The Soot Princess [Hiatus]

50- The Confession

Dean

I was awoken when something soft hit my face. "I can't believe you scared me like that!" The woman I saw storming towards me was none other that my mother. "When I was asking where you were, they told me you were in the clinic, but no one would tell me why, except you needed a shirt. Put on the shirt!" she ranted.

I slipped the t-shirt over my chest and hissed as it brushed my back where the whip had hit me.

"Are you okay?" my mom asked, changing her tone abruptly.

"I'm fine," I replied.

"What are you hiding from me, Charles Dean Eingall?"

"Nothing."

"Turn around," she commanded. I stood and did as I was told. I was not about to face my mother's wrath after just facing Father's. She lifted the shirt and gasped when she saw the welt. It had already begun changing into a nice purple. "Who did this to you?" she demanded answers.

"I was about to do this to someone else," I replied quietly.

"Did you?"

"No, but I should have been able to stop it." No matter what Eevon said I was going to blame myself.

"It was unavoidable, therefore you shouldn't feel so down. I've called school and told them you would not be coming today."

"Thanks," I said a little down heartened.

"Dean?" I heard a call from inside the room.

"Eevon!" I rushed inside to beside her bed.

"What happened? My body hurts! I don't want to be here," she whined.

"You are in the hospital. You passed out after..." I let my words trail off ashamed of what I would say. I check a fluid bag absentmindedly trying to distract myself from the apparent truth. 

"I don't want to be here. I want to go home."

"I'll get you out of here soon." I turned to get a nurse, her clammy hand catches my wrist before I leave.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

She shuddered and her eyes closed again. I rushed to the door to my mother's surprise and yelled, "Can I get a nurse and some blankets!"

A nurse came over to me quickly and threw a blanket in my arms. "You do not yell in a hospital, no matter who you are!"

I tucked the blanket around her as the nurse took a look at the monitors. "Her vitals are stable, but her temperature is still high."

The nurse started to leave again, "Wait, what does that mean?"

"It means she'll be fine with rest and if she keeps the blankets on herself." I let out a sigh of relief. "But I won't guarantee her mental state."

My breath caught in my throat and she leaves without another word. "Is she mentally damaged then?" I asked out loud.

"I hope not, but who is she?" I jumped a little forgetting my mom was still there.

"Her name is Eevon," I stated. "She is the person Father pulled to help," I grimaced as I said these last words, "correct my ways."

"Then why are you here? She is insignificant..."

"No, she is not! I caused her pain. I should be able to fix it, but I can't. The best I can do, is be here to support her."

"You wouldn't stay here just for anyone. She must be special to you," the queen in my mother came out.

"Do you remember the night we held the charity ball?" I asked.

"Yes, why?"

"When you made everyone dance, I danced with her."

"I saw you dancing with a young lady that night. She looked sweet on you."

"No, she was crying. It was the only time I saw her cry, except tonight. It has been a tough month for her. I don't know how she does it." My hand rested gently on top of the blankets....

"Do you like her?"

I was surprised by her question. "Where did that come from?" My heart fluttered. "Of course I don..."

She gave me a knowing look. "One of your brothers told me."

"Which one? Was it Alex, because if it was..."

"James told me," she interrupted me.

"James?" I questioned. What was his business in my private matters? He should be able to keep a secret better.

She nodded. "He thought it was in your best interest if I knew. So, why do you like her, Dean?"

"You like me?" I heard come from Eevon.

I said the only answer that could be said, "Yes." My face flushed brightly. I was a neon sign of embarrassment. I never wanted my first confession to go like this. She stared at me. I wondered what her response would be. 

Her eyelids fluttered, then opened wide, lastly closed. She smiled, not a satisfied smirk that I had become accustomed to expecting, but a sweet innocent one. Her face gleamed angelically in her peace. I reached for her hand under the blankets and gently held it.

"I'll leave you two be," my mother said and patted me on the knee as she stood and left the room.

I gazed at Eevon's face and caressed the hand that I held. "It's all my fault. If I had never been stupid... If only I had just been the boy who says what is expected!" She may not be the same as before. No stark comments or smart-alec remarks. What will I do if she blames me, too? What if she goes to the press? Never mind, I decided not to worry about that. I squeezed her hand, letting all my doubts drain away. I shouldn't think about them, Mother told me so. I just need to believe and be the prince she imagines, like a fairy tale, like Cinderella.