Royal Banquet Hall
Prenuptial Dinner
I know I’m not supposed to be writing in my notebook at the table, but I have to because I’m SURE Luisa is up to something. All night long she’s been giving me dirty looks from across the dining room!
Then again, that might be because I’m sitting next to Michael’s mom, Dr. Moscovitz, who really is very nice and funny, while Luisa has to sit by some old boring friend that her grandmother invited who won’t stop talking about the stock market.
HA HA HA HA!
Oops, I know it’s wrong to gloat over the misfortune of others.
But it’s hard not to be having fun at your sister’s prenuptial dinner, where everyone is toasting the bride and groom and telling funny stories about how they first kissed in a penguin enclosure at the zoo (Nishi thinks this is very romantic) and went to something called a Cultural Diversity Dance and how Michael used to be in a band.
Even Rocky seems to be having fun, and he hates big formal dinners like this (but he gets to sit next to Prince Khalil, so basically, Rocky is in heaven).
I never noticed before—maybe because I’ve never seen him in a tuxedo—but Prince Khalil looks a lot like one of those Bollywood movie stars that Nishi is always going on about, the ones who can sing and dance at the same time, unlike me.
And he’s being so nice to Rocky! Some boys aren’t nice to other boys who are younger than they are. Sometimes they ignore them or even bully them (my step-cousin Justin used to).
But Khalil is being very patient and kind to Rocky, even showing him which spoon to use for the soup, and making sure he knows which water glass to drink out of, so he doesn’t make the same mistake I did the other night.
Awwww!
Not that I like him or anything. I—
Ugh! There’s Luisa, giving me the death stare AGAIN! What is her problem? I should probably tell someone besides Grandmère what’s going on … someone like Lars, Mia’s bodyguard, the head of the Royal Genovian Guard.
But no, that might be overreacting a little. Probably Grandmère is right, and Luisa only needs our guidance and example as royals. My job as a junior bridesmaid (and princess) is to help my sister AVOID trouble during her wedding, not MAKE it for her.
And I’m sure Grandmère’s plan (whatever it is) is going to work.
So I’m going to keep my mouth shut. I mean, really, Luisa is a bridesmaid, too. The wedding is when she’s going to have her big opportunity to show off her Claudio evening gown with the detachable skirt in front of everyone. What is she going to do, try to ruin it? Of course not!