How Did It Come To This?

Chapter 10-Alma

You awoke the next morning with Alma cuddled against you, arms wrapped around you. You smiled at the woman before carefully maneuvering away from her to stand up once again. You went to your room to get ready for the day before heading back downstairs to begin preparing breakfast. Not long later you heard the familiar click of heels walking downstairs. You smiled to yourself when you felt arms wrap around your stomach from behind. "Good morning, how'd you sleep?" You turned your head a bit to glance back at the woman.

She hummed, resting her head against your shoulder. "Morning. I slept well, despite that, I'm still tired." She brought herself closer to better look over your shoulder. "What are you making?"

"I decided to go with something simple this morning, pancakes." She smiled, pulling away from you to rip a piece of one from the already finished pile before popping it into her mouth. "I hope they're up to your standards." You joked.

"They're delicious. Thanks for cooking. Would you like any help?"

"I'll be fine."

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"I have something I want to show everyone." Enoch spoke during breakfast. "Millard'a studied everyone in the loop and showed me something funny a while back. I want everyone to see, it's hilarious." He said, though only looked at you.

"If it doesn't take too long, I'd be more than happy to watch. When exactly does this occur?"

"Ten minutes. Can I take Y/n and a few others, Miss P?"

She sighed. "This better not be what I think it is. Only four of you may go."

"Oh, I volunteer myself!" Emma raised her hand, grinning. "Enoch's sense of humor is a tad dark, but it is rather funny." She shrugged.

"I'm going too, then. Keep you three in check." Olive spoke up, pointing her fork specifically at Emma.

"Oh what, can't trust me now?" You asked the redhead. "Actually that's fair." You said, looking back at your plate.

"Hurry! It's almost time!" Enoch said, excusing himself from the table, bringing his plate to the sink and going to wait at the door. You sighed and followed his lead, the other two girls right behind you. "Follow me." He didn't look at you as he spoke, leading you towards the village. Eventually the four of you reached a line of rocks that overlooked the village, and you all sat down on one. "There." Enoch pointed. "That old man, watch him." You did as he said, intently watching the old man who was walking with the help of a cane. Until he slipped and fell over. Enoch spared a laugh at the man's misery. "What a fucking idiot!" He shushed everyone again. "Wait for it!" Next two younger men came running over to aid the man, but one tripped and took the second one down with him. "Ha! What dumbasses!"

You heard a throat clear behind you and turned around to see Alma. "Enoch, what have I told you about using such vulgar language?"

"Uhhh, to definitely curse all the time?" He said, grinning, knowing full well that this would get him in trouble.

"Back to the house. All of you." She said, shaking her head in disappointment. When you got up to leave with the three children you were stopped by Alma. "Not you. No, I need to talk to you." 

"Oh." Was all you could say. And in the brief moment of silence after that you thought of everything that could've been happening. Had you done something? Was she mad at you? Perhaps she just needed assistance with something back at the home?

"Y/n?" Your head snapped up upon hearing your name. "Is something wrong? You zoned out a bit there..."

"Huh? Oh, no, no, I'm fine." You brushed off her concern. "You were saying?"

She looked concerned but began explaining anyway. "Since you've arrived I haven't managed to find time for the childrens lessons, which normally occur two times a week." She said, talking as you two walked back to the house together, a little ways behind the children.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I've messed up your usual schedule?"

"It's not at all your fault Y/n, quit blaming yourself for every mild inconvenience. No, if anyone is at fault it's Opal. And she's gone so there's no need to dwell on the past."

"I think you'll find if you ignore what's happened to you it'll only grow worse." You spoke. "To heal you need to accept it." You shrugged.

"Quit getting off topic." She said sharply, clearly wanting to get off the topic of Opal. "I meant to ask if you'd like to join in on the lessons. Maybe help teach a few? You're not exactly young enough to be a student, though you don't know much about peculiardom. But if I went over the lesson with you beforehand, would you help me teach it to the children?"

"Oh, most definitely! I'd love to trick them into thinking I'm smart!"

"That's not at all what I meant."

"Well, it's what I heard." She let out a sigh at your antics, shaking a head, though failed to keep a smile from tugging at her lips. "Thanks, Miss P."

"Alma." You looked back at her confused. "You may call me by my first name, Alma."

"Alright then, thank you, Alma." You said, trying the new name.

"No problem, Y/n."

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I have a crap ton of good ideas for flirting but it's taking forever to get there!