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cheri-translates · 4 years

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Headcanon - when someone strikes up a conversation with you

This work, 当有人找你搭讪, was originally written by 君兮耶君兮 on Weibo, and she has given me permission to translate it 🌸

[ VICTOR ]

The fortnightly report in LFG is happening this afternoon. Dressed in elegant and intelligent work attire, your high heels click against the floors of LFG as you head towards Victor’s office.

Victor’s still in a meeting, so you have no choice but to wait for him in the office. A new intern carries a stack of documents and knocks on the door, and you give him an apologetic smile. “CEO Victor is still in a meeting.”

The intern waves using his free hand. “That’s okay, I’ll wait here... may I know who you are?”

Apart from Goldman, nobody else in LFG knows about your relationship with Victor. As of now, you aren’t ready to disclose it to everyone yet.

“I’m the person in charge of a TV production company.”

After hearing your self-introduction, he scratches his head and makes a request.

“Ah, I’ve heard of you. Miss, would you like to give me your phone number? I could let you know in advance if CEO Victor is in a meeting, so you can save yourself the trouble from making a trip here.”

You knit your brows. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“I happen to be responsible for addressing queries related to investments. If you don’t mind, we could talk about it over dinner?” Hearing your rejection, he immediately fires a second invitation.

“She minds.”

A mildly displeased voice drifts from the doorway. You turn, not knowing how long Victor has been standing there.

Surprised, you rush over to pull on his arm.

“I’m really sorry, I have dinner plans with my boyfriend,” you tell the intern.

Blood drains from the intern’s face. After saying a quick goodbye, he leaves the office hurriedly.

You lift your head and shoot him a smile. “Teacher Victor, are you jealous?”

He responds with a dark expression. “No.”

With a puff of laughter, you continue teasing him. “If that’s the case, I’ll have dinner with that boy then?”

“You dare to do that?”

It’s unusual for him to wear his emotions on his sleeves. Clearly, the attempt to steal what belongs to him has left him infuriated.

However, basking in the happy fact that Victor is jealous, you fail to notice it, and even tug on his arm. “Teacher Victor, you were jealous! Teacher Victor, your ears are red!”

“You’re prohibited from laughing.”

Presented with this rare opportunity to mock him, you won’t let go of this chance so easily. “Little Vic is just too adorable! Let Big Sister shower you with affection!”

“Looks like you aren’t clear-headed.”

You reach out to pat his head, even courting death by tousling it.

“No more pudding this month.”

“Great Victor, I was wrong QAQ”

[ GAVIN ]

Recently, there seems to be a dip in Loveland City’s security, resulting in a spate of daylight thefts. Unfortunately, you were one such victim.

You didn’t tell Gavin about this, because he has been away on a mission for a week. The last time you were on the phone with him, he mentioned that he’d still need another three days. Not wanting him to worry, you decide to report the incident to the police station. The person who attends to you is a young police officer.

“Please describe in detail the situation during the time of the incident.” The police officer requests, his face slightly red.

“I was walking along Finance Street on my way home when a motorcyclist snatched my bag from behind.”

You do your best to convey everything that happened to the police officer, who then informs you that he will contact you should there be any developments in the case. Because of that, he takes down your phone number.

After a few days, you receive a call from a foreign number. Thinking it’s a business partner, you answer without hesitation.

“H-hello. May I know if you’re that lady who reported the daylight theft incident? We’ve caught the motorcyclist. C-could I ask if you... you have time this afternoon to drop by the police station to con-confirm that it’s your bag?”

Only after a moment do you realise that the person stuttering at the other end of the line is that police officer.

“Sure, I’ll go over at 5pm, is that okay?”

The officer’s voice seems to perk up. “O-of course! See you later then!”

You treat it as him simply being happy to have solved a case, so you don’t put much thought into it. After work, you head to the station and confirm that the suspect caught was indeed the person who had stolen your items. After filing in documents and retrieving your bag, you realise that apart from your money, everything else is intact.

Just as you’re about to leave, the police officer suddenly appears with a rose in his hand. “Miss, I... I like you. Will you... be my girlfriend?”

The confession, which came out of absolutely nowhere, leaves you stunned.

“What are the both of you doing?!”

Before you can react, a chilly and clear voice cuts through the air. It’s Gavin, who has just made his triumphant return!

The moment you see him, the many days of longing courses through your veins, and you lunge towards him, wrapping your arms around his neck, nuzzling your head into his chest. “Gavin, you’re finally back! I missed you so much...”

Gavin’s firm arms gently encase you, and his eyes brim with affection, his voice containing insuppressible tenderness. “I’m sorry. I came back late and caused you to worry.”

Shaking your head, you rub your tears onto Gavin’s clothes.

“Why are you at the station? Did something happen?” Gavin comes to his senses and looks at you worriedly. You explain everything to him.

“How are you? Are you hurt?” Mother Gavin’s first priority is always you.

Even after telling him that you’re completely fine, he still turns you around twice, verifying your state for himself before he relaxes.

