Leonor

     The next morning I woke up in my bed, still feeling giddy from the previous night's activities. It was like I was living in a dream. I was on cloud nine.

     I couldn't deny the fact that I was starting to gain feelings for Gavi. Real feelings, not just some fake show that I was putting on for my parents.

     I sat up in bed, rubbing my tired eyes. I wonder if he lost sleep thinking about me last night like how I did with him myself.

     I really wanted to see him again. Soon.

     The sun was already high in the sky for being early morning. August was coming to a close; the hottest months of the year were past us in Madrid.

    It took me quite some time to get ready. Even though I had nothing to get ready for, I was exhausted. I rinsed my face in cold water to wake myself up. It didn't fully work.

    After I was dressed and ready for the day, I tried to busy myself and not think about Gavi. I helped Sofia to clean her room, mother asked me to help her with some business word, and my father taught me how to cook some of his favorite meals.

     When evening rolled around, I needed to get out of the house. 

     "I'm going on a short walk," I called to my parents over my shoulder. They told me to be safe and said that they would see me soon.

     Leaving the palace felt like freedom. I felt like a normal girl who wasn't set to be the future queen of Spain. I wondered if this was how every other girl my age felt.

     I enjoyed myself, taking in every sight around me. People walked up and down the sidewalks and cars drove up and down the roads. It was nearly dinner time, and the amount of people out and about was a bit shocking.

     I saw an older couple sitting on a bench holding hands. I smiled inside as I walked past them. I had always hoped I could find someone I would love forever.

     I tried to keep my mind from racing and tried to  just relax; focus on the present as I made my way into the bustling Madrid streets.

     It was getting darker by the minute. Soon enough, the sun was completely below the horizon and the city was engulfed in darkness. The neon signs of clubs and business lit my way down the Main Street. I was glad I hadn't been recognized yet.

     I had never been out of the palace at night. It was a little unsettling, seeing all of the people moving strangely in the shadows.

     I could hear voices on every side of me, and I immediately took a deep breath to calm myself. I was just being paranoid.

     Still, I gripped my phone tighter in my pocket.

     A older man smiled at me as I walked past. He was sitting on a bench all alone, smoking a cigarette. I cringed inside as I walked past him.

     The nagging feeling in my stomach grew stronger as I kept walking. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe I should run back to the palace as fast as I could.

     As I approached one of the bars, I noticed there was a big group of men outside. Most of them were older, either smoking or drinking, and had some big-eyed girl glued to their hip. Great.

     I tried to push my way past one man, and I accidentally bumped into him. He jerked forward, causing him to spill some beer on the cement. He spun angrily to face me. His jagged teeth bared as he glared me up and down.

     I muttered my apologies and walked away quickly, my heels clicking on the pavement.

     I turned around just to make sure.

     The man was following me. Shit.

     He looked angry. Very angry.

     I tried to think of what any logical human being would do in this situation.

     I pulled out my cellphone and immediately dialed up Chloe's number. She didn't answer. I tried calling her again, frantically. The man was still behind me. Getting closer and closer. Still no answer.

     I tried the next best person. Hannah.

     She answered right away. I breathed a sigh of relief as I began to speak quietly.

     "Listen Hannah, I'm in downtown Madrid right now and I'm being followed by some strange man. I need you to pretend you're having a conversation with me," I pleaded her silently. I heard her shift on the other end of the phone.

     "Anything for you, Leonor. Just stay with me until he's gone," she whispered.

     I nodded, even though she couldn't see me.

     The man was still following me. He looked angry. So angry that I could practically hear his deep breathing coming up behind me.

     I was getting to the edge of the city; there weren't many places for me to go except backwards. The way I had just come from.

     I snuck through the shadows, trying my best to stay as far ahead of him as I could.

     "He's getting closer," I pleaded into the phone. The man was clearly intoxicated, and clearly hungry for a beautiful young girl he had seen on the street.

     "Keep moving. Don't hang up," Hannah insisted. I let out a breathy yes.

     Conveniently, a truck was backing into an alleyway. If I was slick enough, I could run around the front of the truck and disappear before he got to me. Even then, I would have a chance to run.

     I bolted, teetering on my heels. I sprinted around the front of the car and disappeared into the alleyway. I had no clue where I was. All I knew was that this was no place for the future queen of Spain to be.

     I ran and ran. I ran until I reached the street parallel to where I had been.

     I was so out of breath, so scared, that I hadn't seen the person standing directly in front of me. I ran straight into a hard chest.

     Gavi.

     What was he doing here? 

     I suppose I could say the same about me.

     He looked down at me and smiled. He was about to greet me when I bursted into tears.

     "There's....there's a man following me....he was chasing me," I cried softly, wiping the tears falling down my cheeks. Of course he wouldn't care. I shouldn't be crying to him like this.

     "Where did he go?" Gavi asked, suddenly looking alarmed.

     "I have no clue....I lost him..." I whimpered. I had hung up with Hannah sometime along the way; I would have to text her back and tell her I was alright.

     "I'm sorry, it was just very scary...." I started, but stopped when he did something unexpected.

     He grabbed my hand and squeezed it. A real squeeze. Butterflies danced around in my stomach. Suddenly, all thoughts of the creepy man were gone. It was just Gavi and I.

     "I'm glad you're okay," he said calmly, dropping my hand.

     "Me too," I nodded.

     "Why were you even out so late?" He inquired. I laughed a little at that question.

     "I'm not sure, really. I just wanted to go on a short walk, and I lost track of time. It was completely dark out when I came to my senses," I shrugged. He laughed again.

     "Didn't you know that Madrid wasn't the safest place to be at night?" He prompted.

     "No duh," I retorted. A blush was rising to my cheeks.

     "You must be okay if you can be sarcastic," he teased.

     I smiled, the same smile I had had last night after he left the palace. The giddy schoolgirl smile, as I had come to call it.

     "You should really be getting home," he whispered. The streets were nearly empty. Everyone was either out partying or tucked away in the confines of their own home. I was neither.

     "You're right. I'll never live this down," I sighed. My parents would be livid. They would never let me leave the house again.

     I checked my phone quickly. Three unanswered calls from Hannah, plus a few more from Chloe. Sofia had sent me a ton of text message and so had my mother. I would sort this all out soon.

     My eyes returned to Gavi's.

     "Thanks for saving me, Superman," I laughed, and he did too. He even smiled.

     Taking one last glance at him, I hustled off back in the direction of the palace. When I turned around to admire him again, he was still standing there, staring at me.

Okay guys I had no clue how to make this chapter exciting so I went with this scenario

But I promise they'll start being a thing soon u just gotta wait a bit longer