W̳̿͟͞h̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞r̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞'s̳̿͟͞ t̳̿͟͞h̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞ F̳̿͟͞u̳̿͟͞n̳̿͟͞k̳̿͟͞

Chapter 10

"No," she flat out said to him.

"Really, Keely? You haven't been to a single party since troll school, remember?" Darnell skipped in front of her to stop the girl from walking away, "Besides, it's a good time to finally put those lessons I taught you into action."

"Sorry, Darnell. I got work to do at that day."

"Then I'll stay here with you. We can have a little party of our own with your colleagues!"

"D, no. You can't have a birthday party without showing up to it. Everyone's expecting you to be there. And my place is here," she looks around her currently assigned workplace, then back to him.

Prince D's birthday is coming up, and he personally invited her, fearing that she may refuse. And yet she still did. This created a frown to his face, to which she intentionally bumps her body to his to cheer him up, something they began doing in a while now.

"Don't be like that. I'd still hear you from all the way here. I just can't leave my post, we have schedules for day off. And mine doesn't align to your day, so... I'm sorry." He pouted, making her giggle and bump her body to his, "I'll treat you to our house's special once I'm given the leave, okay? See you later, D."

Darnell watched as she walked away, then a smirk slowly forms on his lips.

Keely's mom and dad murmured with each other in the kitchen while the next order is being cooked up when their daughter comes home. "Mom, Dad, I'm back."

"Keely! Great timing. Great timing! I made your favorite, freshen up and eat. Hurry!" her mother pushes her to the bathroom and closes the door. The girl stood there, in shock. Never had she seen her like that before. What could have happened?

She did as she was told and went to their small dining table. Keely stared at the food nervously, her appetite is lost from the curious stares that her parents are giving her. She sighs and looks at both of them, "Mom, Dad, what's the meaning of this?"

"When are you planning to tell us, sweetie?" asked her mom in a whisper.

"Tell what?" she asks back while chewing on her food.

"That you and Prince D are together," her dad replies, making her spat out the food that almost choke her on a millisecond death.

"What?!"

"He came here earlier, asking for our permission to take you to his birthday celebration," she then places a sparkly blue neck ring with a letter tied to it, "and then left this one for you."

"We too got gifts from him, so we assumed that it's either he's courting you, or-"

"That you two are together now and not telling us anything," her mom finishes.

"No, we're not! We're... He's being nice, that's all. We're just friends, I swear!"

"Aww, guess you win this time," her dad hands over some gumdrops to his wife as a form of payment for their bet.

She then goes to her daughter's side to hug her, "Oh, honey, no need to be shy to us about this sort of thing. Prince D is a good kid, but if you don't like him like that, then you two better talk about this and be honest to him as soon as possible."

"Mom, c-can we talk about this later? I'm going to head to bed early, and I'm really tired right now. Imma just take this, and this, and this. Love you both. Goodnight!" Keely rushed to her room with the food on her back and a glass of water along with the neck ring on her right front foot.

Sighing in relief and out of their gazes, she sets down her meal and immediately opens the letter attached to the cute accessory.

Got the Brigs supervisor give you a day off on my birthday. That should allow you to go with me now, right?

He signed, with a small drawing of himself sticking his tongue out. Keely face palmed, a blush starting to form on her cheeks, 'This guy...'