“Captain G-Gavin, this is...” The police officer’s voice interrupts, his face pale as he looks at Gavin.

“This is my wife.”

The tone he uses with others is colder by several degrees, completely void of the warmth he has when talking to you. His glares piercingly at the rose.

The police officer visibly trembles. “I won’t disturb Captain Gavin and... Sister-in-law then.” He hugs the rose to his chest, dashing away from the scene.

You tilt your head upwards with a massive grin. “Captain Gavin~ Jealous?”

He coughs softly, rubbing his neck as he faces the side, with no intention of replying.

Seeing this, you tug on his tie, forcing him to lower his head. Quickly, you plant a kiss on his lips. The tips of his ears turn red, and his gaze shifts around unnaturally.

With the joy of someone whose prank was a success, you ask, “So, Officer Gavin, can we go home now?”

Gavin smiles, taking your hand in his.

“Mm, let’s go home.”

[ LUCIEN ]

Ever since you got into a relationship with Lucien, you’d attend his seminars when you have time to spare, becoming a regular guest in Loveland University.

After submitting a report on Friday and seeing that it’s still early, you prepare to head over to the university to make up for lost sleep listen in.

Walking into the large seminar room, Lucien gives you a slight smile from the lectern. After giving him a wave, you look for a seat and settle down.

Biological concepts of cells and molecules are gibberish to you. Paired with Lucien’s unique and gentle voice, you soon grow drowsy, your head bobbing. Seeing this, Lucien inconspicuously pulls open the curtains, inviting the sharp sunlight into your eyes.

Suddenly, someone pokes your back from behind.

“Classmate, wake up.”

You whip your head around - it’s a bespectacled male student.

“It’s really hard to keep up in Professor Lucien’s classes. You’ve got to pay serious attention!” He gives you a small smile.

You nod, straightening up to show that you’d definitely listen carefully. But not taking a nap on this beautiful summer afternoon seems to be a waste of this conducive environment. Very soon, you start dozing off again.

The boy sitting behind you proves to be stubborn. Whenever your head bobs slightly, he’d poke you gently to wake you up.

With his amicable reminders, you get through an incredibly “cheerful” lesson. After the class is finally dismissed, the boy gives you yet another poke.

“Classmate, could you give me a way to contact you? Next time, we could sit together during Professor Lucien’s class so I can wake you up when needed.”

You shake your head. Just as you’re about to reject him, a strong arm forcefully tugs you several steps backwards.

Turning, you see that Lucien’s standing behind you, holding a bundle of files. He wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you to him.

“Student, do you need anything? It’s been a while since class ended ^-^”

You know that when Lucien smiles this smile, things aren’t good. He’s definitely jealous again.

“P-professor.” The male student stares at the hand around your waist, realisation dawning on him.

“Wife, you didn’t tell me that you were dropping by my class. I would have reserved a seat for you.” Lucien crinkles his eyes as he looks at you, but all you feel is coldness creeping up your spine.

You laugh awkwardly. “...hahaha there's no need to. I was in LFG just now, so I came over since I have nothing on in the afternoon. There’s no need for special treatment...”

“I shan’t disturb Professor and Professor’s wife. I’m leaving now!” The student senses that something is odd, and immediately makes a strategic retreat.

Seeing that the hindrance is gone, Lucien sets the files down, trapping you in between his arms and the table. He nibbles on your earlobe gently.

“I think I saw a little butterfly and that boy interacting constantly during the lesson. How is the little butterfly planning to explain this?”

[ KIRO ]

It’s a rare occurrence for Savin to give Kiro a full day of rest. It happens to be Christmas, so the both of you have arranged to go stargazing at Lake Misty.

Dressed in a fluffy red dress, you arrive at Lake Mistry early. Chancing on a booth selling sparklers, you decide to buy some to give your little sun a surprise.

“How much is this?” You ask the boss, holding up a box of sparklers.

The boss is a young man. Upon seeing you, a blush tints his cheeks. “It’s $2 a box.”

You rifle through your pockets, realising that you don’t have cash on you. “Do you accept payment via WeChat?”

The man eyes light up, and he immediately says, “Miss, you could become a member by adding me on WeChat. This way, I’ll sell you a box for $1, and if you buy two boxes, I’ll give you another one for free.”

Hearing such a great deal, you agree. Just as you take out your phone and input the amount needed for the sparklers, a warmth envelops you from behind.

“Good evening, Miss Chips~ I’m sorry I’m late QVQ”

You turn to see Kiro, who is wearing a baseball cap and a mask.

“You’re not late at all! Ki... Mr Chips, look, I’m buying sparklers~”

“That’s great! Let’s go play~”

Although he’s talking to you, his eyes are fixed on the young man. For some reason, you feel a chill run down your spine. Soon after, he takes your hand in his and leads you away from the shop.

It looks as though the stars are right at your fingertips. You wave the sparkler in your hand exuberantly, while at the same time telling him about what happened at the booth earlier. Kiro seems to ponder on it for a while, but soon joins you in setting off the sparklers.

