guys like you, unless it is fiction. So, either this is a dream, some book I have never read, or a joke,” Grace said, her frustration evident as she tried to process everything.

“Fourth option, evidently, sometimes guys like me DO meet girls like you. What does that even mean, girls like you?” William asked, genuinely curious and a bit confused.

Grace gestured down at herself. “Plain, simple, arguably weird, nerdy… Look, Will. William. I don’t even fit in with my supposed peers. How is THIS supposed to work? I think this is crazy. WE are crazy,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

“You’re just in shock, understandably. In my defense, I wasn’t trying to hide anything this time, I swear it, I truly just… forgot,” William said, trying to explain and comfort her.

“Forgot. Sure, don’t you just hate it when that happens? You meet this new person and totally forget all the famous people you are related to. I started writing it all down for just those cases. I’ll show you my blank page next time,” Grace said sarcastically, her frustration turning into a slight laugh.

“I deserve this. But you see, they are just regular people too,” William said softly, hoping to ease her worries.

“Yeah, just regular people, sure. If I had a penny for all those regular people VIPs, right? Agh, I can’t recount how many celebs I have run into at the bake sale at my high school over the years, not to mention those are also always crawling with royalty. Really, William, I think we are fooling ourselves here. This is never going to work. I can’t see how,” Grace said, shaking her head, feeling overwhelmed.

William’s smile faded. “What are you saying, Grace? Don’t give up on me, not over nonsense like this. Please, let’s at least try. It might be complicated sometimes, but I am willing to try. Could you? Just give this a chance. Give me a chance,” he pleaded, his eyes filled with hope and determination.

“But why, Will? I don’t get why? Why go through all this trouble for a girl like me? What’s so special about me? Answer: nothing, nada, zilch. I feel like an experiment, like you’re trying to prove something to yourself. No one’s said anything yet, but at school, someone will figure it out if we keep this up. I’m already borderline bullied for being weird; I can’t handle more. They’d laugh at me. Will, I’m barely average, I am not rich, not famous. I am not some Victoria’s Secret model-type with a killer bod. I am a fairly good student, but not on any honor rolls. My family’s okay-ish, but we’re not the type to meet royals. I live with my grandma because even my parents think I’m too weird. My brother would rather be grounded than seen with me out in public. This doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t add up,” Grace said, her voice trembling.

“I’m sorry your family and classmates seemingly do not appreciate you like I do. I don’t find you weird at all. Well, maybe your usual clothing is a bit… unique, but in this dress, you look beautiful. At prom, you looked just like all the aristocratic girls I have seen at balls,” William said, trying to reassure her.

“You’re either lying to make me feel better or you need help. My prom dress was second-hand and 100% polyester. I paid 75 bucks for it. I was so willing to let you peel me out of it because I’d rather be naked around you than reek of sweat in layers of material that just doesn’t breathe at all and that Ferris wheel cabin was stuffy and not ventilated. If those aristocratic girls wear polyester, then this society is doomed. I genuinely hope you and your peers can afford natural materials, and environmentally friendly dyes, ethically sourced and better for the earth—except cotton, but there are organic options that are not super-toxic and without child labor, and…” Grace ranted.

William had enough and kissed her. After a moment, she blinked at him.

“You could’ve just told me to shut up,” Grace said, slightly breathless.

“I thought this was more pleasant,” William replied with a grin.

“Don’t be like this. Last time you were smooth like this, we got in trouble,” Grace reminded him, her tone serious.

“Did we? I was recognized because I foolishly turned my head, and they caught my profile. Had I not, we had a fair chance to make a clean escape. No one recognized you because I shielded you, which is why my bare rear is all over the news now. So, if anything, it was I who got in trouble, not us, and it was worth it,” William said.

