Should I jump out a window? That's the most sane option I can think of. Edward frittered over me and his highness in the same room for the first time since THE KISS as I started referring to it in my head. THE KISS that made me realize maybe I'd altered the story a little too much. Leon sat across from me in the greeting room with an ever-so-diplomatic smile on his angelic face.

I avoided his warm golden gaze by looking down at the garden. I sighed. How I longed to just run away through a field of flowers like this was some cheesy novel.

Somehow Leon hadn't gotten the message that I wasn't ready to see him despite me doing my very best to avoid him and ignore his letters. Okay, maybe that was a little unfair. I had learned a long time ago you couldn't run forever and I suppose now was the time to stop running from him and our impending marriage. Or maybe the window was an option.

“Aurora, I’m standing right here. Look at me,” Leon said, with a seriousness in his voice I didn’t often hear. 

I obeyed our dear prince and forced myself to look at him. Literally forced myself, I pushed my own face to look at him and held it there so I wouldn’t be able to avoid him anymore. I gently massaged my neck and behind my ear to comfort myself. Somehow this felt soooo much more awkward than I expected. But I had to ask, “How do you feel about me?” Being blunt has always been my best quality.

“Should I leave?” Edward asked, still awkwardly sitting between us. 

I continued staring at the picturesque image of a perfect prince sitting in front of me: dreamy golden eyes, long silver locks any girl would want to run her fingers through, a god-like physique, and a kind smile. Yes, he was the ideal guy for some writer out there, but was he right for me?

“I thought I made that clear at the graduation party,” he said with a little chuckle. 

“Clear,” I said. “Oh, okay so it was just lust. Guess I freaked out for no reason.”

His face scrunched up into an expression I’d never seen, somewhere between shock, bewilderment, and panic. 

“Can I please leave,” Edward begged.

Instead I got up and Leon copied me. “Let’s go for a walk,” I said. Edward looked so relieved we didn’t ask him to join as the two of us made our way to the garden. 

“We can actually talk about this,” I said. “Or…” Or we could ignore it ever happened.

“I didn’t realize our engagement was something we needed to talk about,” Leon said. “I’ve always looked forward to our future together.”

I didn’t know how to respond. It hadn’t been a thought until this point. I’ve been so focused on surviving until now. I’d always assumed he would end with someone else. Those flowers and that flowery future for me looked tempting, but I restrained myself from running away through the garden. We continued walking together, side by side instead in full awkwardness.

“I’ve loved you since we were children,” he continued.

“Well why didn’t you say anything sooner,” I asked.

“Uh, I… I guess I thought of you as a sister…. But it’s different now! I mean I thought of you as family, but not like my sister. My sister is crazy,” he rambled. 

“You are really bad at this.” I sighed, feeling like we weren’t getting anywhere. “Why do you want to be engaged? It was just something our parents agreed on.”

“Because I like you, I think we'll be happy together.” 

“So your feelings aren’t deep huh.” Based on my past life, I don’t want to commit to a life with someone who's feelings for me are so shallow. I can’t see that ending well for either of us. “Maybe we shouldn't be engaged….”

I think I broke the prince. He completely froze as if he couldn't compute. It was as if the thought of us not being together had never crossed his mind. I waved my hand in front of him, with no reaction. I leaned my face in real close, knowing that the feeling of my breath would be enough to tease him back to reality. “Reality to Leo. Leo…” I whispered. His eyes fluttered, he looked down at my playful smile.

“You can’t do this to me…” He said, with quiet desperation leaking into his voice.

I sighed, and leaned back. I tilted my head all the way back looking up at the beautiful blue sky. The fluffy white clouds looked so peaceful drifting in the blue. Why, oh, why was this second life such a struggle? 

“Okay,” I said. I think the two of us might be able to agree on something. Something fun. Not stressful like a marriage or engagement where neither party was ready. “Let’s date then.”

“Huh,” he blurted out. She was getting to see all sides of him today. He shook the confusion off his face and returned to his princely demeanor. “Dating? Can we do that?”

“Why not? Commoners do it all the time. It’s not new,” I said. Not new, but not done by nobles was the problem, but as usual I had a solution. “Come on, be a trendsetter for once.” I took his hand in mine, traced his calloused palm with my little fingers. His fingers wrapped around mine, and I knew I had him. “Trust me you’ll like it.”

He nodded. “Dating…”

“Dating…” She didn’t really get to do that even in her past life. Hard to get around when you’re stuck in a hospital bed, so this was new and exciting ground even for her. She was going to have fun with this. And maybe somewhere along the line she’d finally sort out her feelings, but this would allow her to take her time.