Three boxes of sparklers turn out to be insufficient, and they are expended quickly. After going for a stroll together, shoulders pressed against each other, Kiro sends you home.

You sense that the smile on your little sun has a hint of viciousness in it. But you shake your head, rejecting such a notion. After all, Kiro is so adorable, right?

When he’s back at home, Kiro flips open his laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard. He enters a string of code, then pauses.

He wears Helios’ fiercest smile on his lips.

The next day, in a phone repair shop:

“Sorry, we’ve never come across a phone virus which deletes WeChat contacts. I think you should check with another shop,” says the repairman to a certain young man.

[ SHAW ]

Hearing that there would be a performance in Live House tomorrow evening, you asked Shaw for a ticket. However, he claimed that all tickets had been sold out, and there weren’t any left for you.

This morning, while taking Shaw’s jacket for him, a well-preserved ticket falls out of the pocket. Picking it up, you wave it in between your fingers. “Shaw, what's this?”

Shaw freezes. He didn’t think you’d find it so quickly.

You give him a teasing glance. “And you still said there weren’t any tickets left. Did a certain person prepare one for me in advance?”

Although there’s a slight flush on his face, he grits his teeth. “I happen to have another ticket. If you don’t want it, forget it.” While saying this, he reaches out to snatch the ticket back.

You retract your hand quickly, glancing at the arrogant boy whose intentions have been uncovered. “Who says I don’t want to go? I happen to be free tonight, so I’ll reluctantly watch this little brat perform~”

“Do whatever you want!” Shaw heads out for practice, but it looks more like he’s fleeing the scene.

In the evening, you arrive at Live House. It’s even more crowded and bustling than usual. Finding the VIP seat matching the ticket in your hand, you wait for the performance to begin.

Although that brat has a sharp tongue, it can’t be denied that he is incredibly popular. The fangirls flock in throngs. You purse your lips, planning to head backstage to look for him.

When you stand up, a group of ruffian-looking men block your path.

“Miss, do I have the honour of offering you a drink?”

You furrow your brows. “Sorry, I have something to attend to, so I’m leaving.”

“Don’t do that. Our meeting has been decided by fate. It’s just a drink.” The man standing at the forefront doesn’t intend to let you go.

“Miss, it’s lucky for our Big Bro to even notice you. Don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!”

Just as you’re at a loss for what to do, a voice appears from behind, almost bringing tears to your eyes. “Hey, what are you doing?!”

You instantly rush to Shaw, and this enrages the man. “Grab that girl and bring her to me!”

Shaw contacts security, an expression full of distaste. “Why would they let such rubbish in here. It really contaminates my eyes.”

Then, he pokes your head. “Why are you so useless? If I didn’t come look for you, who knows how you’d end up.”

You were already feeling scared and sorry for yourself. Hearing what Shaw said, your eyes redden. “Then don’t appear then! Don’t bother about me then!”

You twist around, prepared to leave. Shaw pulls you back, his voice slightly frantic. “Fine fine fine, I was wrong. Don’t cry.”

Your wipe at your eyes while pushing him away, wanting to leave.

He grips your wrist tightly, then draws you into his arms. “All right, stop crying.”

Loveland TV reports that yesterday, three men have been struck by lightning. One of them has suffered severe injuries, and it’s truly lucky that they didn’t lose their lives.

More translated and original works: here

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[ Permission to translate ]

君兮耶君兮: You can - just note the source of the author

#mlqc #mlqc victor #mlqc gavin #mlqc lucien #mlqc kiro #mlqc shaw #cheri shortcake

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pug-bitch · 5 years

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That’s not why I’m going (39)

Not again

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Drake Walker x Amara Suarez

Rating: some foul language, some extremely suggestive. This is absolutely NOT appropriate for people under 18.

Word count: about 3,800 (I’m still on the app, so still no ‘keep reading’ unfortunately, sorry about that!!)

Notes: This picks up exactly where we left off, during the Decision Ball, as Liam is about to announce his choice (sorry again for the cliffhanger, guys, I know I pushed it kinda far :D), starting with Madeleine’s POV.

*****

Madeleine takes her place on the podium, with all the other ladies. She makes a point of staying very far from the ones she despises, which only leaves her with Kiara near her. The rest of them can fuck off.

Her heart is beating faster, but her face is impassible. Her breathing is even, her poise is perfect. Just like she’s been taught. Just like she’s been teaching herself, all her life.

The few seconds that separate her from knowing her fate drag on. When is Liam going to fucking say it? What if she failed at her mission? What if he still wants to choose the slutty commoner? She wishes the King had gone through his original plan to divulge something else on her, before the Decision. What if Madeleine needs that extra advantage?

Suddenly, she’s nervous. She has to keep it together, though, she can’t let it show. No, not now, not when she’s so close to the goal she’s fixed for herself. She looks at the crowd in front of her. Her father’s chair is irrevocably empty. He didn’t make it back from London for the occasion, probably thinking that she’s a lost cause after her broken engagement. Her mother, on the other hand, is here, but it’s exactly as if she weren’t. She’s pounding champagne flutes like it’s her job, not even looking at her regal daughter.