“Not the butt-photos! Everything else that night, Will! The Ferris wheel operator knew what was up when I couldn’t get my zipper unstuck. It doesn’t take Einstein to figure out why a girl in a prom dress goes up a Ferris wheel with a boy in a suit, her dress intact until she leaves holding it up because the zipper won’t close anymore. And so does everyone we ran past. They know, Will. They KNOW what my prom date and I did, they knew how my dress broke, they just haven’t connected the dots that the prince in the news headlines is the same guy who took me to prom. My first prom ever, by the way, as until then, I boycotted that nonsense. Anyway, the general consensus at my school is that you are hot, and I am not. Judging by the notes I have been finding in my locker at school, you got options too. Take your pick: swim team, chess team, newspaper dorks, science nerds, pretty girls, even one from the non-binary crowd, a couple of the gay guys. Just in case you are interested in maybe dating a cheerleader, I have several of their numbers for, and I quote, ‘that cute boy who took you to prom, cos, no offense and all Greta, he’s out of your league’. Nobody in the entire squad ever even acknowledged my mere existence before, until they thought I lured a boy like you into taking me to prom by promising I put out. Which, clearly, I did,” Grace said, her frustration bubbling over.

“What? And who’s Greta?” William asked, confused.

“I am. Most of them call me Greta. As in Thunberg. You know? Let’s be honest, Grace feels kinda ironic, knowing me. I am a lot of things, but graceful is clearly not one of them,” Grace explained.

“Do you still wonder why I didn’t tell you everything sooner? I try to calm you down, but it feels like I’m in a sinking boat, trying to bail out water with a teacup,” William said, his voice tinged with concern.

“No. I know why you didn’t. But imagine if roles were reversed. If you were a nerdy nobody and I told you I was a princess, how would you feel?” Grace replied, her frustration evident.

William grinned, shrugged, and raised his arms like he was celebrating. “How about… SCORE!”

Grace laughed, swatting at him. “Staaahp! This already feels like a Taylor Swift song. I swear all this is in some of her lyrics, somewhere.”

William’s expression grew serious. “Do you regret it? Me insisting on taking you to prom?”

Grace’s reaction spoke volumes, but she only shook her head. “No. If I claimed that, I would be lying. It was, hands down, the best, most magical night of my life. For so many different reasons, and not just the obvious ones. I’ll never forget that evening with you. But it’s like a play-pretend fairytale; by the morning light, nothing is true anymore. I am scared of the fallout, and I am not even sure what all that could be. All I know is that I am not princess material. I am clumsy as heck, you know that. I don’t need things to stumble over; I can—and will—stumble over air. That’s not a girl fit to date a prince, Will. You gotta see it too.”

“No, I don’t see it. I understand why you would be scared; frankly, so am I. The higher you rank in any society, the louder the critics will be. There is a lot of criticism behind my family’s back. Aristocracy, royalty, and nobility are just like your high school classmates. They can be cruel. But I do not care. I will try, and I would like you to remember that night, remember all our chats and video calls, and then resolve to give us a fair chance. Say you will. I really would like to hear you say it,” William pleaded, his eyes earnest.

“It,” Grace giggled, trying to lighten the mood.

““Funny girl. Alright, ‘Cousin Ryan, female edition,’ could you take this a bit more seriously, please? I need to hear you say you’ll give us a real chance. If we’re both committed, everything else is merely a matter of learning and adapting. One of my sisters is quite the tomboy; you probably wouldn’t think climbing trees and mucking out horse stalls is royal behavior, yet it barely scratches the surface of what Vivienne has done and will do. Another sister snuck herself into the cargo hold of our private plane to visit with a family friend on his very unroyal horse ranch and promptly got stuck there for a week due to inclement weather. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ type of monarch, not nowadays,” William insisted, his tone softening with a playful glint in his eye.

