Her Royal Charming

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

"I'm glad we finally have a chance to meet."

"It's been a hectic week." I agree nodding. "It's nice to have a chance to talk one on one."

"Of course." He agreed. He held out his arm for me which I gratefully accepted. "Shall we?"

"We shall. I'm glad we choose here, I'm starving." I tell Edmon as we walk to find a seat. We decided to spend some quality time together outside of school like we used to do. Our normal spot was far away from the crowded main streets crawling with classmates.

In the outskirts of town there was a old rustic diner with a 50's vibe that had the best cheeseburger and fries. It was a bit of a drive, so most people didn't go there often which included a large sum of students.

Jojo's Diner was the perfect inconspicuous place for us to meet.

The waitress comes over and takes our order that we've memorized years ago. Cheeseburger, fries and a shake for myself while Edmon stuck to a classic chicken wrap. These rare lunches I had with Ed were probably the only thing I do for myself.

"So are you going to finally tell me what's been going on with you for the past couple of weeks." Edmon brings up casually as I take a large sip of my milkshake.

My drink goes down the wrong pipe and I'm coughing and choking at the same time. Once I'm able to breathe freely again a few moments later I clear my throat and feign innocence.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I shove a fry into my mouth.

"Stop acting coy, we both know something's off."

I stay silent. "Is everything ok Adira?"

"Everything's fine." I reassure him. No point in getting him, or anyone else worked up about my family. "I've just made a new friend recently."

"I'm not sure if I should be excited or jealous." He was teasing of course.

"Happy, you big jerk." I swat his arm. "This is big for me." He winces and rubs his arm in pain.

"I know Adira." He sat up straighter and looked serious. "Who's the unlucky fool?"

I clear my throat nervously. "It's um Derric Wilder." And like we were in a comedy, his food an inch away from his mouth as he froze.

"Derric as in the self-centered jock?" I could tell he was trying to repress his emotions and trying to stay calm. While I appreciated him not making a scene, I wanted to know his honest opinion.

"He's not that self-centered and jock is a bit of a stretch. I'd say he's athletic." I defend Derric, nervously swirling my straw in the glass.

"Oh my God, you like him." Edmon says taken aback, and causing me to jerk my head up in surprise. I deny everything automatically, there's no way I had feelings for him. We were just friends, and new friends at that.

"No, nothing like that, that's crazy and absurd." I wave my hand dismissively. "I didn't want to hide it from you, because you clearly don't like him."

"I don't, but I'll tolerate him for you." Edmon puts his hand over my own in a comforting gesture. I thank him softly. "Now tell me about how you came into contact with him."

"Derric isn't a disease." I roll my eyes at the way he phrased it. "I met him while on a run." I begin to say, the story forming from then on.

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I said goodbye to Edmon a few hours later, savoring the quality time we could spend together before heading off to work. I decided to take up an extra shift for some odd reason.

I always have so much to do between work, college applications on top of school work and maintaining an entire house filled with difficult occupants. I tell myself if I keep pushing and pushing, I'll make it through unscathed.

The problem with this philosophy is that I don't account for the exhaustion creeping up every day. There will be a day I snap, I'm just trying to prolong it for as long as I could.

I put my apron on, and tighten my ponytail ready to deal with a dinner shift. I adjust the brim of my worn out cap one more time before rushing in to meet hangry customers.

Halfway through my shift, and I've never been more thankful for the advil in the back room. I wish I could stay in there, and forget about the angry savages asking if guac is extra.

Unfortunately I need the money to make ends meet and I forced myself to get back out there.

"Welcome to Let's Eat. I'll be your server today." I looked down at the table for the first time and seeing Derric in front of me was a shock. I tipped my hat forward to obstruct more of my face instinctively.

"Hi, I don't want to order anything but I wanted to talk to you. I don't know if you remember but a few weeks ago my friends were rude and acting like animals and I let it happen. I should have done more to stop them and I came here to thoroughly apologize."

"That's very considerate of you, and I appreciate your apology. Truthfully, your friends weren't the worst thing I've ever experienced." I shrug it off.

He shakes his head and frowns. "It shouldn't have to be that way."

"Dealing with people is part of the job, you have to make the best of it." I say trying to assuage his guilt.

He stood up and made an effort to leave. I wasn't ready to let him go just yet. "Why don't you stay for a little bit?" Derric looked unsure so I had to up the stakes. "A piece of cake on the house, but that's as far as I'm going."

"You drive a hard bargain, and I've never been one to turn down free food." He sends me a cheeky smile and sits back down.

"One piece of cake coming up." I say more upbeat than 10 minutes ago, the splitting headache a distant memory.

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"Seriously Adira?" Edmon asks me literally two seconds away from face palming. He closes his locker door and readjusts his backpack while I shift uncomfortable.

"You're friends with the guy now, why do you need to ask me this?"

"I don't want to make it obvious." I shrug knowing that wasn't the answer.

"Just ask Derric about the party, I can guarantee you that he knows more about it than me for some reason."

"Don't be a smartass Ed." I hit his shoulder. "I just wanted to know if it was as big a deal as everyone's making it out to be."

"I don't understand why the two of you are friends." I roll my eyes, not this again.

"You're too different." He sticks to that same point stubbornly.

"We have plenty of things we bond over, and the important thing is that we get along." I no longer find him so annoying. What can I say he's grown on me.

"I think that's something the two of you should talk about on your own time." He pats my shoulder and begins walking to class as the hallways begin to fill up. I watched him walk away, and for some reason had the sense that he was angry at me.

That couldn't be the case, right?

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A silent pause is a good a time as any to suddenly make things awkward out of nowhere. I showcase this perfectly on my routine run with Derric.

"So I hear your birthday is coming up." I bring up casually.

"I'm guessing from any gossiping girl from school." He responds.

I nod before inquiring more. "Are the rumors true then?"

"Yes, my parents want to make the most out of my 18th birthday before I go off to college and leave them forever, or at least that's how my mother puts it. She makes it seem like it's the end of the world."

"To her it might be, some mothers get empty nest syndrome."

"That's not a real thing Blondie."

"I might have gotten the name wrong, but it's a real thing." "Whatever you say Blondie."