A Bit of Love

Chapter 6

Stepping down the carriage I felt the uneven cobblestones. Looking down at my feet inspecting if my shoes are clean and presentable before I take a step inside the palace. At the same time, I heard a soft squeal. My attention quickly diverted upwards and saw Sofia briskly walking down the stairs.

Her brown wavy hair cascading down below her neck as she approaches me. And the echoing sound of the clicks of her heels as she descended down the wide staircase. 

"Hugo," she called from a distance as she keeps approaching, getting faster while she nears. She almost pounced me as I demure backwards. "You're here," she said quite breathlessly. 

"We do have a project to finish," I said cautiously for the fact that Baileywick is here and I don't want him to tattletale to King Roland. I already caught him eyeing  us suspiciously, probably dissecting our current relationship, plus the fact Sofia is out of character, which is very prominent in this situation. 

It was tense, everything was airtight, until I decided to cough. 

"Well, I have the research and books that we made prior today," I grabbed my things inside the carriage and closed the door. Turning back to Sofia, I can already hear the Pegasus' flapping their wings setting off to the sky. Take me with you.

The way up the doors of the palace was smooth sailing. Until we treaded the the red carpeted hallway all throughout the palace.

Sofia suddenly grabbed my left arm. Holding it tight as if it would go away. Luckily, Baileywick was already gone by then. I took a breath of relief. 

I like the attention Sofia was giving me I'll admit. But not like this. Not when she's under something that could never get her back. This is not her, not her feelings. And I do have to remind myself every time she does things like this. 

Things that makes my heart flutter. Things that made me wish we could just sit on the grass watching the sun set down on the horizon. Sitting on her lap as she strokes my hair. 

It has been a long time since I felt this way. And I never had the guts to tell her what I really feel. People look at me like I'm afraid of nothing. But if I really was, I would have faced this and told her a long time ago. I would have faced a lot of things that I avoided a long time ago, up until now. Now, everything is not right. 

I feel a lot of parts in my life is falling apart. Like somebody is pushing me on the edge of a cliff, telling me that the way down is okay, as the ground slowly crumbles. But when I look down, it's an ocean deep full of uncertainty I can never swim into. And as I stare at it longer, it becomes more deep as the color changes like wine. Never sure if it's bitter or sweet under.

But as I look at Sofia hogging my arm, I wish a part of this is true.  

I sighed loudly at the same time Sofia looked up. "Are you okay?," she asked with naivety. Not knowing that these kind of questions warms my heart sending a spiral in my stomach. She stops grabbing my arm and faces me. 

Her face full of question and concern as her eyes discerns mine. "You know you can tell me," she continues. I thought love potion would make a person go crazy for someone,  but why is she like this? This is not what I expected. All I see right not is worry, with a hint of understanding. Strange. 

"Really Sofia, it's nothing," I say and she twisted her mouth in a way I've seen before. It's the expression she puts when she knows something is not truly right, but she doesn't want to be privy. This is odd considering she is not herself right now. And I do feel something is wrong, but I can't really say what is.

We continue to tread the hallway leading to the home potions lab. But I noticed Sofia was just walking beside me all the way there. I scrunched my eyebrows in questions, but continued to ignore it.

There wasn't anything interesting that happened next. We did the project and stuck to a real truth potion that we asked Cedrick. 

That is until the conversation after. When I got curious.

"Do you remember what happened before?," I asked as I broke the silence between us that time.

"Before what?"

"Before the potion," I cleared out. Her eyes went big as if it was an obvious answer. "Yes," she answered. "Everything that happened?," I asked again just for assurance. " I do, yes," but she didn't add anything after. Perhaps she knew what I was talking about already. The situation were in was already awkward enough, but to make a project with the person that drank a love potion before made it even more awkward.

"Do you wish you never drank the potion?," I asked again, knowing the answer would not suffice me. Whatever she answers right now is the effect of the potion, and that disappointed me to no end. Knowing that I could never get the full truth out of her. My head dropped to the ground as I much preferred the slab of wood than to face her right now.

"Yes"

I instantly shot her a look as my eyebrow raised along with my questions. A knock on the door ruined the moment. "Come in," Sofia called out and in came Baileywick.

"I would like to inform that your carriage is here Prince Hugo," he announced like a herald. I gathered my things as Sofia and Baileywick followed me out the main entrance. I saw the same horses from this morning waiting at the carriage drive. I went down the stairs as the coachman opens the door the way inside the carriage. 

I grab the handle, but retorted for a moment as I turned and took one last look at Sofia. She catched my gaze and waved happily, seems like her character yesterday. I waved back skeptically as I entered the door. Leaving the unspoken mystery for today. 

For today.