"There were stairs the whole time!?" I groan after seeing an ascending set climbing to the top of the hill where Arietta and I jumped from using the rope. My legs ache just looking at them, although I would much rather take the stairs than climb back up that rope.
She laughs. "Why would we use the stairs when we can get down the fun way?"
"Perhaps because it is normal to use the stairs?" I question, as we make a start up the flight of ancient, cracked stone stairs. She asks.
"Remember, there is no such thing as normal," Arietta smiles, "besides, utilizing the stairs is so boring compared to the rope." I smile to myself, realising how right she is, about both. "This way," Arietta determines, leading in front of me, "there is someone I would love you to meet."
The late morning sun pounds down heavily as we walk along a gravel road following a barbed-wire fence. There is not much to look at, however, past the yellow grass and further, down the hill, you can spot the tops of the forest trees poking out from the side of the hill.
As we walk, our noses become shiny with sweat. Luckily, the dresses we wear are much lighter than the ones we wore to the ball the other evening.
She leads me along a gravel road, wire fences block off chunks of land and the village is far behind us. There are a few houses spotted up hills but are very scarce. Later we turn a sharp right, and I am being led down around the back of a large barn.
"Are you positive we are allowed back here?" I whisper to her.
"Yes!" she whispers back, "I am friends with him."
Him?
The grass beneath me slowly fades to gravel, then to straw the closer we get. It only takes one whiff of manure and hay before I realise where we are. We come to a steel gate that creaks softly as Arietta opens it.
"Laurie!?" We make it down the side of the barn to a large flat open area of land, outside the back of a great big stable.
"I'm inside!" a muffled silvery smooth male voice comes from the barn. Arietta pulls my arm excitedly.
Each foot I place on the floorboards as I curiously enter the barn, creaks with every step, as a groan. Once we enter, my eyes are met with many stalls and some of which contain singular horses, all stamping, huffing, and snorting quite loudly. The smell of hay, manure, and dust, funnily, all make me feel at home.
A bright red object hanging on the wall catches my attention. It is a clock. Around the edges are painted a scarlet red.
"Violet," Arietta calls from behind me, "I want you to meet, hold on, Laurie, where are y – AHHHH!" I immediately turn around to a squeal to see a large cloud of dust and hay falling on top of her head. I glance up to the second level and see a lean boy around our age, standing on the loft laughing himself crazy. As Arietta frantically dusts the hay out of her hair and clothes, I cannot help but laugh also. The boy climbs halfway down a ladder and then jumps the rest of the way down to meet us with a smile.
"Good morning, you guys," he says, gesturing his face as he spots Arietta, bending his torso, and emphasising the movement of steering clear of her as he walks over to me to introduce himself, "The name is Laurence, but that sounds too...proper, so you can call me Laurie for short."
"Nice to meet you, Laurie, I am Violet." Laurie's cheeks are rosy-pink, and his face is soft but perfectly sculptured. Ruff's light brown curly hair loosely sits like a mop on his head and the welcome he gives off is kind and friendly. I am immediately fond of him.
"Hello?! Girl covered in hay over here!"
"Let me guess, the two of you have known each other for quite a few years?" I say, glancing at both of them with my arms crossed.
YOU ARE READING
Violet
Romance~ I wish I could capture this moment forever. The yellow glow of the fire behind me penetrates and shines through the water and onto Emmett's face. I can see all his features, as every curve and line of his face, and every eyelash is highlighted...
