Tariq

A/N: Hey everyone! As you've probably figured from the title of this chapter, you know what's coming in this update and the next one. I want to thank everyone who's read so far, everyone who reviewed, and everyone who's followed me through this crazy journey through Drake's mind. You've all filled my heart with joy and motivate me to keep writing every single day.

With all that said, on with the chapter! I hope you enjoy!

After the most horribly boring U.N party, I was in my room, in the middle of hanging my tux, when my phone beeped. I looked it over to find a text from Myers on the group chat: "911! SOS! Meeting in my room stat!"

I put on my shirt and shut the door to my room and jogging down the hall to take the elevator up to Myers' floor. I knocked on her door, and she opened it, giving me a quick one armed hug. Maxwell and Hana were already inside.

"Thanks for coming, guys." Myers ushered me into her room. "Maxwell?"

"Right! So, tomorrow night is Liam and Madeleine's wedding shower, but I think I have enough information to narrow down Tariq's whereabouts."

Hana and I looked at each other, mouths slightly open.

Myers stepped up. "We're taking the red eye to LA tomorrow morning, at 4 a.m. to be exact. But… I want you guys with me on this. I… really need my friends with me tomorrow." Myers' looked at us with a pleading look in her eyes.

"Oh, Milla, of course we'll go with you!" Hanna stepped up to hug, and Myers breathed a sigh of relief. "After everything you've done for us, we won't leave to to do this on your own."

"Yeah, we got your back, Myers. 100%." I told her.

"Thanks, guys! You're the best." Myers opened her arms, and Maxwell wrapped both of his arms around her and Hana. I rubbed the back of my neck, until… "Drake, get in here!"

I rolled my eyes. "Fine." I moved to hug them all, before stepping back. "Ok… we should go. Get some sleep while we can."

"Yes, you should. We meet at the lobby at 3:30 tomorrow."

The next morning, my alarm woke me and Maxwell up at 3 am. After quickly getting dressed, Maxwell went to get Bertrand and Hana, while I went to get Myers. She opened the door, wearing a comfy looking grey sweater and some torn jeans, and smiled nervously at me. We both knew this was it… After this… well, we'll see.

"Hey. Ready to go?"

She nodded resolutely. "So ready."

"Let's go, then."

"Wait!" Myers looked at me with uncertainty, cupping my neck and before pulling in, assaulting my mouth with hers. I answered her desperate kiss immediately, pushing her up against her door, before we both pulled apart, breathless. Myers grinned at me, pressing her forehead against mine. "I needed a kiss for good luck."

I shook my head, grinning. "You'll be the death of me, Myers. Come on, let's go."

We met up with Maxwell and Hana in the lobby, as Bertrand arranged a car to take us to the airport at the concierge's desk. I tensed immediately, but Myers gripped my hand. I looked down to find her eyes pleading with me. Please… not now…

I nodded once, and she visibly relaxed, squeezing my hand gratefully before letting go.

Bertrand walked towards us, his eyes widening as he saw me, before grimacing and looking down at the floor. He took a deep breath, stood tall and walked towards us. "Very well. King Liam will not be accompanying you, but he has facilitated the use of the royal jet. It will be waiting for you as you reach the airport. The car is waiting outfront, and you should be at the airport in 20 minutes."

"Thank you, Bertrand." Myers moved to hug him, and he returned the hug warmly.

"I wish you luck, Lady Camilla, though I know well enough you won't need it."

"Wait, you're not coming with us?"

Bertrand looked at me for a brief moment. "No, I am needed here. Someone has to represent House Beaumont while you go."

Myers nodded.

"Just know…" Bertrand continued, "I have complete and utter faith in you, and in you, Maxwell."

"Huh?" Maxwell's eyes widened.

"I know you have been working incessantly these last few days, and I know all your hard work will bear fruit. I trust you, Maxwell."

Maxwell moved to hug his brother with tears in his eyes, and Bertrand clapped him on the back briefly, before grasping him by the shoulders.

"Alright, you need to go, now. Good luck."

"Thanks, Bertrand… for everything." Myers pulled both Beaumonts in for a brief group hug, before stepping apart.

We made our way into the car and, just like Bertrand had said, we arrived at JFK in twenty minutes. After going through security, we made our way to the jet, Myers sitting next to me and grasping my hand as we took off.

"So this is it. All that time searching for Tariq and now we're on our way to find him."

"Maybe I should've asked Bastien to help out, come with us or something." Maxwell commented, fidgeting nervously with his fingers.

"No. I wanted people I trust here for this." Myers looked at each and everyone of us. "And that's all of you."

"I just hope we can get to Tariq quickly enough. There's not a lot of time for us to fly back to New York before the wedding shower..." Hana was also visibly nervous.

"Never fear!" Maxwell was ever the optimist. "We're gonna crack this case wide open!"

"And then I can give Tariq a piece of my mind." I practically spat out his name.

Myers squeezed my hand. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I think it's best if I talk to him. I have to convince him that making a statement to the press and setting the record straight is the only way to make things right."

I sighed. So I couldn't kill him or beat him up just yet, I thought wryly. "You will, Myers. You will."

The rest of the flight was spent in silence, the tension palpable. I thought about our flight to New York, that was filled with music and dancing and excitement, whereas this flight… this flight was all business and nervous energy. I was able to get some sleep, only to wake up a couple hours to find Myers awake and staring out the window.

"Myers," I whispered, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, "you should get some sleep."

"Can't… I'm too wound up."

"Myers… we have a lot of walking to do when we get to L.A. and we can't do that if you're asleep on your feet."

"I'll get some tea when we get to L.A. I'll be fine, don't worry. This isn't my first all-nighter."

"Myers…"

"Drake… I literally can't sleep…" She sighed. "I can't turn my mind off…"

"Aw, Myers…" I place my arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer to me.

Myers rested her head on my chest. "What if we don't find Tariq?"

"You can't think like that, Myers."

"I have to. I have to consider every option."

I sighed. "If we don't find Tariq… Liam will marry Madeleine. We have to find Tariq not just for you, but for him too."

"I… I'd feel terrible for Liam, because I know he doesn't love her, but… I think she would be a good Queen."

"Wait, what?"

"I've talked to her a little bit, and yes, she's cold and can be a horrible person sometimes… but when it comes down to it, she works really hard - almost incessantly - for the people of Cordonia… I think she'd make a good Queen."

Okay… if you say so…

"But, from a more selfish angle, what I meant was… what happens to me if we don't find Tariq?"

I hesitated, not really wanting to go down this road. "I guess… that would be up to you, Myers."

She bit her lip, and then looked up at me. "What if I wanted to leave Cordonia? Leave behind the court and all its games and politics?" A sudden, sharp pain hit my chest. It felt as if someone had pushed a small, yet very sharp pin prick directly to my heart. "Would you come back with me to New York?"

It felt like someone had thrown a bucket of ice cold water at me. "W-what?"

Myers sat up, sitting ramrod straight on her knees, looking at me. I sat up as well. "Would you come with me to New York?" She repeated.