Suddenly, her vision blurs. All eyes are on her. Did she hear it right?

‘Lady Madeleine, I choose you. Will you accept this ring?’

Yes, yes she did. She heard it right. Time to flash a smile, to seal the deal.

‘I will,’ she says. And the crowd claps.

*****

Bastien sighs as he exits the room, about to execute the plan laid out by the King. Is this really necessary? The Prince has chosen the woman that his father wanted him to choose. Why hound the others?

He knows this is above his pay grade. But what can he say, when the King himself is giving the orders? So, he finds Rocco, one of the staff members who has been helping out with the plans, and he hands him the flashdrive.

‘When the first song ends, turn off the lights and project this.’

Rocco nods and leaves, without a word.

Well, Bastien thinks, it’s out of his hands, now.

*****

Amara turns to Olivia and Hana, a hesitant look on her face. She wants to rejoice —Liam hasn’t insisted, and hasn’t chosen her, plus he’s left Olivia alone, too. But parts of her fear that Cordonia’s future won’t be optimal, with such a cold and calculating Queen, and an immature and self-involved King. A few weeks ago, she would have just thought that it’s not her problem, but she’s come to love this country, and the people in it. Plus, she can’t help but think that Madeleine most definitely being behind all the leaks shows that there is no justice in the world. She got what she wanted, by means of deception and manipulation.

Still, Amara is relieved. Maybe she can go back to living her life, now? Liv and Hana give her a relieved but wary smile, and she understands that they’re on the same page as her.

All three of them turn to Madeleine and offer her their congratulations, which she accepts gracefully. If anything, the bitch is perfect for the job, on paper, Amara thinks.

Time for the first dance for the newly engaged couple. The other ladies leave the podium and regain their table, where they can watch Liam and Madeleine dance the Cordonian waltz —Amara looks all around her and meets Drake’s eye. He smiles at her, and her heart melts. Are they free, now? Is it that simple? Maybe she’s simply scared of believing it, maybe it’s just too good to be true.

‘Are you ok?’ Amara whispers to Liv.

She nods. ‘Yeah. Relieved for myself —and you—, but scared for the future of this fucking country.’ She shakes her head. ‘This bitch got what she wanted after all,’ she says under her breath.

Hana nods. ‘Now it’s time for the nobility to be on their toes, to counteract any crazy, cold-hearted moves she might make.’

Amara smiles. ‘Agreed. Liv, you and Bertrand, and Rashad and the others, you’ll have some work to do.’

Liv smirks. ‘Well… maybe not just us. Think about it. Maybe it’s the right time to make the most of the offer that will come your way soon.’

Amara looks at her, and Liv raises an eyebrow, a mischievous look on her face. Amara sighs. ‘So you think I should accept? And sign with my blood, basically, to be in the spotlight all my life, and no be able to return home to see my family?’

Liv sighs. ‘Don’t be dramatic, Suarez. Chill out. I was just mentioning it, but you do what you want. Plus, this isn’t The Little Mermaid or some shit —you can go back to the ocean to see your Daddy, no one is cutting off your legs.’

Hana frowns. ‘I’m not sure you watched the movie right, Olivia.’

Amara laughs. ‘Yeah, it’s not how it works. But I do agree that my dad has a King Triton vibe. Especially the beard.’ She takes a sip of her champagne. ‘But you’re right. I’ll think about it, at least.’

She is thinking about it, though. And, although it sounds tempting —being in Cordonia, with her friends, and not having to worry about returning to her depressing life in NYC— she can’t help but think about how miserable it would be for Drake. For them both. For Dramara, as Max would say. They would have to hide, at least until they tell Liam about their relationship, and then who knows how he would react.

But Amara’s thoughts have to wait. Eyes on the present. Liam and Madeleine end the waltz with a deep curtsy to the audience, who claps harder and harder. Amara finishes her glass, now is time for the dancefloor to be open to everyone. She should invite Max to dance.

But before she can get up, all lights are out. Gasps all around.

‘What the fuck?’ Liv whispers.

Amidst the commotion, Amara hears many panicked comments, a lot of them being ‘Not again’, and she remembers what Drake and Max had told her about the previous assassination attempts at court. Her instincts kick in and she gets up to place herself in front of Hana and Liv.

But a few seconds later, a light comes on. Not from one of the main chandeliers, but from a projector that sheds light on the stage. Amara’s heart beats faster. What the hell could this be?

Suddenly, she understands. The projector shows a massive picture, that she recognizes instantly.

It’s a picture of her, with Tariq. She is in her underwear, and Tariq’s hands are around her waist, making it look like they’re about to have sex. The shot is taken from a distance, with a zoom lens, which gives the picture a blurry quality. If it wasn’t this blurry, maybe people could see Amara’s disgusted and shocked look, but no.

