The Queen That Made Her Throne | Chapter 7

I sat in my favorite spot in Nina’s room waiting for her to finish an important call. Her room was a very nice place to be in when Nina wasn’t there. The room was huge with floor to ceiling windows, walls were white, and she had a canopy bed. There was a huge tv, a sleek white desk with different flowers every week I’d been there. The rest of her room was filled with accessories in a chic but luxurious manner. She had these curtains instead of a door to her walk-in closet that looked like strings of diamonds. I wouldn’t put it past her if these diamonds were real. Rich people could be extremely ridiculous with what they chose to spend on.

The only problem was that every tiny noise was a jump scare. Every time leaves rustled or someone padded down the floors, I was convinced it was Will.

Nina, still angry at someone on the other line of the call, looked at me. I gave her a thumbs up. Of course, Nina. I don’t have anything else to do except wait around, please waste my time.

She saw right through my fake smile and rolled her eyes.

I liked that she was smart. I didn’t have a choice but to be honest. She understood body language and social cues as if she was tutored in it. Probably was.

I took a deep breath and sighed, I turned to look around and saw a particularly large silhouette behind me. I almost screamed, my heart in my chest, but then I realized that it was just a huge trophy for a bake-off. What in the ever-surprising fuck?

I shook my head in disbelief, then saw Nina judging me, and I threw up another thumbs up with a blinding smile. She didn’t bother this time.

Five days. Five fucking days had passed since Will and I had kissed. He’d texted me a couple times to check up on me and explaining how it was his fault and he forgot his professional boundaries. But then he’d include something sweet or flirtatious about my eyes or our natural chemistry, at the end of the text.

Honestly, could he just shut his kissable mouth up? I wasn’t mad about the kiss at all, no ma’am. It was his garbage way of dealing with it and treating me like I was fragile that pissed me off. The whole Nina aspect was a little intimidating but we would cross that bridge once we got there, if we ever got there.

Every time I thought about our kiss, my whole body started tingling. I missed his body heat and my fingers in his hair, his irritating smirk, and how he held me. His eyes turned liquid when he was amused and his lips were the softest-

“What are you doing with your face?”

Nina stood in front of me with a raised perfectly-done-eyebrow. I hadn’t noticed her finish her call and walk over because I was busy drooling over her brother. Ah, it sounds problematic even in my head.

“I was… smiling.”

“Oh. Yeah, we’ll have to change that.”

I didn’t realize NinaDon’tCare provided plastic surgery insurance. “Change what? My smile?”

“Mm hmm.” “How? You can’t just force my face to not stretch.”

“Always the pessimist. Have you seen how our laugh evolves depending upon who we hang out with sometimes? We start laughing differently. If one can learn how to laugh differently, they can change their smile too.”

Dammit, she had a point. I change my mind. I don’t like that she’s smart.

The next hour went by quickly as she covered the second last of the seven areas she was going to tutor me in. Today’s lesson was love life. Ah, there was my higher self again, laughing at me in future tense.

“A lot of one’s reputation depends on who they surround themselves with. It’s true when it comes to friends, and it’s true when it comes to romantic relationships. Who you pick romantically says a lot about what you’re willing to put up with, but also what you’re willing to accept for yourself. People who pick toxic relationships time and time again, mostly with the same person, where they aren’t respected are putting themselves through shit. There’s no one else at fault. Love is passionate, and it isn’t always what you expect, but it isn’t uncontrollable. It isn’t about being rich or attractive, it is always about capabilities. Honesty, loyalty, and intelligence are the most underrated qualities when finding a partner. Looks matter but you don’t want your sexy partner telling people how the earth really is flat, or get caught cheating on you third time that night. The line between weakness and strength is so painfully blurred when it comes to who you’re in love with, it gets confusing at times. But you need to believe in yourself that you’ll find someone who is kind, and loving. Someone who is worth every little effort you’re putting in yourself because you’re a reflection of everything they are willing to put up with too. Compatibility doesn’t mean anything if you aren’t ready for that compassion or maturity in your life.”

Nina’s eyes had softened while she was narrating an unspoken memory, a personal experience. She suddenly fell silent. Something was different about Nina today. She was more… human.

I mean, she was fighting with someone on a call about the lights dimming at exactly two minutes fifteen seconds into her speech for whatever event she was planning that had kept her from this year’s theatre production, half an hour ago. The person on the other line had explained that they were Korean (or so I’m assuming) and didn’t understand her properly, so she’d said the entire thing in Korean again, but right now, she was just a woman who had been in love with someone. Someone that was everything she’d just described.

Her eyes met mine, and I tried to search for any sign that it was a story that was still being written.

“Why are you looking at me like an idiot, who is going to write down everything I just said?”

