Dear Elise

Chapter 14

The small confidence I received from Sara's support disappears approximately 5 minutes later, when I realise that if I go down to the women's room, I'll have to see Sam.
I have never been one to hide and sulk-
But here I am, sitting in the corner of my room, absolutely mortified at the thought of taking a single step out of my room. Sara stands, with her arms crossed, staring at me, the most disappointed look I've ever seen on her face.
"Miss Elise, I truly hate to say this. But this is rather childish."
I look at her miserably.
"But Sara, it'll be so, so awkward. I just need to avoid her for a while."
"Uh huh." She still sounds unimpressed. "You really do need to talk to her, Miss Elise."

I look at her disbelievingly, standing up and walking over.
"You must be joking."
Sara looks much more intimidating when she's determined.
"You like her though, don't you?"
There's a long pause before I respond.
"I don't know."
For some reason, I feel like I'm lying to myself.
"You're lying to yourself."
"No I'm not."
"You like her."
"No I don't."
"Then why do you care?"
"Because I do still care about her!"
"So you do like her!"
"...maybe."
"Yes, you do."

I pause again, averting my eyes.
"Okay, well... perhaps... yes. I do."
I know I'm acting childishly, but in that moment it hits me just how embarrassingly childish I'm being. I straighten up, clearing my throat.
"And I'm going to..."
Sara raises her eyebrows, silently encouraging me to keep talking.
"...I'm going to stop being silly and... talk to her."
She nods approvingly at my reluctant words.
"Yes you are. Now, get out there."

Once more I set off for the women's room, only to find that Sam is not there.
All that panic, for nothing?!
I sigh in frustration, sitting on the nearest couch and grabbing one of the magazines that Celeste always leaves lying around. I'm sure she only does it to show off her most famous photo shoots, but I need a distraction before waiting for Sam to show up drives me insane.

After an hour or so, I get up. I'm not going to sit here nervously waiting for someone who probably won't even talk to me at all.
But as I walk out of the door of the women's room, I almost walk right into a maid, who stops just before bumping into me.
"Oh, Lady Elise, I'm so sorry!"
I don't recognise her, so I'm not sure how she recognised me so easily. But I brush it off as she presses a peice of paper into my hands.
I frown, about to ask what it is when she continues speaking.
"I was just looking for you. This is for you, have a nice day!"
And with that, she hurries off without another word, leaving me confused and holding that folded note.

I stand there for a moment, before hurrying back to my room. Whatever that paper is, I have this feeling that I don't want to read it in front of anyone... I cast a careful glance at a guard passing by my corridor. He nods at me and continues, and I slip back into my room, not even two hours after I first left. Thankfully, none of my maids are there at the moment, and I sigh in relief as I close the door.
Slowly, I unfold the note. It looks like a piece of notebook paper that has been ripped out and folded quickly, and as I look to the first words, I see that it was obviously written in a hurry.
Dear Elise...
The handwriting is Sam's.