Relationship Dynamics

"He's sorry."

I lift my head up to make eye contact with someone who currently disgusts me. I roll my eyes at the presence of Antony.

"Huh, who are you referring to?" I place my book down on the table and cross my arms as I glare over at Anthony who approached my table. "If you mean Macius. Tell him to come himself. I don't want to hear it from his parrot and I'm not interested."

"That is so disrespectful. I don't know what's so interesting about you but he keeps talking about you and all he does is sigh and scroll through your instagram." Interesting...

"If he wants me to accept anything I need to hear it from him. If it's not directed, it's not respected." He stared at me for a solid 15 seconds before stomping off. I feel disrespected and I'm not going to accept that. He literally told me I am no one if so I want nothing to do with people who would think that of me.

"I don't think that of you," Macius showed up to the restaurant Daniela, Lorel and I were eating at and it slipped my mind he also frequented it. They both got up and dragged Anthony out to not make things worse as he would do if he said one more thing to me. "I'm sorry Anthony offended you-"

"And he has yet to say sorry."

"I'll work on that. He's just… like that. To be honest I don't care about things like status or the hierarchy or money and shit like that. It's the people around me who care about that and I don't care about their opinions. Everyone was up in arms when pictures leaked of me and my first boyfriend. I never cared about that. I would hate for you to think of me as shallow. Please forgive me for the misunderstanding." I don't know what to say. I stared at him, kinda surprised at his words. Almost all of the Royals excluding Daniela in the school were rude to me and seemed to ignore my existence and only respect it around my friends. "If you accept my apology I hope you would let me take you on a date." Why was I panicking inside but why do I also feel flattered. I want this. I want to get to know him. I am interested. It's not a bad idea. One date right? In the back of my mind I kept thinking maybe I'm moving too fast just because I want to erase Aaron from my brain but is that a bad thing?

"Did you say yes? I hope you said yes because… I worked so hard to get you here."

"What do you mean? All you did was pass over a guy who wanted to go out with you over to me."

"Yeah but he's a gentleman and that's a really good quality right now."

"Lorel, that's a literal requirement at school, especially for Royals. You know we were not allowed to curse, especially the ladies even outside of school. I was penalized for saying 'damn'. Sometimes when I'm talking to you two I feel as if I have to watch over my shoulder to make sure Mrs. Mars isn't looking at me."

"I feel like you two are compatible. When you go on that date tell me how it went so I can bask in my matching making skills." I roll my eyes as I consider what she was saying. It might go well we never know. Macius could be a great guy.

"So what do you expect?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you expect from me in this?"

"The same things I guess but a little different. I'm gonna get somewhat vulnerable with you right now." My hands get sweaty as I think about what I'm just about to drop. I rub my hands against the sides of my legs to get rid of the wet sweaty feeling. "I just got out of something that I'm still healing from. I need a distraction. I need someone else to put all my energy in. I wasted energy on someone who was using me and was taking me as a joke. I don't want that, I just want… what is somewhat a real relationship." I feel like a weight was lifted off me as I admit that out loud. "I don't want the bare minimum but I want something. I don't feel like I'm not likable and I know my personality is quite… complicated. Is that too much?"

"Not at all." I finally looked up after my ramble and I just realized one of his best physical qualities, his smile. "It's not much at all. I am telling you right now from all the times other than now when I have been in your vicinity you are likable." Highly doubt that and it just might be flattery. "I want you to like me as in see me as your boyfriend but I have to place a boundary. Don't expect too much. I, since I was young, was told I have obligations and everything is already set in stone for me. I don't have the luxury as many of my peers as to marry a high school sweetheart or court them right after graduation. All the relationships I have in high school are just that, high school relationships. I can't fall in love and I refuse to fall in love with anyone. It's not for me, it's for you too. If either of us even catch feelings I would have to promptly cut things off. I don't want to hurt you so I need you to know this now before we step over that line. " That's a lot to take in as if I didn't hear it already from Lorel but hearing it from the horse's mouth feels different. It's honestly kinda sad not like I intend to actually like him or even go that far with a relationship but it's sad he has to lock off anything like that.

"Hm, you have to 'court' me first."

"I like you already." I'm really gonna love looking at his smile.

"So what do we do? Do we shake on it or kiss?"

"Which do you prefer?" I think I've just found my new for however long this last relationship.

As this all kicks off you notice things about who you're dating and sometimes their quirks are big parts of their lives and Macius's quirk was whatever he has going on with Anthony. I find it all weird and I think everyone has the same idea. I wasn't being biased or discrimnative. It was just what it is, a weird relationship. It was like watching a mix between a mama bird and a dotting partner. It all freaked me out.

This guy was weird and I don't think I would get used to it. I don't think he's as incapable as Anthony makes it seem. I never noticed because they never ate at school all the time but this guy cuts his food. HE CUTS HIS FOOD! I thought all he did was open doors, hold stuff you know simple things but no he over compensates. He does too much. To me it doesn't make any sense for him to do this much. He did too much and he was hostile towards me. He didn't want me around and wasn't just cold but tried his hardest to get rid of me.

I figured this guy probably was in love with Macius so joked about it and he turned to me seriously.

"That would be a violation to my code of conduct. I am a straight man please do not imply I am in love with his highness. I am just doing my job." Yeah I know those eyes, there's definitely something there. I'm just saying what everyone was thinking. Even Macius was offended by what I said.

"Don't say something so problematic. This is your love story you had with Daniela. That is so unprofessional." Yes I know but things happen.

Their dynamic was so isolating. I get why people broke up with this guy. It's his friend ruining everything. They both seemed wrapped up in each other and relied on each other. Anthony seemed so happy to do anything for Macius it was kinda hard to watch but as a jealous person I don't like it.

"Stop it!" Lorel hit me in the shoulder pulling me out of my daze.

"Stop what?"

"You were disgusted-glaring." She whisper-yelled.

"Oh at Anthony? I know I don't like the guy."

"Jealous much?" Lorel mocked.

"He gets on my nerves. I never noticed he did everything." Because I had no reason to notice. I didn't care or have a reason to.

"I mean it's annoying but he's doing his job."

"Don't you think he overdoes it?"

"Because you used to do the bare minimum." It wasn't in my job description. "It's fine. Don't think about it, just focus on your new relationship and not the disapproving voice that follows you around." Lorel joked but it was as if he was an angry mob all on his own. He annoyed the hell out of me by just appearing or being near. I also hated how he would answer every time I tried to relay something to Macius. I feel like this third wheel ruins everything. Just push through right? I guess.