The Housemaid || Draco Malfoy 18+

18

''I really like you''

I freeze, like my body has lost all ability of moving and my mouth has lost the ability to move or produce words. My arms tense as they hold her, not knowing what on earth I'm supposed to say or do.

She brings her head out of my shoulder slowly and looks at me, her eyes flickering away then back on mine as if she's completely embarrassed.

''Can you say something?'' she whispers so delicately ''Please'' she swallows.

I don't know why I can speak right now. It seems as though I have an inkling but I can't admit it.

Is it because of the shock, the randomness of her words drifting through my ears? The absolute fear I feel run through me because this girl likes me and I can't bare to even think that? Or is it, maybe, just possibly because those weren't the words I would have preferred. 

It's not even as if the words 'I like you' are a major deal. Everyone likes some people or some things in life and it's never a thing your brain just lingers on, so why's it lingering on mine?

What does she even mean by that? In such an intimate situation, do you just say that in a friendly way? Why is she asking me to say something as if it's something big, something important to know?

I don't know what to say so I guess I'll just say,

''Ok'' I say and I watch how her face drops and she sucks in her cheek.

''Ok?'' she repeats looking quite annoyed at my answer ''That's what you're going to say? ok?'' she asks looking deep at me, making me feel interrogated at her gaze.

I nod slowly ''Yeah, it's fine'' I say rather quietly, the words getting stuck in my throat ''I mean, thank you''

Idiot.

She shakes her head and her eyes flicker slightly before she lifts herself off me and grabs her clothes off the floor beginning to put them on quickly, her whole body turned away from me.

I stand up and put my boxers on, getting changed slowly as I watch her button her dress back up.

''Juliet'' I say gently from the small distance we are from each other, my eyes resting on the back of her head hoping she will just turn around and look at me.

She ignores me. Obviously. Why wouldn't she?

It's not my fault the words I want to say are the hardest thing I could possibly do.

''Juliet I don't know what you want me to say'' I say buttoning up my last button on my shirt and letting my hands drop to my sides.

I hear how she sniffles a little as she pulls down her dress and smooths it over.

''Darling, talk to me'' I say kindly walking closer to her but leaving enough space to not overstep any boundaries ''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to discourage you. I just don't-''

''Like me'' she murmurs still facing away from me and I shake my head with a frown letting myself get a little closer to her.

''Don't put words in my mouth. I never said that'' I almost whisper then placing my hand on her shoulder and twirling her slowly to look at me, a small trickle of a tear running down her cheek.

I brush her tear away with my finger and cup her cheek in my hand ''Come on Juliet, I don't like seeing you upset-''

''You don't care. You don't care about anyone but yourself'' she snaps quietly at me almost through a hushed tone making my face drop.

''I never said I didn't care-''

''Why can't you just answer properly'' she snaps at me again, louder this time making my heart feel like it's going to crack ''Why can't you just say whether you care or not or whether you like me or not? What's with the whole sliding around the goddamn answer with you-''