The Fallen King | ✓

Chapter 21

~Chapter 21~

It had been a week since I had woken up in that dreaded hospital bed. They'd had to pump my stomach when I was brought in and luckily got everything out so discharged me not long later but I still felt nauseous just thinking about the whole ordeal.

How could I have been so stupid?

How could I have been so careless?

Like Maddie, I had let vulnerability and sadnesses get the best of me in the worst way possible. I had almost let it kill me.

I shuddered at the thought as I washed my cereal bowl that morning, the ceramic dish nearly slipping out of my hands. Regaining my composure, I dried the dish and put it away, about to go have a shower and try to relax for the first time in a week.

However, a knocking on my front door stopped me in my tracks and instead I sighed as I looked through the peephole before opening the door.

In front of me stood Axel Knight, looking slightly tired but still just as handsome as ever. "Hey, Freckles," he greeted, stepping into my apartment when I gestured for him to.

A knot grew in my stomach the further into my apartment he got. He was the only one who knew what had happened as he kept his promise to keep it a secret and somehow managed to hide the ordeal from the paparazzi. I was impressed at his skills to say the least but the thought of him seeing me like that — at my absolute weakest — was mortifying, seeing as I'd always been the type to hide my emotions from everyone.

I wasn't even completely sure what I had said but I knew it must have been bad so I'd been avoiding his texts and calls all week. I wasn't sure when he was scheduled to fly back to England but I was hoping that I could have stalled him for long enough but I supposed not.

Realistically, I knew the talk we were about to have was inevitable but that didn't mean a girl couldn't still dream.

We moved to sit on opposite sofas in the living area of my open plan apartment in complete quiet. I could tell Axel didn't know what to say and neither did I but eventually, after sitting in silence for almost two minutes, I couldn't stare at the ceiling any longer. "So what brings you here?" I asked softly, not meeting his eyes.

It was strange to feel so awkward around Axel when he usually made me feel so comfortable and relaxed but I supposed this situation was beyond even our bond. "I wanted to see how you were feeling, seeing as you've been avoiding me like the plague," he said but it wasn't accusatory but almost... vulnerable?

"A lot better," I said honestly, trying to string words together in my mind about how to have this conversation. "I honestly don't know what came over me so I'm sorry you had to see.... whatever it is you did."

We were both still for a few long and excruciating moments until he finally decided to speak — at least I wasn't the only one unsure about the whole situation. "Don't be sorry, Freckles. We all have our weak moments and we all need people to help us through them."

Great. Did he pity me now?

"Axel, don't look at me like that."

His brow furrowed and I sighed, moving to sit cross-legged as I hugged a throw pillow to my chest. "Like I'm... weak and... and broken."

I clutched the pillow tighter, not ready to look him in the eyes just yet. Being so open and vulnerable with someone —  even Axel — was just so hard and unfamiliar.

"Harper," he said softly. "I could never think of you like that and you know it. I've said it to you before but you're one of the strongest people I know."