Heartthrob of Aclea

Chapter 2 - A Little Backstory Wouldn't Hurt

I hit the gas and rushed out from the palace. Aclea Streets were not too crowded, making my runaway a tad easier. No camera obsessed bollocks filming every millisecond of my movement. No children hovering me like God. And most importantly, no one was going to breathe down my neck when I was getting lonesome. The roaring engine of my Baby Blue - McLaren Blue - echoed through the daylight, laced with sounds of singing birds and wind.

I pulled over and immediately jabbed my phone to call Franklin, The Stoner. Yes, mates. I was an addict. Franklin was my druggy buddy who I needed most of the time. It was definitely not healthy for me, however, I was born to fuck my world. The picture of Brian and I celebrating after I was entitled as The Best Student of Columbus appeared on the screen as I accidentally pressed the gallery icon. Brian was holding a board and he looked genuinely happy in the picture.

Aaron Christopher Armitage is the most genius/awesome lad I've ever met. Don't @ me!

Written on it was words I dared him to admit. He knew how much I cherished every compliment that had been showered on me. It was as though my destiny had been written in the stars to have a bright mind and a hideous attitude. I wondered why my life could not be some sort of stupid fantasy fables. I mean, it must be phenomenal to be a typical prince charming.

I had no friends apart of my only brother, my bodyguards - only Elliot, Ethan and Jason, although I had at least fifteen bodyguards, but most of them either quit or gave up on babysitting me - and Camellia; my cherry popper.

Speaking of bodyguards, I took a quick glance at the side mirror and praised to my prediction. A recognisable black SUV, which the driver had no intention to come to a halt, nearing me as if I was a targeted suspect of a cold murder. Darn! Pushing the pedal to a maximum speed, I peeled out until the sight of it was no longer there to behold. My phone had been buzzing non-stop so I counted until ten in Japanese before putting it on loudspeaker.

'Fuck's sake, Aaron! You want me to lose the plot? Fine, you got it!' Elliot raged.

'Language, mate. You kissed your mother with that mouth?' I laughed sardonically.

'We are going to lose our job if you keep doing this, Your Highness!' Ethan added.

'Elliot, Ethan, I am restoring your sense of adventure. Maybe you haven't realised it yet. Anyway, thank me later!'

'You motherf-!'

I guffawed joyfully. This wasn't the first time I ran away from my responsibility. I kept accelerating down the old road, passing by small towns. The sky was diluted with grey, inviting a heavy downpour to take over the sun's duty. Another day detaching my security details felt like another glorious achievement I had unlocked.

Elliot was hired the day I lost my virginity and Ethan was hired the night I tested positive for marijuana. Mum said that they were eligible to control me after firing ten bodyguards as they failed to tame me. They were unable to apprise me whenever she conjured me. Their lack of success disappointed Mum to the point that she could not decide whether she was just plain frustrated or disappointed.

Losing my V-card to Lady Camellia became the talk of the Kingdom of Aclea when we were in high school. Lord Benjamin, Camellia's father, wasn't fond of the news and God forbade, he became my biggest fan.

Camellia and I hated our fathers. Lord Benjamin was one of the strict folks who would strongly disagree with the idea of dating during high school. Having a room of intimacy with me was a massive mistake, I admitted albeit he should have given a chance for Camellia to live her own life. Camellia and I weren't a couple and I would explain this later on. My father always treated me like a stranger and had alienated me since I was born. Hence, our common hatred budded an excellent bond between us.

With an exquisite flowing auburn waterfall trailing down her shoulder, she owned a kind of indescribable beauty, and perhaps it was because she had always been sealed with makeup and costly attire. Her Latin look and high cheekbones were always seductive. I liked it when I was surrounded by her most of the time. We became closer and closer, until we decided to upgrade our friendship to the next level - friends with benefits, as the teens called it.

We enjoyed basking in the pleasure that we craved for without needing to have our strings attached. It felt like I had been warmed in summer rays regardless of the season. Never in my world had I imagined myself to have a committed relationship with anyone.

Drama, drama, drama! Women were complicated. Always had been, always would be.

Anyway, Lord Benjamin sent her away to New York because he wanted Camellia to achieve her dream. To be a well-known fashion designer. It was always in my knowledge about how deeply her devotion towards such a profession and she was doing great here. She didn't need to get into a greater institution to prove it. Deep down, I knew that I was the reason why he wanted her out of here. Lord Benjamin didn't want me to tarnish her daughter's reputation. I supposed he would love to break the perfect bond between us. His smile had been more insincere whenever I, a disgrace, was caught into his range of vision. Oof.

I remembered when she was about to depart, I took her to the nearest park from the palace, with Elliot's guidance. Sitting at the back of the limo, I teased her a lot. We sang a lot. And we made out a lot.

'Do you like that?' Camellia flirted.

'I'm chuffed to bits.' I smirked.

'You must be a combination of fluorine, iodine and neon because you're damn F.I.Ne.'

'Has anyone ever confessed that your American accent is quite awful?'

'Such rubbish never matters.'

We guffawed.

And the next day, she waved me her last goodbye. She flew away, leaving me with only our bittersweet memories for three years. Way too dramatic! We still video called some nights and I kind of wished to just leave everyone here, fly to New York and build another new me. The Armitage didn't need me. I only earned their despite.

And then it hit me. Camellia was the only friend that I made outside of the palace and now, she was a thousand miles away from me, pursuing her dreams and all. After her, I was back to being a lone wolf.