1 I

I

"I'm tired of this," I said once I finished photocopying a document using an old machine fixed a while ago. I had been finished earlier if only that freaking machine had cooperated.

"You always said that, but you're still here," my best friend, Lola, rolled her eyes and drank straight her brewed coffee. I was still working during lunchtime to meet the due date and to earn my cute salary. Yeah, cute because it was not big compare to those comfortably sitting in their swivel chairs and received their high income. Unfair.

"I'm an accountant. I should be in the accounting department. Then, I'm here, mercilessly working for a job I never thought would cross my line," I complained to no one in particular.

Yes, you read it right. I was an accountant. I graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in Accountancy, took a board examination, then tadah, I was a Certified Public Accountant. However, life was not fair! Jobs were hard to find. I needed money for my family's necessity and mine. Therefore, without a further ado, I took this job even though it did relate miles away from my title.

All the unfortunates came to me. I got an old hot-headed boss. He worked in this company for thirty-five years. Believe me! I did not know why he was still here rather than to rest in peace. I did not mean the other way; I meant it literally, like retirement or vacation, like that. He did not know how to use the photocopying machine or computer so I was his great accountant to take care of all those crazy things.

I said it sarcastically, I was an accountant, but after I graduated from college, not in this job. I should write debit or credit or journalize or at least creating a financial statement. But I was here facing an old model computer, typing files endlessly and duplicating–I doubted it was useful–document.

"Hey, how about let's look at Jobstreet. Who knows there is a job waiting for you there?" Lola tried to encourage me, but she failed. I knew all accounting jobs available there.

Lola was my best friend since high school. She was blonde, tall and gorgeous. When we were together, all boys' eyes fixed only on her. So sometimes, I asked myself if I were ugly. Seriously? I was not. My beloved mother told me I was beautiful. Yet I could not believe her, she was my mother after all.

My best friend had a higher position in this company. She was an HR supervisor. Okay, honestly, she was the reason this job embraced me. I had no choice, but to embrace it back.

"The last time I checked, all the jobs there fitting all my interests want a five year experienced. As far as I know, I am fresh graduate," I said after I arranged the papers and we started walking in the hallway.

"Oh, that's a news, I don't know you are a fresh graduate," she joked but I did not buy it.

"Whatever."

After I delivered all those fancy papers to my boss' table, Lola and I ate lunch in the nearest eatery along the block. Many eating-place fully occupied since almost all the company in this area had their lunchtime. We ended up in a small and low-cost place. I sighed. At least my pocket could take its rest for this day.

I ordered a ham sandwich, fifty percent lower than the usual price, and a Coke. Lola had her hamburger and fruit juice. She ate a lot, but her body size never got bigger. I envied her.

A small TV hung on the wall near us. Its sound combined with the chattering around the tables. I paid no attention of what the TV showed only when Lola talked about it.

"A week without Prince Alexander's scandal is not completed," she shook her head in annoyance.

I looked at her before eyeing the news flashing on the television. A reporter spoke something I could not understand because all my focus was in Prince Alexander's picture on the left side of the screen. He was... Did I really need to say he was handsome? Oh come on, so cliché! All prince were handsome.

He was not handsome.

No typographical error, he was not handsome because the word 'handsome' was not enough to describe him! He was beyond handsome. Dictionary needed to add words so it could fit his looks.

But Prince Alexander, who lived in the beautiful England, was an arse. His attitude was the extreme opposite of his face. Different women linked to his name each week. Scandal here. Scandal there. Scandal everywhere. The Royal family's biggest problem. That was he. As of the moment, his highest rank controversy when someone had posted his nude picture online. Not totally, the image had only showed his bared back.

For moon's sake, he had a sexy back! I had gawped at it for a minute...an hour...a day. I had lost my sanity. I admired his muscles then his b... What a mind?! Scratch that! I did not think about that.

Without minding my long pause, Lola continued her talk, "This time he is dating a starlet in England," she pretended to puke, "Thank goodness he is not the first in line or, he will be the next King Solomon."

She was right. Prince Alexander was the second son of King Gregory and Queen Beatrice. His older brother, Prince Nicholas had the biggest chance to be the king in the future. Unfortunately for those hopefuls, he had married Princess Emily two years ago, and she had given birth to their first child this year.

"That's why Prince Nicholas is blessed to be the future King," Lola added mindlessly.

"Maybe Prince Nicholas is satisfied in his life because almost all people in England are interested in his life. On the other hand, Prince Alexander wants a so-called attention so he weekly plays with fire," I explained while my eyes fixed on his face in the television.

"He is stupid. He should be happy in his life!" she protested like a persecutor in the court, "If I am a princess, I will lie down on my bed and sleep all day."

"What are you sleeping beauty?" I countered, laughing.

"Ha ha so funny," she mocked and continued to eat her burger.

I stopped and could not contain what is in my mind, "What if you meet Prince Alexander? What are you going to do with him? Or what are you going to say to him?"

"Are you asking me?" she pointed her face.

"No? I'm asking the waitress," I teased.

She glared at me, but answered my questions anyway, "I'm going to knock every craziness out of him."

"Seriously? Are you going to knock out a Prince?"

"I don't care if he is a prince or what. He is the worst creature I've ever seen," she rolled her eyes, "I will also tell him that."

I laughed. "I think you can't do that."

"Of course I can."

"You will be star-struck if we see him in person, trust me, you can't do your thing!"

"No..." before she continued her words, her phone rang and she pulled it out of her shoulder bag. "Wait a minute," she said while curiously looked at her touch screen.

I waited for just a few seconds when I heard her curse. She stared at me and worriedly shook her head. What was her problem? I raised an eyebrow.

"What?" I demanded.

"Nothing," her voice cracked in the middle.

"No, it's not nothing. You tell me," I crossed my arms across my chest, "Or I will tell Julian you made out with a guy in the bar last night." Julian was her boyfriend.

"You're so rude Shirley! That's not intentional, and I just have some good times at the bar!" she yelled that made all people in the eatery to turn their heads in our table.

My beloved best friend and her boyfriend were in a relationship for the past three years. Lola was loyal to him, but this girl had some kind of bad hobby. She loved her boyfriend, but she could not get out from her making-out-with-other-guys-pastime.

"You will tell me or I will tell him," I challenged her.

"Fine," she gave up, I smirked, "But first, you should reject it."

"What?" I was confused.

"You heard me. You should reject it no matter what."

"I should reject it?" I questioned her, "What if a job for me that qualify all my achievements and skills?"

Her eyes got bigger and rounder, "How did you know? You read my mind."

"Of course not," when I realized the meaning of her words, I got the same eyes, "So a job for me?!" I exclaimed and almost jumped. "May I see? Please give it to me!"

"No, girl, you can't risk your life because of this job! You can find a safer job!"

"What are you talking about?!" I was out of patience, "Just tell me what kind of job is that!"

"I don't like it," she audibly whispered.

"I will like it, I'll try to like it," I sat again on my chair, "Now tell me, what the job is."

Her features filled with horror and finally found her scared voice, "A personal accountant,"– I would love the job– "of Prince Alexander."