The Unlikely Princess

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” Keller said to her body guard/driver, Ethan.
“Well don’t tell Jake that! Even as your manager, he could care less about what you want. He only cares about the money your singing brings in with the shows,” he said.
“But, I…,” she sighed, “What would he do if I ever left?”
“You wouldn’t do that. Where would you go?” Ethan said quietly, coming around to look her in the face.
Keller turned away from him and whispered silently to herself, “Home.”
There was a few quick knows on the door before it swung open. Jake stepped in and observed the situation. He walked swiftly over to Ethan and told him, “Get whatever this is, fixed, and get her out there. She has five minutes!” He left the room before Ethan could come up with a reply.
Ethan looked over at Keller as she turned around, took a deep breath, and said, “Okay. Let’s do this tonight and we can figure out what I’m going to do later.” She quickly finished getting herself ready, and when Jake came again with a few quick knocks, it looked like everything had been solved.
Keller sang her heart out that night. She always did. Singing has always been the one thing that she has always wanted to do. While all of the other little girls spent their nights dreaming of being a princess, growing up and finding their prince, Keller dreamed of going to the United States and showing everyone, there, what she could do best: Singing. Of course, she did find her prince. She and Colin were high school sweethearts, but when her throne called, Colin told her to leave England, and prove to the world that she was much more than just a nutty teenager.
That was seven years ago. After the first year, she and Colin lost touch, and she is now doing shows all over the US, although Keller has been consistent in keeping contact with her parents, Emily and Jack.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry. You really should come home for a visit, or at least take a vacation,” her mother told her after the show, while she was in her hotel room just outside of Red Rocks, Nevada.
“Mom, I wish I could, but I’ve got shows, shows, and more shows! And as far as a vacation goes, you know I can’t. I get swarmed with people everywhere I go,” Keller said, wishing that she could do something. The she got to thinking. “Mom, tell dad I said hello for me. I love you both, and hope to see you soon.” She hung up before her mother could answer, ran outside, and knocked on the door next to her own.
“Ethan, I need your help,” she said to her guard as he managed to pull himself out of a dreamy state.
“What do you mean by help? What did you do? Tell me everything you know!” he said, fully awake, and ready to protect Keller at any cost.
“Nothing, I did nothing.”Keller whispered quickly, “I have an idea. One to get me out of this mess, but it’s kind of risky.” She pushed herself and Ethan back into his hotel room.
“I have to go home, and I don’t mean after the tour is over, I mean NOW. Who knows when it will be over? I need to go now,” Keller said in a babbled rush.
“Wait a minute now. Are you insane?! You can’t just up and leave like that. What are you thinking?” he said trying to keep calm.
“What if I am insane? Then will you take me?” she pleaded.
“ME! Okay, you have lost your mind. You know I Can’t do that, and neither can you,” Ethan said, now fighting to keep himself out of trouble.
“Please, you know I can’t do this alone.”
“Yes, I know that. I also know that you can’t do this at all.”
“Of course I can, but I need your help. And I don’t mean leave tonight. What about after the show in two days? Please Ethan, I really need this,” Keller was layering it on, thick. She really did need to get out of this place, this constant routine of singing, signings, moving to the next town, and, sometimes, sleeping.
“I… I…,” he sighed, “Look, think this over a few times, Keller. Like, a lot. If you really truly can’t stand to do this anymore, well then, I guess, let me know tomorrow. Think it over tonight. If you really want to go, then I can’t stop you, but I refuse to let you go alone. I’ll help you out of this, but remember, you owe me, BIG!”
“Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she ran to give him a warm hug as he took her back to her room. “Ethan, you really have no clue what this means to me,” she said at almost a whisper.
“Just, think it over,” he whispered back. “Good night, Keller.”
She walked inside, shut the door, and went to bed, although she did toss and turn most of the time, dreaming of a distant place that she calls home, and all of the people there, including one in particular. Colin.
The next morning, Keller woke up with a little bit of peace in mind. She already knew what she was going to tell Ethan, and she knew that she couldn’t tell anyone else. After a long shower and getting dressed, there was a knock on the door. Keller went to answer it already knowing who it was. She opened the door and started running, dragging Ethan along with her. Keller ran as often as she could, but being on the road defiantly limited her more than she’d like. Keller loved running, though, even just jogging of Ethan through the calm peaceful atmosphere of Red Rock. The two ran clear to the top point of the canyon before stopping, even to talk.
