Chapter 27

       While Grayson didn't like me, the rest of Orchid's family did so I didn't feel too odd when I was invited over for dinner. In fact, I was more than happy to go over there, mainly because Grayson was a way better cook than my parents.

       If I told Dad that, he would probably kill me. He wouldn't like it if I said his mortal enemy was better at something than he was.

       I brought Athena with me to the Princes' house this time, to make Dad even more mad and because Athena and Tulip haven't really seen each other outside of school recently.

       I wished Dad and Grayson would end their stupid feud, but it wasn't happening.

       I knocked on the door, and Tulip was the one who answered it, immediately giving her best friend a hug. "Hi!" Tulip said. "Be warned, my dad might poison your food."

       That, I didn't doubt.

       As soon as Athena and I walked inside, Grayson scoffed. "Great."

       Poppy sighed. "Grayson, please get over it and go make dinner."

       "You're not the boss of me, Poppy," Grayson said, yet he still got up and headed to the kitchen.

       "I'm really sorry about him," Poppy said to me.

       "Don't worry about it," I said. "I kind of gotten used to it."

       Orchid came down the stairs just then and when she saw me, she gave me a hug and kissed my cheek. "Thanks for coming over for dinner, even though my dad isn't the easiest to be around," she said.

       "Hey, I like coming here," I said. "And your dad always cooks the best food."

       "You should tell him that so he'll actually like you," Orchid said. "Actually, he'd probably say it's just an excuse for him to get to like you. Ooh, that reminds me...." She looked over at her mom. "Guess who got nominated for prom king and queen?"

       "Aww, congratulations," Poppy said. "I really hope you two will win, for two reasons. One, it should get both your dads to get over the feud."

       "It won't," Orchid said. 

       "You're right, it probably won't," Poppy said. "And two, you need to keep up the tradition of winning prom king and queen."

       "That's right, you and Dad won," Orchid said.

       "Don't remind your father," Poppy said. "He hated it. Well, he says he did because he so-called hates being the center of attention, but we all know he loves it."

       "You know I can hear you from here, right?!" Grayson called. "And there's no way Orchid and Atticus are winning prom queen and king under my watch!"

       "You're not a high school student, Grayson!" Poppy called back. "It's not up to you!"

       Orchid led me over to the couch and we sat down to watch the TV show that was currently playing.

       Alan came down the stairs and flopped down on the couch. "Mom, can I get a tattoo now?"

       "The more you ask, the more I'm going to say no," she said.

       "Come on, Nolan has one," Alan said.

       "Yes, and I didn't agree to it," Poppy said. "You can wait until you turn eighteen."

       "Lame."

       Shortly before dinner was ready, the front door opened and Jerome and Nolan came in with Nolan was still being in a wheelchair. 

       "Can you walk yet?" Alan asked.

       Nolan gave Alan a weird look. "It's going to take more than one physiotherapy appointment to be able to walk again."

       Alan sighed. "Tragic."

       "The physiotherapist actually said he did extremely well today, and he definitely should be able to walk before the graduation ceremony," Jerome said. "And he can even stand for a few seconds."

       "I'm just happy I get to do more things on my own instead of having Jerome do everything for me," Nolan said.

       "Yes, and we get to do some other things," Jerome said.

       "Ew, gross," Alan said.

       "Don't be dirty minded, Alan," Jerome said. "I was talking about going to the arcade and playing Mario Kart, because he hasn't been able to do that for a while."

       "Uh huh," Alan said. "You know what I find unfair? How Nolan has a tattoo."

       Poppy sighed. "Alan, seriously, wait until you're eighteen."

       "Nolan isn't eighteen."

       "Nolan was smart and went to his dad, knowing he wouldn't say no. If you wanted to get one, you should have asked him and not me."

       "So what you're saying is I could ask Dad now?"

       "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Grayson said, walking out of the kitchen. "Nolan didn't ask your mom at all. You did, and if I say yes, she would get mad at me because she already said no. You should have just asked me in the first place. Anyway, dinner is ready."

       We all headed to the dining room, and I sat down beside Orchid, though Grayson immediately glared at me. Then again, he would glare at me no matter where I sat because he didn't like me at all.

       I didn't think he would ever like me.

       Maybe it was time to get some suck up points.

       And that was very easy once we started eating. This was probably the most delicious food I have ever eaten, and it was evident by how fast I was eating.

       "You might want to slow down a bit," Orchid said.

       "Oh, sorry," I said. "This is just really good. I've never had food like this back home."

       "Sucking up to me won't help," Grayson said.

       "No, I'm being serious," I said. "This is even better than anything I can get in restaurants."

       "He's being serious," Athena said. "Can I come over more often? I want more of this food."

       "Oh, well, thank you," Grayson said, and he actually did seem thankful. Maybe there was a chance I could get him to like me somehow. He didn't have to end his feud with my dad at all if he didn't want to.

       But that didn't mean he couldn't like me. I didn't see him hating on my mom, after all. Only my dad.

       Then again, I was a spitting image of my dad.

        Oh well. I was going to find a way for Grayson to like me if it was the last thing I did.

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Lol, I still love Grayson, my little stubborn baby. <3

The Prince arrogance started with him, and it will never end. >:)

lol