I had to pretend that nothing happened at all as i walked into the King's room, giving everyone an awkward smile as i took my seat next to the girls, who seems extremely pampered and practically glowing. Ugh that should've been me too.
"We kept a spot for you at any day, don't worry" Erika gave me a warm smile, her skin glimmering from the sun light basking through the glass panes, with a view of the city that seemed as if it were from a painting.
Liam's head immediately perked up while conversing with Edward, giving me a small wave with his signature warm smile forming on his lips. He really knows how to comfort someone doesn't he? And he barely even said a word.
Considering they all have their own designated parking spots in different floors of the building, i'm not surprised that they didn't see Adam's car at all.
Last thing i need is for them start howling and teasing from a distance, because of course that happened.
We made sure to never get cosy if they're all even a 10 feet away, the last time we made that mistake was at a getaway we all had to Edward's beach house. Adam and i believed everyone was either drunk or asleep for the night so we got onto the hot tub, and things got extremely steamy. Pun intended.
Not even 5 minutes later we were hounded by Edward's obnoxious hooting and Rhiannon cheering "GET THAT DICK BITCH". With Erika popping open a bottle of champagne from the balcony of her room, pouring herself a glass as she screams, "WE'RE HAVING A BABY KING"
War flashbacks. Yeah, never again.
"So? what happened?"
As you can probably tell from the countless times before, i told them everything. Every detail, every word we shared inside that car. And as always, i was met with loud gasps and wide eyed expressions. A small smirk formed on Rhiannon's lips, "You two just can't keep your hands off each other can you?"
I felt my cheeks warm up, remembering Adam's hands roam throughout my body, his rough kisses as he grabbed me tightly from my waist. I'm never the one to submit, but when he dominates me in times like this, i really lose it. Sorry girls, i have to skip hot girl summer, I'm down bad.
"Well i don't think it's going to be a clean cut breakup since you've been together for so long, i mean my last breakup took a month to end" Erika sighed, reminiscing her time back in England, when she used to have a different boyfriend every fortnight.
I could feel myself in a slump, I didn't expect for a breakup to happen so soon, it's not that I want to either, I just feel helpless. I still love him, just like I always did. And leaving him felt like a part of me is being torn apart. But every-time we come so close to figuring it out, I'm left hanging dry, helpless. He's not giving me a better option.
The door to the room swung open dramatically, prompting all of us to swiftly turn our heads at the loud sound.
Adam stormed in, his jaws clenching as he stomped right towards his 'head chair', which is quite ridiculous if you ask me, just sit on a fucking bean bag like the rest of us.
"Is he mad cause he got blue balled?" Rhi joked, making Erika bluntly slap her hand over her mouth to stop herself from giggling.
His magnetic gaze was on me without fault not long before he hesitantly focused on his busy phone ringing violently away in his palm. Half of our problems would be solved if i just stepped on his phone quite a few times.
"How are you?" Liam's whisper caught me off guard, breaking me away from my distracted gaze towards Adam. An instant smile appeared on my face, his sweet demeanor is stark different from the one I'm used to, it's like I'm stepping in hot and cold water going from interacting with Adam and then with Liam.
"Anything happen after the last time we spoke?" he silently queried, resting his chin on his palm, complete attention on me.
"A lot, but i'll tell you later" i whispered back, feeling the death glares from the head of the Kings, watching me interact with Liam.
i could feel his dark aura all the way from the other side of the table, busily making demands on his phone, his brows knotted while peering at me.
"we're doing a picnic today, from James and I" Erika beamed, announcing her plan for the members seated around the table.
Now i wonder, what was the reason for having such an association with so much importance, just to talk about random events and daily plans between each other like picnics, when it could be planned through a group chat. Which we all have by the way, a separate one with the boys. Only that it's abandoned because of Edward spamming crude memes every waking minute. He probably still sends stupid memes but we have all muted the damn thing for our own sanity.
"Where?" Adam's cold and dark voice echoed through the room. It was something that always had me at awe, the grip he has on people from just uttering one word. It's almost ridiculous how intimidating he is, as if he doesn't watch Adventures of Gumball with me, most mornings when we wanna laze around.
Thinking about all these moments feels like distant fading memories. We had a whole life together, we made memories everyday, and now he's nowhere when i really need him.
"The botanical gardens in St. Holland" Erika replied, giving me and Rhiannon a look.
As anyone could guess, if it wasn't too obvious already. The King's has an entire private area and a private greenhouse on a very public botanical gardens. Why? i don't know. what use could these five have to own a designated area in a botanical gardens?
"To play frisbee obviously?" Edward boasted, resulting in everyone rolling their eyes at him. Now why on earth would you need an entire private area to just play frisbee. I gave up trying to make sense of this particular ownership.
"I can't make it, I'll meet you all later" He growled, his fast reply catching us all off guard once again, before abruptly standing up from his seat.
