crossing the line AU

Chapter 35

Rapunzel

I watch Cassandra storm out the double doors, a strange new fire to her overall demeanor. My immediate reaction is to run after her, but I'm stopped by the same guy that walked me in here.

"No your highness,"

'your highness'... is that ever gonna feel right?

"You stay here and catch up with your parents, I'll make sure she's ok." He remarks in a strict yet soft tone, I look up at him, reluctant, but eventually I agree and he speed walks after her.

I can't help but keep my eyes fixed on the open doors, even after they've both already gone.

"Now Rapunzel we need to start thinking about your welcome home party. An announcement has been made to the castle already, but we-" something about their ignorance makes me snap my head around, my eyes shooting open.
"I'm sorry, are you just going to ignore the fact you've seriously hurt her? Is a party seriously your biggest concern?" I wasn't meant to sound like I was making an accusation, but I guess I was making one, so it makes sense it sounded that way, even if I didn't intend it.
"Well we uh-" My father starts, his deeper voice cutting in and out of the now silent air.
"She will be fine sweetie, she gets like this sometimes. She just needs some rest, by the looks of it you've both had a pretty long couple of days." my mother's voice was a little more sincere, but I still wasn't convinced.
"You guys can start the planning without me, I have to make sure my friend is ok." I make sure the word 'friend' is said slow and clear before I run out of the room. They clearly want to protest, I can sense it, but they don't.

Thankfully.

As I make my way around the bustling corridors, I realise quickly I have no idea where in the world I'm going, so I start to look everywhere.
I get stopped on multiple occasions, like everyone here already knows who I am and automatically needs my opinion on the most simplest of things. It gets overwhelming, and my heart starts to pick up it's pace, but as a reaction to nerves, but my head is happy to step up. I'm polite, I give a honest, yet rushed answer to everyone that stops me, and then speed walk away the minute I can.

I want to say it didn't take me long, but this castle is huge! But then again what was I thinking? I am in a castle. These things aren't supposed to be small, and I was looking in every single room I passed, double checking every room and hall way, looking through almost every window I passed, in hopes of finding her. And oh my gosh, the amount of people that have stopped me, sometimes more than once. So of course it took over an hour to actually find her.

It honestly started to feel like the universe was trying to keep me away from her, keeping me busy while she gets away...

I wouldn't blame her... For running. But I was praying she wouldn't without talking to me first.

It's been a long and emotional few days, and I just need to see a familiar face, I need to hear a familiar voice. I just... I can't move on with my life without the girl who helped me through the worst of it.

I ended up in a long, winded corridor, one a little dimmer than the others, and one with multiple, smaller singular doors.

This has to be where the bedrooms are.

If she's not here I don't know-

"Cass!" I suddenly scream, spotting her through a slightly open doorway. I don't hesitate to run up and push open the door. Her head spins around, her eyes holding an essence of surprise, her hands half way inside a open box.
My first thought is to run inside and wrap my arms around her, but then I remember, and remain in the doorway.
"Hey." I say, my hands holding each other in front of me, my voice soft and airy. She pauses for a minute, then resumes what she was doing.
"Hi."