Roses and Hooks /// Harry Hook

Chapter 4: Panicking Dragon Girl

"Benjamin Florian Beast!" I snap, storming into his office. He jumps up and looks at me like I've grown three heads. Maybe I should, I might actually get his attention. "You are going to sit right there and speak to me. I have had it with you ignoring everyone around you, so sit!" He slowly sinks back into his chair which he had been in the process of standing from.

"Rose, you know being King makes me busy." Ben tells me, but I'm not having it. Not anymore.

"I get that, I do. But until we have this talk, you are going to put a pause on being King. I don't want the damn king. I want my brother." His eyes widen, and he finally notices just how angry I am at him. I can feel the tears in my eyes as the realization goes across his face.

"I didn't realize. I have been ignoring you, haven't I?" He chuckles a little, and I swallow the lump in my throat. He hasn't just ignored me. He's completely abandoned me to fend for myself. I know I can survive on my own, but I've always had him in my corner even when our parents would try to change me. Ben has always been there.

"You didn't just ignore me, Ben. You abandoned me and left me to face the court by myself. The only person trying to include me in anything is Mal, and you ignore her too. We're lucky we have each other because you clearly don't notice anything." I tell him, my voice softer than it was now that he is actually listening.

"I see Mal all the time. I was with her earlier today. You were there with us." I want to slap him. I want to throw him out the stupid window behind him. How could my brother really be this dense?

"No, brother. They only time you see Mal is when it's convenient to the court. The media has to be there, and you even have your dates scheduled. You literally put them into the schedule plans for your days! Who does that? You never just go see her for the hell of it! You never surprise her, you don't ask if she's happy, and you don't spend time with her. For once, drop everything just for a day and spend it with her. No media, no courts. Just you and her."

"You know I can't just drop everything." He says to me, and I shake my head. The tears are going down my face, but I don't care. I will at the very least get him to spend time with Mal, praying that he sees what I see. That he helps her see that she should be herself and not whatever this new her is. The fact I have to beg him is ridiculous.

"Okay, then not for a whole day. Just a couple hours even. You are the bloody king. If you want a day with your girlfriend, you can have it. You get to request anything you want, so request a day with her." I run my fingers through my hair, trying to get him to do something. I wish he'd never became king. Ever since he did, everything has just gone from bad to terrible to devastating. My entire world is starting to fall apart like Mal's is, but I won't let hers shatter completely. I will make this right for her at least. I will survive, I always have.

I sob and shake my head, storming back out of his office. I can't even look at him. That is not my brother, and it never will be. The Ben I know would drop everything in a heartbeat for those he loves, and he'd do everything in his power to make those around him happy. Whoever that is in that office, it isn't my Ben.

~~

The next day, at school, I'm walking through the halls looking for my sister. I hadn't seen Mal all day, and I want to make sure she's ok. Several people smile and wave at me as I pass, and I wave back at them as I look for any of my friends. I head outside since it's almost lunch to see if they were outside. As I walk, I hear several girls call out to Jay, so I follow them.

"Hi, Jay."

"Hello, Jay."

"Hey, Jay. What's up?" I roll my eyes at them knowing that Jay has become one of the top flirts in the school, but he won't pick a girl. I eventually see Jay, and he's smiling at each girl that greets him. The gang stand next to him, Mal oblivious to everything around her as she's lost in her own world. Carlos and Evie laugh at Jay, Dude standing loyally at their feet.