After we’d made love and had a simple dinner in an atmosphere filled with love, we went to watch the telly. I leaned against his chest and stayed nestled in Johan’s embrace, resting my head on his chest and enjoying the sound of his heartbeat. I almost fell asleep there until I remembered I had to go home.

“Johan, what time is it?”

“It’s nine. Why?”

“I have to go home. I’m sorry.”

I got up in a hurry and said goodbye before closing the door behind me and leaving the building. 

It was 9.36 pm. I returned to the palace and slipped inside quietly, as if I were a thief afraid of being caught, and managed to make my way to my room in complete silence.

I lay down on my bed and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Great, I’ve got about one day left to get Johan a present… but I don’t know what to get him?”

I kept staring at the ceiling for a few minutes until I dozed off, and the sound of the alarm woke me up.

“Oh my God… ahhh, I’ve got to go to university!”

I switched off the alarm and yawned as I got up and headed for the bathroom to wash my face, until I noticed that Johan had left fresh love marks on my neck – a slightly red bite mark. I was happy about it until I remembered what my dad would do to me if he saw it. I put on a high-necked top… Luckily for me, it’s winter. After getting ready, I went out for breakfast and was met by my stepmother, Hannah. I don’t know why, but I wanted to seize a certain opportunity with her.

I sat down at the breakfast table, where the servants brought me my favourite dish, waffles. I started cutting into them to eat, then looked at Hannah and said,

‘It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, isn’t it?’

She replied with her usual arrogance,

‘Yes, and what do you want? Are you still seeing that filthy boyfriend of yours?’

I wanted to stab her with the knife in my hand, but I pulled myself together and, in a voice where I tried to maintain a polite tone, I said,

“I know you and Dad are going out together or spending time at the palace, so…”

“So what?”

“Could you ask Dad to let me spend tomorrow with Mum?”

“Why don’t you ask him directly?”

“I’m afraid he’ll get angry or say no… He loves you and won’t refuse a request from you. Please.”

She took a small sip of her coffee, set the cup down on the table, and said without looking at me,

“All right, I’ll speak to him… You’re doing me a huge favour by staying out of my sight, Max.”

I felt really happy; despite the harshness of what she’d said to me, she’d achieved exactly what I wanted. 

I started eating quickly, then grabbed my bag and went outside, where the driver was waiting to take me to university.

On the way, I felt incredibly excited… At last I’d be spending a whole day with Johan without a care in the world!

Then I remembered his present again… I didn’t know what to get him… The car stopped at a traffic light and I looked around; a motorbike shop caught my eye and I realised that was the perfect present for Johan… I took my bank card out of my pocket and smiled to myself. I started imagining how Johan would react to this present. He’d definitely be over the moon

The driver continued on his way and dropped me off at the university. Because of those bloody class differences, Johan can’t study at the same university as me, but at least I’m far from home and away from my parents and his wife.

To be continued...