No Explanations - ONC24

Chapter 5 - End Game

"I wanna be your endgame. (Oh, I do, endgame) I wanna be your first string. (first string) I wanna be your A-team. (A-team) I wanna be your endgame, endgame." - End Game, Taylor Swift

Arora and me, we got big reputations. She heard about me, and I got some big enemies. We would be a big conversation in all of the cities. If they found out about us, of course.

That's all that was on my mind that evening when I was alone in my room. I managed to not get drunk, just a little bit tipsy from the wine. "I'm one call away, whenever you need me," I had said to Arora when I left.

I was so happy we were officially on friend terms now, and maybe even something more. But I couldn't hope for that, even though we both practically admitted it. I just didn't want to push her into my expectations. We were friends now, and I would take that for granted now.

When I got back to my room after leaving Arora at her door, I kept my clothes on. I felt too vulnerable to walk around naked, while I had no problem with that before.

I ordered dinner in my room, not wanting to see my parents. They could do without me for a day, I was sure. I just needed some time for myself after what felt like a great victory. So I ate in silence and thought about the gorgeous human being named Arora Aurum.

I wanted to be her endgame, her first string, her A-Team. I wanted to be her everything, to live up to my big reputation. And I heard about Arora, she likes the bad ones too.

I was so stoked, I needed a toast. But I wouldn't get anymore alcohol, I needed to sleep off the amount of toxins I had consumed the last few days. I needed to be happy and I think Arora was helping me with that.

She had to know that I wanted to be her endgame. I had a big reputation and I've got a bad boy personality, because that's what they like. But I also had a reputation that didn't precede me. You hold me down, and I will protect you with my life.

I wasn't sure she knew that part of me, or if she only knew the rumors they told about me. But she likes me for me, she knows the Ebony beneath this bad girl skin I gave myself.

Beneath the girl I showed the public, I had a soft girl skin. She loves it, and I love it too, because she's my type.

~

I don't want to touch Ebony, I don't want to be just another ex-love of hers. It had been so brave of me to almost admit my feelings to Ebony, but I couldn't be her lover. Everyone knew the princess' reputation, her many ex-lovers and short standing relationships Ebony had. I didn't think there would be room for a long relationship in that lust-loving mind of hers.

We had gone home together and she had left me at the door of my room. A room I luckily did not share with my parents. They would not think good of my feelings for Ebony. I knew that for sure.

A few years ago, they had established a few rules for the dating lives of me and my little sister. We could date everyone we wanted and they would make sure it could stay private. Boys, girls, rich, poor, they did not care. If we wanted to marry them, however, our parents would need to give their approval. That was fair game for me. In my case, my partner would be the future High Prince or Princess of the city.

Only, there was one strict rule they had established. They had looked me right in the eyes for this one. "You don't get to date anyone from the City of Night, especially not Princess Ebony Keeling," they had said. My sister Feyla had asked why, on which they only replied: "We're not on good terms with the King and Queen of that city."

That was that. There had been no more words spoken on the subject, but it now felt like my parents knew I would fall for Ebony. I had never dated anyone before, waiting for the right person to pass, but what I felt for Ebony was all I had ever hoped for. However, my parents made sure it would be out of reach for me.