Syn

I tugged the black tie around my neck and tied it. I looked like I was going to a damn funeral, but that was how I felt. Like absolute shit. Maybe I had been too harsh...

The call I got was one that could've been ignored, but all I could think about was leaving. If she truly wanted me to stay she would've stopped me and a part of me wished she had, but maybe it was for the best.

I just couldn't believe it.

Of all things to accuse me of...

Cheating?

I was more likely to pledge my life and soul to God before I stepped out on her.

It wasn't who I was and she knew who I was.

Or at least I thought she did.

I was mad. Angry even but as soon as I left the store, memories of when I had assumed she had been unfaithful floated back into my mind. I had also assumed the worst. I felt like a hypocrite for the briefest moment until I realized it was years ago and I hadn't lied to her once.

If it happened back then I could understand it, we didn't know each other as well. But now? I could have sworn we were better than that.

I at least expected a text if not a call, but I hadn't even heard from her since I left. I had hardly heard from Paris besides a couple of messages saying they were alright.

I didn't even know if she was still coming with me tonight.

After the way we left things I had just figured she wouldn't, but looking at where assumptions got us today, I decided to send her a text. It was a shot in the dark, but at least this way there would be no confusion.

Syn: Are you still coming tonight? I'm leaving in fifteen minutes.
7:02 P.M.

I set my cell phone down, my eyes falling on the picture of her on her profile picture and I sighed. A notification popped up when she replied and I picked up my phone again.

Princess: Yes. I'm waiting downstairs when you're ready.
7:03 P.M.

There was that then.

Another notification at the top of my screen caught my attention and I clicked on it. It was an email from my credit card company. My eyes glazed over the contents of the notice and when I finished, I couldn't help the guilt that crept into my chest. A refund, in the amount of everything she spent today, was sent back to my account.

"Idiot," I whispered before tucking the phone into my pocket. None of it was about the money. I didn't give a shit what she bought. She didn't have to return it just because we got into an argument. I made a note in my head to buy it back tomorrow when I had that chance and then I hesitated.

You're mad at her, I had to remind myself.

And it wasn't even truly anger that I was feeling. It was just pain— anger was just the easier cop-out than admitting that I had given someone the power to hurt me so deeply over words. It was just words yet...shit.

I was better than this.

I'd been through worse.

I sighed and walked out of the bedroom. Here went nothing. I walked through the dark halls of the palace and made my way to the staircase. I could hear her heels— pacing like she did when she was nervous, and I took a deep breath. I walked down the steps and when I made it to the usually empty banquet hall, I halted.

Cream-colored balloons were tied to the mosaic windows, the same beige-colored streamers decorating the blood-red curtains. A large white banner that read 'I'm Sorry For Being an Idiot' hung in the middle of everything and Queen stood in front of it. When she saw me, she tripped over her heel for a moment before adjusting her dress and blowing on a small birthday-decorated party horn. She held her hands out to the banner and wiggled her fingers, giving me a nervous smile. "I'm sorry."

My eyes fell on the black short dress that adorned her body. Her hair was up, exposing her beautiful bronze skin and my eyes fell onto her chest. I hadn't looked further down yet, but I was sure the rest of her was just as captivating. She was beautiful as always, to my detriment because...how the hell was I supposed to stay mad?

When I still hadn't spoken, she grabbed a cream-colored bag and walked over to me. "This is for you."

Buying my love, Princess?

Cute. But it wasn't necessarily what I wanted from her. I just wanted her trust and honesty yet it seemed like that could only be bought in a currency that I didn't know or have. Nevertheless, I took the bag from her hand.

She looked up at me expectantly and I took out the decorative paper. "We don't have much time, you know," I reminded her.

"It won't take long." She gestured toward the bag again and I reached inside. When my hand connected with something furry, I furrowed my brows and pulled it out.

"A teddy bear," I said slowly, glancing at it. It was a brown bear wearing exactly what she was wearing right now.

"I wore this dress just because of the bear," she said and pointed to its hand. "Click the button."

I sighed and did as she said. When a smaller and skewed version of her voice began singing a song about being sorry, I had to stop my mouth from dropping.

