Read on to see what happens with Zee and her friends in Book 5 of The Zee Files, New Beginnings.
Mackenzie “Zee” Carmichael’s phone was buzzing. The incoming message was short and unexpected.
Archie
I’m outside.
It sent Zee into a tizzy.
She was in her room unpacking the flip flops, shorts, and a few bathing suits still balled up in her suitcase from winter break. The Carmichaels had recently returned from vacation in California, the first time they’d been back to their home state since moving to London in the fall. Zee felt refreshed after three weeks in Malibu living next to the ocean and seeing the palm trees and beaches again. She still had a touch of a California tan on her skin after hanging out under sunny skies.
While in Malibu, Zee had hung out with her best friends Ally Stern and Chloe Lawrence-Johnson, and visited her old school, Brookdale Academy, where she reunited with her old band, The Beans. The Carmichaels even hosted a holiday party at their rental house, which Zee’s friends and family described many times over as “epic.”
Now, Zee was back in London, reminiscing about the good times she had on holiday. In just a few days, she would be back at The Hollows Creative Arts Academy, back in her uniform with the wool blazer, and the warm California air would be just a memory she’d have while walking to class in the chilly air of the English countryside.
Campus life wasn’t all bad, however. In the few months at the boarding school, Zee had made new friends, like her roommate Jameela Chopra and their dormmate, Izzy Matthews, who had her own YouTube channel about life at boarding school. Zee had reconnected with Jasper Chapman, who she knew before as a transfer student at Brookdale Academy before he returned to London to The Hollows. Aside from finding friends, Zee had performed in the school’s Creative Arts Festival and went to the fall school dance with her pals. She had also had her first romantic relationship, with Archie Saint John, but that ended almost as quickly as it began. By the time they had left for winter break, Archie and Zee had decided to be just friends.
A lot had happened in the first semester of her new school. What’s next from here? Zee had wondered.
Apparently, it was a surprise visit, because right now her ex said he was here. In front of her house. Waiting to see her.
Zee had told Archie she’d see him on campus in a few days. What in mylanta did he mean that he was outside?! she thought frantically.
Zee
Um hi? You’re here? How do you know where I live? How did you get here?
Archie
I told you I have a driver. And your address was in the school directory. Come outside.
Zee froze. She was not prepared to see an ex-boyfriend. Not only was she still wearing an old sleepshirt and leggings, she didn’t want to introduce him to her parents, much less let them know he was outside. She looked around her room, quickly springing into action. She had to do something. She certainly couldn’t face Archie looking like she just rolled out of bed.
Zee grabbed a cashmere sweater from her closet, pulled it over her head, then smoothed her long, curly hair up toward the crown of her head and wrapped it into a smooth bun. She put on some lip gloss, took a deep breath, and tiptoed downstairs.
Mr. Carmichael wasn’t home, though Mrs. Carmichael was in the kitchen with Zee’s twin siblings Phoebe and Connor, along with the twins’ nanny, Camilla. Luckily, all were too busy to notice Zee grab her coat and sneak out the door. As she walked toward the front gate, Zee saw Archie standing there on the sidewalk in front of a black SUV with a small wrapped box in his hands.
He smiled at her. “Merry Christmas.”
“You’re a few weeks late,” Zee quipped.
“Better late than never,” he said, handing her the box. “Just something small.”
Zee took the box and opened it. Inside was a selection of chocolates. She smiled and thought back to her party in Malibu, where her old Brookdale classmate and former crush Landon Beck had also gifted her chocolates. I guess this is what guys do to charm girls, Zee thought. It works. “Thank you,” she said.
“How was your holiday?” Archie asked. “And open the chocolates and try one. They’re Swiss.”
“California was great,” Zee said. “Saw old friends, ate a ton, had a party.”
“And you didn’t invite me?”
“Didn’t think you’d show,” Zee said. She took a bite of one of the chocolates. “These are good.”
“Ah, Cali, I’d have made it,” Archie said, leaning against the car. “Okay, maybe not. That’s quite a long flight. My driver, Chazz, would only take me across town without telling my parents.”
Zee looked up at him, surprised. “Your parents don’t know you’re here?”
“They’re too busy to notice. Besides, I just came to say hello, see how you are, give you this little gift, and, you know…” Archie looked down at his shoes and shifted from foot to foot. “I missed you.”
Zee bit her lower lip. Archie knew how to make her blush ever since they first met. While he was known to be aloof and withdrawn to most people, with Zee he was warm and attentive and eager to chat.
“It’s nice of you to come here,” Zee said.
“You’ve been on my mind,” Archie said. “I’ve been working on some new music. Maybe that’s why.”
“Oh!” Zee said excitedly, putting her hand on Archie’s forearm without thinking. “I got my guitar back from California! And I’ve been writing too. Maybe when we get back on campus, we can get those jam sessions going again in the music hall, like we used to.”
“Right,” Archie said. “I finally get to see you really play. That would be cool.”
