Jottie: Rewritten - The Rosewood Chronicles

Only You - Part 1 • PAH

Chapter 28, Princess at Heart

A/N: Some of this story is extracted straight from Chapter 28 in 'Princess at Heart', the fourth instalment of the series, so the credits go to Connie Glynn.

Prior to this chapter, Lottie and Ellie have a fight, but Lottie kisses her too. Ellie tells her that they were never really friends, and that their kisses meant nothing. Lottie runs away to find Jamie, who has just found out that Haru is part of Leviathan. He also runs away, and catches Lottie and Ellie kissing. He eventually discovers the truth about Claude, and leaves Rosewood with Haru.

This is how the scene could've been if Jamie had not found the truth about his father in time, and hadn't had left before Lottie found him. (And if we weren't completely robbed of such a promising Jottie moment)

"Once upon a time we had it all, then somewhere down the line we went and lost it. One brick at a time we watched it fall, I'm broken here tonight and, darling, no one else can fix me, only you." - Little Mix, Only You

Lottie had looked everywhere. Now she was exhausted from dragging herself around the school in the fog, searching for the only person who could help her: Jamie. It was like walking through a nightmare. Part of her wanted to believe what had happened was all wrapped up in Ellie's misguided attempt to push her away, but it felt too cruel, the pain too harsh.

She came to rest on the bridge between the field and the main campus, staring down at the river below. She could see herself reflected in the water, only it wasn't her face. She saw Liliana and William Tufty. They both lived inside her, in her blood.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice echoing. Her ancestors stared up from the river, silently watching her, as though they were trying to tell her something.

It hurt too much to look at them, a bitter reminder of her uncertain future. A well of shame overflowed as she remembered all the awful things she'd said to Ellie, embarrassed that she'd lost everything.

Picking up a pebble, Lottie tossed it into the water, scattering the faces. "If you're not going to help, then go away!"

Feeling a sob rising, she turned violently, rubbing her face, and asked the only question she really ever wanted an answer to. "Jamie," she whimpered, "where are you?"

She looked up to see a black shadow at the other side of the bridge, its tail moving from side to side.

"Meow!" Vampy's head tilted slightly, his yellow eyes narrowing at her salt-crusted cheeks. Shocked and confused, Lottie made a sound like a twisted laugh.

"Do you know where Jamie is?" she asked the cat, her feet propelling her forward.

Vampy purred in response, fur slick and wet. He began rubbing against her legs, pushing her down the path, before skipping into the main campus.

"Hey," Lottie called after him, not caring how pathetic she sounded.

By the time they reached Stratus Side, Lottie knew where they were going, and her heart thundered in her chest - not from the exertion but from something unknown. Vampy stopped at the door, howling furiously.

"It's OK," she cooed, reaching down to pick him up and cradling him over her shoulder. "Everything's going to be OK." Somehow it made her feel better to be comforting him. "Now what's got you so upset?" She pushed open the Stratus door. "You want to go down to the study?" Vampy purred at her neck, sending calming vibrations over her skin. "Is Jamie down there?" She was met with another pained howl, which she quickly shushed.