The Princess & The Thief

Chapter 21-Rude Boy

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"I really got to let you know,"
"It's really hard to let you go."
"I really got to let you know,"
"It's really had to let you go..."
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Julie's POV

"Okay, how about this?" Reggie hopped over Julie's lounge chair, unrelenting on his proposition. "You remember how much fun you had when we went completely unhinged and danced on the roof right? Well that's how all the dancing and parties are out on the town."

Luke jumped in, "yeah, and there's never any guards in the clubs, so there's no chance of us getting caught."

Julie glowered at his defense. The guys had been trying to get her to go along with their ridiculous plan for the past twenty minutes, and Flynn had even started to join in.

"Come on," Luke turned that irresistible magnetism on her, "it's not like we haven't snuck out before."

His suggestive grin reminded her of that night. She did have a lot of fun...

"Ugh...let's just say I decided to go along with this dumbassery. What am I supposed to wear in order to not be recognized? How are we going to get in and out of the grounds? Are we going anywhere besides that club?"

Julie rambled on with questions on questions, and to her dismay the guys gave her perfectly thought out explanations for every single one.

When Luke took her hand, helped her to her feet, and assured her once and for all that they'd be safe, of course she said yes to his smile.

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"Okay, we need a dress that people won't look twice at, but one that will make them look twice at you." Alex said as he and Flynn searched Julie's closet. "Do you own anything like that? You know, that's not bedazzled."

Julie exchanged glances with Flynn. "Well, I do have this one dress..."

The other girl knew exactly what she was talking about and gasped, rushing over to a far corner of the closet.

Julie was re-dressed a couple of minutes later, staring at herself in the mirror. A curtain separated her from the others as she took in her reflection. The dress was nice but not too nice, and definitely much more risky than she was used to. It was skin tight and short, but it was a beautiful color. Smoothing it one last time, she straightened her shoulders and stepped out of the changing corner.

"Are you guys sure this isn't too much?" She looked down at herself and then at Flynn and Alex. "Or too little?"

They both gaped, and confirmed that the dress was absolutely perfect. Julie's skin felt a little warm from all of the attention and compliments.

It wasn't bad though, not until she stepped out of the closet to where the others could see her. Reggie and Luke—who were already dressed as well—didn't bother to hide the way their jaws dropped.

Their blatant staring made her a little self-conscious, and Reggie was the first to speak up. "Wow Julie, you look great! Love the dress."

Julie thanked him in earnest, unable to stop her eyes from drifting to Luke. She couldn't deny that she'd been anticipating his reaction.

He visibly swallowed, gaze glued to her frame. Julie's heart fluttered at the lack of-yet not lack of a response, her face catching fire.

Thankfully, Reggie prompted him. "Luke, doesn't she look great?"

Luke blinked, tearing his eyes away from the dress and up to hers. He cleared his throat, face flushed. "Oh um, y-yeah."

After that awkward encounter the friends rallied and snuck out of the castle.