Zee pulled her hand back to her side and smiled at him. Archie smiled back at her. Then the two looked away from each other. A gentle breeze fluttered through the air and a light snow flurry began to fall from the sky.
The car window lowered and the driver inside said to Archie, “We’d better get back.”
“Right,” Archie said. He turned to Zee. “I’ll see you on campus. Tea at Moe’s?”
“Of course,” Zee said.
Archie leaned in toward Zee and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Then he turned around and got inside the car, while Zee slowly walked back toward her house. She gave a little wave to Archie as the car drove off, then held her hand to her cheek where he had kissed her. Though it was cold enough to start snowing outside, her face still felt warm where Archie’s lips met her cheek.
• • •
After a good night’s rest, Zee woke up to a quiet Saturday morning. She had no plans on her agenda and therefore no reason to get out of the candy cane–striped holiday pajamas that she had bought to match with Ally and Chloe. After this weekend, I’ll have to put these pajamas away until next year, Zee reasoned to herself. So I gotta get every last minute out of them.
Zee went downstairs looking for breakfast and found her mom bustling around the kitchen, handing the twins toys, bowls, and sippy cups. It was Camilla’s day off, so Zee guessed she was still upstairs in her room. Mr. Carmichael was in the den, reading through the papers, watching television, and checking e-mails. Zee joined him on the other side of the couch with a bowl of cereal and her cell phone. A quiet hum settled in the den as the family settled into their morning routine with the local news playing on the television in the background.
Just then, Camilla walked into the den in an excited state, holding a copy of Hello! magazine in her hands. “Oh. My. God. ZEE!” Camilla said.
Zee almost dropped her bowl of cereal at Camilla’s urgent tone. Camilla rarely raised her voice at the twins, much less at anything.
Camilla then revealed the big news of the day. “Princess Valentina of Costa de Alba is coming to The Hollows!” she said, waving the magazine.
Zee had no idea what she was talking about. “Princess Who of What?” Zee asked, totally confused.
Camilla turned the magazine around to show Zee the article. The page included a photograph of a beautiful dark-haired girl about Zee’s age, posing with a man and a woman who looked like royalty. Zee read aloud the headline splashed across the page. “Princess to Posh U.K. Boarding School.” She looked up at Camilla. “The Hollows is posh? I mean, we’re a school of dancers and poets.”
“Zee! Princess Valentina is a big deal, “Camilla explained. “She is the most popular princess in Spain. She’s the only daughter of the royal family, and she’s going to be at your school, in your same year!”
Zee continued reading. “Princess Valentina of the Spanish island of Costa de Alba is transferring to The Hollows Creative Arts Academy in the Cotswolds next semester to study music. The Spanish princess had formerly attended the Latin School in Costa de Alba but wanted to pursue education outside of her country. Valentina is the next in line for the throne in Costa de Alba. Though she is just thirteen, she’s already being groomed to take the helm and lead the country one day.” Zee looked back up at Camilla blankly.
“You’ve never heard of her?” Camilla asked in surprise.
“No!” Zee said.
Zee picked up her phone to do her own research. She pulled up Instagram and searched for Valentina’s account, which appeared instantly. Zee found that the princess had a very official-looking profile with her photos appearing more like headshots for a resume rather than casual social photos. Then Zee Googled “Princess Valentina,” and found a barrage of news clippings. I guess she is a big deal, Zee thought to herself.
The more news articles she read, the wider Zee’s eyes grew. She’d never known real royalty before, much less slept on the same grounds as a princess. What if Valentina ended up in the same dorm as her? Would I have to ask permission to walk by her room every day? Zee thought. What if the princess wanted to use the restroom at the same time as I did? Would I always have to leave her alone and suffer through morning breath, or wait for a shower until she was done?
She wondered what other things would appear on campus with a real princess at school. Limousines and armored cars? Paparazzi? The Queen? Zee had no idea how to even address this new Valentina girl. Princess Valentina? Your Highness? Would she have to curtsy in front of her?
This can’t be happening, Zee thought, shaking her head. There’s no way a princess would come to school at The Hollows. Why would she want to go all the way into the English countryside, especially when she could go to school near the ocean? “Is this really true?” Zee asked skeptically. “Dad, you’ve said before that you can’t believe everything you read. What do you think?”
“Believe it, Zee,” Camilla said. “You’re going to go to school with royalty.”
Just then, a reporter on the local TV news interrupted their conversation: “Royal watchers will be all abuzz as another member of royalty comes to the U.K. Princess Valentina has enrolled in The Hollows Creative Arts Academy in the Costwolds. The Hollows is a small, private boarding school and caters to students pursuing various disciplines in the arts. Rumor has it Princess Valentina wants to study violin and pursue her music study seriously there.”
A photo of Princess Valentina appeared on the screen, the same girl who was in the photo in Hello! magazine. Camilla squealed with excitement. Mr. Carmichael took off his reading glasses to watch the TV report, then shrugged his shoulders. Zee’s eyes blinked repeatedly, trying to take in the news.
Apparently, it was true. A real-life princess was coming to The Hollows.