All they see is a woman who’s sleeping with a friend of the guy she’s supposed to compete with.

A lot of Ooh and Aahs resonate through the ballroom, and Amara can hear Liv and Hana next to her, cursing out loud. She could almost smile at the thought of Hana swearing like a sailor, but her heart’s not in it.

*****

Drake’s heart jumps in his chest as he sees the picture on the ballroom wall. How dare they?

He leaps up on his feet, quickly followed by Maxwell and Michael, who is clearly wondering what’s going on. Of course he is; whoever took the picture made sure to get Amara’s profile so she wouldn’t look under attack, and they waited for the exact right moment to take the photo.

They had been waiting it out in the building across, and they knew Tariq would be there.

Tears of rage fill Drake’s eyes. So, they submitted Amara to an assault so they could get this picture? So they could ensure that she wouldn’t be Queen?

He just knows Madeleine has something to do with it. She has to.

But what breaks his heart is that Bastien does too.

*****

Leo chugs the rest of his drink. Damn, this social season is full of surprises. He’s almost jealous of all of the attention his little brother is getting, all the drama he’s inspiring.

This Amara is definitely not shy, though. He wasn’t wrong to try something with her, earlier, she would probably say yes if he insisted. Food for thought.

He looks around the room, and his eyes stop on her. She’s standing up, her chin wobbly. Hm, not the look of someone who’s been caught red-handed. She looks like she’s about to cry, when two minutes ago, she seemed perfectly happy not to have been chosen. Odd.

His head turns to the next table. More people are standing up. Maxwell, of course, who’s probably shocked to get an eyeful of his protégée. That man who’s Max’s plus one, too.

And Drake. Drake who’s standing up, helpless, his eyes wet.

Again—odd.

*****

Liam takes a deep breath as the lights come back on. For a split second when the lights went off, his heart jumped in his chest, and he flashed back to the last time the whole ballroom went dark. And the time before. When one of these sudden moments deprived him of his mother. And then, later on, when his father was targeted, and Drake’s saved him, at the cost of his own life. He shakes the feeling off. This whole thing was bad, for a completely different set of reasons. Madeleine turns to him and, in a monotone voice, whispers, ‘Wow. She had some guts sleeping with your friend behind your back. Is that why Tariq left court suddenly?’

Liam’s head spins. He nods. ‘Yes, I suppose it is,’ he whispers back.

He can’t say more. Not yet. He has to keep it together, for the sake of appearances. But there’s a lot he needs to think about.

He clears his throat and puts on his best regal smile, trying not to look at Amara, who is running out of the room. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, my security team and I will look into this matter as soon as possible, but for now, since everyone is unharmed, let’s resume the festivities.’

Most of the courtiers start chatting again, but Liam can see clearly that his close friends are trickling out, one by one, to follow Amara. Again.

He’s dying to do the same. Check on her, see if she’s holding up ok. This has happened two days in a row now. He can’t even imagine how targeted she must feel.

As the music starts again, his father approaches him. ‘Liam, you better invite your fiancée to dance again,’ he says. He gets closer to him and whispers in his ear, ‘See, when I told you it wasn’t a good idea to let strangers in. Now she has made a fool out of all of us.’

Liam frowns as his father goes back to his seat. This is awfully convenient. Just earlier, his father was trying to convince him not to let Amara stay, and now she was exposed and framed?

Yep, someone was taken for a fool alright.

Too bad for his father, Liam knows that the picture that was just projected up there does not depict a consensual encounter.

*****

Drake is breathless when he gets outside, where Amara is trying to calm down, near the fountain. ‘Here you are,’ he says, ‘are you ok?’

She nods and laughs through tears. ‘What the fuck, right? That was a setup?’

Drake sighs deeply. ‘I know. I don’t even know what to say.’

She shakes her head. ‘There’s nothing to say. We’re in the middle of a snake nest. There are some people in there who are not above staging a fucking sexual aggression to get what they want.’ She laughs nervously. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy Liam chose Madeleine, as in I’m happy he didn’t pick me, or Liv, or Hana. But man, it does hurt to see that the worst people get rewarded for their shitty actions.’

Drake nods and closes in the distance between them, enveloping Amara in a warm hug, not caring one bit if someone sees them. ‘Babe,’ he whispers, ‘I think Madeleine was helped by Bastien. He did tell me a while ago that whoever he works for has some dirt on you, I just thought the dirt was...well, Michael, after last night.’

Amara tightens her grip on Drake and takes a deep breath. ‘Fuck...I’m sorry, Drake, I know Bastien meant a lot to you.’

Drake snorts. ‘I’m the one who should be sorry, Amara. I wish I could make you feel better, right now.’

Amara smiles. ‘You are making me feel better. Just you being here with me helps.’

An out-of-breath Maxwell and a confused Michael join them outside. They both rush to Amara’s side and Maxwell exclaims, ‘Fuck, Amara, this is so bad. How are you feeling?’

Amara nods. ‘Dumbfounded. Can’t believe they’re making me relive this fucking moment and making it seem like I was enjoying it.’

