A Girl Who Can Dream

Chapter the Tenth

I needed another way to mark my trail so that Grayson could find it. I saw a small spike on the roof where a lightning rod should be connected, though no such thing was. I crawled over to it, my legs, my sides, my arms killing me.

I looked down at my dress, horrified at its ripped state. There was no more that I could safely take out without exposing skin. What else do I have? I looked around myself, and found the little golden ring on my finger. It was nothing but a thin band of rose gold with the tiniest jewel in the center, but it had meant the world to me when I'd gotten it eight years ago.

A sunny meadow in the little forest next to Lavender Hall. It wasn't anything grand, like the ballrooms, but it was just as special because it was ours. I wore a blue and white gingham dress, something Miss Woods had made for me with love.

I sat on the log that we called our luxurious settee and waited for him. Grayson had told me to wait in our meadow as he got my surprise ready for me. I'd protested, saying that I didn't want any surprise, that I just wanted to play with Grayson. But it hadn't been completely true. I was excited for my surprise, even if I didn't want to show it.

I waited only for a minute before a young boy two years older than me entered the meadow. He wore knickerbockers and a small collarless jacket. His hands were behind his back and he wore a smile bright enough to light homes.

"Guess what I have for you, Cecelia?" Grayson asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Guess. Mother was going to give it away, but I asked for it instead."

I didn't know what he was talking about. What would Lady Adeline have that I would want? "A dress?" I asked, though I knew it wasn't true. He couldn't hide a dress behind his back. Especially not a dress for me. I was tall for my age, or so Miss Woods said, and I was taller than Grayson, if only by an inch.

"No," Grayson said. He jumped up and down with excitement. "Come on, Cecelia. You know what it is." He presented it to me and I gasped.

A small rose gold ring. A simple thing with a single jewel in the center, but beautiful still. My own mother had died years before, so I didn't have anyone to gift me such pretty things. "Wow," I breathed, examining it with my eyes.

Grayson's smile widened. "This is to guarantee our friendship. We're always going to be best friends forever, right Cecelia? You promise, right?"

"I promise, Gray."

He handed it to me and I slipped it on, admiring the ring as if it were the most beautiful one in the world, and to me, it was. "Never take it off, otherwise our friendship will be broken." Grayson said, before hugging me tightly.