Diana

If the woman telling the story about how forgiving is 'very important' would stop glaring at me, that would be great.

The awkward position of sitting on very small seats was taking its toll on me. How did presidents convince others that they're trying to run a country when visiting schools with small chairs? Yes let me just tell stories to these kids that they've probably heard before while there are cameras so people on the internet would admire me. I mean who doesn't love adults on kiddie chairs right?

The kid beside me sneezed and I looked down to see him picking his nose. Grimacing, I took my handkerchief from my bag and gave it to him. He didn't even hesitate to sneeze on it and gave me a satisfied grin while handing the handkerchief back afterwards.

I should've just given him tissues.

I wasn't exactly fond of children. But unlike the belief that my kind ate kids for dinner, we actually prefer take-out paired with a glass of wine on special occasions.

I'm not sure why Jenny, my ex-fiancé's royal adviser decided that I wasn't fit to be around them. Not liking children doesn't make me unfit, or any less of a woman. It likes wanting a side of fries with my burger. It's optional.

I looked around to see kids from the higher grades peeping through the gap at the door. My eyes widened when I saw a familiar face among them. I stood up walked towards her. Her classmates made a run for it when they saw me, but she stood her ground and I opened the door wider. Jenny was already behind me before I could even say hi to Tory.

Jenny walked in front of me and crouched down to Tory's eye level. She gave Tory a smile and asked her if she wanted to listen to the story that she was reading. Tory looked up to me, her eyes asking. I shrugged and she gave a silent nod as Jenny took her hand.

When she was asked to sit on the floor like the younger kids, she looked over her shoulder and at me.

"Well she's older," I started. I took the chair I was previously sitting on and gave it to her. I didn't want to do the crouching tiger in heels anyway. Jenny gave me a look, not the approving kind, and continued reading about a woman with a curfew.

"So you just have to be patient," Jenny finished, closing the book with a satisfied smile. "Prince Charming might be stuck in traffic," she added, making the little girls giggle, and the boys make icky noises.

I was observing Tory as most of the adults played with the children. Apparently, the school was adjusting to us visiting. Something about the company donating for their gymnasium. I say they should focus on proper ventilation and sturdier armchairs for the older kids.

Jenny was keeping an eye on Tory as well. Or maybe she was watching me watch Tory. I really would like to talk to her and convince her that I have nothing against children. I was a kid before, I knew I was annoying and irrational, and very annoying, but that's just how the circle of life worked. I wouldn't go as far as raising them and presenting them on a rock, but I would never loathe them.

Jenny talked to Tory a while longer before she stood up and waved to say goodbye. Tory stopped in front of me and I automatically offered her my hand. See? I'm not so bad when it came to children. Tory was a special exception. Maybe having someone see me while I was gloriously hung-over other than a guy was a good thing. We have established trust now.

"Is that your new mom?" a boy in a green hoodie asked. Tory frowned and shook her head.

"She's my friend," Tory said meekly. I had a feeling she was waiting for me to deny it. I wouldn't. When I was her age, being with the big kids meant you were cool.

"You always stick with old people," the boy continued, his voice a mixture of confusion and mockery.

I was holding back an audible gasp. Did this little dweeb call me old? I was thousands of days away from being old. And what's with this sudden changing of trends. Being with the big kids was supposed to mean you were cool.

A woman came out from the room the boy walked out from. She was a petite woman. Or the illusion that she was smaller because of the small waist and this aura of frailness she had around her. She reminded me of Jenny. What with the messy but not really hairstyle, the simple clothes, and the soft smile.

"Who's your friend, Tory?" she asked. She smiled at me and placed her hands on the boy's shoulders.

"She's a friend of –"

"Wil?" she cut off.

Tory nodded and I placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze. "I'm a friend of hers too, of course," I added.

The woman's smile seemed to lose a couple of watts as she looked at me from head to heels. I raised an eyebrow as she looked at me like she just ate something with an awful aftertaste.

"She's my homeroom teacher," Tory whispered and I nodded, pretending to be a little surprised. I offered her a hand to shake, and after a few seconds of brief contact, we continued silently judging each other.

"Mr Gibson!" Tory's teacher suddenly blurted out. I turned around to see him in a white, long-sleeved shirt lazily tucked in his black slacks. His hair was a mess, like he just ran his fingers through them a couple of times on his way here. I couldn't seem to take my eyes off his face the most. How was it possible to have both hard and soft facial features. Soft, because of his droopy eyes and quite plump lips, and hard, because of how his nose and jawline that put aristocrats to shame.

I wasn't aware that he was already in the middle of our stare off until Tory's teacher clapped – clapped her hands once before greeting him. I was suspecting she was a dedicated teacher when she was younger.

"Here to pick Tory? A little too early don't you think?" she asked rather cheerfully. Wil shook his, smiling.

"Drove a number of people here. They ran out of company cars," he replied. Tory frowned and looked at Wil's clothes.

"Why are you wearing your rich people uniform?" she asked.

Wil laughed nervously and reached out to mess Tory's hair. "Forgot to iron my shirt this morning," he explained.

I raised an eyebrow as Tory nodded. It was still a mystery – well not exactly – on how their daily routine went. I was raised by my grandparents so it was the closest view I had of what parenting looked like. It wouldn't take a genius to know that being a single parent was difficult – especially if he's the one keeping up with the bills and taking care of the child. It's as close to impossible if he wasn't dedicated to raising the little girl beside me.

Maybe he really needed the money that night. Besides, he did do his job properly. Looking at his neck and how his adam's apple moved while he talked, my mind drifted back to the night I found myself with a guy practically dancing a few inches near my face.

"– right, Diana?"

I blinked a couple of times before my eyes focused back on his face.

He was expecting an answer from me.