“Wow Keller. How can you run like that and not be out of breath?” Ethan said, still trying to catch his own.
“The lungs of a singer, remember Ethan,” she giggled, “Um, about tomorrow,” Keller dropped her head so she couldn’t see Ethan’s disapproving look hoping that she had forgotten, “I still want to go. Please, please, please come with me,” she whispered.
Ethan sighed, “Okay, whatever you want, but this wasn’t my idea, and I don’t plan on being the one to tell Jake what you’re planning.”
“Well I hadn’t planned on telling anyone at all. I mean, if I told Jake, he’d freak, and tell everyone. Then everyone would follow us back to England, and I would be in the same situation.”
“WHAT! I thought you’d at least let someone know. So basically, you’re planning on just running away?”
“Uh, well, yes. That was kind of the plan,” Keller told him.
“How are you actually planning on doing any of this? Have you even thought it through?” Ethan was most defiantly fighting to keep his cool.
“Well, kind of, I mean, I haven’t gotten it all figured out yet, but we can wing it. We can make it work. We have to. After the show tomorrow night, they expect you to take me back to the hotel. Well, What if we just go to the air port instead? They won’t know one way or the other until at least the next morning. We can just pack my stuff in the car before the show. No one will know,” Keller continued to babble as Ethan kept thinking things through.
“Okay, you know what? I’ll do whatever you think you should do. We need a vacation anyway. We have been on tour for almost 9 months now, and you’re really starting to show it. You babble, a lot. So I guess, just make sure everything’s packed later tonight, and I will come to get your stuff before you go to bed. Tomorrow, just go on like normal. We have sound checks tomorrow morning, but after the show, well, I don’t know yet, but I’ll figure it out. I’m going to help you, I promise. Now, we better get back, before you start to worry people early. I’ll make breakfast. Or I guess it’s closer to lunch,” Ethan Chuckled.
“Alright, I’ll race you,” Keller said already starting to run.
They got back to the room and Keller went to get another shower and get changed as Ethan started cooking.
“Wow, something smells good,” Keller said as she finished towel drying her hair.
“Well then come and get it, waffles for lunch: The only thing that was in the freezer.”
“That will work!” Keller said as she grabbed a plate, put two waffles on it, and put the plate on the table, as she headed to her bedroom. When she came out, it was with a jar of peanut butter.
“You still carry peanut butter with you?” Ethan laughed
“Of Course I do. Peanut butter is the best thing EVER!”
“What would you do if there was a recall on peanut butter?”
“That’s simple. I just hope that my jar of peanut butter isn’t going to kill me,” Keller said in a hopeful voice.
The two of then spent the remainder of the day talking over what they were going to do the next night. Keller packed what she could of her things except what she would need for tomorrow, which she put into a small duffle bag and left in her room. She watched as Ethan packed his things, and then carefully took their bags to the car and packed them in for tomorrow night. Then, she went to bed hoping that their plan would work, and get her out of this mess.
The next morning, Keller was up and ready for her sound check way before she was needed. She couldn’t sleep and nothing was helping. She continued to toss and turn as she tried to find a comfortable place to drift away in, but it didn’t seem to work. Finally, Keller got up and got ready, then waited until Ethan came to take her to the sound check.
“You look like you’ve been up all night, Keller,” Ethan sighed.
“That’s because, for the most part, I was. Don’t worry about it. Let’s just go get this thing over with.”
Ethan led her to the car, helped her in and then climbed in the front seat. “Are you sure you’re ready for tonight? I know you don’t want me to ask, but you have to be absolutely sure about something like this.”
“I know, and thank you for caring, but I’m absolutely sure of what I’m doing. Don’t worry, besides, you’re going too,” she laughed.
After the sound check, which seemed to take a very long time to Keller, she and Ethan went back to the hotel, and finished working over what they were going to do for tonight. Ethan then took Keller back to the arena. They pushed through the crowds of reporters to get to her dressing room, where Ethan waited outside. When Keller was done getting changed, she let him into the room.
“You know, Ethan, This is starting to get pretty monotonous anyway. Maybe, this way, we can change things up a little, “She grinned.
Ethan chuckled, “Maybe it will, but whether it does or not, we’re doing it anyway.”
A knock came to the door, and Jake came through, “Hey I hope you’re ready tonight, Keller, because we have some major money coming in tonight. The arena is almost completely full!” he said as if he were the cause of the whole thing.
