Strawberries And Crows (Canceled, For Now)

Part 15- Sight set.

I wake up to Elizabeth sitting on the end of my bed. Wait, no. Her bed.

I sit up. " Good morning Kalese. " She smiles, she's holding one of my dresses in her hands.
" I was able to convince our elders, " she winks at the  reference to our first meeting, " To let you have some 'fresh air' at the picnic, so please, please, please tell me you want to go "

I smile and nod.

Somehow it feels more... I don't know... Special... That it was I sleeping in Elizabeth's bed last night.

Soon, I'm dressed and we head down to the picnic. It was Tom's turn to set up, so it's perfectly lain out. The other three are already sitting on the blanket, so Elizabeth's and I sit down.

She calls out an excited " Hello! " while I just wave.

" What's going on with Richard ? " Moss asks.
" Alice has erm-- filled me in. Let's just say I'm fuming, but besides that, is he being punished? Is the wedding still on? "

" Unfortunately, " Elizabeth grits her teeth,
" He's had little to no repercussions, and the wedding is still on. In two- " She chokes, not even able to acknowledge the wedding without gagging.

I grab her hand, " Don't worry, David and I won't let the wedding go through. "

" David? " Moss asks.

" Elizabeth's brother. Are Kalese and him a unit now? " Tom asks, raising an eyebrow.

" No. " I sigh, but then, worried I see disappointed about that, I add " But our parents want us to wed. " I say, but that just makes it worse.

" Wait, you're marrying my brother? " Elizabeth looks up at me, pain in her eyes.

" God, no. Luckily for us, it's mutual that we don't want to marry each other, so it's easier to get to it of. " I explain.

" Why won't you marry him? It's not like he's a twat like Richard. " she rolls her eyes.

" I'm sure she has her reasons- " Alice says at the same time as I say " I've got my sights set on someone else. " Unfortunately, I was seemingly staring into Elizabeth's eyes while saying this, and Tom moans.

" God, that was quick. Now I owe Moss. " be sighs.

" Huh? " I've already forgotten what I said.
" What would you owe him for? "

" Did he give you memory loss or something? " Tom says, but it's clear he immensely regrets it.

Tears fill my eyes though, and I can't hear his apologies over my heart pounding. " He could have. " I say, then I stand and walk away, towards the river.

" Wait! Kalese! " someone chases after me, but I can't recognise who's voice it is over my thoughts. He's ruined me. I'm broken now. Who am I even kidding, no one even wanted me in the first place.

" Kalese. " I open my eyes as David places his two firm hand son my shoulders. " Why are you going into the river? "

I look down, and see I'm about knee deep in the water.

" I wasn't trying to- "

" It's okay, it's fine. " he sighs,  pushing me back gently, out of the water. " Why at you back here? "

" I was... " I was going of think about every mistake I've ever made.

" Kalese!!? " Alice cries, running down the hill, down to the river. She's followed by Tom and Moss, who is carrying Elizabeth down the hill.

I frown. That's the kind of man Eli needs, not... A woman.

" Kalese! " she jumps out of his arms, and runs over to me. " Sorry, it's so hard to run in these heels... " she catches up to me and embraces me in a  hug. " What where you doing? Where you-? "

" No! " I want to scream, but Elizabeth is still hugging me and that'd mean I yell in her ear.

" No. " I pull back, wiping a tear off my face.
" I was just going to contemplate stuff a little. Why did everyone assume the worst? "

" Your injured, you can't just run off like that. " Elizabeth links her hand with mine.

Suddenly, I can't hear anything mut the blood rushing to my face and the river flowing.

We've never held hands while we're awake, it's always somehow happened while we are asleep, while we aren't consciously doing anything.

I break my hand away from hers, and look away, " Elizabeth, you'll need to head back to the house, get ready for the wedding. " I say, clearly interrupting their conversation, by the way they all look at me.

She looks down at her hand, then up at me.
" Oh... I suppose.