Royally Flushed

Aftermath

~Malia~

"I heard they raped everybody there except the queen!"

"Raina! That's terrible, don't even say that! Lizzie and Malia were there too..."

Raina looked around the table at lunch and her face turned a shade of beet red and my eyebrows were raised in waiting for her apology, which came profusely and quickly. It was literally our first day back to school since the incident and already people were starting to insult us with their need to know all the 'inside' details.

Facepalm.

"...and I just know that a ton of people were saying that and I know it was so insensitive to even bring that up, but I'm just so sor-"

"Don't worry about it, Rain. It was over two months ago, I'm getting over it all day by day. I think the person you should really apologize to is Lizzie."

She turned to her friend who sat beside me still as a statue and continued her apology train. I felt bad for Lizzie. If I hadn't come and found her when I did, she might have truly been sexually assaulted, and I didn't know if I could've lived with myself if I had been too late...

Just like I hadn't been able to save Daniel.

I saw his eyes lose their brilliance every night in my dreams, every time I closed my eyes I could hear the gunshots and always jumped anytime I heard a loud noise.

Louis slid into the seat beside me and I smiled as he leaned down to give me a peck on the lips.

I could practically hear every girl at the table sigh in adoration at his show of affection, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

They were the very same girls who had been rooting for our relationship to fail, but ever since the charity ball massacre, (a name given by the press) they had all been for our 'love fest' as one of the Jessica's had so aptly named it.

"So, when's the wedding?" Raina joked as she stared at the two of us squeezed together as tightly as we could possibly be.

We laughed, but he had already brought it up to my surprise.

It wasn't an 'if' but more of a 'when' we would get married, and the thought sent a million butterflies coursing through my system.

I needed Louis next to me for my own personal sanity. Ever since he had taken a bullet for me, he had pretty much become my safe space, and any time I would have a nightmare I would call him and just his voice would pull me back from the edge of an agony filled panic attack.

My therapist was calling it co-dependency, but I knew the difference between a healthy and an unhealthy relationship, and being away from Louis would be anything but healthy for the both of us.

My grandparents had tried to get us to distance ourselves from each other, but we always ended up back in each other's arms in our special spot at Leed's Castle or in his cottage.

They realized we wouldn't adhere to their guidance and since I'd already turned eighteen in the aftermath of the 'massacre', they didn't have much hold over me, although I did try to respect them considering everything they'd done for me.

I had a great relationship with my family, especially with Mar, and I didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that, but there were just some things that I couldn't compromise on, and Louis was one of those things.

We saw each other every day at school and every evening if he didn't have to work with his father, and we had even gone on a few talk shows since I'd turned eighteen and spoken about our relationship, and so far the reception was purely positive, especially with the younger generation.

I still hadn't really won over his grandmother, but according to Louis, when I ran out of the pool house that night to save Lizzie, one of her grandchildren, I had earned a few brownie points, and his parents loved me so I didn't think I had much to worry about.

Our faces had been splashed all over the world news stations and the 'massacre' which had taken three lives had been the detriment of Malcolm, Henry and Robert, as they were all in prison, the only one eligible for release in twenty five years being Henry because he had been the only one who hadn't killed anyone directly that night, although I thought he should rot in hell for his part in the malicious plot to take over the throne.

In the end, the King's Horses gang hadn't had enough men to finally carry out the plan and executed it poorly as they hadn't checked the pool house at all for hostages that had escaped. The royal's security had been too much for them and they had all been caught and thrown in prison, and thankfully Louis' injuries were superficial and he had only had to stay one night in the hospital for observation.

He hadn't allowed anyone to kick me out of the room either, even when the doctor tried to tell him otherwise.

I'd sat by his bedside all night in my itchy pink bloodstained gown clutching his hand even as he slept, watching his chest rise and fall with the concrete proof that he was still alive.

"But, you guys are totally adorable by the way."

I blushed as Louis clenched my hip, squeezing me just the way he knew I liked on purpose just to get a deeper blush out of me.

"Thanks," I mumbled out, a sheepish smile plastered on my face.

We sat with our friends and caught up on all the mundane drama traveling throughout the school of Wilmington Prep and I realized that I'd found people to finally call friends.

Back home, I'd just been the girl who'd lost her boyfriend and her mom, and while I still felt their losses everyday, I could feel their loving presence around me anytime I thought of them and that was enough for me. I knew they'd always be with me in my head and in my heart.

I grabbed Louis back just as hard as he was clinging onto me and rested my head on his shoulder, allowing the happiness of normal life draw me out of my thoughts and finally into the reality I deserved.

***

Author's Note:

Welp, the EPILOGUE IS NEXT and I'm really sad.

What did you guys think so far?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Until next time my lovely readers,

Kristen :)