A Game of Cat and Mouse

E I G H T

The next day, Annie was feeling far more rejuvenated. The sleeping draught had worked wonders. Her skin was glowing, her hair shining, and her body and mind finally were rid of her anxious thoughts. Perhaps her decision to ignore whatever attraction she initially felt for that mystery boy helped. Every time her mind strayed to blue eyes, she just ignored it. It's better this way. Safer.

James was her first visitor that morning. "Wow, Annie, you look so much better! I knew Mum and Dad could help."

"Thanks, James. You'll still escort me tonight before finding Charlotte?"

He grinned just at the mention of the girl. Annie wondered when he would finally propose. It had been years since he started liking her. "Yup. You're still alright with me going off with her again?"

"Yup," she echoed. "I better rest today so I don't have another sick day tomorrow. I'll see you tonight."

"See you later, princess," James called before exiting the room. Annie wasn't exactly tired but she did want an excuse to read the book her mother had loaned her. Plus, she wasn't wrong. It was probably best to get some extra sleep.

A couple of hours into her reading, the door creaked open and Scorpius walked in, looking completely exhausted. "Are you alright, cousin?"

He shook his hand, dragging a hand down his cheek. "No. That friend I told you about? He was a bloody nightmare last night. I don't know why I agreed to let him stay in my room but he was so anxious about this damn girl that I didn't get any sleep at all."

She grimaced. "I'm sorry to hear that."

He waved a hand like it was no big deal. "It's alright. I'm happy that he's found someone. Just wish he found someone and could keep said someone so I could get some damn sleep, but relationships aren't his specialty. I can sleep for a week once he's finally gone. You coming tonight?"

Annie nodded. "Yes, James is escorting me but he'll be off with Charlotte most of the night." The idea of fending for herself again already filled her with dread.

Scorpius chewed his lip for a moment. "I can keep an eye on you if you want," he offered.

"Really?"

He nodded. "Really. I know I'm not James but if you want someone to watch out for you, I'm happy to do it. You're not used to these kinds of things and I'm not in any state to have fun anyhow."

Annie's heart filled with warmth. Here was this boy, her cousin, offering to keep an eye on her purely to make her feel better. He hardly knew her and yet he was checking up on her and doing whatever he could to ensure her comfort. Maybe not everyone was bad. Maybe some people were actually rather good.

That's rare, a cynical voice inside of her said. Most people are like the ones Mum and Dad warned you about.

She sighed at the war going on in her head before turning back to the white-haired boy. "That would be amazing, Scorpius, thank you."

"No worries. I have some stuff to do beforehand so I'll be arriving a few hours later but that should be better than nothing."

She smiled softly. "Right."

He grinned. "Well then, cousin, I look forward to being your chaperone for you tonight. See you then."

And then he was gone, leaving Annie to mentally prepare herself for the day ahead.

Finally, in the evening, Annie began to dress and prepare for the final night of the ball. She slipped on the dark blue gown her mother had picked out for her. It was form-fitting, hugging what little curves she had with a bustier top that made her waist look small and her small breasts just a little bit larger and perkier. Thin straps held up the heavy fabric, which was adorned with dark blue and silver embellishments that looked like flowers in a garden of night sky. Again, Annie marveled at her mother's ability to make her feel so beautiful with just one gown.

Without her mother or a servant to help her, Annie couldn't do much with her hair and makeup so she settled on natural-looking makeup—it was what she felt most comfortable anyway—and her hair half-up with braids woven into the loose, curly bun. Finally, Annie slipped on a silver mask, noticing with a little chagrin that her outfit seemed to match the eyes of the mystery boy.

Oh well, she told herself. He said that he was leaving after the first night so you don't have to worry about him. Tonight can just be about you.

So when James knocked on her door, ready to escort her to the ball, Annie smiled at him. She took his arm and held her shoulders a little higher as they made their way to the grand ballroom.

There seemed to be less of a crowd there that night, most of them having left after the first night of festivities. Annie let out a breath of relief as she looked out the room and didn't see a tall boy with messy brown hair and half of a black mask. Tonight would be much easier if she could just ignore her feelings and wait for them to go away.

"You sure you'll be alright?" James asked with a hint of worry on her face.

Annie forced her lips to turn upward. "I'll be fine, James. Go have fun with Charlotte. I can show myself to my room tonight so you needn't worry about me." He looked like he was ready to argue but she cut in. "And Scorpius is keeping an eye on me tonight so really, James. Don't worry."

He looked so relieved that Annie wondered, for a brief moment, if she was becoming a bit of a burden to him. He always kept an eye on her, always stuck close to her like a shadow. But Annie was almost twenty-one years old and James was almost twenty-five. Was it possible that his little sister was becoming tiresome? Was she the reason he was holding himself back with Charlotte? Because she hadn't even been okay on her own?

Guilt immediately flooded Annie, even as James walked away. She was a burden. She was a burden. What if she started being a burden to her parents just like she was to James? What if they were holding themselves back from things because she was too afraid to be in the world? What if everyone else's lives were spent catering to Annie's constant fear and shyness, everyone putting their needs and wants aside for a girl who didn't even know they were doing so?

The blood rushed from her face and Annie suddenly felt herself growing hot. As the couples danced around the room, chattering happily, she couldn't help but feel so out of place. So afraid. So much like everyone thought she was. A shy little girl incapable of taking care of herself. A burden.

Without even thinking about it, Annie felt her feet move on their own accord through the ballroom and toward the corridor. I can't do this. I can't do this. Because even though she knew she needed to face the world, the idea of it filled her with nothing but white-hot dread. That coupled with the knowledge that she was a weight on the shoulders of everyone she loved didn't make her feel any better.

But before she could reach the corridor, before she could reach the hallway that led to her room, to safety and security, two hands reached out and grabbed her. One clamped on her mouth, covering the scream that she tried to let loose while the other pulled her waist to a warm, familiar body.

Short chapter so y'all get a double post today! Don't forget to check out Mattheo's story, up now!