Ignoring Jake’s ignorant way of saying things, Keller played along, “Good, because tonight’s show is going to be one of the best yet. I’m sure of it.” She put on a half hearted smile, and tried to get things going. She just wanted tonight to be over with, so that she could be on a plane, over the ocean, on her way home before she could change her mind.
“Alright, well you have five minutes before you rock the house. Let’s do this thing,” Jake said before turning and leaving the room.
“Five minutes until the show. Then we’re off to the air port to see your family,” Ethan laughed to himself, “I think we might just pull this thing off, Keller,” he said turning to look at her as she finished getting ready.
Keller took a deep breath, “Five minutes,” she said, “five minutes.”
Then the two of them started out of the room and went back stage. Ethan led Keller out and told her to be careful, but have fun as Jake pushed her out on stage.
Keller sang loud and clear, just as if she wasn’t planning on running off tonight with the help of her body guard. Everyone listened to her, not knowing a thing. She has always been a person who was good at hiding her emotions, even ones that are more of a roller coaster than just emotions. Her problems, her fears, even when singing, no one knows anything about it because she is so good at hiding behind her voice.
After the show, Keller practically ran off of the stage. Ethan was waiting just as they had planned, waiting to help her get home to her family. Suddenly, Jake came into view.
“Awesome show tonight Keller. We were just awesome,” he said.
“Okay, well Jake, Keller isn’t feeling the best so I’m going to get her back to her hotel to lie down and get some sleep. Hopefully she’ll feel better,” Ethan said, looking at Keller who played along and gave a weak cough.
“Uh, okay. Well rest up, A LOT Keller. We need you for the last show here tomorrow and then it’s off to Miami.
Keller coughed again, but for real this time because she was astounded that she might actually get away with this plan after all. “Yes, Jake. Don’t worry; we wouldn’t want to disappoint anyone, now would we?” Keller said with a fake laugh.
Jake smiled and then walked away, not seeing Keller’s all too real scowl when he turned away. Ethan took Keller to the car, and started on their way.
“Keller. Keller? Hey, wake up. We’re at the air port.” Ethan’s voice was a faint whisper.
“What, what happened? I got into the car and then nothing.”
“I told you that you were tired. You got into the car, and practically passed out. Did you know that you talked in your sleep? Who is Colin anyway?” Ethan stopped because Keller paled slightly, and dropped her eyes.
“He was… never mind. Let’s go. We don’t want to be late,” Keller tried to put a smile on, but Ethan wasn’t fooled. He didn’t say anything though, because he didn’t want to upset her.
The two got onto the plane, and didn’t say anything until it took off. “Wow, I can’t believe we’re doing this, but I really think you need it. We have a few hours now, so you can catch up on sleep a little bit,” Ethan said.
“Yea, I know the feeling. I figured we might get close, but then something would happen that would cause us not to be able to make it this far. Do you think they have figured it out yet?”
“I doubt it. No one else checks on you any other time, so I don’t see why they would start now,” Ethan remarked.
“You do have a point. Hey, I never did ask. How did you get plane tickets so fast?”
“I know people,” he laughed. Keller laughed too. Then she slowly drifted off into a deep sleepy state.
Just about every hour, Ethan would wake Keller to check on her or to let her know where they were, but other than that, she slept, quite peacefully. She dreamed of her family. Like her mother, who was so warm and caring, and was always able to comfort anyone, at anytime. And her father, tall and strong, and even thought she knows that he does, doesn’t always show it when he loves someone dearly. She dreamed of friends, but mostly of Colin who she was sure she would run into again while in England, because she was sure her mother had never mentioned anything about him leaving in all of her wonderful gossip around the town. She was amazed to realize that she didn’t know what to expect if she did see him again, because it had been almost seven years since they have seen each other. She dreamed of how they would react. Some good reactions and other were not so good.
When they finally reached the port in England, Keller was awake, and Ethan was finally asleep. Keller had to convince him that she would be fine for awhile, if he wanted to sleep a bit. She woke him up and as they were coming out of the building, Keller caught a glimpse of her parents. She looked at Ethan who simply smiled, and told her to go. She took off from his side and ran to her parents. Even her father gave her a huge hug, and seemed as if he didn’t want to let go.
“Oh my… what, I mean, how. What are you guys doing here?” Keller finally sputtered out.
