Fallen From Grace (#Wattys2017)

Chapter XXXI

The yellow morning sun streamed in through the cracks of the pale blue curtains. The beam of light hitting Eleanora's closed eyelids as she groaned and turned away from the sun, sighing in content as she snuggled closer to the blanket. Blinking, she wondered why her alarm didn't ring. Maybe she woke before it?

Noticing the empty side beside her, she figured that Apollyon had gone out for his morning run. Nothing out of the ordinary. Turning back towards the clock, she blinked away the blurriness before noting the red digits displayed on the screen.

11:30 a.m.

"Shit!" She cursed while stumbling out of bed, tripping on the sheets in her haste. Running around the room, she hurried to get dressed just as Apollyon appeared in the doorway in black jeans and a black half sleeved shirt, his hair damp and his arms crossed over his chest.

Leaning his side against the door frame he watched Eleanora rush about and try to figure out what she was doing.

"Eleanora." Apollyon called form his place. "Calm down."

"Calm down!" She shrieked as she stood in front of the wardrobe, hair disheveled and clothes held in hand. "Why didn't you wake me?! We have school!"

"I didn't wake you because I wanted you to be well rested, and we aren't going to school-"

"-And why not?" Eleanora interjected.

"-I have already talked to all the teachers and the principle has given us a leaving permit." Apollyon continued as if though she hadn't even spoken up. "I've talked to Dr. Harold, who agrees with me, and Nathan agreed to watch over Sebastian in our absence, also Jack is more than willing to give me a few days off."

"What the hell, Apollyon!?" She exclaimed at his cryptic talk, not understanding what he was trying to get at.

"Why don't you freshen up and come to the kitchen for breakfast? It's ready." He spoke calmly before making his way back to the kitchen.

Groaning in frustration, Eleanora dropped the clothes in her hand before trudging towards the washroom. Washing her face, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her blue eyes shone brightly as her cheeks seemed slightly sunken, she lost some weight, Eleanora realized as she looked at her pale white skin.

Sighing, she pulled her white hair into a messy bun before she pulled on knee length woolen stockings to cover up her bare legs before wearing a woolen cardigan over Apollyon's shirt which she wore.

On her way to the kitchen she checked her phone, attending to the messages sent by various people, asking why she hasn't come to school. Looking up, she noticed Apollyon to be leaning against the window pane, eating a bowl of caramel crunch while a mug of coffee resided beside him on the window sill. He didn't look towards her, instead his gaze remained fixated over his shoulder and out to the view their kitchen window provided.

Looking towards the table, she saw it to be set up. Cheese omlette and bacon resided on a plate with buttered toast right beside it, another plate with muffins next to it. A glass of orange juice and coffee in front of her as a single white rose was in a single flower vase as a center piece. Smiling softly, she looked up again, seeing Apollyon peek at her from the corner of his eyes while sipping his coffee, but averted his gaze the moment she looked up.

Settling down at the table, she started to eat the meal he had made for her and was about to ask him to sit down with her but halted before the words left her mouth as she watched him drink the remainder of the milk in his bowl before he made his way to the sink, washing his dishes and placing them in the rack.

Making his way out the kitchen, Apollyon returned after a minute with her prescription bottles, placing them down on the table top, he got her a glass of water, settling that down as well as he leaned against the counter.