Grace let out a deep sigh. “I am here, aren’t I? This is me giving us a chance. I’m not the ‘consequences be damned’ type; I’m a planner and naturally tentative. You’ve got to cut me some slack. I’m in shock. Wait till you meet my family, then maybe you’ll understand how this feels from my perspective. This whole meeting the parents thing is awkward to the power of—I don’t know, but it’s a million times worse in THIS case,” Grace said, her voice filled with exasperation.

William’s smile grew victorious. “You want me to meet your family, do you?”

“Down boy! My grandma at least, for starters, since I have told her about you. The rest of my family is such a mess, you don’t want to meet them, I don’t even really want to see them, cos they’ll just be in my ear about how I should just try to fit in, which I won’t, which usually leads to a fight. We’ll see how that plays out. I definitely can’t just present you to them all like ‘tada, a prince. What’s for dinner?’. No, I need to slowly massage you in there somewhere, maybe without going all out on truth and just work that in later or something. I don’t know,” Grace admitted, her tone softening.

“Allow me to recap your resolve. Omissions and partial truths are your plan of action? Oh, the hypocrisy. Funny how those half-truths work out. From personal experience, I can’t recommend it,” William said with a grin. Grace couldn’t help but smile and nudge him.

“Okay, okay, fine, I get it. You’re absolved of any wrongdoing. There, feel better?” she replied.

“Much. Grace, not to regress our progress or make this even more awkward, but I probably should meet your father at some point in the not-too-distant future. It would be less awkward when I eventually show up at his doorstep asking for your hand. Yes, that’s still proper protocol for us and expected, and an engagement should be somewhere between six months and a year, so there is that to take into account,” William explained.

“My hand? What? Oh, come on now William, we’re 16! Where is THAT coming from now?! We literally just concluded that somehow, somewhere we accidentally started dating. Can we let that sink in before you talk about leveling up?” Grace said, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Yes, I know. I promised you full disclosure, no more lies or omissions, so you should know my timeline is also pre-decided and rather restrictive. I will be 17 soon, as will you, and before we know it, we’ll be 18 and graduating from high school. Then comes university, which will keep us rather busy, I assume. By the time we graduate, we’ll be in our early twenties. As the heir to our kingdom, I am required to have a fiancée by the time I am 24 at the very latest, preferably sooner as too many years of just dating are frowned upon, it should become an engagement after about 2 years, 3 at most, as I am expected to be married by my 25th year and have at least one heir by 30, ideally two. I don’t get to choose my family planning until those requirements are fulfilled. If I don’t meet these expectations, I lose my place in the succession line, and it goes to the next heir, which would be my sister Victoria, who loves me dearly, but would absolutely kill me if I were to put her into that position. I promised full disclosure and feel this is just something you should know about dating me. Dating is never without sincerity. Meaning, if a monarch does decide to officially date, there is an intent to possibly one day marry. It is inappropriate for us to date just for fun. Rigid rules. I don’t mean to scare you, just wanted you to know that regardless of our current age, everyone you will meet in connection to me will assume that one day I will propose to you, once our relationship is announced,” William said, trying to reassure her.

“Oh! Ahem! Err…. huh? What? And announced? Announced what and where?” Grace asked, her voice filled with confusion and a hint of anxiety.

“My father’s press release announcing our relationship. Since you and I both are minors, your name will not be released, for privacy, I won’t have that luxury to keep it to myself. But from here on out, should anyone see us together in public, the aforementioned will be the assumption. Oh, and you will receive an official invitation to the palace to be introduced to the rest of my family soon. Please come. They are all nice, I promise,” William explained.

“Palace? In Henfordshire? William, that’s sweet and all, but I can’t afford that,” Grace said, her voice filled with concern.

“You won’t have to. It will all be arranged by us. You merely need to show up. You can do that for me, can’t you? It would mean a lot to me. And you could see my room firsthand. With a chaperone, but still,” William reassured her.

“Chaperone?! Are you serious? The whole world knows we already went there,” Grace said, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, but, until we are married, officially, we can’t be… you know… Naturally, modern royals don’t really stick to this rule, but officially we have to. Really no different than before,” William explained, trying to sound casual.

