Cream Puffs and Courtship

Chapter 26- The Picture

Evie giggled as Devon grabbed her hand and pulled her into the palace. After locking lips at the restaurant, the couple had left quickly and Evie chose to come back to the palace with Devon.

"Why did you want to come back here with me again?" Evie asked she was safely behind the palace's closed doors. 

"The night is still young Evie!" Devon responded running up the stairs with Evie on his heels.

"It's already 8," Evie laughed.

"Well, do you want to go home yet?" Devon asked grabbing Evie's hand and pulling her closer.

"Not particularly," Evie whispered, her eyes bouncing from Devon's lips to his hazel eyes.

"Perfect. I've got some creme brulee in the mini fridge if you're interested."

"Did Francisco make it?"

"Of course."

"I'm in."

The couple ran up the remainder of the stairs with wide grins on their face. Their happiness was short lived however when Tina appeared at the top of the stairwell with a look of betrayal and sympathy.

"There's something you two need to see," Tina started. "Right away."

~

Within minutes, the group was in the joined room and Tina was screaming.

"This is going to be all over social media in a matter of hours! International news by morning! What is Mother going to say?" She turned to face Evie. "And you! Why didn't you tell me you were going out with my brother?"

"It's not like-" Evie started.

"She doesn't need to update you every time her relationship status changes," Devon interrupted. "And Nita-"

"Don't 'Nita' me!" Tina screamed. "Do you not see the problem here? The entire world is going to erupt in questions! Thank god Evie's face is mostly covered since you're sucking her face off or else we would have a much larger problem on our hands!"

"Calm down Valentina!" Devon raised his voice. "This isn't even your problem-"

"Not my problem? You are the two most important people in my life and you're saying that your relationship being broadcasted over the entire world isn't my problem?"

"Can I see the picture?" Evie whispered timidly.

Tina sighed and pulled out her phone. After a few harsh clicks, she thrust it into Evie's hands.

The screen showed a picture of Evie and Devon in the restaurant at the exact moment where their lips met. The photographer caught them at a bit of an awkward angle but Devon's identity was still apparent to anyone who viewed the picture.

Evie passed the phone to Devon who ran a hand over his face.

"Dammit this looks really bad doesn't it?" He said.

"Mother's going to be furious," Tina concluded.

"Crap El's going to know it's me even though my face isn't showing," Evie added.

"Alright well until further notice, it looks like we're going to do a little bit of a lockdown," Tina said. "There's nothing we can do to stop the picture and the rumors from spreading but we can try our best to make sure Evie doesn't get pulled into this."

"I'm already in it!" Evie exclaimed. "That's me in the picture!"

"No Evie. You're not in it. No one knows that it's you. And they can't know right now. If the media found out who you were, things would be disastrous," Devon said.