Michael cuts in and hugs Amara. ‘I’m so sorry, hun, this is terrible. Did he—‘

Amara cuts him off. ‘This guy—Tariq—came to my room pretending it was his, and acted like I was trying to seduce him. I, um…’

Drake smiles sadly, remembering this infuriating yet badass moment. ‘She incapacitated him, like a boss. Tackled him and twisted his arm until he ran away like a pathetic bastard.’

Michael snorts. ‘That’s my girl. Did he hurt you?’

Amara shakes her head. ‘No, he didn’t have time. As you could see in the—‘ she sighs ‘pic...he did grab me, but right after that, he was on the ground.’

Michael takes a deep breath. ‘Shit. Did you report him? This is assault, Amara, you need to—‘

Amara cuts him off. ‘No, I probably should have, but to be honest, I would have been buried by the royal police. Tariq is a noble, and as I’m starting to realize, all security is pretty much corrupt these days…’

Drake’s eyes wander off. She’s right. He had trusted Bastien and the other members of the Royal Guard, but now it was clear that they only saw what they wanted to see. ‘You could still report him to the actual police, right?’

Amara shrugs. ‘Honestly? I probably could, but at this point it would look like I’m trying to bury this. Plus, I can’t shake the feeling that Tariq was actually telling the truth.’

Drake raises an eyebrow. ‘What do you mean?’

She smiles weakly, and takes a seat on the foot of a column. The three men sit on the ground by her, Michael doing so carefully so as not to wrinkle Max’s tux. Amara continues. ‘It’s clear it was a setup, obviously. Like, the camera was ready to shoot the exact moment when it looked like I was consenting. I was set up, there’s no doubt about that.’ She pauses. ‘But maybe Tariq was set up too.’

Maxwell perks up. ‘You mean he was really told this was his room?’

She nods. ‘Yeah. He was so adamant that I was waiting for him in his room, at the time I was just annoyed and threatened by his insistence, but now I wonder why he had to say that. I mean, if he was sent to me to seduce me and get some pictures out of it, no need to serve me the whole room spiel, right?’

Drake nods. ‘Right. You’re right. Plus, I remember that, when I came in, and he was on the ground, he kept insisting on it. Like, would not let it go.’

Amara nods. ‘Exactly. No, this is a whole thing. It was planned all along.’

‘Where is that guy now?’ Michael asks. ‘Can we talk to him?’

Amara shrugs. ‘What for? Everyone thinks I’m a slut, I’m no longer welcome here, it’s pretty clear, huh?’

Maxwell puts his hand on her arm. ‘Not at all. We all want you here, Little Blossom. Hana and Liv stayed behind to gather some info, but they’re both devastated for you, this is outrageous and we’ll get to the bottom of this. We need you, babe.’

She takes Max’s hand and squeezes it. ‘Thanks, Max, but I heard some of the comments from the crowd. I’m being slutshamed for having been almost assaulted. And, I guess, for being in my underwear in my own room.’

‘We need to talk to this guy and figure it out,’ Michael insists. ‘Does anyone have his number? His address? I can go.’

Drake shakes his head. ‘I can give you both of those things, but Tariq disappeared from court after the assault. He was never seen again.’

Michael snorts. ‘Well, if that isn’t irrefutable proof that something’s up…’

‘That’s true,’ Drake agrees. ‘I was just happy to be rid of that asshole at the time, but now I suppose we could use his perspective.’

Amara laughs nervously. ‘Guys, this is useless. Can’t you see that this is a game I can’t win? Someone—no, let me get this right—several people don’t want me here, and they’re making damn sure I’m no longer welcome. It’s clear that over here, justice is not served. So...maybe I should just give the people what they want.’

*****

Hana separates from the group of former contestants and approaches the newly engaged couple. She and Liv agreed to stay behind, since Amara was well tended to, so that they could keep their eyes and ears open. This whole thing was crazy, everyone who was close to Amara knew that those pictures were a setup.

And a cruel one at that. Hana had felt extremely violated when the picture of her with Caroline had surfaced, because it divulged a very private side of her life. However, in this picture, she was fully clothed, and depicted with the person she loved. Nothing scandalous about that, unless you’re a bigot.

Liv’s leak was a lot more personal, since it involved her sex life, and nudity of course, but at least, it was not her naked body that had been circulated to the whole court —although Hana did feel bad for that poor Ilya, whose penis was now known by all of Cordonia.

This time, whoever was leaking pictures —Madeleine probably, even though she couldn’t have been the one who physically projected the picture tonight, as she was dancing— was putting someone in full display. On top of being literal defamation, this whole thing was circulating almost naked pictures of Amara. Hana couldn’t let that pass.

This time, justice would have to be served.

‘Congratulations again, you two!’ She says politely to Liam and Madeleine, with a brief curtsy. ‘I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.’

‘Thank you, dear,’ Madeleine purrs. ‘Now, I do hope to see you on the engagement tour. I will need all the help I can get, and Lord knows you are good at a lot of boring things.’

