I was on a mission to rip up and sew back together the two dresses that weren't of use. So now, instead of a white ball gown, it had golden lace and silk edits in the skirts. If I was to go to the ball, which started an hour ago, I would've worn it. I sighed at that fact and then saw lights shine against my window. I looked out and saw a limo pulled to the side of the road on my property. In my dusted clothes, I climbed through my window and approached the small middle-aged man looked under the hood of his car. Without even speaking to him and his grieved self, I started my work on his car. I liked mechanics. It was easy and a way of life. When I had Leticia and Lydia always mucking up my truck, it was a useful skill to have.

"How can I thank you?" he asked, shaking my hand when I finished and his car roared to life. "You're a pretty girl. Are you going to the ball? I could drive you there!"

"Well actually I don't have a—" I stopped myself. "You know what, I will take you up on that offer. I'll be back in about twenty minutes. Is that okay?"

"Yes ma'am," he nodded.

I climbed back through my window and stared at my dress. I put mild make up on, curled my hair and put it up with a sparkly clip, stole one of the girls' old, golden mask from years ago and threw on the dress with my mom's old white shoes which I had found on the top of my closet once I hit the age to reach up there.

I carefully climbed out of the window once more and walked out to the limo, carrying my dress and noticing that he held the door open for me. I nodded and smiled to him and we were on our way to the ball.

***

I had gotten so many comments. Even though I talked to some people—that would never in their right mind recognize me—I avoided Kelly, because her big mouth would blow the cover.

As I grabbed a cup to get punch, I noticed someone clear their throat.

"Oh here," I allowed them to get their drink first. They laughed once before taking my cup, filling it with punch and handing it back to me. I drank it as they did the same for themselves. "Thanks..."

"No problem," the boy's middle-toned voice said. Behind his black mask, he had a mix of hazel, green, and blue eyes. Along with that, I saw some dimples on his cheeks which were covered with a few freckles. But that was only when he flipped his shaggy dark hair out of his eyes and face. "I thought it would be the gentleman thing to do considering we wouldn't want your beautiful dress ruined, would we?"

"Right..." I agreed, mesmerized with his smile as he spoke.

"Whoops," a familiar voice said and then grape cider from a linear wine glass was spilt on my dress. I looked over to see Leticia and Lydia laughing along with Candace, who had just walked up. I scoffed, grabbed a few napkins, and left out the doors to try and clean my dress.

"But we wouldn't be able to be together," I heard a familiar voice say. I looked over the garden and saw Kelly with some mystery guy with short golden hair. He leaned down to kneeling at her level and then grabbed her hand.

"After tonight, I'd do anything to be together," he whispered. I almost 'aw'd at that, but was scared half to death when the same guy from earlier approached me.

"I'm really sorry about that," he apologized with a sweet smile.

"For what? They're just..."

"Bitchy," he finished for me with an understanding expression. I laughed along with him and then calmed down to start cleaning my dress. "To be honest, even if your dress has a stain, it's better than Lydia and Leticia's."

"Thanks," I laughed. Wait. "How do you know them?"

"They're friends of a friend, apparently," he shrugged. I nodded. "I'm guessing that you go to Richland."

I nodded once more.

"Where do you go?" I asked him, but before he could answer, he rushed over to a screaming Kelly who was by a boy groaning in pain.

"Emmett!" the guy I was talking to yelled, throwing off his mask. I rushed over to the scene, lifting my large dress and noticing the guys' faces. One was Emmett Lorre, an heir in our land by a long degree. He was in pain to his side—apparently—with his pale skin growing redder and redder. The other boy, the one I was talking to, was a bigger shock. Nikolai Tyree...prince to this land.

This entire time I was flirting with the prince. A peasant with a prince?! More so since he had a girlfriend! UGH. But he was such a—and she was—and they were—how!?

I noticed that he was completely helping his best friend. Rich folks ran in pairs and packs. He did what he could, but I couldn't tell what the problem was. The midnight clock rang out each of the slow twelve strokes.

"Is he okay?" I asked, looking down at Emmett. From the corner of my eye, I saw Kelly look up to me with her dark mask maker her brown eyes seem lighter than they actually were, but she said nothing.

"I don't know," Nikolai said, his full featured face looking at my masked one. I would not reveal myself. Neither would Kelly. Nikolai threw Emmett's arm over his shoulder and tried to haul him off. Once they were gone, Kelly turned to me.

"You and Prince Nikolai?" she asked, surprised. She didn't even mention the fact that I had hid the fact of even showing up here, or that she basically had Emmett Lorre wrapped around her finger in nearly two hours.

"Forget it," I said. "He didn't know it was me and he'll probably forget."

And sadly, it was probably true.

***

"Hey," someone said to me as I started to leave the ball. I turned back to see a disguised Prince Nikolai.

"Hi," I breathed in surprise. "Is Emmett okay?"

"Yeah," he answered, but seemed unsure. He took off his mask. "So I guess you know who I am now."

"Yeah..." I mumbled. He grabbed my hand in his and kneeled down.

"Nikolai Tyree, but call me Nik. Happy to make your acquaintance," he formally introduced. I grabbed my hand back, awkwardly as he stood. "Well I mean, we've been acquainted, but...you get the point, right?"

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" I whispered. Candace Pint to be exact. He looked away. I crossed my arms.

"Not for long..." I think he mumbled, but I couldn't tell with the loud music on. The large clock started to chime and I saw it to be a quarter until one.

"Holy sh!t," I exclaimed. Prince or not, I was screwed. I wasn't too careful with my language; I just needed to be home by one. I started to turn, but he grabbed my arm.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"I have to go," I told.

"Well I can have my driver take you—"

"I have my own ride," I interrupted, starting to leave. I moved as fast as I could to get to the limo, but ended up dropping my mother's left shoe when I started to run. Once I made it to the limo, I was out of breath—even for an athlete. More than half way home, the cab started to slow down.

"I'm sorry...the engine's shot," the driver told back to me. I groaned as he did when the car broke down outside my house. Instead of bothering to fix it, I recognized the place and climbed out the car with a "thank you" and sprinted to the familiar near house.

"Amy?" Blue asked.

"Let me in," I said, urgently.

"Okay, but be quiet. My brothers are asleep," he said.

As quickly as possible, I changed out of my ball gown dress and into a pair of his jeans and a shirt. I took a pair of his big shoes and threw them on as well.

"Get rid of this stuff," I instructed. "I'll try to get it...sometime. Just make sure no one sees it."

"Okay, okay," he nodded. I gave him a quick hug with a kiss on his cheek and then ran the half a mile to my house. Just as I made it through my window, I noticed the front door shut. I took the pins and clips out of my hair and shook out the curls. I then hopped on my sack of a bed.

"Amy?" Lily asked, quietly coming down the stairs. I acted as if I was asleep. Moments of silence passed and then I was definitely awake when the girls slammed the door.

"What happened?" Lily asked them.

"Not only was their no Logan Christophe, or any of the immediate royal sort, Candace ditched us, and this chick with this...dress was stealing all the guys!" Lydia exclaimed. I contained my laughter.

"Well who was it?" Lily asked.

"I don't know!" The girls answered together in grief.

"Hmph."

And with that, I sighed as they left my "room" and drew silence on my surroundings.

I, Amy St. Claire, finally got the chance of meeting a royal...