“The books we have didn’t cover all that. Yikes. Somebody pinch me. Don’t pinch me, just an expression,” Grace said, shaking her head.

“I was going to kiss you…” William started.

“No, don’t do that either. I need to think. I can’t think when you do that. Oh, what the heck…” Grace nervously ranted, then just leaned over and kissed William.

Afterward, he just smiled at her. “What?” she asked.

“This. This is why. You’re… different. I don’t have words for it, but you are special. I enjoy it,” William said, struggling to describe his feelings.

Just then, exaggerated moaning sounds came from the doorway, and Ryan theatrically entered, acting out what he seemed to think were dramatic and raunchy scenes, until he fell to his knees before Grace.

“Juliet, oh Juliet, where art thou, Juliet…” Ryan intoned dramatically, trying to take her hands, which she pulled away, until William nudged his cousin, giving him a grim glare.

“What’s wrong with him?” giggled Grace, William shrugged.

“Who knows? Ryan, I wish you would do what Juliet thought Romeo had done and just go away,” William told his cousin.

“Aww, but you love me, say you do, my fair prince… MUAH MUAH MUAH” Ryan dramatically acted as if he wanted to kiss William, who fought him off, while Grace giggled.

When William finally shoved Ryan onto the nearby couch, where he assumed a very casual lounging position, as William turned to Grace. “THIS is the real reason I never mentioned this part of my family. They are all like this.”

“Yes, we are! All of us awesome, attractive, amazing, astonishingly agile dancers… and those were just the A’s,” Ryan listed until William tossed a pillow at him. Ryan casually caught it and began to play with it, tossing it from hand to hand while looking at Grace.

“So, other than books, what do you two have in common? Not to be rude, but nothing jumps out at first glance,” Ryan said, turning his attention to William. “Does she ride? She looks like one of those girls who has her room wallpapered with horse posters. By riding, I mean, anything other than you, William?” Ryan got out before being bombarded by a barrage of pillows until he rolled off the couch.

Laughing, Ryan dramatically and theatrically ‘died’ on the floor, lying sprawled out for a moment before slowly getting up. He dusted himself off with exaggerated movements, then grabbed a cookie from the coffee table before plopping back down on the couch. He lounged back, one arm draped over the back of the couch and the other holding the cookie. “You two are no fun,” he teased, taking a bite.

“Let me guess: you want to be an actor one day?” Grace said, making Ryan laugh.

“You’d think so, huh? With my looks and natural talent, I’d be a shoo-in. Maybe as a hobby. No, I will follow the Cameron family tradition and become a lawyer, like my dad and his dad before him.”

William interjected, “Well, to answer your earlier question, Ryan, no, Grace does not ride, as you should know firsthand that it would be rather complicated keeping horses here in San Myshuno, wouldn’t you say? Grace did tell me she is interested in horseback riding. Once she visits me, she will learn. I shall teach her myself,” he said, then turned to Grace with a smile. “I am an excellent rider.”

Ryan smirked, clearly enjoying the banter. “Oh, bet there will be a lot of riding going on at Cromwell Palace. With and without horses. Boom-chicka-bow-wow! Ha, and you are all out of pillows now, aww,” Ryan taunted. “But seriously, Grace, if you ever need legal advice, you know where to find me. For now, I have to leave the heavy lifting to my grandpa and dad, I just help out with some paralegal style stuff, cos I kinda need to graduate high school, then get through pesky uni and do all the bar exams and what not, but one day, you will see my name in bright letters next to my ancestors. Cameron & Son & Ryan, the G.O.A.T. Oh, I just thought of a new slogan: If we can’t win your case, nobody can. Yeah, I like that. Need to remember to pitch that to dad.”