Liam chuckles, embarrassed. ‘Madeleine,’ he protests, ‘this is a little rude! Hana has many talents, none of them are boring,’ he adds.

Madeleine rolls her eyes. ‘Of course. Force of habit. I’m not used to not being in competition mode. Hana, will you forgive me?’

Hana thinks back to the cup of warm coffee that landed on her lap not too long ago. She forces a smile. ‘No apologies necessary. I’ll be happy to help in any way I can. In the meantime, may I be so forward as to inviting the Prince for a dance? Madeleine, you and I both know that I was never any type of competition.’

Madeleine sighs. ‘By all means.’

Liam holds out his arm for Hana to take. The two glide effortlessly across the dancefloor. Hana is such a good dancer, she doesn’t need to think of her next move, and can concentrate on her much needed conversation with Liam. ‘Liam, what happened?’ She asks, maintaining a perfect smile.

Liam sighs discreetly. ‘I don’t know, but it’s not good, Hana. How is she?’

‘Not sure. The guys are out with her. I’m so glad Michael’s here, in the end, it was a blessing in disguise.’

Liam smiles. ‘I know. I’m glad too. Look, I’m sure you know this as well, but this picture with Tariq… it was a setup. Amara told me about it after it happened, and he tried to assault her.’

Hana nods. ‘I know. Someone was out there waiting to take a picture of them. It’s despicable.’

Liam nods. ‘I think…’ he pauses for a long time, visibly struggling to find his words. ‘I think there are too many coincidences. Right before my Decision, I had been telling my father that I want to give a duchy to Amara, to—‘ he pauses again. ‘You know, as a gesture. An apology. Um…’ he lets go of Hana’s hand, ever so briefly, to run it through his hair. He continues. ‘Father was appalled. He reluctantly agreed to talk about it some more after the Ball. And now, now this is completely soiling her reputation, which is perfect for Father. I hate to say this, Hana, but… I do think he was involved.’

Hana nods. ‘Liam, I’m sorry. You must be so disappointed… At the same time, he’s the King, and your father, you can’t exactly go around accusing him, right?’

Liam nods, a sad smile on his lips. ‘You’re right, I can’t. No one can, really, at least not without proof.’

Hana sighs. ‘So, what do we do?’

Liam shrugs. ‘I don’t think we have many options.’

She nods decidedly. ‘We have to find Tariq, and investigate.’

Liam smiles a bit more earnestly. ‘Exactly. And Hana?’

‘Yes?’

‘I hope I didn’t make a fucking huge mistake,’ he whispers as he looks to Madeleine.

*****

Amara is still sitting on that column, her head buried in her hands. Next to her, Maxwell and Michael are trying to get a hold of Tariq but she feels like it’s in vain. Even if they track him down, and he confesses or whatever, so what? What is it gonna change?

And, even if the picture they projected is a lie, a painful reminder of the time she was almost assaulted, well, the message behind it is true, isn’t it?

She is sleeping with the Prince’s friend. She did fall in love with him, and that night, she did disrobe and say ‘come in’ to Tariq because she thought he was Drake.

Drake’s arms are around her, he’s soothing her gently. She’s so grateful for this man, for his presence, his strength, his compassion… But she’s tired of needing him to comfort her.

Tired of being meek, of being fragile. Now that her old wounds are closing up a bit, now that things are pretty much patched up with Michael, life has to throw another pile of shit at her, and yet again, she needs her friends to run out of the Palace to follow her teary-ass self.

That’s not the person she wants to be. Enough. Not again.

She lifts up her head and looks at Drake. ‘Babe?’ He asks hesitantly.

She smiles at him. ‘Walker, let’s get the fuck out of here.’

*****

Taglist:

@drakeandcamilleofvaltoria @jovialyouthmusic @andy-loves-corgis @mariahschoices @drakesensworld @thequeenofcronuts @notoriouscs @drakewalkerisreal @nikkis1983 @simsvetements @alesana45 @iplaydrake @emceesynonymroll @lily1999love @drakewalkerwhipped @drakxwalker @drakewalkerrosenberg @drakeswalkers @drakelover78 @silviasutton1989 @dcbbw @texaskitten30 @furiousherringoperatortoad @hollygirl1269 @sirbeepsalot @ladyangel70 @thisperfectmemory @of-course-i-went-to-hartfeld @i-bloody-love-drake-walker @mrsmairstanley @addictedtodrakefanfic

Thank you for your encouragements, everyone! Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist :)

#that's not why i'm going #drake walker x amara suarez #dramara #drake walker x mc #trr fanfic #drake walker #trr drake #drake x mc #drake walker trr #drake x amara #amara suarez #the royal romance fanfic #the royal romance #trr choices #drake trr

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carriejonesbooks · 6 years

Text

So, I have to go to Book Expo America at the end of this week. If you are not some official publishing person you’re probably like, “What is Book Expo America?” It’s this big huge massive (insert another large-sounding adjective here) industry thing where there are:

1. Publishers 2. Authors 3. Book sellers 4. Publicists

And almost all of them are well dressed.

