Take Care {Prince Royce Fan Fiction}

23. Raincheck

"I don't wanna make mistakes 'cause I rush instead of wait for the right one..." -SPZRKT & Sango, "The Motive/Used to the Melody"

///Aralon///

Ever since I can remember, I've been the one to mess things up. Anything and everything. There are countless examples I could give but it's better to spare you the mind numbing details.

Nothing happened. That is, between Royce and I. Once again we cut things short, well at least I did, and that's why I was on the plane to California right now. I didn't want to get too invested this time. We all knew what would happen once I got too attached.
Of course, this time, I didn't have Alano to look out for me. Not like looking out for me did him any good, though.

I was tired of Royce invading my thoughts every five seconds too. This was not happening. This was never going to happen. I was so much better off on my own. That was all that mattered.

I wasn't saying that I thought Royce was a bad guy or anything. He had been nothing but nice to me. But at the same time, my worst fear is that it was all an act. Guys were some of the best actors I knew, fuck an Oscar.

While I didn't want anything to have to do with men, I was very grateful. I think I thanked Royce for all he's done for me about a thousand times, so if my gratitude wasn't apparent enough, that was a problem. I didn't want him to think I was using him.

Now, that wasnt how things originally started. I intended to use Royce solely for my advantage. See, I wasn't much better than all these guys I was wary of. My original plan was to land a job with him and if that didn't work out I planned on using my "feminine charm" to change his mind. But that wasn't how things worked out. After getting to know him, the very thought of taking advantage of him made me sick. My guilt caused me to distance myself from him even further. I was sick and tired of always hurting the people around me.

I mean, what if somebody else ended up dead? I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

///Prince Royce///

I just wanted to bring some form of happiness to Aralon's life. It'd be a hell of a lot easier if she would let me.

She was acting weird once we arrived at the airport. I didn't know if it was because we almost had a repeat of the other night or because of something else. She had the tendency to be unpredictable and complicated like that. She didn't even say goodbye to me. I wasn't surprised when I found myself wishing she did. I really hoped this wasn't the end of the road.

I would never make Aralon do something she wasn't up for, take that as you will, but I did my best to help her out whenever I could. She usually took my help, but not without hesitation. She seemed like she felt guilty most of the time she was with me and I really wanted to know why. She wasn't just mysterious, more like confusing as hell. She was there, yet she wasn't. At least not completely.

Sometimes I feel like she thinks that I'm just in it for sex or something. Well, if that was the case I would've been gone, considering out brief encounter earlier today. I clearly wasn't in it for the money or publicity. In fact, I didn't know what I was in it for. Gratification? I don't know.

All I knew is that I had to help her. Okay, I didn't have to, but I felt obligated. I didn't see her as a charity case or anything. I saw her as a girl with goals and aspirations. I could relate.

Were there feelings involved? Obviously. Wasn't that just how these type of things go? I didn't know but the only thing I was sure of was how shitty I felt driving back from the airport alone.

A reasonable person would've left a girl like Aralon to deal with herself. I was far from a reasonable person. Reasonable people don't think about unreasonable people all the time.

That's when I thought back to the corner store earlier. I remembered how Ronaldo mentioned that she acts the same way towards the people who were practically her family. So it wasn't just me rubbing her he wrong way, it was way deeper than that.
I parked on the side of the street next to he store and just in time too. It looked like they were getting ready to lock up for the night.

When the little bells rang as I came inside the store, Doña Francesca looked like she was already expecting me.

"Is everything alright, copete?", she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"I think so. I just wanted to ask you the same thing." I said. I thought back to earlier and the worried expression on her face.

Her face softened. "You're a very caring young man, do you know that?" She sighed. "But I guess everything is alright as it can be."

"What did you really want to tell me earlier?"

She sighed again and put aside the money she was counting. "I feel like you deserve to know, but I couldn't find the words earlier. But promise me one thing?"

"Sure. Anything."

"Don't tell Aralon what I'm about to tell you. Not until I'm ready."

I nodded. "Of course." I was getting more and more worried by the minute.

"A couple months ago...", she started off slowly. "I told her I was in remission. It was the truth, but the doctor wanted to keep a close eye on me. The cancer was really aggressive, you know?"

I inhaled deeply as I nodded, waiting for the news that followed.

"And he had a very good reason for that. My doctor knows what he's doing. And so, the other day, I went in for a check up and... it's back, Geoffrey.", she said, using my real name.

"I'm so sorry.", I told her. I genuinely meant that. I hadn't known her for very long, but her of all people didn't deserve this. Judging by the impact she had on Aralon and her kind nature, I could how amazing of a person she was.

"I'll learn to live with it.", she said calmly. "But Aralon would be crushed."

She had a point. I only knew Doña Francesca for a few months and look how harshly I was taking it. I couldn't imagine Aralon's reaction. "I won't tell her. I promise."

"Good. I'm still trying to find a way to tell her. What with the anniversary of Alano's death coming up and-- wait, she has told you about her brother right."

"She's told me enough.", I answered.

"That's her story to tell. The point is, she's a sensitive girl. I feel terrible hiding things from her, but she's so unstable. I don't want to make things any worse. I hate knowing that she only does all this for my sake. I want her to live her life."

"Trust me. I do too. She doesn't seem to enjoy her life like she should. I think everyone deserves that right. Including you, Doña. And if there's anything either of you need, I'm here. I just want to help."

Doña Francesca smiled. "That girl needs you more than the both of you think.", she said. "I've never met a young man as selfless as you."

If she only knew...this wasn't always who I was. It's a long story involving love, fame and selfishness, and to be completely honest, a time in my life I want to leave in the past. I've had a lot of my own changes to go through. We can't always carry our baggage with us throughout life. Not if we want to enjoy it. And that's what I wanted to show Aralon.

Something told me that things weren't going to be that easy once we saw each other again. I felt like I didn't know enough about Aralon like I thought I did. And I was right.

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this chapter was so booty i don't even know where to begin. you waited all that time for this. im sorry

pls vote and comment. i love y'all anyways ❤