Story of Us

Chapter 25 : Philip

Philip refused to get out of his room after Avery left. His chest hurt, and his stomach churned. He didn't know what to do; on one hand, he had Avery, who he saw a future with, and on the other hand, he had his father.

"Philip, I'm not going anywhere until you open this door, and just so you know, moping around won't get you Avery back," Damien knocked again.  

He unlocked the door, and let him in, going back to sit on his bed.

"When mom died," Damien started, "you and father pushed me aside, and I felt like I didn't belong here anymore. For the longest time, I resented you because our father gave you all his attention, but that made me take my life into my own hands, and now it's your turn, Philip."

How could he have been so blind? Philip had always sided with his father without even listening to what his own brother had to say, and it cost him not only his relationship with his brother but with Avery as well.

"Philip, when you're around her it's like you're a different person, one that I would like to see more often. Don't let father take your happiness away from you," he said, getting up. 

"Damien," he called, "thank you," and Damien nodded his head before closing the door behind him.

The next morning, he skipped breakfast at the dining hall, and went to the kitchen, "good morning, could you deliver a message to Damien for me?"

"Sure, Your Highness," Joseph said.

"I need you to tell him that I'll be waiting for him at father's study, and before I go, I wanted to thank you both for taking good care of him since mom died."

"No problem, your mother asked me to take care of both of you, and that's what I've been trying to do," Lillian smiled at him.

Dread sank in the pit of his stomach as he walked up to the study, rehearsing what he wanted to say to his father over and over again.

"Have you come to your senses?" his father asked in a low voice.

He stood up in front of the man he had looked up to the most and said, "Yes, and I've decided that I want to be with Avery."

"Have you learned nothing? You can't be with her," his voice getting louder with every word he said.

"You see, that's not your decision to make, it's mine and I know I have a duty with my people, but I will do what I think to be right, not what you want me to do," he said confidently.

"You're dead set on this foolish idea; your mother would be disappointed in you."

The person in front of him wasn't the father he once admired because to bring his dead mother into the conversation just to guilt him into changing his mind was a low blow even for him.

"And that's where I have to cut in," Damien stepped in the room, "Our mother would be proud that we found people that make us happy."

"Just because you dislike her doesn't mean she's not right for me," with that, they both left the room.

Philip thanked Damien, and immediately drove to Avery's house. His knuckles gripped the steering wheel as his hands were sweating, and his stomach had been tied into knots. When he arrived, he stood in front of the door for a few minutes before mustering the courage to knock. 

She looked beautiful withher hair down and her cream-colored lace dress.

"I need you to listen to what I came to say," his pulse resonated in his ribcage.

"Philip, don't make this harder than it has to be."

"Just listen to what I have to say, and if you still feel the same afterwards, I'll leave you alone, I promise."

She hesitated but then nodded, letting him in, and sitting on the couch near the fireplace.

"You said my life is complicated, and it definitely is. But having you by my side makes it less complicated," he grabbed her hands and intertwined their fingers, "you don't treat me differently because of my title, instead, you add something to my life that has nothing to do with it... what I mean to say, is that I want to be with you and I hope you do as well."

"This is not as simple as a flirtation; you're going to be a King, and your father despises me, have you thought about that? Because I can't keep casually playing with my feelings anymore."

"I already told my father it was my decision to make, not his, and we can take things slow, and see what happens."

"Are we really going to give this a try?"

He nodded, and she smiled. 

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes," she nodded, and he wrapped her tightly in his arms, feeling contentment overflow him.