Scandalous Love

8. | James

Had I done something wrong? Maybe I had. I couldn't understand why she had ignored me in such a way. Maybe the guy she was with was her boyfriend or maybe she just didn't want him to know she had been talking to people from the other side.

I'm not sure what it was but I couldn't get the look on her face out of my mind even as I lay on my mattress in my room, looking up at the ceiling with my hands holding the camera in front of me while I looked at the photos I had taken of her.

I understand if she didn't want people to know we had been talking lately but how was that fair?

I introduced her to Michelle, surely she would trust me enough to introduce her to whoever the boy she was with was?

The longer I think about it, the more confused and complicated things get up to the point I sigh and roll onto my side, setting the camera down on the shelf beside my mattress. I don't know why the life of a girl I barely know is bothering me so much but it's not like I can just get her out of my head either.

Like most nights, that one was restless. It took forever for my mind to settle and it didn't help that the miserable weather of thunder and lightning had decided to strike again.

Piper always ran into my room whenever that occurred and she ended up falling asleep on the air mattress I was supposed to have slept on. When she did that, I tended to just sit on the edge, watching over her so I would know whether she was having one of her nightmares or not.

Living in this rural area, it's rare for people not to have nightmares as frequently as most of us do. If there was one person I wish could have a better life than this, it would be my little sister. She deserves more than this life we've set up for her.

The following morning I escaped the house at sunrise, just before the usual time Mum and Piper would usually wake themselves up. I skipped breakfast but took a quick cold shower seeing as all the hot water had been used up. That happened often and is another struggle of ours but we cope.

Somehow.

Walking outside, the breeze rushes past my shoulders as I made my way towards one place and one place alone. Not being able to have got myself to sleep last night, I spent the majority of it thinking all about her and I couldn't bring it to a halt.

Making my way up to reaching the gates, I looked towards the mansion in the far right corner compared to where I was sat upon the hill.

Her bedroom lights were on, a white shining glow which signalled she was awake and must have been up for a while now.

It didn't take long before I watched as she peered out of the window from where she was sat by the ledge in order for her eyes to meet mine.

I wave my hand back and forth, gesturing for her to make her way down here and before I know it, she smiles, getting up and moving away from the glass to begin heading down here quickly.

It was the first time I had seen her in relatively casual clothes as an alternative to the usual prestigious materials she had on.

Her short brown strands of hair reached her shoulders and she wore a grey tube top vest which exposed her shoulders and had been tucked into a light white pair of cotton shorts. The closer she got to me, I sent her yet another smile which I gradually received back.

"Hey," she says as she joined me on the grass, crossing her legs one over the other.

"Hey, pretty princess. You're up early," I tease as she rolls her eyes, smirking slightly.

"I could say the same to you."

I shake my head at her, looking over her as she glanced at the grass but behind her I was met with the beautiful orange, pink and purple view of the sunrise. It was something we rarely ever got to see further away from here.

She catches me watching it with awe and she chuckles, throwing a single daisy at me through a gap in the fencing.

"Earth to James," she teases. "It's like you've never seen the sunrise before."

I sigh at the sound of her words and the second I do so, she hesitates, taking in my expression before softening, realising what she had just said.

"You... You haven't seen the sunrise before, have you?" she questions.

I shake my head no before opening my mouth to begin talking. I didn't need her feeling guilty any longer than she had. I didn't come here to make her feel bad, I came here to spend more time getting to know her.

"At least I've seen it now," I reassure her to assuage the guilt from what she had said.

She smiles at me, clearly content with the peace we had found ourselves at as I shuffle forwards, looking at her with curiosity. "Now, tell me. What's rocked your boat this morning?"

She rolls her eyes, chuckling at my choice of words but I take no offence from it and instead patiently await her answer.

It takes a couple of seconds but after a few moments of waiting, she lets out a small sigh and fills me with the thoughts floating around in her mind.

"Today's the first day of Cotillion," she mumbles with sarcasm in her fake excitement. She rolls her eyes immediately after and scoffs in disgust.

"With Axel?" I ask to which she nods her head slowly.

"Yup."

I could hear the annoyance in her tone  of voice, how she would rather have it be any other day so she could do anything else other than be forced to take part in today with him.

I couldn't blame her. I might not live in the richest part of town but I'd watched movies and I'd read books. Cotillion was as boring as balancing a book on top of your head because that's quite literally one of the things the girls are expected to do.

I think it's pointless but obviously there's a disparate mix of views across the area depending on where and how and who brought you up.

"I'm sure you'll be okay. The day will be over before you know it," I begin to say before I'm cut off by her slamming her hand down on the ground, raising her head up as if she had just had a thought.

"What are you doing today?" she asks briskly, making me frown, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Not much," I mumble.

It was a Saturday. Apart from stealing food and playing games with Pipes to then hang out with the rest of the gang, we hardly did anything more. "Why?" I question.

Something about the look on her face scared me just a bit. What was once an innocent gleaming expression had turned to something looking much feistier.

"Hear me out first but... What if you were my unofficial date for Cotillion instead of Axel?" she asks, making me look at her thinking she was crazy.

If that was to happen it would mean having to sneak over and with security so tight and it being broad daylight, I'd definitely get caught out by someone at some point.

"What are you asking, Ri?" I ask her, searching for further information.

She bites her tongue, searching for a way to out her thoughts into something verbally meaningful.

"What if we sneak you over and get you changed into one of my dad's old suits? You could partner with another girl since Daniel already decided he wasn't going to it and then you and I can still spend time together. I could show you a few things and it's only fair for you to see what North Side is like since you showed me what South Side is like," she explains, making me pause and think hesitantly, contemplating this entire thing.

It was dangerous but someone tell me why I wanted to do it. Why was I so desperate for it? It was risky, but maybe it was a risk worth taking.

"What do you say?" she asks, looking up at me with a hopeful smile, a glint gleaming in her eyes as she waited for my response.

With a small smirk creeping onto my two lips, I nod my head slowly and stand myself up onto my feet. "Lead the way, princess," I chuckle, making her gasp in excitement before scurrying around the ground, delving for the keys to unlock the gates and sneak me over.

We could get into so much trouble for this. But if it means getting to spend more time with her then where's the real harm in that?