Her mother looked to Ethan and said, “Well sweet heart, I have to say, you owe Ethan a lot more than you think. He called and told us you were coming. We said we wanted to come and see you when you got off of the plane. By the way, guess who’s at the house waiting for you?” Her mother smiled.
“No. Mom, please tell me you didn’t.”
“If I told you that, then it would be a lie, and so I’m not going to do that. Besides, he really wanted to see you, too.”
Keller sighed and then followed her mother to the car, as Ethan and her father went to get the luggage. As they waited, her mother informed her of all of the new happenings. “Julie and Rick had a baby. Emma got married. Seth left England to go to Australia, although she didn’t know why. Maria, and Charlie, and Eric, Alice, Kelly, Sarah, Christian, all of the names floated by and one by one, they were brought back out in Keller’s mind as people she grew up knowing and people who watched her grow up, even just as people themselves. But she knew them all, one way or another, she figured out who was who and was ready to meet them all again, but when her mother began to mention Colin, she was grateful that e men had returned luggage in hand. She was not quite ready for that conversation yet, but some little part of her hear really wanted to see him again, if for no other reason, than to find out if what they had nearly seven years ago, was still there or not.
The entire ride to Keller’s parent’s house was like a trip down memory lane for her. This spot was where she fell and broke her ankle. That spot was where she learned to ride a bike without training wheels. All of these memories floated back as she, her mother, and even her father started to recall and talk about them.
When they reached the house, Keller saw a figure moving about inside. Butterflies hit her so hard at that moment, it was worse than her first time performing in front of a live audience. She held her stomach trying to calm herself but it didn’t help when the front door swung open, and Colin Stepped out. He was built, tall, medium length, dark hair, much more attractive to Keller than she remembered him being seven years ago. Of course, seven years can do a lot to a person. He looked up and their eyes met, and it was all she could do to keep from running to his side, and hugging him, and picking right back up from where they stopped. He smiled. She smiled, and suddenly, she couldn’t help it. She ran straight at him, and even at a reasonable force, he still managed to catch her and keep her from running into him, but instead, just close enough to feel the warmth coming off of him. They hugged then, and walked into the house, just as they would have done many times, had she of never left. Everyone else followed them in, Keller’s mother smiling at her triumph, while her father explained everything to Ethan about Keller and Colin’s past history together.
Everything was falling into place, and Keller knew it. She was much happier here than she had ever been anywhere in the US. She was somewhat unsure of what would happen when Jake found that both Keller and Ethan were missing, but at that moment, she couldn’t have cared less.
That night, Keller was sitting on the back balcony from her bedroom when a knock came to her door. It was her mother. She let her mother in, and the two of them went to sit on the balcony.
“I’m so glad you decided to come. Really I am, but what do you think will happen when they realize that their star singer is gone? I don’t think they will just let you go, and replace you, sweet heart. You may have just dug yourself into a very big hole. If that’s the case, well, I don’t want you getting yourself into something you can’t get out of again,” her mother said, very sympathetically.
“I know mom, and thank you, but I don’t know what will happen because of this any more than you do. If it turns out to be too deep of a whole, well then, I’ll dig deeper until I make it to the other side of the earth so I can get back out. I’ll do something, but at this moment. I don’t so much care what happens. I’m very content, right here, like this. Seeing you and daddy, and Colin again, I don’t know, I just felt like this is where I really belong. Like this is what I’m supposed to be doing, not out in another country, doing the same monotonous things again and again. Singing, dancing, eating, moving, sleeping, and repeat, and I can’t do that. That kind of life isn’t for me, mom. I know I thought that it was what I wanted, but I wanted to sing, not all of the other stuff. It just doesn’t fit with me,” Keller tried to explain.
“Well, okay, I mean, I can’t stop you from choosing that, but don’t give up your dreams, Keller. Do what your heart wants to do, not what you body says it can’t do anymore.”
“I know that mama. I know,” Keller said, so that she could end the conversation, mainly because she could see that her mother was getting very tired. “Good night, mom. I love you.”
“I love you too sweet heart. Get some good sleep.” Her mother left the room, and Keller was left to think about everything that was just said.
Keller wasn’t quite sure what she was going to do about Jake yet, but she did know that her future was here, in England, not running off to everywhere in the US. She just wasn’t sure how to explain that to Jake, without having him get extremely mad at Ethan for letting her come home in the first place, yet.
There was another knock on the door. “Yes?”
