Royal Affection

CHAPTER TWELVE - Tears

                                         C H A P T E R  -  T W E L V E

I had my feet up on the table, flicking through a magazine and occasionally stroking Mr. Kitty by my side. The TV was on and Joe was asleep next to me on the sofa, drooling. I turn away in disgust and smile when Maria walks down the hall, her hair damp as she dries it with a towel. She’d gone in the shower and asked Joe to do the dishes but he hadn’t budged.

I saw Maria frown and clench her teeth. She bunched the towel in her hand, twisted it round and round and smacked Joe on the leg. He frantically waved his hands and groggily yawned; his eyes lazily looking at Maria.

“I asked you to do one thing, just one.” Maria raises her voice and I decide to slip away to my room. I scoop up Mr. Kitty and tip toe when the doorbell rings yet Maria is yelling.

“Ava, please get that.” She says coldly even though she’s mad at Joe. I shrug and let Mr. Kitty go, walking to the door and opening it with some struggle. Stupid door.

I’m shocked to find Lucas standing there. His hands in his pockets, his hair all messed and his eyes looking rather lost. Was I meant to invite him in? Instead I walk out, leaving the door ajar, slightly drowning out Maria’s shouting.

“What are you doing here?” I say more harshly than I intended to but he did push me down at school. I had every right to be angry and annoyed.

“I thought we could practice?” He shrugs at the suggestion. I bite my lower lip a little and shake my head. We’d practiced the kiss once and it was enough besides it didn’t seem exactly safe in my apartment since Maria is a bomb waiting to explode.

“I don’t think so. We have the kiss out the way and we rehearse at school almost everyday. I think I’d like some time off.”

My eyes flicker to the right at some movement. I man had appeared in the corridor and stood facing us by the lift. He quickly pressed the down button and waited. His stare was on us but his eyes hidden behind some sunglasses. Why would the man be wearing sunglasses inside a building? At night?

I saw his hand reach onto his trouser pocket just as the lift door slid open. Something glinted in his hand as it came back out and I gasped. The man took one step in the lift and began raising his gun at us. I turned to Lucas who’d just followed my gaze and I pushed him back, slamming him into the wall opposite and shattering a hanging picture frame of some island and beach.

The lift closed and the descended down the floors. I breathed heavily and I felt my heart beat 100mph. That man carried and gun and could have killed me and Lucas, but the terror didn’t end because Lucas glared down at me.

I had my hands grabbing his jacket and my body pressed onto his. There was no space between us and I felt his hands clench and unclench around my legs. I should really get some proper pyjama pants instead of pyjama shorts.

“What the hell are you doing?” He asked slowly but I could tell he was fighting to keep his calm. He’d gritted his teeth and to make it worse; Joe and Maria appeared. I quickly let go of him and walked away, my head turning from Lucas to Joe and Maria.