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And we both keep our hands firet used to all the tea

We’ve been back in Edinburgh for a couple of days now, and lately, everywhere we go, so down at the palace? Have sos? More tea, please And now, even at the dress studio, there is tea

I take the china cup fro assistant, careful not to let it rattle in the saucer in case El hears it and snaps at ain She’s been like that lately, quick to criticize anything I do that isn’t flawless There’s a part of ue back, but another part wonders if this is just how she feels every day Watched, judged, found wanting Maybe itto someone else--I don’t know

In any case, the tea cup doesn’t rattle even a bit, and I h the tea is way too strong, way too hot, and way too unsweetened forarea in the back of the designer’s studio No shops for the future king’s bride, of course We get to go straight to the source, and fros are carried out like they’re spyThere were decoy cars e left the palace thisfrom the front, the other from a back door near the kitchens We weren’t in either of those, instead leaving about fifteen h yet another secret staff entrance, and we’d taken just a regular cab, nothing fancy But all of us had worn hats and sunglasses, me and El in si with flowers that probably drewa hat at all, but such is Mom

We still haven’t seen El’s dress, but that’s because she wants to save the surprise Still, I can see a few sketches pinned to the wall of various wedding gowns, all of theh to be El’s, and I squint at one over my teacup

"Do you have to wear sleeves?" I call out "Like, are shoulders too scandalous for church?"

From somewhere in the bowels of the studio, El calls back, "It’s a surprise!"

"It’s a dress," I h, and she reaches out with one leg, the toe of her shoe brushing ilt-and- nice," I tell her "See, look" I give her my best smile, the one that looks like I’ve been shot with a tranq dart, and Mo her head

"You and your father, peas in a pod"

"I’ that as a compliment"

"You should" Then Mom leans over and pats my knee, her teacup and saucer balanced in her other hand

"You’ve been a real trouper through all of this, darling," she tells me "I know it hasn’t been easy The papers and the pictures and the ball That boy"

Right

That boy

Miles and I haven’t really talked since we got back to the city We did one quick stroll down the Royal Mile for Glynnis, but both of us had kept our hands in our pockets, and we’d hardly said anything to each other besides rando that was co

The headlines over those pictures had read "MILES APART?," so Glynnis is not exactly thrilled with either of us at the s with Miles just felt too weird, and besides, I was heading home soon anyway The pictures fro about me and Seb anymore, and just yesterday, there had been blurry shots of Seb and Ta (The headline there was "SEB LANDS GLAM TAM!," which was kind of a weak offering in my opinion)