Two Birds [ONC 2024]

Escape Plans

Twelve Days Later

Everything seems lost.

Catherine has been with me most of the day for the past twelve days, helping me to present myself to the innumerable guests. Not once in these days could we make use of the opportunity of our close quarters.

Everything was occuring against our hopes. The wedding preparations were more than done. All the guests had arrived and...I had been engaged.

The engagement day, a week ago, was probably the worst day of my life, unless I was to consider my future wedding day. Catherine kept consoling me every now and then, trying to keep me calm, but I was losing my patience. I knew I had to do something within the next two days or it would be too late.

Fortunately, today I had all the freedom, since my father thought it was better for me to enjoy myself for this day. He believed that the next day I would be caught up with my wedding preparations and the day after tomorrow it was my wedding day. So today was the day I could spend with my own accord.

Hurrying through the corridors, I banged open Catherine's room, startling her instantly.

"What in the world Jess!" she complained as she looked down at the dropped jug and mug, water spilled on the floor. "You scared-"

I did not let her say any further. I hit my lips hard on hers and allowed my adrenaline to wash off.

"Jess...," her voice trailed as I kissed further, not allowing our faces to move apart. Slowly, Catherine moved apart and looked softly into my eyes.

"I can't do this anymore," I spoke with determination. "This wedding, it's all for nothing! I'm so done with this drama Cat!"

She sighed. "Jess, calm down. We will find a way-"

"You've been saying that since before I got engaged!" I exclaimed showing my engagement ring. It was a beautiful ring, having intricate golden designs with a pretty sapphire at its centre. But it held no value to me. I willed to pull it out of my finger at the very instant.

"Jess," she caught my face in her palm, "I know that-"

"Do you even love me?"

Catherine gasped. She was left speechless.

"We must leave," I said conclusively.

A mischievous smile played across her face. "Now you're talking about some fun!"

I rolled my eyes. "It's not fun Catherine!"

"Okay my bird," she curled my hair with her finger. Catherine had begun calling me bird ever since I told her that my father called me the same.

"But where will we go?" I asked.

"Anywhere, but not here," Catherine replied, pecking my cheek. "It may not be possible today since I believe that everyone's eyes will be at your actions. Tomorrow will be our best chance." I nodded as we shared a kiss.

____________________________________

"Hey you! Who gave you the permission of plucking my flower?"

Catherine was running away from me with a beautiful lily in her hand which she had plucked off without my permission from my garden. I was enraged and found myself hunting her down.

"MEEEE!" Catherine cried out giggling. This enraged me further. No one dared to mess with my garden, not even my father who had once plucked off a rose and I had thrown a tantrum. After which he never dared cause my garden any harm even though the garden was his.

An unnoticed pebble made Catherine stumble and fall down on top of a bunch of beautiful daisies and I screamed in horror as her weight crushed those speechless beings.