﷽
Maximus' POV
"Where are we going Max?" I liked it better when she called me Barry, it made me forget that I was the Prince of fucking England.
"To my car," I look back at her, she looked confused but doesn't ask anything, quietly obliging.
"We are getting out of the country for a week," she instantly halts her steps and shakes her head, her blond curls bouncing around in the process.
"I have uni! I cant miss uni for a whole week plus I barely know you!" It was true, it was completely absurd but it was for her own safety. She needed to be somewhere far away so that the attention on her gradually fades. The media is scary, serial killer scary. The lengths they can go to for a good story was crazy and she needed to be safe. Placing bodyguards near her apartment will bring more attention and so the sanest thing to do was to get away for a couple of days. Leave them confused until they drop the attention on her.
"Trust me, this is for your benefit. Until the media settles down about this then we can come back! Right now they are going to pry you and follow you around which gets quite annoying if you ask me," I desperately plead with my eyes praying she'll say yes. She furrows her eyebrows and bites her plum lips consumed in contemplation.
I shouldn't have brought her here in the first place, I knew what was bound to happen but yet I felt it was necessary to show that I had some and that I was better off without anyone else who abandoned me when I went through my darkest times. They abandoned me when they knew I wasn't the old me who'd recklessly use money to satisfy them and throw lavish parties for them. I wanted to show the world that I was fine, that I could make friends, that I wasn't the psychopath they suspected me to be. Hales Adams was a woman of privacy and I the fuck up Prince just stole that from her because of my own selfishness. I just wanted everyone to think I'm normal, that I was okay and to take the attention off my disappearance. It was selfish and I knew Hales would never forgive me if she were to find out. But I didn't just use her for my own good, I'm not completely selfish, I actually enjoy her company. I like it when she's around because she made me lighten up and forget that I was the fuckup prince. I wanted her to be here because she was the only one I could be me around, no straight backs and professional laughs, just me, and I liked being me apparently. I could only be me in front of my brother but he was gone and I felt constricted being around people I had to act professional around. It was good I met Hales Adams, it was good she appreciates me for me and doesn't just see me as Prince Maximus Bartholomew.
I continue watching as she bites her lips and I find myself drowning in that nonchalant motion, she was in concentration a habit she had when she was either thinking or nervous, and in the most unsure voice she finally agrees, "Okay..." I beam at her.
"BUT," I knew a condition was coming.
"A week max!" I nod my head obliging to her demands. I was a selfish prince and I didn't deserve to make such a genuine friend like Hales, maybe I should have been completely honest with the full reason as to why I wanted her here.
"Max?"
"Umm so..." my eyes move down to the fountain that quietly gurgled. The fountain holds so much memory, its so ancient but somehow its the only memory I have of my brother. He was the one who initiated its construction when he was just 12, I was 10 at that time and I thought he was crazy for wasting money on something so worthless when he could have used the money for good. I still think he was crazy but apparently it's the only memory of him in the whole castle. I accidentally destroyed pictures of him and us in a rage and that fountain is the only piece of him that remains. I bet the Queen had polaroids of us but we weren't in speaking conditions due to the fact I called her a bitch for nothing. She didn't do anything wrong, she's been trying to get me out of the castle for a year and when she did I ungratefully lashed at her.
I was a fuck up prince and I needed to make amends everywhere I've went wrong, starting with Hales whom I just jeopardized her social life. I was a constant ticking bomb! Hales who I didn't notice talking stops talking and purses her lips which make me snap out of my trance and quickly look back into her confused eyes.
"Agh you weren't listening, anyways I was saying that I know you are scared the media might harm me but I'm a hundred percent okay, you don't have to act like my knight in shining armor because I can assure you I do not need one," she folds her hands over her chest and raises her eyebrow at me, demanding an answer. I look down at her dress, she looked beautiful, the dress was an amazing fit on her and I had the urge to pat myself on the shoulder for having such exquisite taste. Its silkiness was clanging perfectly to every curve on her body. I tilt my head to get a different perspective. She was beautiful and just the right height, I bet anything looked good on her.
"Hello! Earth to Maximus!" I laugh and open the passengers door for her, "Listen Hales, I'm not playing knight in shining armor. You don't understand how low they can go for a story and this is for your own safety, I'm not kidnapping you, this is up to you, if you say no than Im going to close this door and it'll be up to you on how you'll deal with the media," she looks down at her legs and than back up at me. It was up to her, I was not going to force her but the last part of letting her deal with the media alone was a lie, I got her into this mess and I was to take her out of it safely.
"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight, like I have such splendid exquisite taste don't I ey?" She rolls her eyes and looks down at the dress.
"No the slit is on the wrong side," I frown and look down at the slit. There were wrong sides to slits? I thought I got everything right.
"Why is the left side the wrong side?" She looks at me like Im supposed to know everything about women and dresses.
"Um duh because my prosthesis is showing," I look down at her left side again, it didn't even look bad or out of place. I frown at her and watch as she tries to pull the dress down to hide her prosthesis. It was then that I noticed that Hales biggest barrier was just it. She was insecure about something that could be overlooked and I hated that. Insecurities were a barrier that I gladly didn't possess. I didn't think I was perfect or anything, I just didn't let myself have any space for thoughts of insecurities. I hated that she out of everyone, someone so golden, possessed such an insecurity.
"Honey you are just insecure but you look absolutely perfect," she declines to look into my eyes as she climbs in but the deep red blush that was spreading on her cheeks was too noticeable. I smile to myself and gently close the door behind her. She was beautiful and I even thought she was perfect, someone so beautiful and perfect shouldn't let insecurities be a barrier for her. My stereotype of Hales being perfect made me think about how the media labels the Royal family or any celebrity as perfect and neglected the thought of us having real problems. No matter how perfect I thought Hales was, she was struggling with her own demons just like me. I had to start acknowledging that I wasn't the only one with problems, I had to stop being selfish. Everyone around me was dealing with shit of their own.
I nod at my bodyguard who gets into his car and starts leading the way. The paparazzi won't see us go since I used the back exit only known to the commons of the Palace. Im glad it was there because it has always been an escape for me. Getting into the car I look over at Hales who instantly breaks the silence, "Where are we going?"
"Just outside of London there is a tiny castle we are going to live in," she nods her head and leans back on the leather seat, her head facing the window. I look at her faint reflection and sigh at how sad she looked. Who was I to be making these decisions for her?
"I bought the necessities, so you don't have to worry. I also had my bodyguard inform your friends and family as soon as we left the palace gates," I had it all planned out in less than an hour. Selfish Maximus.
"Are there comics?" I nod and watch a small smile make its way on her lips but fade as quickly as it came. Leaving her family and friends with such short notice isn't going to make her the brightest person but I loved how happy she got when it came to comics specifically the Flash, how simple things made her happy. I loved how she wore slippers underneath a dress for a Royal ball and didn't have no worries. She was so care free it made me jealous.
Maybe going to that Coffee shop was the best decision I've ever made.
------
Woah guys Im Veryy sorry for the MAJOR late updates But Im growing really lazy with this book so bare with me please💛
IGCSEs ain't shit children😐
Anyways little reminder peeps
>Be the Reason someone smiles today
Don't be a grouchy ass and loosen up you big ol fat gummy bear.
-Shey was here💛