The Prince and the Spilt Coffee

Chapter 5

Sam also stared at the magazines, all featuring him in one scandalous way or another. He didn't care about the gossip, he never did. That was until he saw Zoe's expression. She was openly staring at the vendor, sadness, shame, and even anger decorated her face. And for once in his life, he cared. He didn't know why, but he didn't want Zoe thinking that those pictures represented was who he was.

"That's not me" he whispered, feeling the need to explain himself.

"Are you saying the man featuring all these magazines, is not in fact you, Your Highness"

"No, it is me. Of course it's me, but..."

"But what?"

"It's not who I am"

"And just who are you?"

"I'm me"

"And who's that? The charming prince, the partying prince, the player prince, the drunk prince, the jerk of a prince?" she was unemotional.

"I'm me, Sam Richyards."

"Oh, right. So you are all of those things."

"No! Those pictures don't show the real me, the guy you were with today, that was the real me"

"How am I supposed to know that? I don't know you. You're the prince! But you know what? It doesn't even matter"

"It matters to me"

"It shouldn't" she told him monotonously

"Zoe-" he was interrupted by a ringing coming from his pocket. Zoe's phone. It had been going off all day with text messages- but this was the first time someone had called her. He'd been doing his best to ignore it, but he felt bad now- keeping the phone away from Zoe. He reached into his pocket, he held it out to her. She looked surprised. And suspicious.

"Seriously, you're giving me my phone back, with no catches? No putting it in other awkward locations?"

At the shake of his head, she hesitantly took it, searching is face for any kind of humour. Seeing none, she glanced down at the caller ID. 'Boyfriend XXX'. Turing away from him, and trying to gain a little privacy, she answered.

Only hearing one side of the conversation, it was hard for Sam to understand what was going on. She only responded with simple answers like; 'yes I'm fine, sure, of course, yes, mhm' but her voice was light. Happy. There was one answer, however, he completely understood without having to hear the question before-hand. "I'll be there soon." Zoe was leaving? Already?

"I have to go" she confirmed, turning back around. "Thanks for today it was...surprisingly fun."

Sam found himself not wanting Zoe to go. Not yet anyway. He also found himself regretting the decision to give Zoe her phone back.

"Where can I drop off the jumper, aviators and money?" he asked, stalling for time. He'd never had to do that with a female before. She grabbed a pen and paper from her bag and scribbled down an address.

"Here" she said handing it to him. "Just have someone come round and drop them off at this address tomorrow. It's the bookstore where I work. I'm there from 8:30 until four" she started to turn away from him.

"Wait!" he said before he could stop himself. "I still owe you a meal- it was part of our deal remember?" he was grasping at reasons to make her stay. Again, a first for him.

"You paid for my blueberry muffin"

"But that's not a meal- it's barely a snack. Besides you didn't even eat it, you fed it to the ducks" he reasoned.