Chosen

Chapter 26

"Rowan?"

I heard Cedric say and jumped.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. You are just early is all. I wanted to have everything set up for you..."

As I looked up at him I had to shield my eyes from the sun behind him. He was grinning sheepishly while he held a large basket in his hands.

"Oh, sorry! I just... was bored," I lied and tried to sound indifferent.

Cedric laughed and offered me his arm without the basket.

"Then I guess we can set up together."

As I stood and neared him, I could see it looked like he hadn't slept either. For much more valid reasons than me.

"How are you?" I asked in a sympathetic voice, taking his arm.

"Me? I'm okay I suppose, it's my mother that is having such a hard time, but that is to be expected..." Cedric said quietly but then smiled down at me.

I smiled back but still felt uneasy.

We walked over to a grassy bank by the pond that was shaded by a tree.

Cedric opened the basket and pulled out a large checkered blanket and spread it on the ground in front of us.

"My Lady," he said and offered his hand to me. I took it and he helped seat me on the ground. Taking a seat next to me he continued to pull items from the basket.

A large bundle of sandwiches, a smaller basket of fruits, and a wine bottle and two glasses.

The sight of the wine and identical glasses that Finn and I had used at the beach made my stomach flip.

I firmly promised myself only half a glass to be extra safe, I can't imagine what I would say if I was completely unfiltered around Cedric.

After a moment of spreading out the food he reached in the basket and pulled out one last thing. A vase with a single rose. When he placed it down on the flat land next to us he looked at me and smiled with a slight blush.

God, he really is perfect.

"Well, that's everything, I hope you like it," he said like he was genuinely worried I was not going to.

"Of course I like it, it's perfect, thank you so much for all of this Cedric," I said and put my hand on his forearm close to me.

He put his hand on top of mine and squeezed it, smiling again, his bright blue eyes sparkling.

My stomach turned, but not in a good way.

I looked away and grabbed a strawberry to eat.

We sat in silence for a few moments, eating and looking out at the water.

I had no idea what to say or what he was thinking.

Should I ask more about his dad? Should I ask more about him? Should I try to bring up something different that's happier? Was that disrespectful?

I sighed out loud by mistake in my nervousness.

"I'm sorry, Rowan," Cedric said softly.

Surprised, I looked back over at him and his head was down, his whole demeanor changed.

"What? Why? No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to huff like that-" I grabbed his arm again and pulled him up out of his slump.

"No, it's perfectly fine. I should have been communicating more clearly this whole time and that hasn't been fair to you at all. I mean what else were you supposed to think?" Cedric said stragening up.