Royalty

Thirty Four

"W-what are you doing here?" I stuttered out as I stared at Summer.

She crossed her arms over her chest, not looking at all pleased with me, "I haven't heard from you since Tuesday. You left the party without a word, and you've ignored all my calls and texts. You can't hide anymore."

It was quiet as the three of us just awkwardly stood in the kitchen area. I kept looking everywhere except for Summer. I should've looked right at her, but I was fucking acting like a child that just got into deep shit with their parents.

Suddenly Xander cleared his throat, looking between us, "Well I'm just going to go, uh, make some business transactions. I'll leave you two to yourselves. Toodle pip."

He grabbed his keys and shoved them in his pocket as he stepped out of the apartment. It was then just Summer and I, and I wasn't sure what to do. It took me a few moments, but I realized that I should be the one to speak up first.

I shifted my weight between my feet, frequently glancing back and forth between Summer and the floor, "I'm sorry for ignoring you."

She walked over to the magazine and picked it up, scanning the cover as she nodded her head, "Yeah you should be."

"That's not what it looks like," I immediately piped in. I felt the need to defend myself from that magazine, even though she probably doesn't care.

"I know that, Harry. This whole thing is a lie. See this?" She pointed to the very edge of the big picture of her, at something that had been cut off. "This picture was taken long before you left the party. This thing right here is a part of Louis' shirt, and the only time I had been standing next to him was when he was telling me about these awful things that were happening in his apartment building. So this picture is completely taken out of context, as is everything else in here."

I started feeling like an idiot. I knew those magazines were all just a load of bullshit, but just knowing that they were displayed for the entire country to see was terrifying. I hated seeing that cover, and I also hated that Summer saw me act like this. 

I needed to get my shit together ASAP.

Maybe I could get Isabella to slap me. Maybe that will actually knock some sense into me. And I know she would have no issue with slapping my face.

"Summer, I just ... I don't know. This magazine stuff and paparazzi shit just isn't something I'm used to. To go from being a nobody to suddenly seeing my face on tabloids like that is ... it's fucking weird."

She quietly stood there, looking around the room before she sighed and threw her hands to the side, "Well, I don't know what to tell you, Harry. I understand that it's difficult for you to deal with this sudden attention. I understand that you are not, and may never be, used to this kind of stuff. But if it's something you really can't deal with, then maybe ... maybe we shouldn't do this. Maybe it's just not meant to be between us."

Her words hit me like a fucking train. Hearing those words come out of her mouth really put everything into perspective for me. 

Plain and simple: if I can't deal with this, we can't be together. 

This is her every day life. She is of such high status in the social and celebrity world that people are always watching her every move. That type of attention comes along with her. It's part of a package, and if I want anything between us to work out, I have to accept the whole deal. If there's any part of that I can't handle, then this won't work out.

At my lack of a response, she looked like she was about to turn around and walk out the door. I had to do something, but it was difficult trying to formulate a sentence. My brain was a complete mess as I watched her start making her way to the door.