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𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬
•••
"ENOLA!" The Holmes' girl had no chance to react before a small body was flung at her, nearly knocking her straight over. She gasped, stumbling back into the ugly wallpaper of the hallway wall, immediately fumbling in the strangers grasp. Although it quickly became apparent that the person hugging her so tightly wasn't a stranger. Enola's heart rate picked up, prying the assailant off of her to assess her. Only then did she realize who was hugging her.
"Amelia! How- what-" she didn't even have time to question how her best friend had arrived, wrapping her arms around the short haired girl's shoulders. Amelia hooked an arm around Enola's frame, happy to be reunited with the girl. But the reunion was cut short as a curt yet abrasive 'ahem' interrupted. The two pulled away from each other, Enola still accessing the girl in wonder. Miss. Harrison stood at the end of the hallway, a blank expression on her face as she strutted forwards. Even though Amelia hated to admit it, she was fluid and graceful in her movements, her shirt ruffling and swishing along her legs in perfect order. If her attitude towards every situation wasn't already perfect, Miss. Harrison would no doubt convince the girls she was a robotic organism. No person walked with such elegance, not even Amelia's Mother.
"Girls. While I'm truly happy you two have been reunited, you mustn't raise your voices like this. No man ever wants a wife who speaks loud within the house- or at all for that matter," she giggled, her lips forming the most annoying smile. They knew her more exaggerated words were fake, but she appeared to be convinced within her teachings. The girls separated begrudgingly, sharing a look of annoyance. No doubt they would escape the boarding school, but it would take time and until then they had to follow a strict code.
Amelia sighed, gripping her friends sleeve hem, knowing whatever was ahead of them was not going to be good.
•••
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS HAD BEEN TREACHEROUS. Amelia was sure she had never been yelled at more in her life. For not raising her head to a suitable level, for slurping while eating her food, elbows on the table, too loud of a voice, the want to go to college- Amelia was sick of it! For the life of her she could not figure out how her classmates had no issue preforming the way Miss. Harrison wished. They did not once speak up about anything! She had Enola for a while, but after the first week of them goofing off, they were separated. She hadn't been able to talk to the detective-in-training and she was beginning to question their future in the boarding school. Amelia wasn't sure how much more she could take, between the lesson plans and the people themselves, Miss Harrison's was not the place for the Hasting's girl. She had yet to be in the building for a week before the other girls were tearing her apart. Girls could be rude, viscous creatures, something she had to learn the hard way.
There was no stopping the outcome, and before Amelia knew it she began bending to the will of those older than her, falling into order just like she was under her Father's watchful gaze back at dinner and dance etiquette teaching courses. It was something the man insisted she learned, as her siblings had done years before. The classes were in home, of course, but Amelia would never forget how the Hasting's residence felt a little less homely after. She was forced to fit in, to become a 'perfect version of herself.'
She knew she had lost a lot of herself within the boarding school, but she would never let her spirits be crushed. Something her and Enola had in common. Her eyes flickered toward the girl, who was sat on her bed. The two were sharing a visit on one of the rest days, something that didn't happen too often. But Amelia felt as though something serious was bound to happen as she nervously paced the floors of the small room Enola was given. It, much like her own room, was bland. It was clear the girls didn't plan on staying long.
"Oh, quit your pacing. It's making me nervous," Enola scolded, staring at the pages of the newest newspaper, a certain brunet Lord's face on the front page, along with a few words that had Amelia's stomach turning in discomfort. She wished to know how the marquess was doing, what he had been up to in the weeks post their capture. She wished to be able to confide in him once more, staring in the warm eyes that brought her so much comfort.
"Oh, quiet Enola. You haven't an idea what my mind is like, especially right now," she ran her fingers through her hair, a habit that the school hadn't yet broke her out of, casting a dejected look across the room to her friend," I just have a feeling something is going to happen today." Just as she finished, a loud knock sounded on Enola's door, startling the two. Amelia jumped like a cat, whipping to the door as a delivery man called out.
"Delivery from Ferndell Hall!" That caught their attention, Enola rushing to shove the paper under her pillow and Amelia straightening her dress, head held high as she stood off to the side and let her friend open the door. It was slowly becoming a conditioned thing, the two of them acting so gracefully it was hard to believe. In the few weeks they had been there they had already conformed to the simple things.
Enola opened the door but not before casting a flustered look at Amelia, just as confused as she was.
"Care of Mr. Mycroft Holmes."
"What does he want," Enola sighed, sharing small talk before letting the men place it inside. They departed and the girls stared at the woven basket carefully. After struggling for a second, Amelia stepped in to help the girl haul the trunk further inside her room. It was a huge woven basket, brown in color, and it weighed a ton. Amelia let out a cry of faux anguish as she wiped sweat off her forehead. The two girls giggled before attempting to open it, but it moved in an odd way. Both girls froze, Amelia feeling a memory pulling at her.
Before anything else was said, a shuffling caught both their attention. Amelia's eyes flickered up to the baggage rack, where a rather large trunk sat, shuffling around. Both girls were instantly on edge, staring in curiosity and caution as the something started stabbing through the soft material. Amelia gasped, covering her mouth as a hand poked through the hole, unlatching the bag.
"Seriously, could you two be any louder?" A masculine voice groaned as a head popped out of the bag. Amelia furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as he tried to get out, shaking back and forth. Only one thing would happen, surely. Enola looked rather curious, staring with wide eyes as the boy tipped the bag right over the edge of the rail, crashing to the ground. Dust flew up everywhere and Amelia scoffed in disgust.
"You're creating an awful ruckus yourself," she instantly shot back, crossing her arms over her chest. The boy looked around their age, with longer brown hair, dark brown eyes and a curious look on his face. He was quite cute in Amelia's eyes.
She narrowed her eyes, immediately grabbing Enola's hand. Her heart clenched, and with a shaky breath full of excitement, she moved forward. Amelia was sure of who laid wait in the basket but she still felt a tease of apprehension, her heart beat fluttering. The short haired girl felt her stomach twist and her breath grew heavy. Enola took charge, hearing a sneeze inside the basket, and kicked it. An all too familiar 'ow!' called out and a bright smile crossed her face.
Popping out of the basket was none other than the royal boy who had stole Amelia's heart and ran. Lord Tewksbury himself.
