Chapter 13 Little Prince Charming

Chapter 13 Little Prince Charming

I blew out the candles on the giant, mouthwatering cake baked by my mom. Everyone clapped again as my mom and dad kissed my cheeks.

I still couldn't believe that this was real, but I didn't want to question it. I just wanted to enjoy the night.

"Hon, maybe I should take Justin to his room to change clothes," my mom said to my dad.

"Ah, please do," my dad replied, setting me down. "I'll stay here and take care of our guests for a while."

My mom and I headed to my room, which was on the ground floor. I was still in awe of the cake my mom had made, so I thanked her as we walked.

"Dad told me that you baked that giant cake all by yourself. That's amazing, Mom! I wonder how you managed to bake something like that, and I'm sure it's delicious too. Thank you for that." I said with a big smile.

My mom was shocked for a moment, her mouth hanging open, but then her face broke into a sweet smile. "Anything for our little prince," she said, gently pinching my cheeks.

We reached my room, and my mom opened my wardrobe to show me my new clothes.

"Ta-da! Please try this on, Justin. We sewed it especially for you!"

  I was speechless for a second, unsure whether to laugh or cringe at the sight of the typical "prince charming" costume my parents had made for me. The deep blue outfit evoked feelings of royalty and elegance, with a fitted jacket adorned with gold buttons and trim, matching pants with a gold sash, and shiny black boots.

  Although I wasn't too excited about wearing it, I knew I had to put it on for my parents' sake. After all, I was only eight years old, and they had gone to the trouble of making the outfit for me.

I put on the suit and, to my surprise, I actually liked how it looked. "Wow, this actually looks amazing!" I said, staring at myself in the mirror.

  I turned to my mom and saw that she had tears in her eyes,her hands covering her mouth in emotion. "Err, Mom?" I said, surprised by her reaction.

She quickly hugged me and pressed her face against mine. "WOAHHH, YOU LOOK SO CUTE OUR LITTLE PRINCE!"

  "CUTE?!" I exclaimed, feeling embarrassed.

  But my mom just chuckled and ruffled my hair. "Yes, you look adorable. Now let's go show your dad and the rest of our guests."

Feeling a little self-conscious but still happy, I followed my mom back down to the party.

"Hmm, wait," my mom said, retracting her head and combing my hair. "AAAACCKKK We must go back to the hall now! I can't wait to see our guests fall head over heels for you!"

"THAT'S TOO MUCH MOM! YOU'RE EXAGGERATING!" I protested.

But my mom just ignored me and hurried back to the hall. As she opened the door, all of our guests turned to look at me, including my dad. And, to my surprise, my dad had the same expression on his face as my mom earlier – his eyes shining with a hint of tears. My dad rushed over to me and, like my mom, pressed his face against mine, telling me how cute I looked.

  This was ridiculous – I was supposed to be charming as a prince, not cute. But I couldn't help but feel flattered by their reactions. After all, I was just a kid.

  "Okay everyone! Let's welcome once again our birthday boy, our charming prince!" my dad said into the microphone, causing everyone to clap and cheer.

  I couldn't help but laugh at the situation. Being called a prince wasn't cringe-worthy or embarrassing at all – it was actually pretty fun.

  My dad asked me, holding the microphone, "Do you want to say something to our guests, Justin, our little prince charming?"

  I'm reluctant at first because I'm not used to speaking in front of many people just like earlier where I messed up my introduction to my classmates. But I know I need to do this. I  nodded and took the microphone from him. As all eyes turned to me again, I suddenly felt a lot of pressure. But I knew I could do this – I was confident in myself. I took a small, deep breath before speaking.

"Good evening, esteemed guests. I am honored to address you all on the occasion of my eighth birthday. First and foremost, I must extend my heartfelt gratitude to my dear parents for organizing this grand banquet. Their tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed, and I am truly overwhelmed by their love and care. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Mom and Dad. Happiness is not a strong enough word to describe how I feel at this moment. I will cherish this memory forever. I also wish to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to celebrate with me. Your presence here tonight is a true testament to the friendships we share. My classmates, thank you for joining me in this joyous occasion and for welcoming me back to school with open arms. It is a pleasure to see you all here. As I stand before you, I am at a loss for words. I have already expressed my gratitude, but I cannot help but feel unworthy of all this attention. However, I am determined to cherish this evening and all the memories we make tonight for the rest of my life. Thank you, once again, to everyone here. It is a night I will never forget."

After my soft speech, I stood tall with confidence then gave a broad smile to all. "I hope we all have fun and enjoy this night. Thank you." Like a charming prince, I placed my hand on my chest and bowed elegantly. 

Everyone clapped their hands again with cheering 

"Well done our little prince!" Dad hugged me from behind.

"Yes yes! You are truly a royalty, his highness!" Mom followed.

Now it is really embarrassing but I don't care! 

"Let's start this party!"

CHAPTER 13 -END-

To be continued.