"I, uh…" I didn't know what to say… was this really happening? If we didn't find Tariq… she wanted me to come with her to New York…

Myers pressed her lips in a thin line, and nodded disappointedly, looking at the floor. "I know it's asking a lot of you… to leave your home and your friends for a girl you've only known for a few months… Nevermind, let's just… hope we find Tariq today." She relaxed into her chair once more and resumed her staring out into space.

The pain in my chest tightened a little bit as I saw how dejected she looked. Now, I really did hope we found Tariq, so that she could stay in Cordonia and Liam wouldn't have to marry the Wicked Witch of the West. But if we didn't… could I really watch her leave and not follow? Could I really let her go, and go back to court as if nothing had happened? The answer came to me easily, as my eyes began to itch and water just at the thought of watching her walk away.

"Myers…"

"Hmm?" She didn't turn her head to look at me.

"If we don't find Tariq…" My heart beat thunderously in my chest. "We can figure out our next move… together."

She whipped her head around to look at me. "W-what?"

I grinned, my nerves and fears easing slightly. "I don't know about New York… but we can talk about our options. You might like my family's ranch in Texas, or Paris, where we'd be close to Savannah and Bartie… or, hey… maybe I might like New York, too."

In a flash, Myers wrapped her arms around my neck, and I found my face buried in her hair. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair.

"Thank you, Drake." Myers whispered. She sat back down, leaning on my chest again.

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Sleep."

Myers laughed ruefully. "I… I'll try…"

"That's good enough for me."

I laid my head on hers, my eyelids slowly drooping. I tried my hardest to stay awake, but I couldn't… the last thing I saw before my eyes closed was Myers, still looking out the window at the endless sky.

A couple hours, I woke up to the pilot's voice booming over the speakerphones, announcing the plane's descent. Myers sat up next to me, wide awake and alert. Maxwell yawned and stretched in his seat, and Hana rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Camilla…" she turned to Myers, "Are you ready for this? To face Tariq?"

Myers nodded once, resolute. "I'm ready for this to be over. I just want to put this chapter behind me so I can get on with my life."

"I know Liam couldn't make it, but just remember that you can lean on us. We'll be there the whole time."

"No way we're leaving you to face him alone, Myers."

"Yeah! Go, Team Camilla!"

Myers let out a breath, grinning. "Thanks, guys. You're the best team anyone could ask for."

We buckled our seat belt and soon, we touched down on the tarmac. Before getting off, Myers fished out a pair of sunglasses from her purse.

"Milla, I'm loving your incognito mode look." Maxwell commented. "Nice touch with the sunglasses. Wouldn't want the court or the press to know we're here."

Myers shrugged, grinning. "What can I say? This looks is comfy and stealthy."

Hana also put on some sunglasses, and just so we'd match, Maxwell bought two pairs for me and him at the airport. "We can't be spotted by paparazzi, Drake!" He said, practically throwing a pair of Ray Bans at me.

An hour and a long car ride through L.A. traffic — how was there so much traffic at only 7 a.m.?! — we arrived at Westwood. Maxwell's list of addresses was so long, but then Myers remembered the tip from Adelaide about the brand of shoes Tariq used, and Maxwell was able to cross out a bunch of addresses from his list, leaving only three!

Our first stop was a small place at an apartment complex. Maxwell knocked on the door, and a thin wispy guy came out. "Hello?"

"Hi!" Maxwell stepped up. "Any chance that you're hiding a fugitive nobleman? About this tall," Maxwell raised his hand a little bit over his head, "wears really minty cologne…"

The guy looked at all of us, stunned. "What is this? A cross between 'Princess Diaries' and 'Dog: the Bounty Hunter'? I've never met a noble in my life."

You just did, buddy. And yes, they're always this annoying.

"You're sure?" Maxwell pulled out his phone. "I could show you a picture of him. Or find a sample of his cologne!"

The poor guy shook his head, and began walking back slowly. "N-no, thanks. I'm good." He said nervously, before closing the door in our faces.

I groaned, facepalming myself.

"Off to a great start…"

We began walking away to the next address, and a couple of blocks down, we spotted a bunch of paparazzi. Myers fidgeted nervously, looping her arm through Hana's and they began walking a little faster. Maxwell and I also picked up our pace, and when we turned a corner, Maxwell ran to high five Myers. She only sighed in relief.

"It's like we were invisible!" He said, "See, Drake? I told you those sunglasses would come in handy!"

"Right…"

We got in a cab and headed down to Venice Beach. We walked along the boardwalk until we arrived at a condo.

Maxwell stepped up, but I placed a hand on his shoulder. I didn't want to let him scare whoever lived here with his… eccentricness. "Step aside, Maxwell. Let me handle this." I climbed the porch steps and rapped on the door with my knuckles. No answer. I knocked a little harder. "Hey! Anyone home?" I caught movement from the corner of my eyes, as an elderly man peeked out the window. I began knocking harder. "Open the door! We need to ask you some questions!"

I heard delicate heels on the porch steps, and felt a small hand on my shoulder. "Drake," Hana said, "you're coming on too strong." She pushed me back down the porch steps, and knocked politely on the door.

The elderly man opened the door, and Hana offered him a polite smile. He smiled kindly and ushered her in. Myers looked at me with laughter in her eyes, and a few moments later, Hana walked out, waving to the elderly man, a paper plate of homemade cookies in her hand. "The bad news is, no Tariq. The tenants said their son bought a bunch of suits for his job interviews." She grinned, "The good news is, they gave me cookies!"

Myers laughed. "Only you could walk away from a stranger's doorstep with a plate full of baked goods." Myers reached for a chocolate chip cookie.

"I have good news. We've only got one address left!" Maxwell cheered.

"Who knew gossip from Adelaide could come in handy?" Hana mused.

"Not me." I shrugged. "Nice work, Myers."

We all hurried down the pier, and Myers hailed a cab. Maxwell gave the driver the address and Myers told him to step on it. She was radiating nervous energy, fiddling with her fingers. As the driver pulled up to another building, Myers paid the driver and practically jumped out of the car before it stopped completely. We had to run to keep up with her. She ran inside, ignoring the building concierge completely.

"Miss! Miss! Who are you here to see? Miss! You can't go up there!" He called, as Myers pushed the elevator button repeatedly. It began making its slow descent from the 22nd floor.

"Hello, sir. Good morning to you." Hana stepped up to his desk. "We're on important Cordonian business." She told him. "We are looking for a missing person, and we'd appreciate your cooperation." Hana beamed at the concierge, and he nodded and let us go, without threatening to call the police.

Near the elevator, however, Myers grew frustrated and decided to take the stairs. "Maxwell, what floor is it?"

"Uh… the eighteenth."

"Come on, let's go." She turned, running up the stairs of the fire escape.

"Myers," I called. "Myers, wait!"

"What?!" She was already halfway up the stairs to the second floor.