There is the issue! I am from Maine…. Okay, I live in Northern Maine. How northern? When people from Glamour Magazine came up here to do a photo shoot with Megan Kelley Hall and myself (for our Dear Bully anthology) they made us DRESS IN LL BEAN CLOTHES!!!!!

Yes, even Glamour knew that it is not glamorous up here.

Sigh.

Megan still looked good. Me? The hair stylist/make-up person kept complaining about my hair, and how my nose turned red in the cold, and I felt so badly for her because she was used to super models or My Little Pony (really – she was the stylist for My Little Pony) and then she got stuck with me.

Anyway, I was thinking about BEA and authors who are always beautiful and poised and funny and lovely. And I have decided I need to somehow magically channel these authors at BEA so I don’t look like a hick from Maine or like, you know, I’ve never actually interacted with other actual human beings before.

But pretty much everything in my wardrobe has paint stains on it, holes, or long white dog fur.

She always blames me. There are lint rollers out there for a reason. Geesh.

I basically come across as either an eccentric old-money professor or homeless.

You may think I have no reason to be panicky, but I’m going to repost what happened to me the last time I went to BEA, and maybe you’ll understand.

ONCE AGAIN FOR THOSE WHO MISSED IT BEFORE – HERE IS THE HORRIBLE INCIDENT OF ME AT BEA LAST TIME (Taken from the original blog post of horror): So, yep, I had my skirt fall off (YES! PAST MY KNEES!) when I got out of the taxi today! Oh, Britney…oh Lindsey…oh Paris… I so feel your pain. Fortunately, there were no paparrazzi, just my cab driver (His eyes got really big) and a father with his eight-year-old son (WHO WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!). They were standing right there, waiting for the taxi. The little boy gasped! GASPED!!!! I have marred him for life.

I then realized I should not be let out of Maine.

So I started yanking my skirt up with my hand while trying to: a. Pay taxi driver guy b. not die c. juggle three massive bags full of ARCS d. not worry about that little boy’s therapy bills.

It was then that I realized that hotel security cameras probably totally caught the skirt fall action.

I thanked God (and pretty much every potential deity in existence) that I am not famous and therefore not worthy enough to have the skirt DISASTER image blasted all over the internet.

I then hid in the hotel room, vowing never to come out again.

So, yeah. I don’t want that to happen again.

If you would like to see me in unsuitable clothes, check out the Lerner Booth on Friday, June 1 from 11:30 to noon. I’ll be there with a spy who was also a catcher. 🙂

WRITING NEWS

Yep, it’s the part of the blog where I talk about my books and projects because I am a writer for a living, which means I need people to review and buy my books or at least spread the word about them.

I’m super good at public image and marketing for nonprofits but I have a much harder time with marketing myself.

So, please buy one of my books. 🙂 The links about them are all up there in the header on top of the page on my website carriejonesbooks.blog . There are young adult series, middle grade fantasy series, stand-alones for young adults and even picture book biographies.

Time Stoppers

Flying

Moe Berg

Write! Submit! Support! Begins Again in July!

“It’s not easy to create a thriving writing career in the children’s industry, but what if you didn’t have to do it alone? Write. Submit. Support is a six-month program designed by author and Writing Barn Founder Bethany Hegedus. Classes are led by top creatives in the children’s industry field; they’ll give you the tips and tools you need to take both your manuscripts and your developing career to the next level. Think of it as an MFA in craft with a certificate in discovering (or recovering) your writer joy! – Writing Barn “

And more about the class I specifically teach? It is right here.

Here is what current students are saying:

Carrie is all strengths. Seriously. She’s compassionate, funny, zesty, zany, insightful, honest, nurturing, sharp, and…Wow, that’s a lot of adjectives. But really, I couldn’t praise Carrie enough as a mentor. I’ve long respected her writing, but being talented at something doesn’t automatically mean you will be a great mentor. Carrie just happens to be one of those rare cases of extreme talent and excellent coaching. Aside from the specific feedback she offers, she also writes letters in response to the process letter and analyses. These letters have been so impactful for me as I writer that I plan to print them and hang them up. Creepy? Maybe. But they are so inspiring. And that, in the most long-winded way possible, is how I would summarize Carrie as a mentor—inspiring.

Dogs Are Smarter Than People

And finally, the podcast DOGS ARE SMARTER THAN PEOPLE is still chugging along. Thanks to all of you who keep listening to our weirdness. We’re sorry we laugh so much… sort of.

Look, Mom! It’s a podcast.

Book Expo America is Coming and I have Nothing to Wear So, I have to go to Book Expo America at the end of this week. If you are not some official publishing person you’re probably like, “What is Book Expo America?” It’s this big huge massive (insert another large-sounding adjective here) industry thing where there are:

#amwriting #bea #bookexpoamerica #carriejones #maine #maineauthors #maineclothes #moeberg #writerinsecurity #writertravel #writinglife

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