Kings On The Horizon (Vol. 4-6) ✓

109 | Not So Cliché

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"I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE the time. Who would have thought that we'd be staying there for at least two hours," Gavriil says as he and Max head out of the fast-food restaurant with full stomachs.

     "It's alright. At least we enjoyed it, didn't we?" Max asks with a genuine smile, making Gavriil smile too.

     "So, shall we go? I'll drive you home," Gavriil says as they walk their way to his car.

     Max stops walking and looks at the tall man beside him. "Don't worry, I called Étienne so he could drive me instead; I didn't want to inconvenience you any longer. But how about we walk around before he arrives? Will that be alright with you?" He asks him.

     Gavriil was surprised by the request, but he nods his head as an answer, and the two started walking around the street like normal teenagers do after eating dinner together.

     Though both of them never mentioned that this was a date, Gavriil couldn't help but feel anxious because of several reasons. One reason is because he was afraid that people might start recognizing who Max is and the press would find out and swarm them, while the other reason is because he wasn't expecting Max to look that good.

     Gavriil couldn't help but stare at Max while they walked down the pavement. He was staring at him too much that Max eventually noticed him.

     "Is there something you'd like to say?" Max finally asks, almost making Gavriil flinch.

     "I'd say it but I'm afraid that it would sound too cliché," Gavriil honestly replies, making Max chuckle.

     "Why, were you going to tell me I look good?" Max asks. He thought Gavriil was just going to make a joke out of it, but then Gavriil looks back at him seriously and says, "Yeah, you do look fucking good."

     When Max heard what Gavriil said, Max accidentally trips, causing him to bump into a group of friends who were walking opposite their direction. The one in the middle was even eating ice cream, so he accidentally spilled it in his shirt when Max bumped into him.

     "What the fuck man?!" the man angrily shouts.

     "I-Im sorry," Max immediately says as Gavriil helped him stand properly.

     The man didn't appreciate the apology and was about to grab Max, but Gavriil immediately blocks Max from his view and says, "It was an accident. No need to get physical."

     "Accident? You obviously bumped into him on purpose!" The woman among the five friends argues.

     Gavriil was about to say something, but Max goes in front of them and says, "It's my fault. I'll pay for the compensation."

     The friends looked at each other and suddenly started laughing as if Max said some kind of joke. "Compensation? Do you even know who I am?" the man asks. "I'm Philip Mendez, the son of the director of Ruby Enterprise. If you think you can just compensate me then think again. Your family has to earn at least seven digits to be able to do that."

     Max and Gavriil look at each other, almost like they couldn't believe that this was happening to him.

     "Should I handle this?" Gavriil whispers.

     "No, let me." 

     Max takes a deep breath and stares at the man's shirt before saying, "Ralph Lauren, that's the brand of your shirt, right? Well, I personally know Patrice Louvet so give me your name and your address and I'll just ask that he make you a new one."