I ran up to her and grabbed her arm. "Myers, slow down!" I pulled her closer and wrapped her in a hug. I could feel her heart beating against my chest, through our clothing. I ran my hands down her back soothingly, as her breathing calmed. "Easy… breathe."

"We're so close, Drake."

"I know, Myers… but you need to stay calm… okay?"

Myers breathed deeply. "Okay…"

"Elevator's here!" Maxwell shouted.

I took Myers' hand and led her down the stairs and onto the elevator. Maxwell pressed the button for the 18th floor, and Myers held onto my hand with a vice grip.

The elevator pinged, and the doors opened to a long, well lit hallway. "Maxwell… what apartment is it?"

"1807."

Myers walked purposely to the apartment door, and stopped in front of it. She raised her hand, poised to knock… and froze. "The point of no return…" She whispered.

Hana stepped up and squeezed her shoulder.

She knocked.

We all waited with bated breath for the door to open, the seconds ticking by painfully slow. Time seemed to slow, as the door was opened and…

"Lady Camilla…" Tariq was standing in front of us, in the flesh, gaping at us with his mouth open.

Myers took off her sunglasses, placing them over her head. Her jaw dropped slightly and her chest was heaving with emotion. For a second they just stared at each other, until… In a blur, Myers' palm connected with the side of Tariq's face, too fast for us to see. The very audible smack made us jump, reverberating through the silent hallway.

"Aah!" Tariq yelped, as Myers gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

"I'm sorry! Tariq, I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me!"

"Myers! You're apologizing to him?" I walked to stand next to her. Seriously?

Tariq rubbed his jaw gingerly. "Drake is right, Lady Camilla. Don't apologize. I… I fear I deserved that." He stepped aside. "Please come in."

We all walked inside the apartment, and Tariq closed the door. "Well, um… May I offer you anything? My accommodations are a bit paltry, but I can grab us refreshments or—"

"Cut the chit-chat." I told him. "We're only here for one thing." I glowered at him, barely able to contain the urge to beat his ass up.

I felt Myers' hand on my shoulder. "That's right. We're here for an apology."

Tariq sighed, looking at the floor dejectedly. "I certainly owe you one, Lady Camilla. Many, in fact. Although I admit that I'm startled you would even deign to look at me after…" His eyes flitted to me, "after what my actions have put you through."

"Tariq… why did you run away?" Myers asked.

"I believed my flight from court was necessary, to protect both you and Cordonia from the repercussions of my shameful choices."

Oh, really? To protect Myers from the repercussions of your actions? I started getting worked up. Myers has been dealing with those repercussions with her head held high, while you were out here hiding like a rat! She's been chewed up and spit out by the international press, her name dragged through the mud, while you were here, busy shopping for expensive suits.

"I… I can see now that I was wrong in doing so. But I swear that my intention was only to spare you any further harm." He stepped closer to her.

How dare he step closer to her?! How can he even look her in the eye right now?! I stepped next to Myers, leveling him with a glare. Don't you dare come any closer.

"Lady Camilla, I would never have left, had I known what it would mean for you. I assumed you would be taken care of… That you wouldn't be hurt. It seemed best to just… disappear."

"You're a coward." Myers told him. I was happy to see she wasn't going to be so forgiving this time. About time…

Tariq looked down at the floor shamefully. "I… I wish I could protest, but you're right. Everything that I have done with respect to you and your circumstances has been cowardly."

Myers sighed. "Tariq… I came here today to ask you to undo the damage that you had a hand in causing." His eyes widened. "Make a statement to the press… Tell the truth about what happened that night at Applewood Manor."

"It's the least you can do to make up for all of this." Hana added.

"Lady Camilla, there is nothing I desire more than to atone for what I've done, but… I wonder if this is the best path forward…"

Seriously? Ugh, I wanted to kill him! After everything, he was still too scared to face everything, to face the consequences of his actions. "Are you questioning Myers' judgement? That's pretty rich coming from you."

"Yeah, you should probably defer to Camilla on this one." Maxwell said, frowning. I could tell this was probably hard for him. I know at some point, he had considered Tariq to be his friend.

"Tariq… It's time to tell the truth." Myers told him. "You owe me that, at least."

"The very least." I told him. If we were anywhere else, she could've easily pressed assault and diffamation charges. And in other countries what he owed her were 2 - 5 years in prison.

"I… You're right. This calamity has gone unaddressed for far too long."

"So you'll do it? You'll make the statement?" Hana asked him wide eyed.

"I will." He nodded. "I'll need some time to prepare my finest clothes, but—"

"No time. You have to come with us now." Myers ordered.

"What? B-but I need to look my best for a public appearance."

I rolled my eyes. You don't get it, do you? This is not up for discussion.

"Madeleine and Liam's wedding shower is tonight. If we wait too long, there'll be no stopping the wedding."

"I… I see." He sighed. "I suppose there's no time like the present. I'll follow your lead, Lady Camilla." He nodded decisively, straightening his suit.

Myers nodded once, and turned to us. "Let's go."

After a very long ride back to LAX, we were finally all settled on the jet, back to New York. If I thought last night's flight was tense… this one definitely took the cake. After about half an hour of silence, and scrutiny — and me glaring at him — Tariq asked if he could freshen up. Myers nodded, and he practically ran to the back of the jet.

As soon as he was gone, Maxwell beat his fists on the armrest of his seat excitedly. "You did it, Milla! You found him!"

Myers gave him a small, indulgent smile. "We found him." She sighed. "Though we're not out of the woods just yet. We still have to get his statement out there."

"Still, this is worth celebrating." Hana told her. "How do you feel?"

"I feel…" Myers bit her lip, her lips quirking into a smile she failed to stop. "Liberated. I'm finally going to be free from this plot… free to live my life again." Her eyes met mine, an undercurrent of electricity between us, as if we were the only people in the room. Her smile softened, and she shook her head, as if to get out of a daze. "But most of all, I feel thankful for all of you… for my friends. I could never have done this alone."

"It was nothing, Myers." I told her.

"You would have done the same for any of us." Hana added.

"Besides, I have to put my master detective skills to work somehow." Maxwell grinned. "Use 'em or lose 'em, you know?"

"Of course." Myers nodded, winking at him.

Tariq came back out, and gingerly sat in his seat. The tension in the atmosphere seemed to spike up again, and everyone settled in for the rest of the flight. Maxwell and Hana tried to catch up on some sleep, while Tariq alternated between tapping his foot nervously on the floor and shooting Myers nervous looks.

I turned to Myers, whose eyes were becoming red rimmed as exhaustion began to catch up with her. "Myers… try to get some sleep."

She chuckled ruefully. "Drake... " Then, she shook her head. "Okay. I'll try."

I got the feeling she'd only said that so that I would stop fussing over her, but after I returned to my seat, I caught her actually closing her eyes and relaxing in her chair. With that sight in mind, I turned to do the same in my seat, but I couldn't. I couldn't sleep if Tariq was in the same room, in the same space as her. And so, I just… waited for the time to go by, until we finally touched down in New York.

