The Pictures We Paint/ #wattys2019

23

"What doing here? Julian, you have to leave." I shoved him and backed away. He stared at me, arms still outstretched as I stood from the carpet I had collapsed on.

"Amelia-" he began but I held up a hand to silence him.

"We don't know each other remember? I don't know you, you don't know me. No. It's over, pull the chain, blow out the light, throw it out the window. Goodnight, bye bye, get it out, done and dusted. Just no."

The confusion left his face and made way for relief. He stood up and reached out for my hand, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Amelia I'm sorry, I had to do that, it wouldn't have made an equal playing field otherwise but we don't have to do it if you don't want. Is that it? Are you all right now?" His hand cupped my cheek and he pulled me closer to him. For I moment I melted into his arms, feeling his toughness palm against my chin, tracing every calluses. I wanted to throw my arms around his neck, pull him to me and I almost did.

"I couldn't believe you were chosen, look I'm sorry I acted so harshly at the reveal but things are different now. you here, we can work things out now, we don't even need to dwell deep in the contest if you don't want to."

A glow creeped up my heart and I tasted his words tantalisingly but then the sudden stab of pain in my chest reminded me of my condition, I couldn't let this happen, I couldn't hurt him like this, I had to push him away, make him hate my soul.

"This is a contest Julian and I want to win." I glanced up at him and he titled his head frowning slightly. My heart broke as I said the next words.
"But I want your brother, not you. I want the throne."

I stepped out his embrace and pointed to the door, "Get out before you ruin my chances of winning it."

For a moment his expression seemed frozen solid and then it began to thaw. Then his eyebrows crinkled in hurt and pain filtered into his green eyes. Then his jaw fell open in shock and his once warm, endearing fingers turned cold, ice cold.

I wanted to stroke his luscious dark hair back from his staggeringly handsome face and wipe away the betrayal plastered across it. I wanted to take back the last two minutes and crush it into bits just like I had done to his heart.

"Your can't be serious. This is a joke, your joking aren't you? Amelia come on, that's enough." His words fell with a questioning air.

"You have nothing that I desire, not when your brothers are so much more than anything your are." I shrugged and chuckled. "Julian did you actually even think I'd ever see you in that way, don't make me laugh. Everyone knows your unhinged."

I circled around him before leaning over his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "I came for one thing, a wealthy, powerful title and I'm not going to let that opportunity slip away."

He turned sharply and stared at me, distant and foreign. "Amelia, you don't care about things like that, this isn't you."

"We barley know each other and anyway you've kept things from me too, all of this." I waved my hand around.

"I let you in." His voice cracked.

"And now I'm letting myself out because I've found something better."

"What do you mean better? You haven't even met my twins yet, how do you know if you'd even like them, let alone love them?"

"That's the whole point, I don't want love, I've never wanted love."

"But I thought you liked-... Amelia I thought-" he shook his head, "your all the same. All of you."

He stalked out the door, slamming it shut so forcefully a tremor was felt underneath my feet.