I looked around the room, a couple of servants glancing at us as they carried on and I cleared my throat. When I looked back at her, she was lip-syncing with the bear, and a smile I was trying hard to hold back spread across my face. "This is actually pretty cool," I admitted as the song ended. "But I know you're sorry, Queen. I don't need—"

"There's more. Turn it around," she instructed me and I followed. "There's a zipper under the dress."

Oh?

I felt the back of the bear and just as she said, a zipper. I opened it slowly, glancing at her and when it was completely open, what looked like a checkbook peeked out. "What's this?"

"Take it out."

I pulled out the small book and tucked the bear under my arms. My eyes landed on the front as I exhaled deeply. I read, Queen's Apology Coupons written on the front. "Coupons?" I laughed a bit, glancing at her.

"Not just any coupons," she said. "Open it."

I opened it to the first tearable page.

Sex was in the middle. The page was pink, red, and black hearts decorating the page.

"Redeemable anywhere at any time. Multiple use allowed," I read. "No recordable expiration date. Really?" I looked at her.

She held her hands out. Go on.

Head.

Cuddling.

Massages.

All of them the same conditions and no set expiration date.

I passed by pages of other countless things until I landed on; Anal.

It was decorated the same as the others, but it was single-use. I laughed out loud at that one and Queen smiled. My chuckle, however, fell silent on the next one.

Apologies: Redeemable always. Infinite use.

Then the next.

The golden ticket, I read at the top, the cursive letters flowing into a golden trim that framed the rectangular paper.

Trust, in bold letters, was written in the middle.

Right under it in red letters it read:

Faulty Ticket (Vendor tends to get lost in her idiotic head and forgets that she knows you better than anyone.)

Redeemable always as she will never doubt you again.

No set expiration date because you've never given her a reason not to trust you and she knows you never will.

I read it all carefully before looking at her. Her eyes were watery, but she signaled for me to continue.

Next.

Honesty/Openness.

It was another golden ticket. Faulty again but all it said at the bottom was 'I Will Try, For You.'

Redeemable Always...Infinite use again.

"Queen," I spoke up, looking back at her. I didn't need any of this and I didn't need her to make any promises to me, but it meant a lot to me that she had gone through this much effort. I would've been just as happy if she just told me she was going to try. I reached out for her and she shook her head, pointing at the booklet.

"There's one more."

I dropped my hand back to the booklet and flipped it to the last page.

Kiss. I raised a brow. "You already had a kiss page," I said.

"The terms on this one are different."

I looked under it and read;

Kiss of Forgiveness. Only redeem this one if you absolutely forgive Queen. Redeemable Only once. Expires: Thirty seconds after you've finished reading. I'm sorry, always.

I smiled. "Do I need to rip it off to redeem it or—"

I felt her hands move to my face and her lips landed on mine. My hands found their way to her waist as I kissed her back, her sweet lip gloss fading from her lips by the second. My body reacted to the need in her kiss and my head became woozy as it always did. Then she pulled away.

"I'm sorry. Seriously," she said. I answered her apology with another kiss and she parted her lips, her mouth as inviting as always and I relaxed into it. Our tongues met and my hand moved to her cheek. She was forgiven. Honestly from the moment I saw her, my resistance began slipping.

A moment later, she pulled away.

"W-what are you doing?" I asked, pulling her back.

"We need to go, Syn. We're going to be late."

"They can wait. I have things I need to redeem." I held up the book and she tilted her head.

"You know if we go into bed we won't come out."

"Who said anything about a bed?" I flipped through the pages until I found the one I wanted and held it up to her.

"Car sex? Tonight?" She raised her brows.

"You've created a monster with this...creation of yours." I smiled down at it. I closed the booklet neatly and tucked it into the inner pocket of my blazer. "I intend to use them all. Thoroughly."

She laughed a bit and I took her hand, leading her out to the door. We made it to just a few steps from the garage and her steps faltered. I looked back at her and raised a brow. "You okay?"

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Syn," she said again and I turned to her.

"It's okay, Queen. I forgive you."

"But—"

"Don't linger on it, okay?" I said. "I forgive you and we are past it. Now we just have to do better in the future. That's all that matters now."

"Okay," she whispered and I squeezed her hand.

"Let's go."

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