Page 62 of The Broken Queen

He had made a proposition to me the other day about marrying him. I wondered if it was all a facade because it wasn’t but two minutes later and the two were back together, being all chummy with each other.

“I’m fine.” I slammed the door shut and walked off, leaving her in the dust. I didn’t know what to think about her. She was nice enough, but she wasn’t someone I felt I could trust with every dark secret my family carried. I didn’t even tell Slade everything, and he was my best friend. Lately though, it didn’t feel like he was.

He was rarely around, spending too much time with his girlfriend. It was expected. I knew this would happen, and it was only a matter of time before she became his whole world. It was just an incredibly hard pill to swallow when I needed him around to keep me sane and happy.

It was the end of the day, and I once again wasn’t ready to go home. Father had been on one lately. He was in a horrible mood all the time, and I didn’t know exactly why. I just knew to stay out of his way or I’d end up in the dungeon again. A chill came over me when I thought back to that time. I vowed to never let Slade know about that horrific time in my life because he wouldn’t take it well.

Students avoided me as I walked out of the communications building and towards the middle of campus. Some tried to be nice to me because of who I was, while others wanted nothing to do with me. Being a royal was a very lonely life. Slade was the only one who got close to me and stayed, but even he was going further and further away from me by putting so much distance between us.

I walked out into the warm sun shining down on my face. It was a beautiful day, temps were in the seventies and the sun was shining bright, no cloud in the sky.

The car was waiting for me outside when I got there, Lewis standing with a grin on his face. That man always found joy in every crevice of life. He truly was the epitome of a good person, and I wanted so badly for his wonderful personality to rub off on me.

“How was your day?” he asked as he opened the door for me.

I shrugged my backpack off and threw it in the back. “Usual high school drama pretty much.”

I wasn’t in a great mood, so I went ahead and got in the car. I was ready for him to close the door when the voice of the last person I wanted to see showed up.

“Hey man, can I get a ride?” Slade’s voice sent shockwaves through my body, even though he was not my favorite person at that moment.

I slid all the way to the driver’s side of the car and put on my seatbelt as he made his way inside. I didn’t utter a word, just looked outside the window, ready for the ride to be over. I heard him rustle as he got in the car, and still didn’t look at him. Was I being childish? Maybe. I was just so mad at him. Mad for him being with her and not me, mad at him for leaving me behind, and most of all, mad at him for forgetting me.

“Rav,” I closed my eyes at his soft tone. Hearing my nickname on his lips just made me want him more. I hated being in this position, not knowing where we stood. I loved him, but I was so damn mad at him. I needed to be as far from him as I could be so I could wallow in my feelings.

“Why won’t you talk to me?”

Because you hurt me...because I love you.

I was so messed up in the head. I needed to let him go and just...move on. Could I though? Move on from him? When he was literally the person who saved me from the darkest memory I had.

Deciding to flip a switch, I turned my frown upside down and gave him a smile. “How was your day?” Turning that part of myself off, the most vulnerable part, would be the best thing for me.

His gaze narrowed on mine as if he were questioning my thought process, but decided against prying into my mood and gave me a wicked grin. “It was great, actually. I have something to tell you.”

For some reason, my stomach dropped. What did he have to tell me? Was it going to destroy us?

I’m sure the fake smile I wore morphed into a frown, and my mood was going from bad to worse until something happened.

The privacy screen in the car was up, so Lewis couldn’t hear our conversation. Slade edged closer to me, taking my hand inhis. I wanted to rip my hand from his, but butterflies swarmed my stomach, anticipating his next move as well as wondering what he was up to. Why was he doing this? Was it for real?

“What are you doing?” The words spilled from my mouth, not able to contain my emotions for very much longer.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” His thumb made circles on my hand in a soothing motion, making me forget anything important. “I broke up with Kyra.”

My brows shot up. I did NOT expect that. The way they were acting earlier, so chummy and in love, made me think he was lying to me about everything he had mentioned.

“Are you sure this is what you want? You never even mentioned the possibility of being with me before she came along. You never even showed interest. So how do I know this is real and not some stupid, fake fairytale?” I slowly pulled my hand from his and looked back out the window.

The ride, while short, was taking forever. I was ready to be home, locking myself away, and forgetting this day ever existed.

SLADE

She was closing herself off from me. When I told her I wanted to give this thing a try, to marry while we were young and just escape this life, I was being completely honest with her. She said I never expressed my feelings for her, but I did. I never flat out told her, but there were times when I would show her instead of telling her. Sometimes it was just easier that way.

Raven wasn’t an easy girl to love. She had a fucked up childhood, her father was a piece of shit, dictating every outlet of her life, and the public eye was always around. Not to mention what happened during her childhood. That kind of trauma never leaves you, and as much as she tries to fight it,I knew that her inner demons were kicking her ass day in and day out.

She pulled her hand away, and the immediate loss of her touch crushed me. She was becoming my everything, and being without her made it hard to think, let alone breathe. Her eyes moved from mine to the window, looking at the trees as we passed by. I gently reached for her hand again, and took it back in mine, syncing our fingers together.

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