"Antheia, a word" He demanded, his eyes darkened similar to his tone, glaring into my eyes, silencing everyone seated around the table. "Now" he added, sounding even more demanding than before.
I awkwardly looked around the table to see if the others are seeing the absolute audacity of the man. Both the girls cleared their throats, giving me a look that said 'oh my god did you hear that?'. Chewing on my bottom lip, i scrunched my eyes to look back at Adam, did i hear him correctly?
Who the fuck does he think he's talking to? It better not to be me. Does he think I'm like the other members to intimidate me? Not that I'm not intimidated by his current demeanor, but that still doesn't mean he gets to talk to me like that.
Brows knotted, "excuse me?" I demanded back.
He let out a deep sigh before slumping his head down, looking back at me once more, "Please" he added. Although there was no sincerity in his voice.
Meekly excusing myself from everyone, I stood up from the table. Tensely following behind the head of the kings outside of the room.
As soon as we were past the door, away from their stares. To which i know they were all eagerly watching the two of us walk out. He swiftly turned around to grab me from my wrist, his chocolate brown eyes staring into mine. "Why did you leave so soon?"
His grip on my wrist tightened, Indicating he's not letting me go like he did inside the car.
"We shouldn't have done that" i sighed, shying away from his gaze. My heart reacting to his presence once more. I wonder if he can tell? From all the times he's slept over my chest and vice versa, we've heard each other's heart beats enough to count.
"I don't believe that" he whispered. "Antheia, just come back to me"
I could feel my knees weaken, a lump in my throat form so wide that it's stopping me from speaking.
"Will you be there? A lot more than before? I'm not asking you to quit Adam it's just..to be better than this" i trailed off, seeing his expression change to a disappointed one, his fingers caressing my skin. His jaws clenched as he looked to the floor.
I seem to have gotten my answer.
It's not going to change.
It's not that I'm expecting him to just quit everything and be with me every second of the day, not at all. I'm going to start working too sometime soon, we both gotta work and have our thing, and obviously mine's going to be a more boring 9-5 job, but my whole point is that, how could he just be gone almost the entire day, everyday? It's like I'm dating Casper the ghost. He's become a phantom, at some point i thought i hallucinated my whole relationship with Adam.
I feel horrible because, is it just me? I just don't understand his life and thats what the problem is? I know its not ridiculous to expect your partner to be more present isn't it?
But just like I thought, he's not giving me a better option. Does he know what this means?
I could feel my heart shatter into a million pieces inside my chest, I could tell from his defeated expression that the same realization dawned on him too.
Neither of us want that, I mean who wants to leave someone they love with their entire being?
This has to be the most painful thing for a person to experience, having to come to terms with a relationship ending because of external reasons that neither has control over. Knowing you both still love each other, but reasons beyond your control won't let it work.
I could feel tears pooling on my eyes.
"Antheia!" The door to the King's room swung open, catching me by surprise. I swiftly turn around to meet the familiar comforting gaze of Liam's. Half his body was out the door, his ocean blue eyes on me.
"We need you inside" he smiled, paying no attention to Adam as he called me.
My profusely beating heart subsided, a confused expression washing over me. Uhhh...did he just... get in the way of Adam so outwardly?
I turned to look at Adam, who seemed to have lost all softness within his eyes. His brows knotted in concern as he watched the two of us, his jaws clenching.
"Um.. w-" completely overwhelmed and unable to handle the situation, I started to stutter. "We're planning something and i need your help, I'm sure Adam doesn't mind" a fake smile plastered across his face.
Oh my god who the fuck is this and what happened to the actual Liam?
Adam's grip around my wrist tightened, before hesitantly letting go, exhaling deeply.
His eyes studied me, taking one good look at me before storming away from the King's room, away from our sights.
"I thought you needed saving" he chuckled, breaking me from my train of thoughts. I remember upon joining the King's, the girls sat me down and briefed about the unspoken rules and certain behaviors that should be acted out within the presence of the Head, as absolutely ridiculous and outdated as that sounds.
Sure it's not as extreme as it used to be, like during Adam's grandfathers time, as he obviously sees them all as his friends before members. But some hints of it is still there.
Not abiding by his 'official word' and most importantly getting in his way over anything. And it's so serious that it could lead to consequences that neither of us actually knows what it could be. Except now Adam's not so hard ass about it to actually 'punish' anyone over it, it's more so the common respect the members have for him as the head of the King's, and to carry on the legacy of the association.
I very clearly remember laughing when i was told of this word for word, only to see that they were being serious. Sorry, i had no idea we were still in the 1800's.
And now i think i just saw Liam do the exactly that, if that even counts, and having no care over it.
"Uh- thanks" i let out an awkward laugh, trying to contain my thoughts from this little interaction which seemingly have made me drown inside my head.