“Hey, want some company?” her father said as he walked in and set down two peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches.
“Of course! Besides I can’t pass up PB and marshmallow,” she smiled. Keller gave her father a hug as he sat down beside her. “I missed you so much dad. No one understands how essential peanut butter is like you do,” they both stopped to laugh and take a bite.
“I missed you too Keller. The house seemed so empty after you left. Your mother was constantly running the washer or dryer, or something. I think it was just to make noise half of the time. Just to fill up space. After a while, we got used to it, but we still missed you.”
They sat for a while telling old stories of Keller growing up as they finished their sandwiches. Eventually, her father stood up, and Keller stood with him. “I love you dad.”
He almost didn’t stop, but he did end up turning around and walking back to Keller. He gave he a big hug and whispered, “I love you too Keller,” in her ear.
Her father left and once again Keller was left to think. She never really liked to have extra time. She thought it gave her too much time to think. Too much time to go over things which, in turn, sometimes held her back, or pushed her into doing something before most would even consider it, But now, it seemed that she had a lot of extra time, so she figured she might as well use it while it was there. She thought about her mom and dad. She thought about her now, pretty much, trashed career. She thought about Colin and her possible life with him. She even thought about Ethan and what dragging him off to England could do to his career. Who knows, maybe he will decide he too likes England. Maybe he’ll stay. She thought about a lot, and was still thinking when there came another lighter knock on the door.
Keller yelled over her shoulder, “Come on in, mom, although I think you need the sleep.” She giggled, expecting an answer from her mother.
“Not who you were expecting, I guess?” Colin said, pretending to be surprised.
Keller jumped at the sound of his voice, just slightly more subtle than it was years ago. He laid a hand on her shoulder as she looked up to him, and she shivered, involuntarily. “Well, no, not quite who I was expecting, but I suppose you will due,” she smirked.
“Oh, you suppose so, huh. Well then I suppose maybe next time, I’ll just have to not say anything, and sneak up on you and make you jump even farther off of the seat than what you did this time,” Colin said mockingly, but still in a very light, joking tone.
“You know what?” Keller asked.
“What’s that?”
“I was sitting out here earlier, and it reminded me so much of when we sat out here together, before I left. I missed that after I left. I used to sit on the balcony on my hotel rooms and try to make it relate to, but it just wasn’t quite the same,” Keller explained.
“I’m not leaving again, you know,” She said, trying to figure out what was going through his mind.
“Really? Why, I thought, that singing was what you wanted to do. You’ve always loved it,” he said, as he tried to sort it out in his head.
“Yea, it was, but it was just not as me as I wanted it to be. Everything was just not the way I wanted it, and that’s why I came back, but now, sitting here like this,” she said motioning to the way he had wrapped his arms around her, “I’ve realized that all I’ve ever wanted was right here. I don’t want to make the same mistake twice. I’m not giving this up, not again. I just have to figure out how I’m going to tell Jake, my manager this. Seeing as how, he didn’t know that Ethan and I had even left, I doubt he’ll be very happy, but I don’t really care. I’m happy here, so that’s what I’m going to do. He will just have to find some other girl to do the work to get his money. That’s all he’s after anyway. I really, just, don’t care though, so… whatever,” she babbled on.
“Hey, hey, stop it. You’re babbling,” he laughed.
“Oh. Oops.”
Then, without warning, Colin leaned down and kissed her. It was a kiss so passionate that it could have awakened the dead, but it really made Keller know that her choice to come home was a very smart one. She knew that everything was right, and all that she had to do was tell Jake to find someone else, then she wouldn’t have to worry about anything at all, about Jake or the rest of her crew. All she had to worry about was herself and keeping her family happy, and being home, anything else, and she wouldn’t have had enough care to go around. 
In that very moment, she knew that she was home, and that she was going to stay home. Forever and ever, and no one could ever change that. In that very moment, everything seemed right, everything seemed fair. Everything was peaceful and nothing could go wrong. Keller had become a princess, in the end whether she had meant to or not, she was a princes and she had most defiantly found her prince. She always had him, even when there was an ocean between them. Now Keller and Colin could never be split apart no matter what fate had in store for them. No matter how many rough patches were hit, the prince and the princess could not be separated, and all because Keller was able to follow her heart. She was able to tell where she belonged and knew when things weren’t so right for her. She knew when her friends and her family were calling her home to be their unlikely princess.