Maxwell had called Bertrand before we got on the flight back, so by the time we arrived at the airport, Bertrand had already sent a car for us. We climbed in and in a matter of minutes, we were back at the hotel. Myers led us all to her room, where Bertrand and her press secretary were waiting for us.

Tariq shuffled nervously inside, his eyes darting to every corner of the room. He reminded me of a deer in the headlights. Bertrand stood stoically in front of us, looking down at Tariq, while Myers' press secretary looked at him curiously.

"So, you're the reason I have a job." Justin commented.

Tariq looked at all of us. "Err… who is this man?"

"I'm Lady Camilla's damage control. In other words, her press secretary."

"Oh."

"Now, I just made a deal with the devil to get us half an hour with a sound stage and some cameras on such short notice." He turned to brief Myers and Bertrand. "If we hurry, I can get a rebate on my soul, and we can get this statement out before the end of the wedding shower."

"Wait." Bertrand said, looking a little appalled. "You can't simply release it to the press. The court must hear Tariq's statement, of course, but consider how it will look for the royal family if this goes public in the middle of the wedding shower."

"King Liam and Madeleine throw a party to celebrate their wedding with the whole court there, and then…" Hana looked at me, both of us thinking the same thing.

"When the statement drops, the press and the court will run with it. They'll assume the wedding's not happening." Because they all know that the only reason Liam picked Madeline is because Lady Camilla became… ineligible.

"And that's a good thing." Justin told us, his eyes widening slightly and his eyebrows shooting up, looking at us all as if we were stupid. "If we want to restore Camilla's reputation, we need to make a bigger splash than those photos did at the Coronation Ball." He scowled suddenly. "This is our chance to send a message so powerful that no one can question Camilla's innocence."

Either he's really passionate about this, or… I don't know. There was something about this guy that didn't sit right with me. And knowing Myers… Myers was actually a decent person… she wouldn't want to hurt anyone, even if it would benefit her in the end. "Hold up." I told him. "I think this is Myers' call to make."

We all turned to Myers, whose eyes were narrowed as she weighed her options. "Justin, once you record the statement… send it to me. I want to talk to Liam and Madeleine before it goes public."

I knew it. I honestly wasn't surprised at all. She would never humiliate another person like she was humiliated — even if said person was the Wicked Witch of the West.

"I think that's a good call." Maxwell supported her.

Justin's eyebrows shot up to his forehead, looking at her as if to say 'how dare you disagree with me?' "As your resident PR expert, I have to disagree. The sooner we get the word out, the better. Don't give Madeleine a chance to spin this." He pressed.

"Even she won't be able to do much about a public statement from Tariq." Hana told him.

"I really—"

"Enough." Bertrand said quietly, but his tone was so commanding, so in charge, that even I found myself standing a little straighter. "I hired you to assist Camilla, and she has made her preference quite clear."

Justin bit his lip, and we could all see how frustrated he was, but in just one second, he smiled and turned back to his easy going attitude. The sudden change made me uneasy. "Understood. You're the boss, boss." He said good naturedly, before turning to Tariq. "Tariq, follow me. We've got an appointment to keep."

He began shuffling Tariq out of the room, and I looked at them and shook my head. As they walked away, all the day's — and night's — exhaustion seemed to envelop me, creeping up on my bones. I yawned. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I need some sleep before we go to this shower."

"Yeah. My eyelids feel like they weigh a hundred pounds."

"While these two cope with their lack of sleep, I must make a few phone calls." Bertrand said, excusing himself.

"Will you be okay, Myers?" I asked.

Myers smiled at me tenderly. "I'll be fine. Go get some sleep."

I nodded and we said our goodbyes to the girls, before walking to our room. As soon as Maxwell opened our door, we both collapsed on our beds. My eyelids fluttered shut and soon, I was fast asleep.

I woke up hours later, with Maxwell shoving me awake. He was already dressed for the party, but his hair was still wet. "Drake. Wake up."

I sat up. "I'm up. I'm up." I couldn't hold back a yawn. "What time is it?"

"Five thirty. You have half an hour to shower and get dressed, and we'll go down together."

"You're not going to get Myers?"

"She's out with Hana. I texted her and she said she'd meet us there."

"Okay. Where is it, anyway?"

"Right here in the hotel. In the Grand Ballroom." He told me.

"Oh. That's convenient."

"Yeah, so…" He gave me a pointed look. "Go!"

"Oh, right." I jumped off the bed, and went to the bathroom. After a lightspeed shower, I donned the tux Maxwell got me, and we made our way downstairs.

Both our jaws fell open at the sight of the opulent ballroom. Everything was decorated to perfection, elegant crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, sheer veils draped on the walls, massive bouquets in every table. There was a giant portrait of Liam and Madeleine near a table on the entryway, over a giant table where guests were expected to drop off gifts for the 'happy' couple. Almost all of the court was already there, but as I looked around, I didn't see Myers anywhere.

"What do we do?" I asked Maxwell.

He shrugged. "We can't really do anything until Milla and Hana get here. Let's just… try to blend in." He whispered, leading me to the bar. I ordered a glass of whiskey, while Maxwell ordered a cocktail. We kept an eye out for Myers, and Maxwell leaned in to whisper, "Hey, Drake… I just realized this is all going to be over today."

"You just realized that?"

"Yeah! And I'm thinking we should do something to celebrate! We all have a free day tomorrow! We could go to Coney Island!" He grinned excitedly.

I remembered Myers hated roller coasters. "Is this for you or for Myers?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"For Milla, duh!" He hesitated, "And for all of us! We can't come to the States and not go! I wanted to go there since I was a kid and I read the adventures of Tom Sawyer!"

"Wasn't it Huckleberry Finn?" I asked.

"Whatever! We should go!"

"We'll see." I told him, nodding to Hana, who was making her way over to us.

"Hey, Hana. Where's Milla?" Maxwell asked her.

"I thought she'd be here by now. We got here about twenty minutes ago. I did her makeup and then went to my room to get changed."

I kept looking around the room, when I spotted her having a quiet, but heated, discussion with Madeleine. "There she is. She's talking to Madeleine." I watched as Myers pulled her phone out of her clutch and showed it to Madeleine. It was probably Tariq's statement. It should be done by now.

We all watched as Madeleine's eyes widened, her face visibly softening as Myers put her phone away. They exchanged a few more words, before Madeleine made her way to the stage. She tapped a spoon against her champagne flute.

"Ladies and gentlemen! If I may have your attention, please..." The murmurs and conversation in the room slowly quieted, as every person turned to look at her. "I'm afraid we'll have to—"

Maxwell's phone buzzed. Then mine, Hana's… and as I looked around I noticed a lot of other nobles turning or reaching to take out their phones. After what happened at the Coronation, a deep sense of dread settled at the pit of my stomach, even though I knew it was probably the statement from Tariq. We all looked at each other, and at Myers panicked expression, and we made our way over to her.

"No… Is that—" She looked at us frantically.

"You told Justin not to release Tariq's statement to the press… right?"

