Young royals 2.0

Eighteen

So some of you might not like this chapter but I need to do it cause I failed to include it into the story. The series portrays August as a person who, because of many problems and pressures,  do bad things. I've only managed to make him look like a bad person, and failed with the layers that make him a person. Since these layers are what makes all the characters in YR so interesting, and takes away the simplicity of good guy/bad guy, I wanted to give August some more layers than I've done so far. Anyways here's the chapter:)
Also-some TW reminders(Ed, substance abuse)
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The days to graduation were creeping up on the third years and with that came the stress of grades and not knowing what to do with ones life. August wasn't scared for his grades, they were good. He wasn't scared of what he would do after school. It was all clear. He would study and take over the role of his dad. The money problem had been temporarily solved and August felt he could build it up again. Failure wasn't possible. He just couldn't fail. Besides, whatever happened he would always be part of the royal family.

—

It was cold for March. The trees were blooming late that year and it could easily have been late January if you didn't know. It didn't matter. August was out for his morning work out. The rowing team would be working out later but no one there wanted to wake up at the same time as him.

The grass was wet underneath his hands when he did his push-ups. "At least it isn't raining" he told himself as an attempt to make the training more bearable.

When practice with the team was over he went and showered, fixed himself up for school, and cleaned up in his dorm. Everything was spotless. You could eat off the flawlessly clean floor. It wasn't what you would expect from a teenage boy who lives alone. August liked it that way. Clean.

Breakfast. 'Most important meal of the day'. He would have an egg. It has loads of protein which was good for his training.

"Hello boys" he said and sat down at the end of the table, showing his standing in comparison to the younger students.

"Hello" they said back.

"What's the plan for this weekend?" Vincent asked as he took a bite out of his slice sourdough bread. August felt disgusted. The slice had marmalade on it. How could that be good for anyone?

"My mom made me come home" August said.

"But it's your birthday" Nils said surprised.

"I know. She said it was important" august explained.

"But we'll do something next weekend" he continued and the others agreed.

The weekend continued. Work out, school, work out, 'sleep'. Repeat. The bottle of pills Simon had fixed for him was starting to empty so he had to ration them out. It was important that he had them because the pills meant stability, consistency. Without them he would be a chaotic mess and so would his life. He wouldn't be able to focus in school and be able to train.

Friday night came by and it was time to go home. He had wanted to do something with his friends but his mom had insisted he come home for his birthday.

"Hi honey" his mom said when he stepped in the car.

"Hi mom" he said and kissed her cheek.

"I can't believe my little boy is 19" she said and sounded loving.

They drove all the way to a large mansion. The driveway was like 100 meters long with trees growing on each side of the road. It was very beautiful in the summer. Now it looked cold, like the branches were reaching out trying to hold onto, catch, the warmth they needed to bloom.

"Hello August" August's step dad said.

"Hello" August answered cold. He did not care for him.

They had boring conversations by the dinner table about school and rowing. Nothing about money was brought up.

"There was something I wanted to talk to you about" his mom said. They had finished dinner and the sun had gone down outside the windows.

"I had my annual mammogram a week back" she said and the sentence cut like a knife.

"They found a lump"

August could feel a ball growing in his throat. It was moving up and he was fighting to push it down.

"It's cancer" she said expectedly. August dropped his glass with red wine on the white cloth. He didn't even flinch when the red liquid spread out on the table like blood.

He went to his room soon after that. There wasn't anything to say, and if there was August didn't know what. He took out his pills and swallowed two. He was supposed to split them and take a half every day but he didn't care. His mom was all he had left. His mom and name.

"Good morning" august said carrying a tray with breakfast on it into his mother's bedroom.

"Darling you didn't have to. It's your birthday" she said when August put down the tray next to her. His step dad(forgot his name and don't feel like looking it up sorry) had gone out for a run.

"Happy birthday" she finally said and august couldn't keep it together anymore. The ball in his throat had beat him and turned itself into a cry.

August hadn't cried in a while. He didn't have time for that emotional disruption. He needed to be on top. Now he was laying in his mother's lap letting the tears fall down his cheeks while she stroked his hair.

"You can't leave" he repeated and she kept quiet.

—

The next week was bland. He continued on with his schedule like nothing had happened. Although there was something in him that had changed, besides the thing with his mom. August felt a sort of perspective he hadn't before. He wanted to keep going because of her, not because of pride or money.

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Okay that's it. I wasn't trying to justify his actions by building some sort of pity story but I realized I had done his character dirty and needed to give the depth August deserves.

I'll be back soon with a new chapter. Thanks for the support you keep on giving. It means the world. And as always, if you have opinions or ideas I'd love to hear them<3