And she was back.

The following week went by quickly and before I realized, it was the night before we opened our production of Romeo and Juliet, our last day before our winter holidays began. The cast, only the students (thankfully) had decided to do a sleepover since this production had grown to become special for everyone, especially me. I had made fifteen new friends. I felt bittersweet that I’d almost missed out on an opportunity like this. In times like these I felt a tiny sense of gratefulness towards Nina and her perfectionist ways. How weird was it that she randomly picked me, and had ended up empowering me in the nicest of ways.

Huh. Maybe I had a little too much vodka, I needed to cut myself off.

Yeah, I realized that having alcohol one night before we opened our play was a bit risky but alcohol had always helped me sleep better, and it ended up with me waking up early as well. Keeping this in mind, I took two more shots.

Hindsight twenty-twenty but if only I’d realized how I was making a mistake.

I woke up early next morning and everything was chaos. All of the cast was running around curing hangovers, which I didn’t have thankfully (I never did), and struggling to get their stuff and reach the auditorium in time. I left peacefully in my car, with all of my stuff neatly packed in the backseat as I’d done that before the night began.

I started to put music on my phone but my battery had died. Huh, I didn’t remember that happening.

After the two shots, my memory had turned hazy and I didn’t remember much except for ordering pizza, something about a group project, Max asking me for money but then saying the pizza was paid for, and someone telling me to drink water. I kept my phone in my pocket, and chose to listen to the radio.

I reached the auditorium and fell into a routine. I put my phone on charge since I won’t be able to use it until after the performance anyway. I did my focusing exercises, I changed into my costume, and went down to keep tiny opening night gifts in everyone’s greenrooms. I had packed a flower, a card with a personalized message, and some treats, all in cute tiny paper bags. I wished everyone luck as I distributed the bags, and soon it was time to perform. Minutes before going on stage we stood in a circle and everyone said a few words, and then we were all ready.

The whole show went as smoothly as it could’ve gone, with a few glitches here and there. I was on top of my game as I embodied Juliet so effortlessly. Max was completely immersed into Romeo, having perfected every movement and emotion behind each word.

I was so wrapped up in the world of Shakespeare’s romance that I didn’t realise when we reached the end of our play. As the lights went out, there was a pause for a second and then the entire auditorium exploded in applause. As each of the character was introduced in the curtain call, the applause only got louder. By the time Max and I went up, the applause and hooting had gotten deafening.

I couldn’t see myself but I am sure I was glowing.

The moment we got backstage we erupted in our own applause, buzzing on the high energy of having just put on a show that we would remember for a long time. We quickly packed everything up, folding our beloved costumes before dashing out since it was time for the afterparty.

I met up with August and Jennie right outside the college premises and they didn’t stop gushing till we all reached where the afterparty was. I was surprised to see them both together but Jennie explained how they’d bought their seats next to each other, and once they sat together and talked for two minutes, all was good again. August further elaborated how they both confessed they’d missed each other, and then it was easy to fall back into the roles of being best friends again. August had aplogised a few hundred times to the point where Jennie had to shut him up with a lollipop that she was somehow carrying in her bag.

This night was already turning out to be better than I could’ve ever hoped for. And for the record, I was realistic and I knew that August and Jennie would take some time before they were back to how they were but at least this was a step in that direction.

All I needed now was my beautiful vodka, a slice of the greasiest pizza, and my friends. I hadn’t eaten in so long my stomach was growling.

The moment I entered I was met with another uproar of cheers and hooting. So many people, ones I’d never even met, came and congratulated me on my performance. Some even said they were happy to not see Nina again. Nina wasn’t supposed to be at the party for a while but I still checked around, just to be sure.

I beelined for the pizza as Jennie focussed on the alcohol, and I still kept meeting people who wanted to tell me how they loved the play. The whole experience had suddenly made me realise how far I’d come from the last college party I was at, which was Nina’s Halloween party. Jennie seemed to think the same thing at the same time. We paused and looked at each other, and then burst into giggles.

Everything at the party was throbbing with the music, the alcohol was sweeter, and the people nicer. I looked around for August but he’d suddenly disappeared.

Jennie and I were dancing, facing each other, with moves that would put every K-Pop dancer to shame. Her eyes suddenly travelled to someone behind me and I turned to find Nina. I was so drunk, I actually smiled at her. I might’ve meant it too.

Nina smirked, happy with the result of her tutoring and gestured me to follow her. She wanted to talk about something. I looked at Jennie, silently asking if she’d be okay alone for a while, but she had already started drunkenly dancing with another girl. I didn’t recognize her, but even in the dimly lit room I could tell she was extremely attractive.

I laughed at Jennie’s promptness and walked over to Nina who was in a more secluded corner of the room.

