I get up from my bed. It was somewhere around 30 minutes past 1 (in the morning). I get to the kitchen, grab a glass, and myself pour some water. I look outside and see the beautiful light of the moon in the garden. I grab my cup of water and go outside. As I opened the door, I could feel the fresh breeze hitting my face. The garden was quite big. There was a path of grass leading down the middle and in the middle of the garden there was a beautiful bush of flowers and a fountain. To each side, there were flowers and bushes. My favorite part of the garden of the tree at the far-right corner. It has a swing, but it also serves as a shade during the day. When I sit on the swing, I can see everything as far as the eye can see. My home is at the very top of a hill, so when I look down on the swing, I can see all the houses. I sit on the swing and admire the town at the bottom. All the houses look so small from up here. I don't go to town much, but when I do, I really like it. Everyone is kind... or to my face at least, who knows what they say behind my back. Sitting on the swing and feeling the fresh breeze on my face felt amazing. The breeze was also pushing the swing back and forth ever so slightly. Everything was so peaceful. This setting gave me a lot of time to think about everything that happened tonight. It was strange because when my father first reminded me that the Rhodes were coming, I wanted to jump off my balcony. However, when I saw Archibald, I was in complete shock. I hadn't seen him in a few years, and he had changed. His attitude was the same, although there were times where I caught him staring at me. If I'm being honest, it was hard not to stare back. See this is why I love it here. It's just me and my thoughts and no one else. Which is good but can be dangerous at the same time.
"What are you doing here this late?" He asks.
I jump a little and turn around.
"You startled me, you bloody idiot," I say.
There he was, standing against the tree.
"I asked a question," he says sitting down on the grass leaning against the tree.
"I could ask you the same thing," I say also sitting down leaning on the tree.
"I asked first," he says.
I roll my eyes.
"I couldn't sleep, so I came here. What are you doing here?" I ask.
"Same reason," he says looking at me.
He was looking at me straight in the eyes. I stare into his eyes too. After a few seconds of making eye contact in silence I look away. He looks the other direction and clears his throat.
"You're a terrible dancer, did you know?" He says.
I scoff.
"And you think you're any better?" I ask.
"I don't think I'm any better, I know I'm better," he says.
I chuckle. Dear lord he's stupid. I look at him and he looks at me.
"You were the one stepping on my shoes," he says.
"It was on purpose," I say.
"Right... just because you say so it doesn't make it true," he replies with a challenging smirk.
"You're disrupting what's supposed to be my moment of peace," I say, "so you can either stay and be quiet or leave."
"I'd rather stay with you, my dear," he says with a sarcastic smile.
I ignore his tone and sarcasm, "well then be quiet."
He sighs and turns away. We stay in comfortable silence for a long while. I feel my eyes slowly closing and soon it at all went blank. I woke up later in the morning. I wasn't outside though, I was in my bedroom. I look around and call Martha to help me change into some casual clothes. It was a bit past 7, which meant it was breakfast time. I go downstairs and see my parents, and all the Rhodes at the table.
"Good morning," says my mother and Mrs. Rhode.
"Good morning," I say back.
My father and Mr. Rhode were reading the newspaper, not even acknowledging my presence.
"Good morning," says Archibald.
'Dear. God. His. Voice.'
He looks at me and flashes me the smallest smile.
"Good morning," I say back to him.
I sit down and have breakfast along with everyone. Every so often I would catch Archibald staring at me, which I didn't like because then I'd get all red. Breakfast finished and Archibald and I decided to help clean the dishes instead of the Martha.
"You fell asleep outside last night," says Archibald washing a plate.
"I know, and somehow I ended up in my bedroom" I say washing a cup.
Archibald rolls his eyes.
"Because I carried you to your bedroom," he says.
"You didn't have to," I say putting the cup away.
"I wasn't going to let you sleep outside, that's weird. But given your ungratefulness I'm starting to think I should've," he says putting the plate away and grabbing another one.
"Thank you... I suppose," I say grabbing another cup.
"Mhm," he says washing a plate.
I look at him. He looks so peaceful and calm, so naturally I splash him with water.
He looks at me with water on his face.
"You. Wet. Me," he says wiping his face with the back of his hand.
"Oops," I say with a devious smile.
He shakes his hands, splashing me with water.
I look at him taking a piece of hair out of my face.
"Oops," he says smiling with a mocking tone.
I smile back, fill the cup with water and splash it in his face.
He wipes his eyes and looks at me. His hair was all wet, his face and shirt were also wet.
"Okay then," he says grabbing a cup and filling it with water, "I see what's going on."
"I swear Archibald, if you throw it in my face," I say backing away laughing a little.
"We must get even," he says smiling. Not creepily, almost as if he was having fun.
Then he threw the water in my face. My gown was wet, my hair was wet and my face, but I suppose that was a given.
"It's on pretty boy," I say filling my cup with water.
I chase him around the kitchen with a cup of water in my hand, he's also holding one. He pauses in his tracks making me stop as well, behind him. He turns to me.
"Did you call me pretty?" He asks.
"I- no," I say.
I completely did.
"Yes you did, when I threw the cup of water on your face, you said and I quote, 'it's on pretty boy,'" he says.
"You have three seconds to start running before I throw this cup of water in your face," I say.
He starts running and I start chasing after him, then the doors to the kitchen burst open.
