Page 114 of Scarred Crown

“No bitterness there, I see.” Alex smirks.

“I’m done chasing after Nick’s friendship. He’ll come around when he’s ready.” I don’t try to hide my continued resentment. “I spent sixteen years trailing after him doing whatever he wanted. It’s nice to be independent. Free of him.”

“If that’s not actually how you feel—”

“It is how I feel.” I throw back my shoulders. “It’s really freeing to not have to wonder what Nick will think or feel about whatever I’m doing. I do what I want, when I want.”

Alex throws an arm around my shoulders and kisses the top of my head. “Miss independent.”

“I’m being serious, Alex.” I shrug him off and shoot him an annoyed look.

“Yes, I can see that.” He makes a mock serious face.

I shove his shoulder, and he laughs.

We’re in the food court, and people are staring. Whether the guards draw the attention or if it’s Alex himself, it’s hard to tell. Nick travels with two guards, and they’re always dressed in casual clothes to blend in. Alex’s guards are dressed like federal agents. There’s no blending with them.

“So, this is what it’s like to be famous,” I say. I’ve been on the edges of it before in Bellerive with the royal family, but I’ve never felt like everyone was staring at me quite so intensely before.

“How do you like it?” Alex scans the list of places to eat.

For a beat, I consider my response while I take in a few people’s questioning looks when they pass. “I have zero desire to bring this much scrutiny and pressure into my life.” That feels true.

“What if the person you marry is famous?” He doesn’t ask me what I want but instead heads toward one of the storefronts. “You’re in model and acting land around here.”

Here being California. Nick has already sampled his fair share of both, according to the gossip around campus.

“Nope. Not happening. A—I’m not getting married. And B—even if I did get married, which is incredibly unlikely—I’d never agree to marry a famous person. I don’t want your life or a life with anyone else remotely like yours.”

“You never seemed to mind being famous adjacent with Nick.” Alex scans the menu of the Chinese food place in front of us.

“You’re proving my point for me.” I read the menu and decide on chicken balls and rice. Chinese isn’t my favorite, but it’s not worth getting into a debate with Alex. He’s going to insist on paying, and I’m not dragging him to multiple places. “I know exactly what famous by association is like, and I can say I don’t want it with confidence.”

He gives me an assessing look before rattling off his order to the person behind the counter. The girl’s eyes widen at the sight of him, and his faint British accent. The two pieces together—his attractiveness coupled with his accent are definite panty droppers for at least fifty percent of my school’s population—possibly more. He’s also a prince, which if she realizes who he is, automatically elevates his hotness beyond the level of mere mortals.

“If you ever change your mind,” Alex says. “I’d be happy to make you my queen.”

“Yes, because I’d love to become your property.” I roll my eyes. “That’s all marriage is. Some archaic institution put in place to keep women down. If I ever say I’m getting married, question my sanity.” Even as I say the words, I’m not sure I believe them. But I know beyond a doubt I’ll never marry Alex. We get along better as friends, and he’s been surprisingly kind about my collapsed friendship with Nick.

“We tolerate each other well enough, and you know what the royal lifestyle entails,” Alex says, paying for our food.

I grab my tray and lead him to a table on the fringes of the crowd. There is no need to draw even more attention to ourselves. Most of the people on campus seem to have gotten used to Nick and his bodyguards, and I’m certain it’s the way Alex’s are dressed that’s drawing people to us like bees to a honeypot.

“I do know what the lifestyle entails.” I lean across the table so other people can’t overhear us. “Which is why I’m saying a big fat no, Alex.” I pick up my fork and spear a meatball. “Besides, I’m eighteen, you’re twenty-one. Neither of us is in a position to get married to anyone.”

“At some point, I’ll be expected to marry. It’s surprisingly difficult to get anyone to take me seriously.” Alex cuts into a piece of beef.

“If you’re going around asking multiple people to consider marrying you, that’s your problem right there.” I narrow my eyes.

“This is why I like talking to you. You don’t give a shit that I’m next in line to the Bellerive throne.” Alex chuckles and takes a bite.

At one time, it was impressive, but at some point during our make-out sessions, he became less of a mystery and more of a boy. Just a boy like any other boy.

“For the record, I am not going around proposing marriage to multiple teenage girls.”

“Ah. So you’re aiming for women then, instead?” I cock my head and take another bite.

“I’m not aiming for anyone. I suppose I’m cursing my level of fame a bit lately. Not nearly as famous as Nick, at this point. He seems to be making it his mission to be on every gossip magazine in every country.”