WONDERLAND ✯ Louis Partridge

10 | Playing Cards

Y/N

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WHY DO MEN?

Yes, I understand that question is not grammatically correct, but that still doesn't answer the question.

I shouldn't be mad at Louis for dodging the kiss, because that's not something that was necessary or needed—no matter how bad I wanted it. There were things on his mind that were clearly chained to his actions, holding him back from meeting me halfway.

Unless he didn't want to meet me halfway.

He made this whole point during the first day, testing me relentlessly, and telling me 'he doesn't date'. But why did he lead me on so easily? Why can he just exist, and have me following blindly after him like I can't focus on anything else? It wasn't fair.

So here I was, stumbling back to the cottage, exasperated from all the thoughts running through my mind.

Daniel and Emma were shuffling around the tea table, per the usual, and I tried to ignore my disappointment when I realized Louis wasn't there with them. We didn't walk back together.

"Hey," I said breathily, setting down the weapons bag, "is it three o'clock already?"

Daniel tossed a scone at me. "Three-twenty."

"Oh."

"Just in time for our second pot of tea," Emma added in, already beginning to pour me a glass, "we have many, many, many things to talk about!"

"Many!" Daniel echoed.

I gave them a suspicious look, glancing towards the cottage as I sat down in my usual chair. The lights to the house were off, the shutters closed, and the curtains drawn—almost as if it had been abandoned.

"Where's Louis?" I questioned, picking up my teacup.

Emma and Daniel shared a glance.

I prodded them with a simple narrow of the eyes, begging them to give me an answer. From the moment I fell down that rabbit hole, Louis was there to guide me through this strange world, and without him, I felt incoherently lost. Leave the sap, I'm not wistfully daydreaming, I'm honestly worried. There's a difference, and even if he can't bridge the distance between friendship and whatever's after that, It was my duty as a friend to be there for him.

I just needed to...find him first.

"He came by for tea," Daniel murmured, eyeing a treacle tart, "a few minutes before you did."

I leaned forward in interest. "Where did he go?"

"Said he'd take his tea in the cottage."

"Which he hasn't done in years, of course," Emma cut in, her rabbit ears drooping, "he always joins us outside at the table."

Dan sighed, "but he's locked himself in his study."

"And the last time he did that, was—"

Emma stopped herself.

She quickly stared into her mug, cursing at herself for almost giving her words away. The mood drastically changed, as if there was something they were both hiding, and it was something I wanted to find out.

"Was what?" I questioned, sliding to the edge of my seat, "what was the last time?"

Emma shook her head, and Daniel did the same.

"Not our business to tell," she sighed.

She was right, it wasn't any of my business.

But I wanted to know, less out of my own selfish curiosity, but because there was clearly something wrong. Something that no one wished to talk about, and if I was to know why I should keep my distance, I needed to ask.