Princess Can Fight |✓

Chapter 16: Incompetent

"Austin? What is it?" He looked upset. I couldn't tell what was bothering him but it was probably unpleasant.

"I-I-I really want something Izabelle. Something I'd do anything for. But I don't know if it's the right thing to do?"

"Why not?"

"Circumstances."

I rolled my eyes at his response.

"Well Prince, circumstances can go fuck themselves."

"Brad's uh-- he wants to be left alone for the rest of the day, if that's okay with you?"

"Yeah, yeah that's fine. What exactly was the problem Prince?"

"N-Nothing, it's just something I have to deal with."

"You can tell me." I offered.

"I'm fine."

"Austin... I want to help."

"What did Brad say to you?"

"I'm not sure I want to relive that Prince. Maybe you should just ask him?"

"I understand. About earlier? I'm sorry I shouldn't have left you alone with him."

"Why does he pretend to be someone he's not?" I asked.

He looked somewhat shocked by my question.

"I-- What are you talking about?"

"Why did he pretend to be so nice at first?" I asked looking down at my hands.

"He wasn't pretending Izabelle. He's not as bad as he may seem sometimes. He's tough with you, it is what he has to do because he's worried about you. He's fond of you. He cares about you. And he can be harsh at times but it's because he wants you to be okay."

"Stop lying for him Austin! He just wants to get me off his conscience. He says he put me in danger and now he just wants to make sure I don't get hurt because of that. It has nothing to do with him caring about anyone. He's doing just fine. He's an asshole! Now are you going to tell me why he wanted me wrapped around his little finger or am I going to have to find out myself?"

"This is Brad we're talking about! He's nice! He's protective! He's kind! And he's fucking selfless! So if you have a problem with the explanation I gave, go ask him yourself. He didn't want you to fall for him Izabelle. He just wanted you to be safe."

"I never said I fell for him!"

"Right. You didn't fall for him. I'm sorry I must've mixed it up with the time you--"

"Austin that's enough. Go to your room." Brad said walking up to me.

"Did you hear what she--"

"Go to your fucking room Austin!" I sucked in a sob as Brad took a step closer to me.

Austin listened to him. Anyone would have.

So now that left... it's the two of us. A few feet away from eachother.

"I was nice to you because I didn't realize how fucking incompetent you were. I didn't know how hard all of this was going to be for me. To deal with you. I wanted you to feel comfortable with me. But clearly that's an invitation for you to suck at the one damn thing you're supposed to be good at."

"I'm sorry I didn't know I was supposed to learn from you? I thought it was the other way around? That's what you and Austin said when you first came, right? You wanted to learn to fight? You wanted to be as good as me?" I didn't realize how emotionally unstable I had gotten. Every time he spoke it made my stomach churn.