"Yeah…"

"Weeeeeeell, I don't know what happened, but…" Maxwell winced, showing us his phone. The article read 'Flirtatious Photos or Midnight Mix-up?', and Maxwell pressed the video embedded into it.

As Tariq came on screen, a tidal wave of murmurs and whispers grew in the ballroom. He fumbled with his notecard, and after dropping it, he just stepped up to the podium and cleared his throat. I rolled my eyes.

He stuttered as he introduced himself, obviously nervous, before taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, trying to project pure confidence. He frowned at the cameras. "I am here to make a statement regarding the photos of myself and Lady Camilla Myers." He paused for effect, "Many rumors have circulated about her since those photos came to light. I regret not coming forward sooner to corroborate the truth of what happened. And I regret, even more deeply, intruding upon Lady Camilla in the first place."

He crossed his arms behind his back, jutting his chest out. "It was a misunderstanding that led me to her room that night, mistaking it for my own. The photos that were taken of us reveal only this: a breach of privacy that I alone was responsible for…" His face contorted with shame, "And an arrogant and unwanted advance on my part."

Murmurs once again arose from the crowd, gasps of shock and whispers of conversation.

"Nothing untoward ever happened between us… at least, nothing on Lady Camilla's part. Lady Camilla, I offer my sincerest apologies for what I did that night. I hope this message begins to make amends for the harm I have done. As for the members of the Cordonian court, I hope this will put an end to any unkind speculation about Lady Camilla on your part. Thank you for your time." He nodded and stepped back as reporters shouted a flurry of questions, and the video cut there.

There was a second of silence, before the whole room erupted into excited chatter. Nobles looked to Camilla, nodding their respect, and she merely met their eyes and nodded back.

Up on stage, Madeleine cleared her throat."That was… quite illuminating. As I've said before, the press has treated Lady Camilla incredibly unfairly since this whole business began. On behalf of myself and King Liam, I would like to congratulate her on clearing her name." She smiled sweetly at Myers, whose face was carefully neutral.

Liam stepped up on stage, and she moved to take his hand, but he merely shot her an apologetic look and stepped up to the mic. "Countess Madeleine is right. I believe apologies are in order from all those who have been anything less than welcoming to Lady Camilla since the Coronation Ball. I propose a toast…" He raised his glass, giving Myers a beaming smile, "to Lady Camilla Myers."

"To Lady Camilla." I toasted, even though Myers looked absolutely mortified.

She smiled slightly and nodded her thanks.

"As for the rest of this evening… I hope you all enjoy the food and drink we have provided." Liam and Madeleine stepped off the stage, as the crowd clapped.

Out of nowhere, Justin came running to Myers. "Camilla! I got here as fast as I could."

Myers took a deep breath, gathering her patience. "I told you not to release Tariq's statement…" She pursed her lips as Justin lowered his head. "I'm waiting for an explanation…"

"Yeah, I'd want one too if I were you. Some wannabe reporter spotted Tariq when I was getting him to the soundstage. She followed us inside and got footage of the whole thing. I'm sorry. I should've been more careful."

Myers shook her head and sighed. "Well… There's nothing we can do about it now. It's on the internet forever."

"I'll take extra precautions next time you give me a sensitive job. I swear. I better, umm… leave you to your company."

Myers nodded, and Justin left, walking away with his head down and shoulders slumped. Poor Myers barely had a chance to breathe before the Wicked Witch of the West stomped her way over to us. Her eyes were livid, and she whispered furiously. "What was the meaning of that? Did you warn me just so you could dash my hopes of preserving some dignity?"

I almost stepped up, but Hana stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.

"The video wasn't supposed to go public yet." Myers told her, "I was just as surprised as you."

"You'll forgive me if I find that hard to believe." Madeleine laughed ruefully. "I suppose I should've known you wouldn't give up until you had what you wanted. Enjoy the satisfaction while it lasts, Camilla." She turned on her heel and walked away, with two royal guards following her.

Myers let out a sigh, closing her eyes. "Well, at least that's over with… Can we… can we get out of here?" She looked at us sadly.

I nodded. "Yeah. Come on, Myers. Let's get out of here before the press shows up to ask questions."

"Please."

We walked her back upstairs, and she opened her door. We all went inside her room, and Myers collapsed on her couch. Her phone buzzed nonstop. "Wanna get that?" I asked her.

Myers looked at the screen, smirking. "It's just texts from the guys. They saw the video too."

"Whoa, what guys? Milla, do you have friends besides us?" Maxwell collapsed next to her, clutching his chest in a look of faux hurt.

Myers and I rolled our eyes.

Hana smiled at him tenderly, as if he were a toddler, and said, "Maxwell, you really didn't think Milla had no other friends before us did you?"

Myers' phone began to buzz faster. She looked at the screen and picked it up. It was a video call and after a few moments, a middle aged man with graying hair and a blond woman appeared on the screen. "Dad! Wendy!"

"Hi, honey! Oh, we just saw that statement from that Tariq fellow in the news!" Wendy said.

"How are you doing, sweetie? Are you okay?" Her dad asked, clear concern in his voice.

Myers sighed, blinking back tears - though I couldn't tell if they were from emotion or exhaustion. "I'm okay. I'm just glad it's all finally over."

Her dad sighed.

"Oh, honey, it is…" Wendy told her tenderly, "and now you're free to decide what you'll do next."

"I really hope you're considering staying, honey. I don't want you going back to that place. Nothing good ever happened to you there." Her dad told her sternly.

Hana, Maxwell and I looked at each other.

"Victor!" We heard a slap. I held my chuckle as I realized Wendy had probably smacked Myers' dad on the shoulder or something. "It's Milla's choice. She's a grown woman, and you have to remember that!"

"Dad, I'm still thinking about it. Can we not talk about this now? I'm here with my friends."

Wendy shrieked. "Well, honey, say no more! Now don't be rude and introduce us! Where's Drake, is he there with you hon'? I want to meet him face to face."

I could feel the blood rushing to my face and up to my ears, flushing my face scarlett. Maxwell and Hana looked at me with a question in their eyes. Myers merely laughed. "Yeah, Wendy, he's here." She gestured with her hand for us to sit next to her. Maxwell and Hana stood up and moved behind the couch, leaving the space next to Myers for me. I shook my head — very subtle, guys — and sat down.

I saw as Wendy squealed, and Myers' dad stared at us patiently. "Dad, Wendy, this is—"

"No, let me guess. That beautiful young lady behind you is Hana, and big blue eyes over there is Maxwell."

"That's right!" Myers told her.

Hana nodded, a pretty blush on her cheeks. "Hello, Mr. Myers, Mrs. Myers."

"Just Wendy, dear."

"Hello, Hana. Nice to meet you." Myers' dad nodded.

"It's so nice to meet you! Camilla doesn't shut up about you. I think you just about beat Hailey for the BBF title." Wendy commented.

"Oh, thank you, Wendy."

Myers rolled her eyes. "Wendy! I can have two BFFs!"

"Of course, honey. Hailey in New York and Hana in Cordonia."

