The Fallen King | ✓

Chapter 6

~Chapter 6~

"Seriously though, you've got to admit that I've got skills," Maddie said, giggling as she had a sip of her orange juice.

We were having brunch at a quaint little café in Brooklyn and as usual I was wearing a large sun hat to not only conceal myself from the public but also so I didn't burn on this ridiculously hot day in August.

I laughed, cutting into my toast. "Yes, Maddie. Your chat up lines are second to none."

"Is that mockery I sense," she accused, daring me to challenge her.

I plastered an innocent look onto my face, looking at her with wide eyes as I brought my hand to my heart. "Maddie, how could you think so lowly of me?"

She snorted, grabbing the pepper shaker. "You really are a drama queen, Harps."

"Please, you love me and all of my charming personality."

She tapped her slender fingers on the white tablecloth, looking away in thought. "For some unknown reason..."

Our conversation continued in this light tone as we bantered back and forth with each other like usual, catching up on the last few weeks.

Maddison had been doing really well in regards to everything that had happened and was still completely sober. It had only been a little under a month but I was immensely proud of her.

We carried on chatting in our usual teasing fashion until a little while later. Just as we were about to ask for the bill, I heard the all too familiar sound of camera shutters and I grumbled in annoyance.

Maddison squirmed in her seat and I sent her a reluctant nod when she pleaded with her eyes for me to deal with this on my own. She hated the paparazzi or just unnecessary attention in general for that matter.

She slid out of her seat, probably to go and get the bill and I sighed as I turned around to face three people, two of them with cameras and one with a wireless microphone. It was then I realised that these weren't your regular paparazzi; they were reporters from one of those gossip channels on TV. How did they even find me?

"Harper," the lady with the microphone spoke first. She had bright pink hair and a small nose piercing that was also pink but the two shades clashed horribly. "Tell us what you've been up to recently."

Sighing through my nose, I stood up to follow after Maddison and plastered the fakest smile on my face. "Sorry but if you'll excuse me, I'm running late."

"Wait," she called as I was about to walk away, grabbing onto my wrist. "This'll just take a second."

Turning around, I yanked my wrist from her grasp and did by best to keep the smile on my face. "Sorry but I really have to—"

"Tell us about Damien Beckett. We know you said in an interview a while back that you're just friends but you've been commenting on his instagram posts with love eyes and hearts so there's got to be more to it than that."

Seriously? Now I couldn't be supportive on a friend's posts? Funnily enough, she was actually right about there being more to the story — even if that had nothing to do with the comments; that was just me being nice to a friend — but I'd never tell her that so instead I shook my head politely. "No we really are just friends. Now if you'll excuse—"

"Okay but what about A—"

"Harper, lets go!" Maddison called from the opposite side of the road, standing next to my car. She must've already called Diana. Thank you, Maddie.