The Three-Month Rule

Chapter 10 - The Star of Kings

She sat at the white marble coffee table with a latte in her hand, trying to hide her face as she stared at the letter. Magazines were darted around on the other tables, pictures of Allegra and Tom dominating the covers.

'Secrets' by OneRepublic played gently through the speakers behind the till, filling the café with gentle music.

"Morning!" Lucy called happily, walking round to Allegra's line of sight and placing her handbag heavily on the table in front of her. "Sorry I couldn't make it yesterday. I had to go to a meeting. Also, I wanted to get a head start on the draft for chapter 31," she was saying. Looking down at Allegra, Lucy realised that Allegra's attention was on a piece of paper in her hand, red writing consuming most of the paper. "Are you ok?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yeah," Allegra replied after a moment.

"Who's that from?" Lucy asked as she walked to Allegra's side to view the letter in her hand.

"I don't know."

Lucy narrowed her eyes, trying to decipher what the letter had been written in- it's shiny words taking hold of the light.

"What is that even written in?" she asked, snatching the letter.

"Nail varnish, I think," Allegra told her with a slight shrug, still trying to hide her face from the public eye.

"That's so weird," Lucy laughed as she looked closer at it.

"Yeah. I guess it's supposed to be more personal that way."

"What does it mean?"

"I'm guessing it's about Tom," Allegra said. "I also got hate mail. Look," Allegra searched her bag for the other letter and handed it to her best friend to look at.

"What?" Lucy gasped. "But you've done nothing wrong!"

"That's the price of dating a celebrity, I guess," Allegra shrugged again.

"What are you going to do?" Lucy said as she took her seat opposite Allegra.

"Not much I can do. Ignore it, probably."

"I'd go to the police if I were you, Allie," Lucy tried not to let her concern show through in her voice but failed miserably.

"You sound like Tom," Allegra scoffed, snatching the letters back.

"It's weird!" Lucy repeated. "Where did you even find them?"

"They were posted to me," Allegra said quietly, knowing that the remark would instantly panic Lucy and send her in a worried frenzy.

"Right, we are going to the police right now," Lucy announced, standing up swiftly as she lost herself in said worried frenzy.

"Lucy, no," Allegra said firmly, watching her friend throw her bag over her shoulder.

"Allie! They know where you live!" Lucy slowly sat back down, knowing that her encouragement would be wasted in this moment. "How did they even get your address when your name isn't even public yet?"

"I don't know, Lucy," Allegra said and then sighed. "If I get anymore I'll tell the police. Happy?"

"I guess..."

Suddenly Allegra's mood lifted slightly, and it was as if the light had grown brighter in the café along with it.

"I haven't got time to worry, Luce. Tom is going to sort something out," a new tone conditioned Allegra's voice as she raised her cup to her lips and sipped her sweet latte.

"I hope so," Lucy said, still concerned.

Allegra's phone vibrated, and their eyes flicked immediately to Allegra's phone screen.