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•unedited•

•Chapter Five•

After several failed attempts at finding a job, I've become discouraged. I slam my laptop shut before pushing it off my lap to the end of my bed, before falling back my head landing onto my soft pillows. I groan inwardly not understanding how it's so hard to find a job, I've applied to so many places all of them replying back that they don't have any spots available or they're not interested in meeting with me. I drag my hands over my face while staring up at my ceiling.

"Any luck?" My grandfather says behind my closed door.

"Nope!" I pop the 'p' screwing my eyes shut trying to calm myself down. I hear my door open and hear footsteps stop at the end of the bed, then the bed dips from my grandpa. I open one eye glancing over at him. He's sitting on the edge of my bed staring at me curiously.

"Well there's no need to be discouraged is there?" He questions, opening up my laptop and typing something up then scrolling a bit before shoving my mac book back into my arms. "What about this job? Looks pretty promising"

My eyes travel down to the screen, Austria's renowned Royal family's Prince Xander Meir announces new assistant needed. I stare blankly at the screen my eyes not budging from the title, assistant for the prince?

"I-I can't b-be an assistant" I stammer meeting my grandfather's awaiting gaze.

He gives me a loving smile his frail hand resting over mine, "you can do anything you set your mind to honey," he slides the computer over slightly so that it's facing both him and me, "this is a great opportunity, you need to apply" he pushes the computer back over so it's facing me and then proceeds to get up from the bed walking out of the room leaving me with my thoughts.

//

I walk through my front door then placing my backpack down beside the door.

"Alice!!" A high-pitched squeal comes from behind me followed by two arms gripping my shoulders as jake pulls himself up onto my back. "Piggyback ride!!"

I laugh and bring my hands underneath his thighs to support his lower half as he hangs into my torso. He giggles when I run through the house bouncing him around with him squealing and giggling the whole way. We run into the kitchen and stumble upon my dad talking into his cellphone receiver, his tired and sad eyes glance at us before he says one last thing then turns off his phone turning to us with a fake smile plastered onto his face.

"Hey! How are my two favorite children" he says this every day to mess with us.

"We are your only children!" Jake giggles jumping off my back and running into my dad's open arms.

"Hey, why don't you go play with your toys in the other room" his hand ruffles my brother's chestnut hair. My brother proceeds to nod then skips out of the kitchen.

My dad turns to me and takes me in his arms giving me a warm hug, then sits down at the table I sit down in front of him. "Alice, I have been laid off"

My heart plummets in my chest, my eyes lift to meet my dad's sad strung eyes. "So what does this mean?"

"It means that we both need to start working and bringing in money to be able to pay the mortgage" he looks down at his hands.

"Oh yeah totally! I would do anything!" I place my hand over his and he smiles wholeheartedly.

I would get that job to save my family.

//

Memories flood my mind and my thoughts become more clear. My dad wanted me to get a job to help out the family.

My eyes flicker to the screen once more and I slide my finger on the mouse pad  the mouse icon hovering over the application button.

•

I get up early the next morning and get myself ready for the day, butterflies flying around my stomach. I walk into the kitchen pouring myself some tear out of the kettle.

"Well look at you, all professional" my grandpa smiles crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you ready?"

My heart thumps loudly in my chest it's beating so hard I swear that I feel it vibrating off the walls. I stare down at the palms of my hands tracing the lines with my eyes before looking back up at him.

"Yeah I think I'm ready"

I turn the radio up so that it fills the quiet spaces in the car. I look straight at the stretch of road ahead of us.

"Do you have your resume printed?" My grandpa asks I glance at him while he stares at the road.

"Ya, but it won't help me at all. I haven't had any real experiences from my time held up in the apartment" I sift through the two thin pieces of paper in my hands nervously checking the time making sure we're not late.

As if reading my thoughts my grandpa stares, "don't worry Al, we won't be late" I nod absentmindedly checking the digital clock once again.

We pull up to a big black gate reminding me where we were headed. Hochosterwitz Castle home of the royal family.

"Hello, how may I help you?" A static voice comes from the intercom in german which I translated quickly. With all my spare time I managed to learn a lot of German.

"We are here for an interview for the new assistant position" my grandpa answers in fluent german, in awe at how well he can speak it for having living here but traveling around the world countless times.

"Yas I just need the mandatory pass we emailed you," she asks and I pass my grandfather the printed out pass. He takes it and scans it on the scanning machine present in front of us.

"Thanks for visiting and enjoy your visit," she says this before the gate opens with a creak.

The car drives along this windy path that seems to go on forever until it comes up to a large castle-like mansion.

(Hochosterwitz Castle)

I set both of my shaky legs onto the pavement before standing up on both wobbling slightly before catching my breath and looking up towards the castle.

I feel a warm hand on the small of my back guiding me towards the castle. "You can do this, I'll be waiting for you when you get out" he whispers into the ear.

"I feel ready" I look over at him a smile spread onto my lips.

We walk up to the large oak doors a butler stands in front of them eyeing us both wearily before he pushes both doors open revealing the most beautiful place I've ever seen.

We both walk in and find myself thinking am I making the right decisions or will I just screw up my life all over again.

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