My Pocket-Sized Princess
ignore
...
The Princesa de um Polegar only appears to those who believe. She is smaller than a flower, but her heart is bigger than the ocean."
...
I’m going to find her! She’s hiding in the roses!"
...
That’s just a story, silly. Princesses aren't that small."
...
Look! Quinton, look! She’s right there!"
...
There's nothing there. You’re seeing ghosts."
But that night, the boy couldn't sleep. He went back to the garden alone. He whispered to the empty air, feeling a strange pull toward the silence of the plants.
...
I’ll wait for you. When we grow up, I’ll marry you and keep you safe from the cats and the rain."
Pippa had heard him. From her tiny hiding spot, she had blushed.
...
He’s so brave. I’ll wait for him too.
The memory faded as a loud clack echoed through the garden.
Female Lead (Pippa)
(Wipes sweat from his forehead with a cold expression)
She was hungry, so she pulled out a "burger" she had made—it was actually a single sesame seed sliced in half with a microscopic piece of ham and a crumb of cheese inside.
Female Lead (Pippa)
Wow bro, he’s gotten so fast. I can barely see the blade move.
She looked at him with stars in her eyes. To the rest of the world, Quinton was a distant, wealthy neighbor with a reputation for being somewhat robotic and emotionless. To Pippa, he was the boy who had promised her the world.
But reality was cruel. Quinton stopped his practice and walked toward a stone bench. He picked up his phone, his face illuminated by the blue light. He looked bored. He looked like a man who had forgotten how to believe in magic.
...
Hey! Quinton! Look over here!
...
You’re working too hard, Quinton. Come inside and rest."
Male Lead (Quinton)
"In a minute. I was just thinking about something stupid from when I was a kid."
Female Lead (Pippa)
Stupid? Our promise was stupid?
She felt a tear, no bigger than a grain of salt, roll down her cheek. She was his neighbor, living in the cracks of his world, watching him every single day. She had loved him for fifteen years, but to him, she was just a "ghost" or a "silly story."
Female Lead (Pippa)
I’m right here. Why can’t you see me?
She watched him walk inside with the tall woman, the heavy glass door shutting with a thud that vibrated through her entire body. The garden felt very cold and very large all of a sudden.
Female Lead (Pippa)
Maybe tomorrow he'll look at the roses. Maybe tomorrow he'll remember
teddy
In her hands, she held a neatly packed wooden bento box. It was filled with pastéis de bacalhau and fresh fruit.
Female Lead (Pippa)
Okay, stay calm. It’s just food. Neighbors give neighbors food. Totally normal.
Pippa was eighteen now, a whirlwind of hidden talents. To her parents, she was the dutiful daughter studying law. In reality, she was an elite dancer who could move like water, and a secret novelist who wrote under the pen name "P.S. Writes." Her parents viewed dancing as a "frivolous hobby" and writing as a "distraction," so she kept her soul tucked away in the notes app of her phone and the scuffed soles of her ballet slippers.
She stepped out into the garden, heading toward the small stone studio where Quinton spent his summers. Quinton was the boy who had once promised to marry her, but lately, he was a fortress of books and cold logic. He was studying to be a doctor, his days consumed by anatomy and chemistry. He didn't hang out, he didn't party, and he rarely spoke to anyone.
Female Lead (Pippa)
Deep breaths. Don't trip. Just be a normal human.
She pushed the door open. The room was dim, lit only by a single desk lamp. Quinton was hunched over a massive medical textbook, his glasses sliding slightly down his nose.
Male Lead (Quinton)
"I told my mother I wasn't hungry."
Female Lead (Pippa)
Well, your mother didn't make these. I did."
Quinton froze. He turned around, his sharp gaze softening just a fraction when he saw her. He stood up, towering over her. The silence in the room became heavy, charged with the history of a decade of friendship and a promise made by two children in the dirt.
Female Lead (Pippa)
Here, just take it before I lose my nerve—"
Her foot caught on the leg of his heavy oak chair. With a startled gasp, Pippa lurched forward. Quinton moved instinctively to catch her, his strong arms reaching out, but the momentum was too much. They both tumbled backward onto the narrow leather sofa.
The world stopped.
Pippa’s lips pressed firmly against Quinton’s. It wasn't a cinematic, slow-motion moment; it was a sudden, electric collision. Her eyes flew wide, meeting his startled dark ones. For a heartbeat, neither moved. His breath hitched, and his hands, usually so steady for potential surgery, trembled against her waist.
Female Lead (Pippa)
(Pulls away frantically, face turning bright red)
Female Lead (Pippa)
Oh my god. Oh my god. I just killed him. I killed the doctor
Male Lead (Quinton)
(Touching his lips, dazed)
Male Lead (Quinton)
Pippa... I..."
Female Lead (Pippa)
I have to go! Eat the fish! Bye!"
She bolted out of the studio, her heart racing faster than a grand jeté. She didn't see the way Quinton remained on the sofa, looking at the door with a confused, longing expression that he never showed to the world.
Pippa ran until she reached the old stone bridge near the edge of the property. Waiting there was Quade, her best friend and the only person who knew her true self. Quade was the "2nd ML" in the story of her life—kind, observant, and always there with a safety net.
...
You look like you just saw a ghost. Or ran a marathon. Which one?
...
I read the new chapter you posted last night. The way you described the Princess’s longing... it felt real. You're a genius, Pippa."
