Chapter Sixteen: Carmen

The prince, or Christophe, and I locked eyes as soon as I walked in. This is not good, I thought, not good at all. He gave me a small smile, bet I was too busy being scared out of my mind to return it, he stopped smiling.

"Come in, Come in!" the queen excitedly said. "I'm Eliane and this is my husband Aaron."

"Good afternoon, Your Majesties," Cami curtsies. Mamá and I follow and Papá gives a deep bow.

"Good afternoon, Hernández family, I am excited to have both our families bound in marriage. If your daughter agrees to marry my son," King Aaron says. He was seated at the head of the table, with Queen Eliane on his right and Prince Cristophe on his left. Cami sat beside Christophe which seemed to annoy him, but I'm probably just imagining it. Mamá sat beside the queen and Papá sat at the end of the table.

"So, what are your names, because it would be awkward to just call you 'Hernández family'," The king said.

"I'm Camila."

"Valentina, Yor Majesty."

"Alejandro."

When it was my turn, I got more attention from the royal family than the others when it was their turn.

"Carmen," I said, staring at my shoes. They were so interesting right now.

"Such wonderful names!" said the queen giddily said, bet for some reason, I felt that it was directed at me. Not because I wanted attention, but because she stared at me the entire time she said it. We engaged in conversation while the maids lay the table. This is how it would go: a member of the royal family would ask me a question while the other talk with Mamá and Papá, I would deflect the question t Camila, they would silence her, saying the question was to me, she would apologize, and I would answer their question as modestly as possible, while still trying to direct the attention towards Cami.

Upon the arrival of the food, steak, bouillabaisse and french onion soup, I did a silent prayer as I'm sure the rest of my family did and stuffed my face.

"So, Miss Carmen, what are some of your ambitions?" prince Christophe asked.

"Well, I'm not as ambitious as Camila. She is the epitome of ambition if you ask me. Cami, why don't you tell him some of your ambitions?" I say with a full mouth which caused him to smirk.

"Well, I have been—"

"I believe I asked Carmen about her ambitions," he snapped. Cami looked like she was about to cry as she chewed o her steak.

"Well," I gulp a piece of cheesy bread from my onion soup. "I have been working on a resume for Harvard law."

"Have you?" he says intrigued and I slightly nod as my mouth was full again. He hums thoughtfully.

"Camila, didn't you get accepted into Harvard for medicine?" I ask.

"Yes, I did."

"That is very impressive," The prince says and Cami's face instantly brightens and she sits a litter straighter.

After the meal we had moved to what I'm sure is one of their many living rooms, Papá spoke up. "Your Majesty, you didn't specify which of my daughters you wanted to marry," he said sipping on the white wine a maid served him and everyone else except me because I politely declined.

"I thought it was obvious. I only danced with one of them at the ball."

Suddenly my blood ran cold.

"Yes and Camila would be honoured to be your wife," Mamá beams.

"I was talking about Carmen," he said like it was so obvious.

"Your Majesty," Cami started, desperately, "I'm Camila. That's Carmen."

"I know who you are," he rolls his eyes. "Carmen shall be moved into the castle immediately."

"We shall leave to say your goodbyes," king Aaron said and they left.

"Cami, I'm so sorry," I reach out for her arm but she shook me off.

"This was your plan all along wasn't it?" she screams at me tears falling freely and ruining her makeup.

"What? No of course it wasn't, Camila, we're sisters" I desperately say, looking at Mamá and Papá for help, but they look as distressed as I feel.

"I don't have a sister anymore."

"Cami, please, don't say that. I didn't know."

"What about the masked stranger at the ball? I know the way you looked at him, the prince, it looked like you've talked before."

"I- I—" I choke between sobs.

"Save it, I'm leaving," she said and walked out and sat in the darned limo that brought us here

"Mamá, Papá, please believe me," I beg, already on my knees.

"Of course, we believe you, sweetie, come on, get off your knees," Papá said as he helped me off my knees.

"We will fix this," Mamá said.

Papá asked for him and Mamá to speak to the royal family, then they asked me to wait in the limousine. Cami did not talk to me the entire time.

I wish I knew what they were talking about that's taking so long. When they got back, Mamá had a sad expression.

"Sorry, babe," Mamá apologizes. "We couldn't do anything."

"It's ok," I sniffle. "I'll marry the stupid prince," I sigh.

"We're sorry," Papá also apologizes.

As soon as we get home, Cami shuts herself in her room and doesn't come out while I pack my things, or when I break out in tears and cry for half an hour, or when I freshen up and wait to say goodbye to her as I did to my parents. But she didn't come out, not even when the limo came to get me for the last time at this house.

"I'm sorry Cami!" I yell before leaving for the last time.