being the princess of a kingdom and heir to the throne was hard—especially when you had a crush on the prince of your rival kingdom, or at least your parents' rival kingdom. apparently, they had some kind of conflict, and chaos ensued. you didn't know the details, but according to half the people you knew, it was bad and it was something that shouldn't be spoken about.

your parents had informed you that there would be a ball, and every kingdom was invited. even the kingdom that shouldn't be spoken about.

on the day of, you were absolutely nervous. excited, but nervous. you tried keeping your breathing at a steady rhythm, the tight corset of your dress making it hard to breathe.

it was almost time. you maintained your composure, masking any signs of unease. you then stepped into the ballroom, your midnight blue gown trailing down behind you. the sound of your heels echoed across the ballroom, and all eyes were on you.

people greeted you, and you greeted them back. some people you knew, and others you didn't. and when they all looked away, one person's gaze remained—jake. you locked eyes, and just as you were about to say something, you stopped. your quiet breaths turned into desperate gasps as you clutched your chest in panic.

you couldn't breathe. in a rapid blur of chaos, he rushed over to you, practically clawing at the back of your gown. one arm around your waist, he loosened your corset, pausing to gaze into your eyes. your breaths slowed, and it almost seemed as if the world had stopped for a moment.

"are you alright?" he asked, the worry completely clear in his eyes. "you're okay, right?"