Wait, what was the question? Surely it wouldn't be about stock exchange. So I did the safest action a person could do when not paying attention.

I nodded.

I must have been staring blankly at his crotch this whole time. It was taking me a whole lot of willpower not to run myself to one of the decorated walls.

Tory was smiling widely at me before she walked back into her classroom. Her teacher, who wouldn't even take a man with myopia to see that she was attracted to William, eyed me one more time, then followed Tory inside.

What is with me and these ladies today? I was feeling like a villain. I'm not even sure what the conflict was. What was the plot? When was I considered the witch?

Clearing my throat, I turned to look at Wil whose neck was stretching like the shortest kid on a crowded petting zoo, was looking inside the classroom. He grinned, seeming to make eye contact with Tory and giving her a thumbs up.

Laughing a little, I remembered my grandfather doing the same thing on my first day of school.

Wil turned to face me, his hands in his pockets as he grinned.

"So were you serious?" he asked.

I frowned, recalling the conversation we had while I wasn't paying a single shingle to what he was saying.

"Uh, which part made you think I was joking?" I carefully asked. I wasn't really sure what we were talking about. It was a trick – using a question to answer a question.

He raised an eyebrow, probably realizing that I wasn't serious when I nodded.

"You space out a lot, don't you?" he asked as he gently held my elbow and we started walking to the next classroom the others were visiting.

"I was NASA's best employee," I replied jokingly.

He laughed. "Then what are you doing here, wearing a corporate suit instead of a spacesuit?"

I shrugged. From the corner of my eye, I saw him looking at me, waiting for my answer.

"Motion sickness," I answered.

That had him laughing, and me moving away from his touch as I saw Jenny waiting for me at the entrance of yet another room full of children. I was so excited to finally go back to the office and review financial reports.

We were a couple of steps away when Wil held onto my elbow and made me face him.

"If things get to rough," he started, rubbing his earlobe, "you're welcome to take up the offer I made you a while ago."

My eyes widened.

A lap dance?

Mentally slapping myself, I scolded my brain for even thinking of such an indecent thought. In a school, of all places!

"S-Sure," I replied. He looked at Jenny before letting me go and walking towards the direction of the main exit.

I was entering the classroom when Jenny stopped me and whispered if she could talk to me in private. Still a little confused, I agreed.

Once we weren't within hearing range, she faced me.

"Stop threatening my friends at the diner," she blurted out.

Today's such a nice day for me.

Massaging my temple, I sighed. "Okay, what did I do this time?"

She lifted her chin and put on her brave face. Brave faces were only put when you're scared.

"You threatened them with the man you were with a while ago. Something about the mafia –"

"What?"

"The mafia –"

Scowling, I pointed at her, my finger barely touching her forehead. There's always that day where people drink an extra dose of stupid. "Can you hear yourself right now?"

She grabbed my finger and I grimaced as she let go. "You have no right to touch me."

Sighing, I shook my head. That's it. I give up. There are battles that I would wear my fancy armor. And I did. But then she'd raise the white flag the moment I raise my sword. In the end, I was the one who looked bad. So I'd rather walk away on this one.

The next day, people were already whispering. Again, with not being smarter than a fifth grader, I was pretty sure it was about me.

Rumors always had to start with scratch. So I was confronted by two waitresses. Apparently, I threatened them. The next thing I know, I'm connected to the mafia and red dots would appear on their foreheads if they even make a wrong move on me.

Why would they even think I'm a member of the mafia?

Megan, being my savior as always, provided me the details. It wouldn't take long before the big boss charged into my office whining about how his princess was in distress.

"Diana!"

I turned towards the small voice and smiled, relieved that it was my friend from yesterday at the school. She ran towards me and I met her halfway.

"Fancy meeting you here," said a much more masculine voice from inside the black sedan.

"A side-line, I suppose?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes while Tory jumped to the backseat.

"That was the side-line. This is more of a sorta regular thing," he replied.

"Not bad for a sorta regular thing," I added jokingly.

"Just get in."

I frowned, checking behind me, if I really was the one being invited in.

He opened the car door from inside and gestured for me to get in. I was still hesitating when I saw a familiar car making its way towards the front of the building. That was enough convincing for me. I haven't even seen much of Benedict, my boss, since he got his own Jenny. No offense to the other Jennys. I knew an awesome Jenny back in middle school.

We stopped by a gas station and Wil got out and bought something in the convenience store.

"If the prince gets stuck in traffic, what would happen if the wrong prince gets to the princess first?" she blurted out.

I didn't speak for a moment, thinking that maybe it was more of a question she was asking herself. Maybe it's been bugging her since she heard the fairy tales they were told during our visit.

When William returned, he gave us ice cream. I thanked him and he looked at me funny when I said it. Did it sound too formal when I mentioned his full name?

When we arrived at my apartment building, I thanked him one more time and tapped on Tory's window. When she rolled it down, I smiled and poked her nose.

"If the prince is a slowpoke, you put down your tiara for a while and wear the armor instead. Then you can exchange tales of bravery later," I said.

She smiled at me. Kids were okay when they smile. What with the missing tooth she had, it was nice.

"Will you go with us? It's two weeks from now."

I frowned. Again with this. What exactly were we talking about back then.

Glancing at Wil, he seemed to be waiting for my answer as well.

"I... Well I'll check my schedule."

My answer looked like it wasn't what she wanted to hear but she quickly recovered and gave me a hopeful smile.

"I understand," she replied before Wil told her that they had to go.

I gave him a small salute and he did the same.

As I made my way back to my apartment, I found myself thinking about them. They were oddly a comforting pair. They made me feel like I fit right in. Shaking my head, I started rummaging my bag for my keys.

At least now, judging from Tory's invitation, I knew that the offer Wil made me back at the school was child appropriate.