Princess on the Brink (The Princess Diaries 8)

Still…what’s he talking about? What’s so amazing? What’s amazing?

I can’t believe I did that! I can’t believe I wrote back! What’s WRONG with me?

That you’ve only been single for what, less than 24 hours? And the wolves are already out.

!!!!WHAT???? What is he talking about? Oh, wait, KENNY? Is J.P. insane?

Kenny’s not a wolf! He’s just trying to be nice.

You go right on telling yourself that, if it makes you feel better. How are you doing, though, REALLY?

Ha! Well, he asked for it:

How am I doing? I’ll tell you how I’m doing. I was doing a lot better before you broke up with my best friend!!!!

Let’s see how he responds to THAT.

Oh. She told you.

Of course she told me!!!! What do you think???? Lilly and I tell each other everything. Well, ALMOST everything. J.P., how could you do that to her?

I’m sorry. I didn’t want to. I like Lilly, I really do. Just not the same way she likes me.

She didn’t just LIKE you, she LOVED you. She told you that back in May. If you knew you didn’t love her, why didn’t you tell her then? Why did you have to string her on for so long?

Honestly, I don’t know. I guess I hoped my feelings would change. But they never did. And today, when I saw how she treated you—well, I realized they never would.

Saw how she treated me? What are you TALKING about?

She was so mean to you at lunch. About what happened between you and Michael.

What???? Lilly wasn’t mean to me!!!

Mia, she equated your breaking up with Michael for lying to you with fundamentalist judges in Iran who order adulterous women to be stoned to death.

Oh, THAT. But that’s just Lilly being…LILLY. I mean, that’s just how she is.

Well, that’s not someone I want to be with. That shows a lack of compassion I frankly find unforgivable.

Wait…so you’re saying you broke up with Lilly because of ME???

Well…partly. Yes.

Oh, great. This is just GREAT. Like things aren’t going badly enough. Now I also have to shoulder the burden of responsibility for Lilly’s broken heart?

J.P., that’s just how Lilly IS. I’m USED to it. It doesn’t bother me.

But it SHOULD bother you. You deserve to be treated better. I think you let people treat you badly too often. You dismiss it as “that’s just how that person is.” But that doesn’t make their behavior right, Mia. That’s why I think your taking a stand against Michael for what he did is a real step forward for you.

What is he TALKING about?

I don’t let people treat me badly! I totally broke Lana’s cell phone that one time…well, you weren’t there. But I did.

I’m not saying you NEVER stick up for yourself. I’m just saying it seems to take a lot to finally get a rise out of you. You tend to think the best of people—like Kenny, and his blatant attempt to l

ure you into his clutches when you’ve been single less than 24 hours.

!