Alix closed the door on Duncan, a bit surprised at her willingness to spend more time with him. He had interrupted her in the middle of making a very important decision, and she didn’t like interruptions. Still, he could have sent someone to give her the bangle instead of coming in person, and he’d seemed almost nervous at first, it was kind of sweet. While she’d been eager for him to leave, so she could get back to her letter, she thought about what he’d said about fun.

It was true that she wasn’t at university anymore, and it would be nice to have some fun this summer, to break up all of the events she was scheduled to attend. She had been so focused on school the past four years that she’d had only one or two minor flings with classmates. Nothing serious. She hadn’t even bothered telling Stella about them.

She thought of the way Duncan had looked at her when she’d opened the door in her tiny shorts and tank top. He’d had nearly the same effect on her, in his tight grey t-shirt that hinted at the broad chest and muscled abs below. Yes, spending some time with Duncan would be very fun this summer.

Alix walked around her room, putting the things that Duncan had moved back into place. Her room was clean and organized; everything was exactly the way that she liked it. She hadn’t told Duncan the whole truth – she did have the maids clean the bathroom and do laundry and everything like that. She just made sure that her clothes and shoes and things were tidied away as much as possible. She didn’t like people touching her stuff. But she may as well enjoy the luxuries while she had them.

She came back to her desk, and to the letter she had been reading. It was the letter she had been waiting weeks for, telling her that she was accepted into the Refugee Medical Alliance’s yearlong internship program. They would train her onsite, and she would see more in a year than most doctors saw during their entire residencies. Most stayed a second year to learn even more. It was an amazing opportunity.

But would she go? She flopped on the couch, curled up in her favorite green blanket, which she’d brought back from New York, and started a mental list of pros and cons.

Pro: This program would guarantee her acceptance to practically any medical school in the world.

Con: Her parents would be furious.

Pro: She wouldn’t have to live at the palace for the next year, doing charity work and attending classes with the same shallow and boring people she’d been avoiding her whole life.

Con: She’d miss her parents a lot more than she ever had in New York. It would mean an entire year without seeing them, maybe more.

Alix felt the sharp pang of a cramp in her foot from the awkward position that her leg was in. She stood and stretched out, heading back to the desk. She saw the tiny basket that her father had brought her from one of his business trips. This was all they had to sell in some countries, making pennies that were barely enough for food. She couldn’t even begin to imagine such a hard life. That was neither a pro nor a con, but simply a big reason to go: She knew that she needed to see more of the world than just the palace and Manhattan’s Upper West Side if she really wanted to be able to help people.

It made her sick to think of choosing this life of luxury like her parents wanted her to, like Duncan seemed content with, when there was so much suffering in the world. She could really make a difference. Unlike the ridiculous women at the tea parties, living their perfect lives and feeling a sense of accomplishment from donating mere fractions of their immense wealth.

Alix nodded to herself, firm in her decision, and took out a sheet of paper to draft her acceptance. She always wrote on paper before writing important emails; there was less risk of hitting the send button before she was ready. And, she’d have to get used to writing lots of letters in longhand over the next year. She had no idea where they’d be sending her, and how much access she’d have to luxuries like the Internet and running water.

She paused halfway through, wondering briefly if she’d be writing to Duncan. Of course not, she told herself, shaking her head at her lapse into a royal reverie Stella would be proud of. His invitation was clearly just an excuse to get her into bed. And, now that she was leaving, she’d have no reason not to have as much carefree fun as she liked. No risk of affection, no danger of attaching herself to a man she clearly didn’t need to be successful. She thought of her father, assuming she needed his help to get into the university here, when she’d gotten into a much more difficult program on her own.

She stopped writing, biting her nails – a bad habit when she was nervous. Her parents were so happy she was here, looking forward to having her close for a few years. This would be more difficult than she thought. How would she tell them?

She put the letter aside, telling herself that she’d finish it in a few days. There was no rush; they needed an answer by the end of the month. She had time to figure out what to tell them. In the meantime, she had a function to shop for. She hadn’t been totally honest with Duncan about needing help to shop. Alix had been away for so many years, and hadn’t yet attended many functions since returning. Helena had seemed nice enough the previous night, maybe she’d take Duncan up on his offer and see if she could help her find something appropriate.