royal complication

Chapter 2

Aaron

Rose is breathtaking. I want to worship the ground she walks on. She's mean and bossy.
But god if I like her.
There's just something about the way she moves and talks that make me crazy. I can't get her out of my head. I couldn't sleep because I was thinking of her and how mesmerized she is.

"Aaron, get up!" my sister yells before entering the room and finding me already dress up. She looks shocked probably because it's unusual. I always get up early thanks to Lilibeth that drags me out of the bed. She's more responsible even though she's younger than me. What I love more about my sister is that she knows what she wants and she does everything she can to get it. In fact, she always got what she desires. People can't say no to a pretty face. But she's always so "brutally honest" (because if you call her mean she'll kick your ass, several times) and sometimes she acts like a spoiled brat. She should have been the queen. And I'm not the only one to think that. My father can't go a day without reminding me how my sister is going a better job than me helping with the kingdom. I never wanted to become a king and I'm actually used to being a disappointment to my father.

"Sorry to disappoint you, sis," I tell her on my way out of the room and she follows me acting weird. "You didn't sleep," she says more like a fact than a question so I don't answer. She's worried that I'm having nightmares. I still do but I'm used to it.

"Mom!" I scream at the top of my lungs.
She can't-
She did.
It's not real.
It's real.
"Mom?" Lilibeth.
Oh no.
She can't see this.
"Lilibeth, get back to sleep," I tell her covering my mother's body so she can't watch this mess.
"What is mom doing on the floor?"
Oh, precious angel.
How can I explain to you that our mother died of an overdose?
How can you live knowing that your mother decided to kill herself?
How do you comfort your little sister when you're the one who's breaking?
I need to be stronger than this.
I need to act like the king I'm becoming.
I can't break.
"Let's go, sis," I say and she knows.
I can tell that by the way she's looking at me. She sees how fragile and broken I am.
I can't fall apart.
She needs me more than I need her.

"Are you okay, big brother?" she calls me so gently.
Big brother.
I love it. I love the way she pronounces it. I love how softly she says it. How worried she sounds. It reminds me that someone still cares about me.
"Don't you have anyone to make cry today?" I ask and she looks at me amused.
"Charlie is already sobbing," she explains smirking "By the way your friend came."
"Just Charlie?" I ask surprised. He's too shy to come alone especially if he knows he can totally find my sister walking into the house. She likes to scare him and it's always a success.
"I smell trouble," she adds and that is more than enough. You smell trouble and I smell Noah Ledger. It's always have been like this. Charlie and his brother, Ronan, are princes while Noah was their roommate during their years of college. You just need a look to know that he's trouble but that never stopped us because we love trouble. We love throwing parties and taking risks. There's nothing that I love more than what I can't have: freedom. Since I'm the king you think I can do whatever I like.
I wish.

"Looking sad man?" a tall boy with tattoos all over his body says approaching me.
"Nothing that trouble can't fix, Noah," I say smiling while he hugs me.
"After this, you're not going to see me again," a deep voice reminds me. Dear Charlie always scared of my little sister, what a shame.
"Don't mind him, I love your sister." Ronan. He's always been like this about her. He knows that I hate the way he shows so much interest in Lilibeth but that never stopped him from keep doing it. We're not really big friends just because I never really liked him. We're not innocent but Ronan is the worst. He's known for being a fuck boy, never had a relationship in his whole life. For him having any kind of romantic feelings for someone is just a weakness and he's not the type of boy I would love to see my sister with but he's Charlie's brother and I love that little crybaby. As Lilibeth approaches they begin to whistle while Ronan claps his hand before saying "An honor to see you again and this early, my lady." She looks up and down at him and before I can ask her what she wants, he hugs her. Tight. I forgot to say that when you gently suggest your beloved sister to stay away from a dangerous person she's totally going to keep the dangerous person tight. In fact she ,apparently, seem to have a strong relationship with him. For now just friends hoping it doesn't get too much. He can't love her, he's not build for loving someone. Ronan is doing everything because he can't have her and she knows that. "I have so many privileges, but this tops everything. Why should I need billions when I can get a hug from this beauty?" he says winking at me. I hate him. I should just exile him. I can do that right? Lilibeth smiles at him, looking sad and it's so painful. She takes the jokes and the way he always flirt with her knowing that he doesn't really want her. I never said that to her but she has a really expressive face so you can tell everything she's thinking just looking at her. You can read her like a book.
"Aaron, Rose is getting crazy," Lilibeth says changing the subject and I'm ready to kick Ronan's ass later. She looks so small that I want to protect her from everything.
"Why?" I ask concerned. She doesn't seem the type to freak out about anything because she has everything under control.
"About the party for my birthday. Tomorrow," she reminds me when I give her a confused look. What did Rose think that we didn't throw a party for my sis's birthday? That's unacceptable.

Then she walks. Forward us, looking only at me.

I can't breathe. How can you think about anything else when you see every day a beautiful woman with black long hair and a wonderful red dress?

"Aaron Cobalt III," Rose starts while Ronan murmurs  "Oh, someone is in trouble..." Can he just shut the fuck up for a second?

"Here, at your service," I reply while the boys laugh at my joke. She's prettier when she's mad. I love seeing her mad because usually she doesn't give me any emotion, so cold for no reason. Actually, there's one: she doesn't like me. That's not new but what makes me sadder is that she doesn't know me but thinks she does. It's so frustrating. She doesn't even try to get to know me because of my reputation. Not everything you hear or read on the news it's true. I know, I'm incapable of running a country and I can't stay serious for a second but I have so many other qualities. I'm not just some stupid rich boy on a throne with big responsibilities. I want to show her how amazing I am and how much I can give her. I can make her laugh, give her adventures that she can't forget, take her hand while walking in the city, and give her all the material object she needs or just desire. I can give her everything she wants, especially love. I just don't want to look in her eyes and see disappointment. I want her to trust me and care about me. I would do whatever she wants if she asks it.

"For once, don't throw a party," she demands. Today isn't the day where I do do whatever she asks me to. My sister deserves a party and the whole kingdom would think I'm too scared by the recent attempt on my life. I can't let them see any weakness and Rose had to understand it.
"I need to. You don't get it," I say without even trying to explain her why I had to. It feels like a lost battle with her on anything. No matter how hard I try she's always gonna to win.
"Sure, because if the stupid king doesn't always throw party and get drunk fucking some girls he's not happy," she says and that makes me almost cry. It's not just what she said but the way she said it, like I'm nothing if not a mistake. The boys are looking at me and they're aspecting a respond but I can't find any words to say. She must see it because her face goes soft, looking finally human.
"Fine, but I'm going to stick by your side the whole night," she explains like it's a torture. For me it's a real privilege.
"Don't get too attached to me, grumpy," I tease while she gives me a soft punch on the arm.