William sighed, maintaining his composure. “Ryan, why don’t you go do that now? Tell your dad all about your grandiose ideas. As entertaining as your theatrics are, Grace and I were in the middle of an important conversation. Perhaps you could find another audience for your performance?”

Ryan smirked, clearly enjoying himself. “Yeah, I saw your conversation. You were trying to make an announcement and Grace’s mouth was the microphone, you got all up in her business there. Nice! And you see I would tell dad, but he went over to Rohan’s and grandpa would just tell me to go talk to dad, cos he’s unofficially retired. Oh, come on, Will. Lighten up a bit. I’m just having some fun. You both looked like you could use it, all doom and gloom up in this bitch. We can’t have that. Not on my watch.”

William gave a polite but firm smile. “Yes, thank you, how kind, but this is neither the time nor the place. Why don’t you go and see if Grandma Vivien needs any help with something? I’m sure she’d appreciate your company.”

Ryan rolled his eyes but got up from the couch. “I live with her. Trust me, if she needed me, I’d be the first to know. But fine, fine. I’ll leave you lovebirds to your serious talk. But don’t think you’ve seen the last of me!”

“Yes, thanks for the warning.” William said, receiving an unmistakable gesture from his cousin.

As Ryan sauntered out of the room, William turned back to Grace with an apologetic smile. “I apologize for my cousin. He means well, but he can be a bit much at times.”

Grace laughed softly. “It’s okay. He’s kind of funny, in a weird way. But I think he is better enjoyed in small doses.”

William chuckled. “Yes, he certainly has his moments and is easy to overdose on. Now, where were we? Oh, I remember what I was going to say,” William said, taking her hands in his. “Grace, I realize this is a lot to take in all at once, and I wish I could be more subtle, alas I can’t. But we can take it one step at a time. You don’t have to face everything all at once. Just a few certain things should happen rather quickly. One of such was today, and I’d say it went rather well.”

Grace nodded, feeling a bit more reassured. “Okay, one step at a time. So, what’s the next step?”

“Well, the next step is for you to meet my family officially. At the palace. But we can discuss that after you’ve had some time to process everything,” William suggested.

“That sounds good. I think I need a bit of normalcy before even thinking about diving back into the royal whirlwind. If my brother ever finds out I met ViVa, he will move into my room with me, just in case you show up again. My brother is like Ryan, best in small doses. He and my dad are ViVa’s biggest fans. They both seriously cried, as in BAWLED their eyes out when she announced her retirement, and I wish I were kidding. They would scream like fangirls if they knew I am sitting in her living room,” Grace admitted, shaking her head in disbelief.

William chuckled. “We could maybe make that work in our favor. Maybe to soften the blow once you do tell them about me, I could arrange for them to meet Grandma and they’d forget all about the rest. We shall see. How about I walk you home? I know you have school tomorrow and the crisp nighttime air might clear our heads a bit,” he offered, standing up.

Grace looked up at him, curious. “Speaking of school, how come you don’t have school?”

“I do, by private tutors. They either travel with us or arrange our study schedule around our availability,” William explained, smiling.

“Oh, of course, silly me. Like that’s not normal. Private tutors. Oooof,” Grace replied, rolling her eyes playfully.

William laughed softly. “Well, I assure you, the learning is just as tedious and rough as for anyone, no matter the circumstances. Plus, my siblings and I have to learn a lot more things in addition to it all. So, may I walk you home then?” he asked, extending his hand to her.

Grace giggled. “No, cos I don’t wanna be seen with a guy who had naked pics of himself out there,” Grace teased, nudging William, who smiled while pulling a face. “Plus, I can’t let a real prince roam the street of San Myshuno alone at dark, so I would have to walk you back here … it would just be a vicious cycle.” she laughed, William chimed in.

“I could ask my family to walk with us, strengths in numbers. Not sure if that would deflect or attract the attention, though. Usually the latter and usually, not for the reasons you might think. Famous or not, they don’t blend in well.”

