The Fallen King | ✓

Chapter 23

~Chapter 23~

That was it. Axel knew the real me. Not the perfect media representation that was Harper Anastasia King. He knew Harper, just Harper. The broken girl, haunted by her past, forever trying to run and hide behind her beautifully crafted facade.

There were no filters to hide behind. No professional editors to smoothen the picture out and no makeup artists to cover up any blemishes. I'd exposed the darkest truths about myself and there was no turning back.

Now I could only hope that he'd see past it all and still care for me despite everything. I didn't know what I'd do otherwise. Over these past months, I'd become rather fond of Axel and the thought of him vanishing made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't have another friend leave me.

My apartment was silent for a long time before Axel finally spoke, lifting the tension slightly. "Harper," he said softly. "Harper, please look at me."

I couldn't ignore his request when his voice was so smooth and gentle, warming me up and compelling me to look at him — it wasn't exactly a bad view. Hesitantly, I moved my eyes from my fidgety fingers to glance at Axel through my lashes.

He ran his fingers through his already messy hair, looking at me with that stupidly perfect gaze of his. "Harper, it wasn't your fault."

I scoffed. Of course it was. "Axel, you know that's not true. You don't have to try and make me feel better about it. It's already happened and nothing you say can change that," I said, probably a bit too harshly.

He looked slightly taken aback by my tone but was quick to cover it. "You couldn't have known that would happen."

"Yes but that doesn't matter. Regardless of my intentions, she still... she still died," I choked out.

That was why I had been extra nice to that girl at the cinema, Bella. She reminded me so much of Belle; hell, even their names were similar. Both with those forest-green eyes and wavy brown hair. Not to mention that their energies were almost identical, both being so happy and excitable.

When I saw her it was almost like a slap in the face from the universe, a stark reminder of what I had done. So, instinctively, I felt the need to be even kinder to her. I needed to make up for what I had done.

I knew that was stupid because they weren't even the same person but my heart couldn't help it. It was as close to my best friend as I could get and I'd be damned if I let her down too.

Axel stood up, brushing his trousers off before walking over to sit next to me, a look on his face I couldn't describe but I could still feel the passion in him and a fierce determination I hadn't observed from anyone in a long time.

"That isn't true," he insisted passionately. "If you want me to be brutally honest with you, Harper, I think you're scared. Scared to move on and accept that circumstance was beyond your control. If you let this go, leave your past behind, you don't know what you'll be anymore. You've let your past define you and don't know how to be yourself without it."

I tried to defend myself and say he was wrong but Axel wasn't finished.

"I'm sure you know that I tend to overanalyse everything – perks of being an overthinker, I suppose – but I think I might be half right here. Look, I know I'm not a therapist and you don't want to hear shit from me about dealing with your problems; it's not really my place to say but I'm telling you anyway because I care. If you're not going to listen to me – which is completely fair; I'm no expert – I think you should go see someone who can help you, Freckles.

"Talking to a professional might be good for you. Keeping something bottled up for so long isn't healthy and can drive you mad. Trust me, I've been through it myself and it was Zack who convinced me to do the same. He sat me down like the great best friend he was and had this intense and personal conversation with me after I had this breakdown about my dad a few years ago.