Royal Mess

Chapter Thirty-Six

November 2221

The weather continued to grow colder as November came around, but Jack, Nathan and I were not going to let that stop us from spending time together outside of the palace. 

The trees were bare, now, and there was a gentle layer of frost upon the railings and plants on the palace grounds. 

"How are you doing, Jack?" Nathan asked him, as the two of them overlooked the plants and buildings outside, watching as the dark clouds moved in. 

Jack turned to him with a kind expression. 

"I am well, Nathan," he replied. 

"So, are you going to do anything about this Chelsea thing any time soon?" Nathan asked then. 

I felt my jaw hang open for a moment, before I managed to close it again. 

"What does he mean, Jack?" I asked then. 

Jack turned to me and shrugged, as if he didn't have a clue. 

"I don't know," he said, although there was a hint of nervousness to his voice. 

I think the cold weather was part of it, but I almost thought I saw the hairs stick up on the back of Jack's neck. 

I had noticed that he had seemed quite thoughtful from the moment that we had stepped outside, in all honesty. 

He just turned his attention back towards the trees for a moment, and I watched as a bird flew into one of them, causing some ice to fall off it onto the ground below. 

"Is everything alright?" I asked. 

Jack turned to me and simply gave a gentle nod. 

So, it was safe to say that Jack was being unusually shy for once. 

I wasn't about to press him for answers, though. 

"Hey everyone!" Piper exclaimed, walking towards us with her now brown hair. 

I turned to her and hugged her, then. 

"Hey Pipes," I greeted her, with a kind expression, "How are you doing?" 

"I'm well," Piper replied, with a gentle smile. 

"Good," I said, "I'm glad to hear it." 

"And is everything going alright with you, Jack?" she asked him, then, a smirk working its way onto her face. 

I held a hand up for them all to pause for a minute. 

"Can someone fill me in on what's going on here?" I asked. 

"No," Jack said quickly. 

Piper simply rolled her eyes. 

"Jack likes Chelsea," she said quietly to me, then. 

I felt my own eyes widen at that statement. 

"You what?!" I yelled, as I turned to him. 

Jack turned to me and gave a wave of his hands to signal me to quieten down. 

"Shush! Okay...I didn't really mean for it to happen," he said. 

"You never do, dude. It just does," Piper replied. 

"And here I am," he said, exhaling in slight nerves. 

Sooner than anything else could be said, we all watched as Chelsea approached us, with a slight expression of curiosity upon her face.