"What about me?" Maxwell asked eagerly.

"Oh, now you, Maxwell! Camilla has told me so much about you! She says your parties are legendary."

"Aww, Milla!" Maxwell hugged her briefly from behind the couch.

"Honey, I expect a full blown Beaumont Bash if you ever visit us here in Jersey."

"I'll fly you out to Cordonia for the next one." Maxwell winked at her.

"Oh, I like you." Wendy laughed, a deep rich laugh, before finally turning to me. Her eyes softened slightly as she looked at me, and she grinned like the cat who swallowed the canary. "And you must be the famous Drake Walker."

"H-hello again, Wendy, Mr. Myers." I nodded nervously.

Her dad started at me, his gaze almost scrutinizing, but I didn't know if it was just me or if he really was sizing me up. "Drake." He said simply.

"Oh, honey, he's so handsome!" Wendy exclaimed.

I heard Maxwell guffaw behind me, and Hana laugh lightly. Myers eyes widened, flushing. "Wendy!" She yelled, mortified.

I couldn't help but blush.

"What?" Wendy rolled her eyes, as Myers' dad shot her a pointed look. "Oh, don't you look at me like that. I'm just stating the facts. Anyway, Drake, it's very nice to finally meet you face to face."

"Uh, yeah. You too, Wendy."

"Milla told us what you did that night when the pictures were taken. I just wanted to say thank you, from the bottom of our hearts." Wendy looked at me tenderly.

"Oh, really, it was nothing." I said nervously.

"No, it wasn't. Thank you, Drake, for being there for Milla." Her father spoke up again, a world of meaning in his gaze.

I nodded. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat, sir."

He nodded, satisfied, and I felt warmth flood my chest. I felt like I'd passed some kind of test, and was able to relax a little bit.

"That's Drake! He's like the superman of our group." Maxwell clapped me on the back, grinning at the camera.

"Yeah… I'm just glad that whole mess with the pictures is over now." Myers shook her head.

"It is. You have some big decisions to make, kiddo." Wendy gave her a pointed look. "Just let us know whatever it is you decide. You know we'll support you no matter what."

"I know." Myers gave her a soft smile.

"And if you decide to go back to Cordonia… well, I'm very glad you have such good friends over there to take care of you."

"Don't worry, Wendy, we'll take good care of her." Maxwell beamed at her. "My brother and I consider Camilla an honorary Beaumont, like our little sister."

"That's sweet of you, honey."

"As long as you don't make her change her last name…" Her dad muttered.

"I'll let you know what I decide." Myers told them.

"Alright baby. We should let you guys rest…" Her dad began.

"Or celebrate! Milla, you should take your friends out on the town! Celebrate your new freedom."

Myers sighed. "I would, Wendy, but… I haven't slept since yesterday, and I'm sure we're all pretty tired from all the flying and walking today."

Wendy shook her head. "Alright, baby. We'll let you rest. Good night, honey. Good night, kids!"

"Bye! Nice to meet you!" Maxwell yelled loud enough to hurt my ears.

"Good night, Mr. Myers, Mrs— I mean, Wendy!" Hana waved at the camera.

"Good night!" I said.

"It was great to meet all of you! Bye!"

"Bye, everyone. I love you, Milla." Her dad said.

"Love you too, Dad, Wendy. Bye!" Myers said, before hanging up.

We relaxed immediately, as Hana and Maxwell moved to sit back down.

"So, those are your parents, huh?" Maxwell asked her.

Myers nodded, lips pressed together. "Yup. That's Dad and Wendy."

"They were very nice." Hana commented.

"Oh, yeah, they're a hoot." Myers smiled, rolling her eyes, before turning to me. "Hey, I'm sorry if Wendy made you uncomfortable. She has a habit of just… blurting out the first thing that pops into her head."

I shook my head, my lips twitching into a small smile. "Don't worry about it, Myers."

"Hey, how did your parents know Drake?" Maxwell asked.

"Oh, Drake had actually talked to them once before." Myers told him. "He walked in on me talking to them in the kitchen once on speaker, and Wendy, being Wendy, asked to talk to him."

"Oh…"

"What a night." Hana commented, smiling as she sat in one of the sofas in Myers' room. Someone knocked on the door and I stood to get it.

Myers brought a hand to her face, rubbing the exhaustion from it, "I can't believe it's finally over."

"Nor can I." Liam told her from the doorway.

"Liam!" Myers grinned and stood to hug him. He wrapped her in her arms, before letting her go. I tried very hard to fight the small, teeny tiny twinge of jealousy.

"I had a feeling you all would come here. I came to see you as soon as I could."

"You literally just missed a video call with Milla's parents." Maxwell told him.

"Oh, well… maybe some other time." He turned back to Myers. "You've done it, Camilla. My father put you through so much, and now, after so long… you're finally free of what he did. And what Tariq did. I can only imagine how you're feeling."

Myers sighed, leading us all back to the couch. "More than anything, I feel relieved. I've spent so long with plots and schemes hanging over my head that a part of me can't believe it's finally over. It feels good to be done with it all."

"I knew you would find your way through, Camilla. I'm only sorry you had to endure so much to get there." He gave her this look that was pure longing.

"Now that you're in the clear, this calls for a celebration!" Maxwell was practically jumping.

"Tomorrow?" Myers asked wearily.

"Tomorrow." He nodded.

"What did you have in mind?"

"What has amazing fried foods, carnival games, and crazy rides?"

"It's Coney Island. He wants to go to Coney Island." I told them, rolling my eyes.

"I see…" Myers smirked at Maxwell.

"Yep! You. Us. Tomorrow afternoon. Liam can come too if he wants."

"An excellent idea." Liam told him. "I might have more to deal with tonight, but I believe I could get away tomorrow… I've heard the view from the top of the Ferris wheel is not to be missed." He gave Myers a pointed look, to which she fidgeted, laughing uncomfortably.

"Right…" Her eyes darted to me, before turning back to Maxwell. "I'll be there."

"3 o'clock tomorrow, then. Don't be late!"

I rolled my eyes. "She's the whole reason we're going there, Maxwell. We're not going to leave without her."

"Don't worry. I wouldn't miss a second of it."

"Great!"

Myers tried to cover a huge yawn with her hand, but we still saw it.

"You must be tired." Liam said, standing. "We'll let you rest." He moved to take her head in his hands and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

The corner of Myers' lips twitched in an awkward smile and she stood up. "Thanks." Her eyes darted to me, trying to gauge my reaction. I shook my head, trying not to let it bother me.

"Night, Milla." Maxwell pulled her into a hug.

"Night, for everything." She told him, letting him go.

"Don't mention it."

Hana also moved to hug her. Myers groaned as she pulled her tight. "Good night, BFF!"

Myers laughed. "You can just say bestie, Hana."

"Ok, good night, bestie!"

"Night."

Myers finally turned to me, and I nodded. "Night, Myers."

Despite everyone watching, Myers pulled me into a hug. "Good night, Drake. Thanks for coming with me today."

