Chapter 11

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*Archie's POV*

Coming back from a tour to halfway across the world to pack for another trip was normally exhausting, but this time I was excited. I couldn't wait to go to California with Alena and do whatever she had planned.

There were worries than ran through my mind like what if she wanted me to meet her family and they didn't like me? What if the press followed us? What if she figured out she didn't like me?

So many worries.

"Where are you going now son?" my Dad asked me

I looked up from packing, "I'm going to California for a week, I told you this a month ago and requested it off."

He gave me a look, "Please do not tell me that you're going with that girl."

"Well, then I don't have anything to say to you." I retorted

My Dad smacked his lips, "Archibald, do you actually have feelings for that girl?"

"First of all 'that girl' has a name, it's Alena, and I do have feelings for her." I looked him in the eyes, "This isn't some temporary thing. At the end of your little timeline for me, I would totally ask her to marry me."

He squinted his eyes, "You're going to destroy the lineage, wake the bloody hell up, Archibald."

I threw a shirt down, "How in the hell would I do that? She's a graduate of an ivy league school, has a real job, and is an amazing person."

"You know what I mean." his face looked flush, "Some are not meant to carry the name that we have."

I rubbed my temple, "This has got to be a joke. You're saying this because she's Black?"

"We have to follow tradition, Archibald!" he yelled at me

I paced back and forth, "Fuck tradition, that's why everyone looks down on this family now. You don't do shit just like everyone else before you. I want shit to get done around here -."

"Shit won't happen if you have a colored wife and kids!" My Dad interrupted me

My jaw dropped, "It is the twenty-first century, I cannot believe you just said that. Mom is probably rolling in her grave right now."

I threw some random shit into the suitcase and zipped it up, "I really hope that you can grow and mature despite the fact that you're nearly sixty years old."

My blood was boiling as I drove. I'd never heard him talk like that before. I wanted to kill him, I wanted him to abdicate, how could he even be king and think like that?

Hearing him say shit like really blew my good mood, but the moment I saw her face, all my worries went away.

I got out and the car to grab her luggage.

She looked at me and smiled, "Hey there, stranger! How was New Zealand?"

Alena wrapped her arms around me and I did the same to her. My heart began to speed up and skip a beat.

"It was beautiful and the people were lovely." I answered her question, "Just not as quite as lovely as you."

She pulled out of the hug and looked at me with a smile. 

"You look tired, but luckily you have an eleven-hour flight to sleep." Alena pointed out

I picked up her luggage, "I landed back here at eight, took a quick nap, packed, and now I'm here."

"I'm fine though. The pilot said we should land around 6:50 pm Los Angeles time." I closed the trunk and opened the passenger's door for her

Alena got into the car, "That time change is about to be killer."

"You're telling me." I responded before closing the door

We drove to a small private airport that was outside of London. I happened to be close with the workers so it was nice to know that this would be a press free zone.

"I don't want you to think I'm trying to rush into something or anything, but am I meeting your parents?" I asked Alena after we got settled 

"I mean, do you want to?" Alena looked my in the eyes

"Do they know who I am?" I asked her

"Well," her voice trailed off, "They know that I've been seeing this guy that I really like, but they don't know that you're you." 

I frowned, "What do you mean?"

"They know that your name is Archie, but they don't know that you're the prince. I should probably tell them that first before you pop up at my house." Alena clarified

I bit my lip, "How do you think they'll react?"

She shrugged, "I don't really have any experience with these types of things. Don't stress about it, I'm sure everything will be fine."

"What if they don't like me?" I poured out. I usually never seek approval from anyone but I really really really wanted approval from her parents.

Alena put her hand on top of mine, "I know my parents, they're going to adore you."

"I hope you're right, I come with a pretty big package," I spoke then I realized how dirty it sounded, based on her face Alena did too. "I mean like the throne and everything."

"Right." she responded, "We'll just cross this bridge when it gets here."

I felt like that bridge was already here. I let it go for now.

We talked for the first hour or two of her flight while Alena did some work, but then I fell asleep first. When I woke up we only had an hour left of our flight and Alena was dead asleep on me.

I slowly wrapped my arms around her and took it all in. 

This wasn't supposed to happen.

We were from two different sides of the world and we somehow ended up the way we were. Nothing could convince me that Alena didn't have a purpose in my life. It was nothing but fate that brought us together.

Everything happens for a reason, but somethings have a bigger purpose.

Every atom in my body gravitated me towards her.

They say to need someone is a dangerous thing, but God knew I needed her.

Alena took the keys from out of my hand, "I think it'd be safer if I drove here, don't you think?"

"I have an American drivers license too." I justified as I handed her the keys, "But it is probably better for you to drive."

She had a smug look on her face as we got into our rental BMW suv. Sitting in what would be the driver's seat back home was strange so was driving on the right side of the road.

"It's very warm out." I commented as we drove

"And the sun is now setting but isn't it nice?" Alena asked me

I nodded, "I used to spend a lot of my time here when I was younger. Lots of clubbing, music festivals, award shows, and parties. I'm still friends with a lot of celebrities."

"I got my ass into so much trouble back then." I realized, "I don't know how I'm still alive. I'll never forget when my Dad got ahold of a picture of me smoking a blunt."

Alena glanced over at me, "I also don't know how you're still alive."

"He tried to send me to rehab for a little weed!" I went on, "Isn't that absurd?"

"You've really must've been bad as hell." Alena laughed, "I was a good girl growing up except for some Friday and Saturday nights."

"I could definitely see that." I commented, "You do get a little crazy on the weekends if I remembering the night we first met correctly."

She had a cute smirk on her face, "Glad you didn't forget about that?"

"How could I? You're one of the best grinders." I winked 

"One of? I want the number one spot!" she spoke jokingly

I laughed, "You're right though, definitely number one."

We arrived at a hotel called 'The Fitzgerald in Beverly Hills'. The rooms were basically flats and we had an incredible view of the city line."

I looked at Alena as she laid on the bed, "Are you staying here tonight?"

"Yeah. I'm very jetlagged and hungry." she answered my question, "Let's room service a bunch of food."

And who was I to turn down food?

We ordered chicken wings, cheese fries, a charcuterie board, wine, and cheesecake. We pigged out while she caught me up on Bachelor In Paradise. 

"What's the plan for tomorrow?" I asked as I ate a wing

"I'm going to go meet my parents for brunch and then you get to meet some of my high school friends and go to an exclusive club here." Alena explained to me, "Then the next day you're going to meet my family so get yourself prepared now."

I made my eyes wide, "What kind of setting will it be in?"

"My parents' house. I think everything will go well." she assured me, "You're an amazing person, you have an amazing personality, they're going to adore you."

I gave her a smile, it was nice to hear someone talk about you in this way.

I prayed that they truly did adore me because there was nothing more than I wanted than Alena.

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