Sophia's POV
"You asked for... Me." I trailed as I saw prince Jordan of England sitting opposite from my father. He had a polite smile on his face. My steps to the chair slowed down.
Dad nodded. "Yes. Sit down, baby girl." He never called me that unless he wanted something. But I did as he asked anyway. I could almost feel the tension that filled the room with my hands. "I'm sure you've met prince Jordan."
I turned to him and carefully stared him down from his blonde hair to the tip of his leather boots. It hadn't been my intention to be this rude but I couldn't stand the guy. He was the most famous guy in England. Every girl couldn't get enough of him and every man wanted to be on his courts, well not me. "I've seen him in events. We've never met face to face." I said and he reached out for a handshake.
"I recall seeing you at the fashion show in Paris last Friday. I thought you looked exquisite." He said before kissing the top of my hands. His British accent was even thicker than television made it sound. His blue eyes bored into mine and even though he was only making a comment, I dated to say it was the most intimate look anyone had ever given me.
Disgusted with myself for how far my thoughts were traveling, I pulled my hands back almost forcefully. "Yes and I remember you calling the dress my model wore a drab."
He chuckled nervously. "I don't remember saying that. I said the color mixture were too bright."
"Same thing!" I countered.
"Your designs were okay, I guess."
"You guess?"
"Look, where I come from those designs could be counted as offensive."
I saw red. "Well, atleast I'm better than the designer who designed that suit of yours." I said before I could control myself.
"Enough!" Dad finally interrupted. Prince Jordan's jaw clenched through the smile he managed to maintain. I hated him even more for not saying a few harsh words to me in return. Where was it written that royalties were born to mask down their emotions. "His grace is a guest to this house and you will show him some hospitality. Sit down." He ordered. I did as he asked, still glaring at the prince.
"I'm sorry for that, your highness. My daughter Sophia as always been a... Well, as we Americans like to say, an enormous pain in the butt." Dad joked. Even Jordan's chuckle seemed proper. Ugh.
"No problem at all. I knew she was going to be difficult on me after hearing the news." He said. Dad nodded slowly.
"What news?" I didn't know what it was but I knew that it was heavy. Dad wouldn't even look at me.
"It's what I wanted to tell you before you got carried away."
Jordan had the decency of looking alarmed. "You haven't told her yet?"
"It's been a long week. But, now that you're here I think she'd take it a little bit more lightly."
"You know I'm right here, right?"
Dad turned to me. "You're getting married."
"No I'm not." I scoffed. To who?
"Yes, you are. It's been decided."
"Eric and I broke up already, Dad. You know that." I frowned. He wasn't making any sense.
"I was talking about you and his grace." He said and for a moment everywhere was silent. I threw my head and started laughing. The two men just stared at me. One looked amused. The other annoyed.
"You must be joking." I managed when the mirth finally subsided.
Daddy's face was straight. "I am not. You're going to be a princess. You should be happy." He shrugged.
I immediately rose up from the chair. "I will do no such thing."
Dad Rose from his chair too, his face just a few inches away from mine. "You will whether you like it or not and that's final." He spat out. Jordan quickly rose.
"Maybe we should all take a deep breath." He said and if I could, I would absolutely scratch his eyes out. He must have read my eyes because he turned to Dad. "Do you mind if I talked alone with Sophia."
Dad shrugged and started walking out. When the door closed behind him, none of us said anything. We just stared at each other.
He spoke first. He was calm. "Look, I know how you feel."
"Trust me, you don't. And I will not marry you."
"You don't have a choice." He said through gritted teeth.
"Unless you're going to be saying my vows for me in that altar, I have a choice."
"You think I want to marry you!" He finally exploded. His blue eyes hardened. "Trust me when I say that you're an inconvenience for me too. I know you, Sophia Harper. Everyone knows you. You're one of those mean girls that think they can walk around bullying people. I see what the newspapers sat about you. I would rather pluck my eyes out than make you my bride!" He said and I flinched. I was not about to tell him that most of what the reporters wrote about me was a lie, if not all of it. I didn't care what he thought about me.
I glared at him. "Well, maybe you should have told my father that when he shoved the idea down your throat."
He gave a bitter laugh. "You think I'm doing this simply because your father suggested it to me? The certainty of whether I would be the next king or not rides on the back of this marriage. My father seems to think that marrying one of the president's daughter would be of an advantage to me. And your father wants my father's endorsement." He said. I was convinced there was nothing else he could say that would make my world literally collapse before me. But I was wrong.
"I originally came to tell you about the two weeks courtship period where the bride of the prince comes to stay with the royal family and learn the way of the people. So pack your bags." And just like that, the colorful world I built for myself came crashing down before me. I was going to be princess.