I rolled my eyes, as I awkwardly patted her back. "Yeah… no problem." The hug would have probably been less awkward if everyone else wasn't staring at us. She let me go and stepped back, as I went to the door, where all of our friends were waiting. I closed the door as everyone yelled "good night!" once more, so Myers could finally get to sleep.

As we turned the hallway, we all said our good nights and separated to our rooms. As soon as Maxwell opened the door, we both collapsed on the bed, and the last thing I remember was Maxwell already snoring.

The next morning I groaned awake as Maxwell gently prodded my shoulder. "Psst. Drake…" He whispered. I opened one eye, realizing it was light out, before closing it and covering my face with a pillow.

"What time is it?"

"Past noon."

I jolted awake. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah." Maxwell showed me his phone, where the time was displayed on the screen. 12:23.

Wow, okay… change previous statement to "I woke up the next afternoon."

Anyway, Maxwell was already bouncing with excitement. He kept shooting text on the group chat and I read as Liam and the girls answered. Liam was stuck in a meeting, and the girls both wanted to shower and get ready, so we made plans to meet downstairs for brunch. Happy with the arrangement, Maxwell began shooing me up and into the shower.

"Maxwell! Stop! I can shower by myself! Don't come in here!" I told him, as he pushed me with surprising strength to the bathroom. As I stepped across the threshold, I slammed the door in his face and stepped into the shower. After a quick scrub, I got dressed, deciding to wear the outfit Myers' picked out for me. I'd only worn it once, and… well, to be honest, I knew she liked it. Not that I wanted to impress her or anything…Okay, maybe a little.

"Whoa, look at you!" Maxwell commented. "Where'd you get the Henley shirt?"

"I bought it the other day when I went out with Myers." I said distractedly.

"Oh…"

"What?"

"Nothing…"

"Okay… let's go."

I shrugged and we took the elevator downstairs. We arrived at the hotel lobby, where the girls were already waiting for us. Myers was wearing a loose, simple black and gray striped halter top, some jeans and sneakers, and Hana… wow… Hana was actually wearing a pineapple crop top, and white, torn jeans. She'd done her hair up in a braided bun, and she looked… so pretty, but in like a normal way! She looked like a regular girl!

"Hana?" Maxwell was staring at her with his jaw hanging wide open.

"Yes?" She asked. "Hi, guys!"

"Doesn't she look gorgeous?" Myers grinned at us.

"Uh… yeah!" Maxwell told her.

I elbowed him. "Close your mouth, man." I told him, and he snapped it shut with an audible clack. "You look great, Hana."

"Hey! You're wearing the shirt!" Milla told me, doing a happy dance in place.

"Uh, yeah… I figured I didn't buy it just so it'd look pretty in my closet, you know?"

"Right…" She told me.

"You look great too, Drake." Hana told me.

"Thanks, Hana." I told her, looking around. The restaurant looked extremely fancy, and neither one of us was exactly dressed in black tie. "Where are we going to eat?"

"I was thinking we'd get to Coney Island and eat there." Myers looked around self consciously, obviously arriving at the same conclusion I had.

"Yeah, okay." I told her.

"So, right now, we're just waiting for Liam, and then we'll go." Hana said.

"I'm right here, Lady Hana." Liam walked up to us, wearing a black shirt with all our names written on it, and a pair of burgundy slacks.

"Whaaaaat?!" Maxwell looked at him, his jaw once again hanging open.

"Hey! You're also wearing the outfit I got you!" Myers grinned at him.

"Also?" He looked at all of us, noting my outfit and Hana's. "Ah. I see you have given all of us New York makeovers."

"No! Not all of us! I want in on the fun!" Maxwell complained.

"Aww, Maxwell…" Myers looked at him tenderly, "hey, how about we do this? There's plenty of stores in Coney Island… how about we pick something out for you when we get there?"

"Okay…"

"I promise I'll pick out something great for you, for a change."

Maxwell laughed, "Okay."

Liam's phone buzzed, and he looked down at the screen. "Our car is outside. Shall we go?"

"Yeah, let's go."

After about 30 minutes, we arrived at Coney Island, where we split up: Liam, Hana and I to get some food, and Myers and Maxwell to buy some clothes. We got some corn dogs, popcorn and nachos, and went to meet up with them. Maxwell came out of the store grinning from ear to ear, having changed his clothes to a muscle tee and some grey jeans.

"Where did you find a kraken necklace?" I asked, actually surprised.

Maxwell shrugged. "There were a whole bunch of animal necklaces inside."

"Maxwell, this is the coolest you've ever been." Myers high fived him. "And that's saying something."

"My arms feel so free. I think I've achieved peak fashion potential."

"You really can't do better than this." Myers nodded her agreement.

"Let's get this party started!" Maxwell clapped his hands together, and began leading us through the park.

Myers walked in step with me, reaching for the box of nachos in my hands. "Hey come on, Drake! You've gotta share!"

I tried to pull the box away playfully. "I bought these for me, Myers." I said, trying to hide them under my arm, lowering the box down to my hips. Myers playfully tried to tackle me, her arms coming around me to try to get to the nachos. It had been a long time since I heard her laugh so freely, and I couldn't help but join her. Her laughter was contagious. She climbed on my back, her arms desperately reaching for the nachos, and I held them just over her reach, until…

"I think you could let Camilla have some nachos, Drake. We are here to celebrate her, after all." Liam's tone was amused, but his face… his eyes were curious, almost studious, as he observed us. And I didn't miss that hint of annoyance in his eyes, and in the undercurrent of his voice.

Myers jumped back to the ground, giving me a triumphant look as I finally shared some of my nachos, but as soon as Liam turned around, her expression changed to worry. I shrugged, thinking maybe we shouldn't have been so obvious… but… were we obvious? We were just playing around… and not necessarily in a couple sort of way. Maybe we were too touchy feely? I shot Myers a questioning look, and she also shrugged, her eyes darting to Liam's back, before meeting mine again, one corner of her mouth downturned. Without a word, we both upped our pace to keep up with the gang.

"Foods, rides, games… is there anything you can't do in this place?" Hana asked.

"Nothing worth doing." I told her.

Myers smirked at me. "I should've known you'd like it here."

I rolled my eyes affectionately. "There's wholesome, greasy food in every corner, and nobody gives a damn about courtly etiquette. This place is a breath of fresh air."

"I must admit, this is all a new experience for me. I dreamed of sneaking off to visit a carnival or circus when I was young, but… I never had the opportunity." Liam told us.

"My parents didn't exactly make time for trips like this either." Hana added.

Myers moved to place an arm over each of their shoulders. "Well, we've got all day to give you the signature Coney Island experience!"

"Guys! We have to do this!" We all turned to find Maxwell yelling from a fortune teller's booth.

I scoffed. "Don't tell me you believe in that stuff." I told the guys as we walked to the booth. "No one can predict the future."

"Sounds like someone's afraid of what the future might have in store." Hana teased, meaning more than she let on.