Nina looked at my outfit, and it was exactly the kind that she would’ve worn. Chic but sexy. Perfect for a college party like this because it was casual but it also subliminally set me apart from the rest. She smirked her approval.

Nina started saying something when someone interrupted us to congratulate me for my performance, asking if they would see me in the next one. I politely thanked them for the compliments and turned to Nina.

“You weren’t as bad as I’d expected you to be.”

“How’d you see the play, you weren’t in the audience?”

“I have my ways.”

We both looked at each other and I felt a giggle bubbling up, and my drunk brain was no help.

“You should enjoy your night, you’ve earned it.”

“Yeah, all of the trips to your house finally paid off.”

As soon as I said it, I saw Nina’s expression change. A girl in my psychology class who was known to be a blabbermouth came out from behind me. “You’ve been going to Nina’s house? Why?” Nina had realized people where listening in our conversation but I hadn’t. I was struggling to find a response, and Nina was starting to get impatient. A couple more had diverted their attention to us, waiting for a response. Someone asked about what had happened on the night of the Halloween party after she’d taken me to her room as well, but thankfully they was drowned in the loud music and the noises of people talking. Nina waited for a couple seconds to formulate a response, I could see her mind working out a fool proof alibi, but it was hard to do that when one was as tipsy as us. The more we remained quiet, the more suspicious it got.

“The trips to our house were to work on Juliet’s character.” Will magically appeared out of thin air, and smugly walked towards us. The moment he was there, no one gave a shit about whatever they’d asked us. Nina looked at her brother, and then quickly played along. The cloud of curiosity that had formed because of my stupidity had dissipated. Nina confidently took her drink and walked away. I looked at Will still shocked that he had swooped in to save my ass. But what could’ve made him do that? We both knew I didn’t go there to work on my character with him.

Will searched my face as if I should already know the explanation to it all. When he realised I didn’t have a clue, he smirked. Again. And it made me want to kiss him. Again.

Then, he waited.

I racked my brain for any clues but I couldn’t think of anythin- OH MY FUCKING GOD.

It all came back. After my unfortunate two shots, I’d been drunkenly thinking about Will and why he hadn’t texted me that day. So, I’d called him.

The more I remembered, the more I felt my face get hotter.

I’d told him that I needed a pizza which extra cheese and corn. I’d never made the call to the pizza restaurant. Then I’d lamented to him about how much I wanted to kiss him but also how mad I was that he hadn’t done anything about it. I remembered him chuckling, and giving vague explanations, to which I’d replied that they were garbage. Then I’d started talking about how both of the Jacobs were turning my life upside down, and then proceeded to explain everything, as coherently as I could manage, about how Nina and my group project was actually a weird arrangement between us. He’d listened to me patiently, only interrupting to ask questions a couple times. He’d ended the call by telling me that I had a very important next day that was contingent upon my performance the next day, and I should drink a glass or two of water before I slept. And that’s exactly what I’d done.

So, that’s where my battery had gone.

In one unfortunate phone call, I’d admitted to conspiring with his sister, and shown unprofessional behavior by drunk dialing the director of the play that I was a lead in.

My face was the shade of the blood rushing through my body. My soul was ready to leave, embarrased to be a part of all this.

Will looked at me in the smug way that he did. “It was hard to remember the toppings of the pizza you wanted but I hope I got it right?”

Oh, so he’d ordered it for me. That’s why it was paid for.

I was just about to launch into a hundred apologies when someone behind him caught my eye. It was Jennie drunkenly making out with that girl she was with, in the middle of the dancefloor.

“Oh shit.”

I dashed around Will, making a mental note to talk to him as soon as possible, hoping madam vodka let me remember this.

I quickly manuevered my way around the people and got to Jennie. I softly pulled her and conveyed that I needed to go to the washroom and dragged her with me. The girl said something behind me but I was already walking away.

As soon as we reached the door, Jennie protested. “I was in heaven, why’d you take me away?!”

“Because you aren’t the kind of person who likes hooking up.” “S-so? I could start liking new things.”

“Of course, but as your best friend, I had to make sure this wasn’t something that you’d regret in the morning.” Confrontation with Will had sobered me up.

“B-but how will I find her now, I don’t know her name.”

“Let’s get you freshened up a little, get some food in you and we’ll make a plan?”

“M-okay.”

I smiled at pouty Jennie and opened the door to the washroom and helped her as she stumbled in. My eyes went to the couple making out in front of us, which was extremely common at parties filled with the drama kids.

“Oh, I’m so sorry-” and then my jaw dropped to the floor. Jennie noticed it too, and it caused her to sober up. She stuttered out, “August?”

My brain struggled to comprehend the image in front of my eyes.

“Nina?”