After hurriedly getting ready for the day ahead, I double-checked my appearance before heading down to the dining hall for breakfast. The outfit set out by Jasmine and Ginger for the day was more relaxed than what I’d worn on the plane or at the ball. It was a long-sleeved baby blue romper paired with white Mary Jane platform heels. I’d quickly thrown my long auburn curls into a high ponytail and left my bangs down to frame my face. Satisfied, I slung the small white purse that held my phone and wallet across my body on my way out of the suite.

It didn’t take long to find my parents after following the directions Mom had texted me. Mom and Dad were waiting at a small table near the entrance of the dining area with a plate ready for me. A pang of guilt tugged at my heart for making them worry about me all night. I swallowed hard before walking over to join them.

“Good morning!” I smiled bashfully as I sat, hoping to avoid more nagging.

“Look who finally showed up!” Mom’s smile and her southern drawl did little to hide her annoyance. She had every right to be miffed at me, but I could tell that she was more relieved than upset. “You'd better have that phone on you.”

“Yes, ma’am, I do.” I lifted my purse as proof. 

“Alright…” Mom sighed and gestured to my plate, “Eat up. The festival starts today, so we’ll be walking around a lot.”

“Morning, Juni Bug.” Dad, noting that Mom decided to let the matter go, nodded at me from behind his cup of coffee.

Mom rambled on about the festival as I ate. She described the types of festival booths, fair rides, and entertainment that she had seen there before. The more she spoke, the more excited I became. I had been dreading what it would be like after I debuted and actually became a part of this secret world. But now that I had, none of it seemed as bad as I’d thought it would be. If anything, it felt fun and new. 

In the midst of our conversation, I shivered. My eyes swept the tables around us before finding stormy blues looking back at me. It was Theory. He was all the way across the room, preparing to set down a plate that was piled high with what looked like various meats and eggs. It looked like he was all alone. Without a second thought, I pointed at the seat beside me and cocked my head. Even though I couldn’t hear it, I could tell that it had made him laugh. He lifted his plate and began weaving his way through the tables toward us.

“Oh, um… I just invited Theory to eat with us since it looked like he was going to eat by himself. Is that alright?” I quickly notified my parents.

“Theory’s coming?” My mom brightened and eagerly began looking for him.

“Hmph… I guess so.” Dad mumbled dryly. 

Theory nodded at them as he approached, “Good morning.”

“Mornin’, come sit down, hun!” Mom grinned and motioned at the spot I’d pointed to before. 

“Morning,” Dad murmured from behind his raised coffee cup.

Theory lowered his plate and took a seat. His shoulder brushed against mine, and sparks of electricity rippled through me. I once again found my gaze drawn to meet his. We had only been apart for roughly an hour since he’d escorted me to my room, but I couldn’t help being dazed by his handsome, chiseled features. I’ve always been a sucker for looks, but Theory was by far the most captivating man I had ever seen. Just as I stared at him, he was looking right back at me with that smug smile of his.

“I told you that we’d see each other soon, Needy.” The low rumble of his voice drew me in even more. I couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across my face.

“Ahem!” Dad loudly cleared his throat, snapping us both back into reality. I straightened quickly after noticing that I had unconsciously begun leaning into where our shoulders touched. Dad eyed us suspiciously before speaking up, “Once you finish eating, we plan to walk around the island. The festival booths are set up along the main streets, the beach, and the pier. There’s a lot of ground to cover, so hurry and eat.”

I nodded, quirking my lips to the side to try to hide my amusement at Dad’s protectiveness. He didn’t seem to like me being too chummy with Theory. The healthy breakfast my parents had provided was alright, but I had been picking at it with disinterest since I’d sat down. In high school, I used to eat lightly each morning. Fruits and toast just weren’t my ideal choice anymore. My tastes had changed as I grew, but my parents wouldn’t know that, since we had been apart for 7 years.

“Hold on… Try some of this.” Theory slid my plate next to his.

“Are you sure? You got this for you.” I asked, watching his large hands deftly fill the empty space on my plate. Theory began adding a few slices of bacon and two scoops of cheesy scrambled eggs to my plate from his.

“You need to eat, too. You were just pushing your food around and nibbling. If you don’t eat well, you won’t have enough energy to enjoy the festival. I’ve still got plenty of bacon, eggs, and steak. So… Eat.” Theory pushed my plate toward me expectantly. 

He watched as I lifted a piece of bacon to my lips and took a bite. The bacon was delicious. As I hummed at the taste, a satisfied smile lit up his face. A warm and fuzzy feeling that I couldn’t identify filled me. I didn’t know whether the emotion came from Theory or myself, but I wanted to hold onto it for as long as I could. I ate diligently, hoping to prolong that feeling. I finished the bacon, spread the cheesy eggs over the toast, and tempered the savory flavors with the sweet fruits. Somehow, the food I had been uninterested in and dreading became a part of a meal that left me fulfilled. As I bit into my last strawberry, its juice burst in my mouth, and a trickle escaped down my bottom lip.

“Excuse me for a moment.” Theory mumbled before cupping my chin, swiping his thumb up across my lip, then bringing his thumb to his own mouth.

I blushed fiercely, my eyes darting across the table to check whether my parents had seen such an intimate moment. A sigh of relief escaped me when I saw they were busy deciding which area we would visit first. When I glanced back at Theory, he wore an expression of pure mischief. This man was trouble. And I loved every second of it. 

“Looks like you two are done! Theory, do you have any plans today? If not, you are more than welcome to join us.” Mom turned to face us with an angelic grin.

“I would love to.” Theory answered in kind with a smile that highlighted his dimples and pearly white teeth. I found myself in awe. Most of the time, he just smirks, so I hadn’t noticed before. Teeth are a big factor in my finding someone attractive, and his canines were impressive. Honestly, everything about him was alluring.

“Okie dokie! Then it’s settled! Azlanii and I were thinking about walking around the main streets first before heading down to the pier in the afternoon.” Mom declared enthusiastically.

“Sounds good!” I agreed. Now that I was here, I was excited to see what was in store.

We neatly collected our empty dishes on the table for the cleaning staff. After that, we made our way from the dining hall to the Eastern exit, since it was the fastest route to the town nestled within the island. The island itself wasn’t very large. On it, there was only the massive palace, its gardens, the town, the beach, the pier, and the forested mountains beyond. The small town was inhabited by those who tended the palace and the island year-round. Because of this, most places are easily reachable on foot.

The four of us followed a beautiful, winding footpath that Mom said led into the heart of the town. Mom and Dad led the way, as Theory and I trailed behind them. The sun felt warm on my skin, and the sea breeze was cool. I felt at peace as the muffled thrum of the ocean mingled with the soft whooshing of the wind against the foliage, and the scent of saltwater blended with the fragrant flowers. I caressed the petals of the bright orange, pink, and white flowers that lined the path.

“Juniper.” Theory called.

“Yes?” I turned to where he stood beside me.

“Hold still.” Theory carefully plucked a flower and tucked its stem behind my ear. He stared for a moment before whispering, “... Beautiful.”