I rolled my eyes, and the woman at the booth smiled sweetly as Myers, placing a single palm face up as a silent offering.

"She wants to read your palm!" Maxwell jumped on one foot to the other excitedly. "Tell her what you want to know!"

Myers' eyes met with the supposed psychic, before handing the woman her hand. "I want you to read my love line, please."

The woman nodded once, before bowing her head, tracing Myers' hand with her finger. She pursed her lips, eyes narrowed down on a particular line, before letting Myers go and scribble something on a note card. With pursed lips, she handed the note to Myers, before looking pointedly at me, for just one split second. I swear I felt chills…

"What does it say?" Liam asked eagerly.

"You will know true love, but only you can decide which path may follow. And before you and your lover are united, you will face many trials and tribulations." Myers groaned, and Hana actually shot me a worried look. So did Maxwell. My eyes widened, exasperated, before slightly shaking my head. "More of them? Seriously?" Myers complained.

"You've faced your share of tribulations already…" Liam told her worriedly.

"Me next!" Hana raised her hand in the air, as she stepped up to the booth.

Hana came back, happily believing whatever it was the woman had said - or written. I told her these people just tell you what they think you want to hear, but…

"Then I think you should give it a try, Mr. Skeptic." Myers dared me.

I shrugged, and marched up to the booth. I held out my hand to her, and she barely looked at it, before scribbling down a note. 'Your troubles hang over you like a cloud. You must let them go if you wish to see the sun.'

What a load of bullshit.

Myers was waiting to pounce on me when I walked back, and managed to sneak a peek of my note before I was able to crumple it up.

"That's what I'm talking about. Generic advice. She could've said that to anyone!"

Myers shook her head indulgently. "And yet, it fits you to a T."

After me, Liam gave it a try, his note just an elaborate play on words that could have infinite meanings. And finally, Maxwell, who according to this woman, should be dead. That… I could believe.

The psychic woman soon waved us away - after we paid her, of course - and we spent the rest of the afternoon touring the theme park. We raised bets on the high striker, tried all sort of different carnival foods, played against each other in a whole bunch of games… It was actually a very fun afternoon.

"Oh! If we hurry, we can watch the sun set from the top of the Ferris wheel!" Hana pointed to the gigantic wheel excitedly. She began dragging us to the Ferris wheel, and was very excited to see that the line for it was… very short.

"Drake, look!" Myers suddenly squealed, pointing to an arcade crane. "We should get a present for Bartie!" She turned back to the guys. "You guys go ahead, we'll catch up!"

"Are you sure?" Liam asked her, clearly wanting to ride the Ferris wheel with her.

Myers smiled innocently. "Of course. We'll catch up in a minute. I just want to see if I can get him that blue dragon."

"You are aware those machines are rigged, right?" He insisted.

"Oh, don't worry. My dad taught me a special trick to beat them. Go! Go!"

Liam smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Okay. We'll see you in a bit."

Myers began leading me to the claw oh so nonchalantly.

"What was that all about?" I asked, once we were a safe distance away.

Myers shrugged, not meeting my eyes.. "I… didn't want to ride the Ferris wheel with him. And…" She sighed, meeting my eyes this time, "I don't know, I feel like he expected me to ride with him. And any other day, I would've, but…" she bit her lip.

I couldn't help my lips twitching upwards. "I wanted to ride with you too, Myers." I rubbed the back of my neck. "I… was actually kind of bummed - I mean… I felt that he sort of claimed you for the Ferris wheel last night, with that comment on the view."

Myers sighed. "I felt it too. It was pretty uncomfortable. Anyway, I hate lying to him, but… we're going back to Cordonia soon, and who knows when we'll come back to Coney Island again, so-"

"Wait, so… you've thought about going back to Cordonia?" I had to stop myself from literally jumping with glee.

"Oh! Uh… yeah… I, uh… still haven't completely decided."

Oh… I swallowed a twinge of disappointment. "Well, it's nice to hear you're still considering it anyway."

We stopped before the claw, and Myers stuck a dollar in the slot. She confidently grabbed the handle, directing the claw just above a blue dragon plushie. She began making the tiny crane swing back and forth rapidly, before pushing the button for its descent. The crane began its way down slowly… before wrapping its claws around the plushie!

"And that is how it's done!" Myers told me, a cocky grin on her face. She bent down to pull out the plushie, dusted it off and handed it to me. "A present for Bartie and a convenient excuse for us to linger back long enough to catch a ride together." She giggled mischievously.

"You… must be some sort of evil genius." I told her, staring down at the plushie.

"Come on, let's go for a ride."

I chuckled. "Wouldn't miss it, Myers. But I call dibs on one of the cars that swings."

"Deal."

We walked back to the Ferris wheel, and paid the guy operating it, before climbing inside a car. The engine hummed as we began to move, ever so slowly making our way up. The sun had already begun to set, coloring the sky in different hues of orange, violet and blue. The view from up here was breathtaking.

"Wow. This is one hell of a view."

"Why am I not surprised you're into carnival rides?"

"You calling me predictable, Myers?"

"Yes, adorably so."

I felt the flush slowly coloring my cheeks. "... I'm choosing to take that as a compliment."

"You should."

I looked down, the view from here making the people on the ground seem like ants. "I think we're high enough to make things interesting. Let's give this car a shake."

"Ready if you are. One… two… three."

We moved, and the car shook a little too fast, jolting Myers into me. I wrapped my arms around her to steady her, and at that moment, I realized how close we were. I swallowed as my eyes darted to her lips, only a breath away.

Snap out of it!

"Easy there! You okay?"

Myers bit her lip, innocently batting her eyelashes. "I could be better… if you want to kiss me."

I brushed an errant strand of brown hair from her face, moving to cup her jaw. "I suppose while we're alone up here… I'd hate to miss my chance."

I felt Myers grin as our lips met in a hungry, almost desperate kiss. The cool ocean air combined with the smell of her hair, the combination heady and intoxicating, until all I could smell, taste and feel was Myers. I cupped the back of her neck and she moaned into my mouth, fisting her hands into the collar of my shirt. We finally broke apart, breathless. I chuckled. "I don't suppose we could stay up here forever?"

"If only…" Myers moved to sit next to me, resting her head on my shoulder. "But it looks like our time is up."

We looked to the horizon, the orange tinges almost completely overcome by the violet and dark blue hues. A second later, the wheel began moving again, making its way back down, where the guys were waiting for us.

"You got him the dragon!" Maxwell yelled excitedly when he saw it in my hands. "How'd you do it?"

"I told you, I know a little trick." Myers winked at him.

"Show me your ways, oh wise one!" Maxwell raised his arms over his head and bowed low before her. As he stood up, he looked around sadly. "I guess we should get going…"

We began walking back, and I couldn't stop myself from grinning, absently patting the stuffed dragon's head. This afternoon had been really fun, and I had to admit… I was pretty happy. After toasting the day with some cotton candy, we got into the limo and made our way back to the hotel.

I fell asleep as soon as I hit the pillow, never in a thousand years imagining all that would happen the next day.