I Choose You by Kemi Adejumo (classic novels for teens txt) 📗

“Jess, I think you need to see this before you look for him” Molly took out her phone and showed me the news.

It’s a picture of Evelyn at the airport. She was wearing sweats and sunglasses, obviously trying to hide from paparazzi. There was a big headline that said “ THE CHOSEN PRINCESS DUMPED”

The next page was shocking, it’s a picture of me and Christian the night he was drugged. The picture made us look so intimate even when there was no intention like that, at least for Christian. And for some reason, my face was blurred. The headline says “ORLANDER’S HEARTTHROB, PRINCE CHRISTIAN CAUGHT CHEATING”  I checked the comment section and it was horrible.  

“Prince Christian is the most handsome man in all of Orlander, any girl will do anything to just be near him. No doubt he gets tempted on a daily basis but the moment he decides to heed to this temptations and disrespect his wife, he no longer is a man but a cheat”

“ how dare this lady try to snatch the prince, can she compare to the beautiful Evelyn?”

“I can’t believe Prince Christian will do something like that. If he can’t respect himself at least he should respect his people and their choice to support Evelyn when he chose her. I am disappointed in him. #Disappointed #Unfit to be a prince.

Looking at the comments, my hands started shaking. Everybody were calling him out as irresponsible. The hashtag started trending and Christian’s name was pushed into the mud. I suddenly became lightheaded and wanted to fall but Luke was quick to catch me.

He placed me on the chair and I continued scrolling through the phone as tears fell from my eyes. I did this. I did this to him. I never knew things would go this far. If I knew, i would have not done what I did. Everything seems planned and it has Mirabelle written all over it. I was a puppet in all this.  I should have known Mirabelle intentions were far worse than I thought.  

Soon another post dropped. It was a picture of Christian and Evelyn at the hanger of the airport. He went after her. Christian was hugging Evelyn from the back. Several pictures were taken and anyone could understand the scenario. It looked like Christian was begging Evelyn but she refuses to listen and went on her plane.

The headline says “EVELYN REJECTS PRINCE CHRISTIAN’S APOLOGIES”

All this is wrong and untrue. Christian is the only one offended in this whole story. He is the innocent one and is being painted wrongly. More than anything Christian wanted to be the best friend ever, the best son to his parents, the best partner to his spouse and best King to his people. He promised not to disappoint anyone but I ruined it. I stabbed him in the back. I am the wicked one.

Fresh tears started falling from my eyes as I continued to read the hateful comments. I could not stop, I felt too guilty. I have to tell him the truth, I cannot hide this from him. I have to surrender myself even if he hates me. It’s what I should have done a long time ago and I will carry the cross.

“Jess enough, give me the phone.”Molly took the phone away “You are not helping yourself by reading those hateful comments” she said

“Do you see what they are all saying about him, that is not Christian, they don’t even know him. How dare they judge him” i bellowed as more tears started falling 
“I have to find him” I said trying to run to the door but Jake stopped me

“You can’t Jess. This is a crucial time for Him. The paparazzi are tracking him, if you are seen with him, they will find out you are the one that night. Finding him will not help you but put you in danger, just wait for him to get back.” Jake explained but I  was not willingly. Who cares if they know my identity, I don’t deserve to be protected.

“I don’t care , I have to find him” I said and turned around to leave.

“Will risking the fact that the paparazzi can find you with Christian help him or worsen the case” Luke said and I stopped in my tracks. “If the media finds out that the person they claimed Christian cheated with is you, will it make him feel better or worse? You can go ahead and find him if you think it’s the former” That was all I needed to turn back. It’s true, I cannot be seen with him. At least not now because I cannot make him more sad. If there was anything I could do to remove his pain, I will do it.

I sat back on the chair and Molly pulled me to herself. I cried in her arms for hours but there was no sight of Christian.  Everybody stayed in the living room still waiting for Christian. Jake sent some guards to go in search of him but they could not find him.

At 3:00am in the morning, he finally came back. He kept staggering, so we quickly held him and placed him on the sofa.  His eyes was half open and he reeked of alcohol. He was so drunk. I quickly went to the kitchen and made a cup of coffee to calm him down. I took it to him and made him drink it. He stopped drinking the coffee and looked into my eyes.

“Jess is that you?” He said as he placed his palms on my face. To see someone who is usually so confident and strong look so broken hurts me. Nothing can make him like this except his weaknesses; his family, his friends and his people.

“Yes it me . Everything is going to be fine” i said as tears kept falling from my eyes.  I am so sorry, I made you like this.

“Guess what? I lost Everything. I disappointed everyone. It’s true what they said, I don’t deserve to be King. I am a cheat” he croaked out and every word stabbed me in the heart.

“No Christian don’t say that, you didn’t do what they said you did. No one deserves the throne more than you” I cried and he smiled at me. A very painful smile.

“I don’t know what i will do if I loose you too. Promise me that I will not loose you too, no matter what?”