“More Ryan? So tempting, but hard pass. I have classes worth of guys like him and already reached my daily limit. His type and I don’t really mix well. No offense.”

“None taken. He’s actually really nice, once you get to know him. I think his big mouth and crudeness are his way of dealing with having a famous grandma, he can’t really forget to mention her as they live with her and grandpa. Technically, this is grandpa’s penthouse, Uncle Nick, Aunt Addy and Ryan lived in a nice house before, but moved in here because our grandparents are getting older and just won’t ask for help, grandpa has a heart condition, so it’s easier to have someone right there. I could always call over some of the guards, which I am not supposed to leave the house without anyway. We put them up in a nearby hotel, so they don’t attract more attention trying to fade into the background everywhere, which they never really do.”

“Oh, right the guards, of course. Mine are at the dry cleaners, so I am rolling on my own tonight. My secret’s out, I am a thrillseeker.” Grace joked.

William chuckled at Grace’s joke. “A thrillseeker, huh? Well, let’s add a bit more thrill to your night. Come on, let’s get you home. If I call now, by the time we exit the building they will be there waiting. You’ll see.”

They started walking, the cool night air refreshing after the day’s events. The streets of San Myshuno were still bustling, but the noise seemed to fade as they talked and laughed together. Two security guards, dressed in black with headsets, trailed a few steps behind, trying to blend in, while constantly scanning the surroundings, yet somehow, never taking an eye off William.

William glanced back at the guards and smirked. “See now why I prefer to go without the security detail? Back home it’s worse yet, on top of the Barrett Security people, it’s also the royal guards and those don’t even try to blend in, they are supposed to be seen.”

Grace giggled. “Yeah, they are really not very stealthy. But kinda cool in a way, makes me feel like we’re in some spy movie. You, me, and our own personal entourage. Very James Bond. No, Mission Impossible is more like it. Yeah, that’s what we are, both of us over here, trying to make Mission Impossible into Possible.” Grace started humming the theme song, and William chimed in until they were laughing too hard.

They continued walking, their conversation flowing effortlessly. They talked about their favorite books, poetry, and the latest novels they had read. It was clear they knew each other’s tastes inside out.

As they approached Grace’s apartment building, the conversation turned more serious. “You know, I really appreciate you taking the time to walk me home,” Grace said softly.

“Of course,” William replied. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

They reached the entrance, and Grace turned to face him. “Well, this is me,” she said, a bit reluctantly.

“Yes,” William said, equally hesitant. “I suppose this is where I say goodnight.”

Grace smiled. “Goodnight, William. And thank you for everything. Somehow, it was a lot of fun in a very strange way. Like bungee jumping—scary as hell, but then exhilarating, and afterwards you feel accomplished. Not that I’ve ever tried it or would, but it’s how I imagine it.”

William took a step closer, his heart pounding. “Grace, I know this is all a bit overwhelming, but I want you to know that I truly care about you. And I believe we can make this work, no matter what.”

Grace’s eyes softened. “I care about you a lot too, William. One step at a time, right?”

“Right,” William agreed, smiling.

They stood there for a moment, neither wanting to break the spell. Finally, Grace leaned in and gave William a quick kiss on the cheek. “Goodnight, Your Highness,” she teased.

Before she could pull away completely, William gently grabbed her hand and pulled her back, kissing her properly. When he finally let go, both of them were breathless.

“Goodnight, Grace,” William said softly, his eyes locked on hers.

Grace smiled; her cheeks flushed. “Goodnight, William.”

As she walked into her building, she turned back one last time to see William standing there, watching her with a smile. She waved, and he waved back, feeling a warmth in his chest that he hadn’t felt in a long time.

As he walked back to his family’s penthouse, William couldn’t help but feel hopeful. Maybe, just maybe, they could make this work. One step at a time. He hadn’t been so convinced they could actually pull this off, but now, with every step he took, he felt more confident that they could.