Royal Pain//Max Mills

Chapter XV

Payton opened the door in shock and let us blunder in. It was a small tetchy house with no windows- well, no windows with glass. They had boarded the windows up and the door was barely on its last hinges as he shut it carefully. The floor was wooden and holes were started to form where animals had born in, the walls were damp from rain, the ceiling was cracked and musty and the air around us was stuffy and smelt of damp. The furniture was torn and ripped up.

He looked as us in alarm and from the corner emerged a small girl, well i say small, she was about seventeen but she was small. She looked terrified with her hazel eyes, big with fear and her dirty blonde hair swept over most of her face.

"It's ok Caroline, they're not gonna hurt us. they're my friends." Payton soothed as he walked over to her. He put a protective arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug with a small kiss on the cheek.

Rana stood up from the sofa and walked up to me. "Where's Harvey? Is he ok?" She demanded with worry.

I stuttered a yeah. "He's fine. I wanted to tell him i was leaving but i didn't have time."

Rana shook her head. "Max, what are you playing at? The whole kingdom is searching for you three, what are you doing? This is no time for you to be rebellious."

I bit my lip nervously and looked down at the ground. She put a hand under my chin and lifted my face up to hers. "I'm glad you're safe." She said and planted a kiss on my cheek.

I smiled back and nodded in appreciation. I turned to Payton and the other girl. "Who's that?" I asked.

" Caroline. She's my girlfriend. " He answered, a hefty arm around her shoulders, keeping a right hold on her.

I raised my eyebrow. "Your mum let's you have her in the house?" I asked in awe.

Caroline furrowed her eye does in obvious confusion. "What do you mean? I live here with Payton. His mum is dead."

" You said-"

"I said my mum was worked to the brink." He reiterated to me. " turns out her brink was death." He shrugged off.

Chanelle let go of my hand and stepped forward. "How long ago?"

Payton ran a hand nervously through his thick hair. "A few years now."

We all slipped into silence in respect. But it couldn't be for long because I had a lot to explain to everyone.

"You guys may want to sit down."

I told them about my kiss with Chanelle after she saved me and how it made me feel. Out of respect I left out the conversation with James about his last because Chanelle, Rana and Caroline were here. I told them how I decided I wanted Chanelle and kissed her in front of practically the whole staff, how my mum scolded me and what she said I had to do to punish Chanelle who was more or less innocent. I told them where she could shove that idea nd my quick fire decision to run and come here.

Rana spoke first. "Max, that was so stupid. Your a Prince, this is not a fairytale where you and up with the girl of your dreams, your acting like a stupid dreamer stuck in dreamland." She shouted.

James stood up to face her off. "Look Rana, you can't really judge here because you and Harvey have been sexting for ages."

Rana gasped in shock and Payton stood up quickly for his sister's defence. "Listen Adams, you dare try anything to hurt my sister I'll kick that shit filled mouth of yours all the way back to the run down kingdom you came from."

Caroline put a hand on her boyfriends shoulder. "Shhhh." She soothed.

James looked as though he had a smart response but cleverly shut his trap.