𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 ✔︎ ━ 𝖱𝖨𝖣𝖣𝖫𝖤

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐖𝐎: 𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐄

I didn't wake up until late the next morning.

There was a small window where yellow sunlight poured in, but not enough to wake me up until it was ten in the morning. Usually I wake up around eight, so this was odd.

I fluttered my eyes open to see Zachary dozed off next to me. He looked so dorky. His mouth was hanging open and his eyebrows were making a weird shape.

I giggled slightly and smiled with pure delight. It was funny to see him in such a human state. I let out a yawn and pulled the comforter off my body, leaving the remaining fabric to him.

I reached into my backpack and grabbed a blue sweater followed by a pair of black jeans. Since he was asleep, I decided changing inside the room would be fine.

I pulled off my tank top and tossed it onto the ground, then pulled on the sweater. I pulled off my sleep pants and replaced them with the jeans.

I placed my clothes back into the backpack then turned around to face Zachary, who to my surprise was up and awake, leaning on his hand as he stared at me.

"Go back to sleep." I said evenly. He smiled and shook his head. "Well, I'm awake after the show you just put on." He replied with an adorning voice. I grabbed a soft throw pillow from the bed and threw it at him.

He grabbed it in mid air then sat it beside him. I was quite shocked with his reflexes. "Do that again and you'll regret it." He said playfully. I raised an eyebrow and quickly grabbed another pillow.

I threw it directly at his head, but of course, he caught it. In a moments notice Zachary grabbed my arms and pulled me onto the bed.

He pinned me against the bed, hovering over me with a cocky smirk. I stared up at him with soft eyes. Moments like these, and the one we had last night will always be unforgettable.

"I have a question for you." He said softly. I stared into his eyes, which were partially hidden by dark brown, curly hair dangling into them. I raised an eyebrow in response, waiting for him to continue.

"Do you still hate me?" He smiled. I thought on it for a few moments. Of course I didn't hate him, at least not in that moment, but I would never admit it.

"I hate you slightly less." I replied softly. He chuckled and craned his neck down, placing a warm kiss on my cheek. I basked in the moment, but just like that he rolled off the bed and began putting on his clothes.

I watched closely as he pulled the white t-shirt over his head. I observed silently as his back muscles rippled and his shoulder blades turned. For some reason I found it attractive.

He turned to me once he was dressed, a sly expression on his face. "Now look who's watching me." He said. I rolled my eyes and got off the bed, standing less than a foot away from him. Despite the major height difference I still remained confident.

"Don't get used to it." I said firmly. I walked past him and grabbed my hairbrush from my backpack. I stared into my reflection as the bristles tore through my brunette hair.

"I have to go and meet up with this guy about my nightmares. Hopefully he can help..." Zachary started, looking at me through the mirror. "So, Nicholas is going to watch over you until I'm back, but I won't be long." He reassured me.

I turned toward him and nodded, still running the brush through my knotted locks. "Don't miss me too much." I said sarcastically. He shook his head and grabbed his wand, then disappeared into thin air.

Seconds later the door swung open and Nicholas stood in the doorway. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. I gave a curt smile. "Good morning." I said.

He looked at me like I was crazy. "Well someone's in a good mood." He noted. I let out a sigh. That ruined the moment. Usually I'm always in a good mood, sometimes I can just get clouded with the fact that I'll either live my life married or dead.

"And don't even think about ruining my good mood or I'll make you regret coming through that door." I snapped. He huffed and placed his wand onto the desk, peering out of the window.

"This is going to be torture." He sighed. I watched him closely, though his back was turned. There was something sour about him today; perhaps it was jealousy, maybe fear— maybe both.

"Tell me about it." I responded. I placed the brush back into my backpack then waltzed over to the single bookshelf, which was filled to the brim with an array of books.

I picked out a dark brown book, which was about Mythical Creatures. It seemed like the most interesting thing the shelves had to offer. I crawled onto the bed and sprawled out my legs, getting comfortable.

I opened the book and began flipping through the pages. Just as I was finally calming my temper, Nicholas had the audacity to speak. "You know what, Anastasia?" He said, turning toward me. His arms were crossed over his chest.

I sighed and looked up from my book. "What is it?" I asked. I wasn't in the mood to talk, especially not with Nicholas. I needed some peace and quiet.

"How come my brother- a killer- can win you over so easily?" He asked, cocking his head. I closed the book and stared at him in disbelief. He couldn't actually be serious. No one had won me over.. Yet.

"I'll have you know I don't find any of you charming, therefore no one has won me over." I answered. He stared at me, confused, even though there wasn't anything to be confused about.

If I'm going to be forced into marriage, forced to live under the watch of a psychotic husband, my decision wouldn't be made quickly— perhaps it wouldn't be made at all.

I watched as Nichols sat on the edge of the bed, his back facing me. There was obviously something tearing at his skin— he needed to say something.

"I think you deserve better than this life." He said quietly. I knitted my brows together in response. I don't think I've ever heard him say something so humane before. It was almost odd to hear.

"What do you expect me to do? I either die or live in the shadow of my husband." I replied with a stern voice. He stared at me with sad, knowing eyes. We both knew what my fate was.

"I don't know." He sighed. "You could always just leave." He said evenly. I had to do a double-take on what he said. Leave? They'd chase me to the ends of the earth.

"Leave? They would find me and likely kill me, Nicholas." I replied. "But I appreciate your suggestion." I said sarcastically, opening the book back up.

Nicholas moved closer to me and studied me. Though my eyes were reading the words dotted onto the pages, I could feel his gaze beaming onto me.

"I would run away with you." He whispered quietly. I looked up from the book. His expression was sincere. I could tell he wanted to get out of this place; he was tired of being hunted by Tom and shifting between good and bad terms with Zachary.

"Wherever we may go we'd still be hunted, by not just Tom, but by Zachary too." I responded. I would like to run away, of course, but the thought of being hunted like an animal by not one but two murders does not sit well.

"They wouldn't follow us to the Muggle world." He suggested. My heart dropped. The Muggle world is the worst option. There, we can't use magic, we'll have to blend in with the crowds, live a normal, non-magical life.

"Are you truly so cornered with your brothers that the Muggle world is truly your best option?" I asked eagerly. I've known for a while that he hasn't been on the best terms with his brothers, but with his recent suggestion things must be getting pretty bad.

"Tom has vowed to kill me next time he sees me, and Zachary said if I lay a finger on you he'll take my whole hand off." He replied. I could sense a tone of scarceness in his voice, which coming from a Riddle brother was terrifying.

"Even there they would chase you. Maybe without magic, yeah, but they'd still be able to fight." I told him. Though, Nicholas didn't seem to want my opinion. He just wanted to leave, to escape, and he had asked me to go with him.

If both he and I go, we'll be hunted even harder, if just Nicholas goes he'd be hunted less. I had no idea what to do.