Fall Into You

21

i won't say anything at all

It had been a few weeks since the ball. Nicollette hadn't really seen anyone, still hurt over the harsh words that Matthias' aunt had said to her.

She'd come out to see Tobias every so often, but that was mostly because she felt pressured to by her mother. According to Estella, it was rude and not ladylike to stop talking to someone you'd been courting. It would not only make Nicollette look bad, but also the entire Terilow family and the kingdom.

And obviously, the Kingdom was most important.

Nicollette sat at her vanity, brushing her hair. Well, she was more so pulling the brush through the same section of her hair, her mind somewhere else.

You're nothing but a cheap girl who needs to learn her place.

Why did she even care what that old hag thought? Nicollette knew she didn't want to steal Matthias from Candice. Sure, she'd realized she felt... something for the boy, but that didn't mean she was actively trying to seduce him. Even if Nicollette were to admit such an... outlandish thought out loud, she'd never intentionally do anything to ruin another person's happiness. It just wasn't who she was, whether they saw her that way or not.

Nicollette sighed as she set her brush down on the vanity. She ran a hand through her soft hair, biting back the few tears that burned her eyes. "He's just a boy, I'll get over it," She muttered to herself, sliding from the chair. 

She walked over to her window, pulling the curtains aside to look out at the stables. She could see Charles tending to his duties, not bothering to even glance in her direction toward her house. They still hadn't talked or made up, the two avoiding each other at all costs. It was weird to everyone in both the Terilow and the Sutcliffe residences, because they all knew that Charles and Nicollette had been close.

But only a few people knew about what had actually happened. Matthias knew all the details, and he hadn't said anything. Even when Ryker and Zacharias asked about it, he just said he didn't know anything, lying for Nicollette.

A few knocks on the door had Nicollette shutting the curtain. "Yeah?" She asked softly, her voice almost too quiet for Malia to hear on the other side of the door.

"Prince Tobias is here to see you, Miss Terilow."

 "Of course he is," She murmured to herself. "Yeah, alright. Coming." 

She waited until she heard Malia's footsteps fade before beginning to get ready. She didn't really try; instead just shoved a cardigan on her shoulders and shoes on her feet. She pulled her hair from the collar of her sweater before leaving the bedroom, taking the longest time she could manage to get down the stairs and into the foyer, where Tobias would be waiting for her.

Her hands were shoved in her pockets, and she didn't bother to bow to him as she approached. Neither of her parents was around - which she didn't really mind because then that meant she could get away with not being so polite and proper. 

"Nicollette," Tobias said, bowing softly once he noticed her approach.

"Hey," She casually said, glancing around the empty living room before looking back at him. "What- what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see you. I haven't seen you in a while," He said with a small smile. "I hope that's okay."

It wasn't.

"Yeah- yeah, no, that's okay." She nodded quickly, swallowing.

"Good, good," Tobias said. "Shall we go for a walk?"