To Know Love

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sky stood in the doorway, gaping at us in utter horror.

I relentlessly broke away from Derek's rigid embrace, my face flashing a deep vermillion. Derek had blushed so deeply that even his neck had a hint of pink in it. He turned his back to Sky, leaving me to explain.

Sky's face was washed with disbelief, her mouth hanging wide open. She soon composed herself and crossed her arms across her chest. "Care to explain?" she demanded.

"I, uh, well -"

"She was, uh, helping me find my r-room, and, and..." Derek seemed to be racking his empty brain for a sudden burst of ideas. "And, well...we found it!" He hurriedly tried. "So, yeah, thanks again!" He proclaimed "enthusiastically", feeling as if that was enough explanation. He pulled on my sleeve, and started leading me towards the doorway. Feeling flushed with embarrassment, I decided to give in.

"Yeah, no problem!" I chimed, trying desperately to play along. "I guess we'll see you at dinner tonight!" I reckoned loudly as I pulled Sky along. I wanted to end this phony conversation, as in now.

"No! Everybody STOP! What the-"

"Tonight, definitely." Derek cut off Sky, and slammed the door in front of us, so all we saw was a dark slab of oak wood. I heard the little click of the lock.

I found myself staring at the massive, dark door shut closed in front of me. What happened behind that door is now only a memory, gone forever, only kept between the two of us. And, well, Sky too. Realizing she was still standing next to me, probably furious, I turned around nervously to face her.

She was glaring at me, her clear blue eyes filled with hurt and betrayal, and those dainty little hands of hers placed menacingly on her hips. The only sound that could be heard was the echoing tap of her angry foot. I was still confounded, so it was difficult for me to recount and try to explain the error of what she had seen.

"I...well, for starters..."

"I'm waiting." She raised her blonde eyebrows.

How was I going to explain this? We were still standing outside of Derek's door. What is he was listening? Unexpectedly, we heard an ear splitting crash come from inside the room. I sighed.

He was.

Deciding it was now or never, I gripped Sky's wrists and dragged her with me.

"What are you-"

"Shh, I'll explain later," I promised, and stopped when we had reached the end of the hallway. I glimpsed past both my shoulders, wanting to make sure there weren't any witnesses around. Realizing that we were safe, I pushed her against the wall and looked at her dead serious in the eyes.

"You. Can't. Tell. Anyone," I threatened in a deadly tone. "Not Stella, not the old maid who lives in the cellar, and especially not my mother." I shuddered at the mere thought of her finding out about Derek and Isabella's 'little encounter.' Heaven knows she would call the best wedding planner in the kingdom and throw it tomorrow.

And I was just not ready for that.

"I-I won't," Sky promised me, her misty blue eyes turning wide. "But..." She lowered her voice into a barely-audible whisper: "How did it happen?"

I could understand where she was getting at. She, out of all people, knew me the best, so naturally it would be frustrating to her if I appeared to be "hiding something." Something like that could send a vulgar message and ultimately destroy our friendship.