Female Lead (Pippa)
Thanks, Quade. My parents want me to delete the app. They found a draft on my laptop."
...
Reaches into the bag and pulls out a small, fluffy teddy bear)
...
Then let them. You can use mine. And here—I saw this and thought of you. Every writer needs a mascot."
The teddy bear was wearing a tiny crown and holding a miniature pen. It was a silent acknowledgement of everything she was forced to hide
...
You know, Pippa... the Prince in your story is a fool. If I had a girl who could write worlds into existence and dance like a flame, I’d never let her hide. I’d make sure she was the center of my world
It was an indirect proposal, a soft "I love you" wrapped in a compliment. Pippa looked at the bear, then at Quade.
Female Lead (Pippa)
Wow bro, you’re trying to make me cry today."
...
Just telling the truth. Now, come on. Show me that new sequence you’ve been working on. Forget the books and the falling incidents for an hour."
Pippa nodded, but as she walked with Quade, her hand instinctively went to her lips. She felt torn. There was Quade, who saw her soul, and then there was Quinton, the boy from the legend who seemed to have forgotten her—until that accidental kiss.
She didn't know that tonight, while she danced, Quinton would be sitting in his room, staring at a blank medical diagram, unable to think of anything but the girl who smelled like jasmine and salt. And she didn't know that soon, the "One-Inch" legend of her grandmother's stories was about to become her terrifying reality
Female Lead (Pippa)
I wish life was as easy as the stories I write.
betray
Across the street, Quinton was walking slowly. He wasn't alone. He was holding a large black umbrella, tilting it carefully to protect a girl walking beside him. It was Elena, their classmate—a girl who was poised, elegant, and studying to be a pharmacist. They looked like a picture from a high-society magazine. The "perfect couple." The cold, brilliant future doctor and the sophisticated girl who fit perfectly into his world.
Female Lead (Pippa)
Wow bro... so that’s why he’s been so busy. She actually fits in his umbrella. I’d probably just trip and knock it over.
Quinton glanced across the street. His eyes met Pippa’s for a split second through the curtain of rain. His expression darkened, his jaw tightening, but he didn't stop. He simply looked away and continued walking with Elena.
Pippa didn't wait to see more. She turned and ran into the rain, the cold water soaking her clothes and masking the tears that had already started to fall.
When Pippa burst through the front door of her villa, she expected the usual silence. Instead, she found her parents standing in the foyer. Her father held a crumpled piece of paper—her registration form for the city-wide dance competition.
...
A dance competition? In the city? While we pay for your law tutors, you are out there playing the fool on a stage?"
Female Lead (Pippa)
It’s not playing, Dad! It’s my life! It’s the only thing that makes me feel real!"
...
You are supposed to be a professional! Do you want to be a beggar? A street performer?"
Female Lead (Pippa)
I’m a dancer! Why can’t you see me for who I actually am?"
...
(Steps forward and slaps Pippa across the face)
The sound was like a gunshot in the quiet house. Pippa’s head snapped to the side. The sting on her cheek was nothing compared to the shattering of her heart
Female Lead (Pippa)
You... you really hate me that much?
She didn't stay to hear their excuses. She spun around and sprinted back out into the storm. She didn't have a jacket. She didn't have an umbrella. She just wanted to disappear. She wanted to be so small that no one could ever hit her or look down on her again.
She ran toward the stone wall that separated her house from Quinton’s. As she reached the gate, she saw a car pull up. Quinton stepped out, having just dropped Elena off. He looked tired and damp.
Pippa stood there, soaked to the bone, her cheek red and swollen, her eyes puffy from crying. She was a mess.
Female Lead (Pippa)
(Blocking his path, her voice trembling)
Female Lead (Pippa)
Quinton... stop."
Quinton looked at her, his eyes cold and clinical. He didn't even seem to notice she was hurt.
Male Lead (Quinton)
Pippa, it's pouring. Move out of the way."
Female Lead (Pippa)
Who was she? That girl in the umbrella? Are you... are you with her now?"
Quinton stopped. He took a step toward her, his shadow towering over her in the dim streetlamp light. But there was no warmth in his eyes—only a sharp, biting irritation.
Male Lead (Quinton)
Who she is is none of your business. Why are you even asking me this?"
Female Lead (Pippa)
I just... I thought
Male Lead (Quinton)
A promise from when we were seven? Are you serious? Grow up, Pippa! You’re out here acting like a child, playing with fairy tales and dancing in the rain like life is some storybook. Look at you! You’re a mess. Who are you to demand answers from me? How dare you interfere in my life?"
Pippa recoiled as if he had slapped her a second time.
Female Lead (Pippa)
How dare I
Male Lead (Quinton)
"I am trying to build a career. I am studying to save lives. I don't have time for your childish tantrums or your 'secret' hobbies. Stay on your side of the wall, Pippa. We aren't kids anymore."
He pushed past her, his shoulder brushing hers roughly. He walked into his villa and slammed the heavy oak door.
Pippa stood alone in the mud. Her parents hated her dreams. The boy she loved thought she was a "childish" nuisance. She felt a strange, tingling sensation in her skin. Her vision began to blur. The raindrops, which had felt like needles, suddenly started to feel like falling boulders.
Female Lead (Pippa)
(Looking at her hands, which were trembling)
Female Lead (Pippa)
Fine. If everyone wants me to stay out of the way... if everyone thinks I'm so small and unimportant... then I'll just be nothing.
Download NovelToon APP on App Store and Google Play
