Royalty // Luke Hemmings [English Translation]

0.1

There are two different kinds of people in this world.

Those who (I don't really know why or how it is possible) are happy about starting a new school year, eager to learn new stuff and enrich themselves, likely to find pleasure in spending their nights bent over books and far from being anxious about exams. Weirdos, that is to say.

And then there are those who see the beginning of a new school year as the Apocalypse. The morning of the fateful day they get up crying desperately, have breakfast crying desperately, shower crying desperately - taking into account that the amount of tears falling from their eyes is likely enough to soak them completely, the water bill will probably show a remarkable cut - and you'll need to drag them by their legs to make them leave the house. The same as in paranormal movies, in which the poor chick is haunted by some demons and every time - predictably scene - the joker shows up and drags said chick by her legs throughout the whole house as if she were some dust rag.

Weirdos all the same, yet more normal than the first ones.

Here I am joining the latter, while my brother Ashton belongs to the former.

"Ashton, we're late!" I shout in his ear. His shapeless hair slowly peeks out, but I can't still see his eyes.

"Late for what?" he sleepily mumbles.

"Today it's September 10th, today we start our last year of college, you know we go to college, right?"

Ashton rapidly gets up but tumbles to the floor, promptly grabbing his glasses resting on his bedside table. "Oh my God, what?! Today is September 10th? No, it can't be true! What time is it? What time is it?!" he screams like a hen in rut, as if his voice weren't high enough already. 

I try to answer him, but he's litterally pulling at the hair on his head. "This is a disaster! I'm late the first day of my last year. This can't be true. Why didn't you wake me up? Now my whole school year will be ruined, you get it Mary? do you get it?!"

I prepare to hit him and then smack him right in the face to make him shut up. "Sorry bro, you needed it."

"I know, you're right, slaps always calm me down." he catches his breath and looks me right in the eyes.

We look at each other.

"What time is it?" he whispers.

"Promise you won't freak out?"

He rolls his eyes. "Just fucking tell me the time and stop it!"

And if Ashton Fletcher Irwin swears, we know it's serious business. "It's 9.15"

A thud is heard.

Jesus Christ. "Dad, Ashton passed out!" I shout looking out the door of his bedroom.

I cross my arms on my chest fighting against the urge of screaming, while rhythmically stamping my foot on the floor. Ashton is litterally on his knees in front of the chancellor of our college, I almost expect him to burst into tears any moment. "I beg you to forgive my enormous delay, I'm really sorry and mortified. There are no words to describe how sorry I am."

"Ashton, come on! you're two minutes late, you don't need to worry." Albus laughs. Well, I don't remember his real name, but everyone at school calls him Albus Dumbledore because he looks like him. Everytime I think about it, I have to hold back my tears, he didn't deserve to die.

Irwin shakes his head. "No, no, no. It's a shame that I arrived this late. I apologize, I know it will never be enou..."

"It's enough, you know, you're such a pain in the a..." I cut in. Ashton covers my mouth with his hand to prevent me from concluding my statement.