"Of course I'll join you," I responded, almost slightly giddily. I was very impressed with his manners, it almost made me want to cry.
Elliot was beaming. It almost broke my heart, in a weird way. No one should be that joyful to just eat dinner with me.
We walked to the dining room together, hand in hand, in complete silence. The silence was surprisingly not very awkward. I thought it would be, considering the past day, but it was surprisingly very comfortable.
Upon entering the dining room, I noticed it was decorated fairly extravagantly. There were bows and wreaths hanging all around the room. There were a ton of candles around the room, keeping it very well lit. The table had a large vase filled with roses directly in the center. It was beautiful.
"What is all of this?" I asked Elliot in disbelief.
Elliot tried to make it seem as if he had no part in the decorations. He shrugged his shoulders and mumbled something about Lumiere and Cogsworth, however I could tell he had something to do with it.
We sat down, and almost immediately Mrs. Potts came out with tea and soup.
"How has your day been?" Elliot asked, trying to slurp his tea gracefully. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't quite working. Fortunately for me, however, it was hilarious to watch.
"My day has been well, and yours?" I asked, taking a sip of my own tea.
Elliot almost didn't seem like he knew how to answer. "I... My day... I've been busy."
I chuckled. "I noticed."
Elliot gave a small, almost nervous, laugh in response. "I have something I want to show you," he said after a few minutes of us eating.
"What is it?" I raised one eyebrow quizzically at him. We were at dinner, so there couldn't have been much he could show me.
He pulled out a small book from his tailcoat. It was a book of sonnets. "I'm going to read a sonnet."
I stared in awe. He had really been practicing if he could already read a sonnet.
He stood up and cleared his throat, then began to read:
"Sonnet 29
When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings."
He looked me directly in the eyes as he finished, and for a moment I couldn't speak. I was frozen still.
"Was that good?" Elliot was looking for confirmation from me, like I was his tutor.
I was his tutor. That was our new relationship, since I was barely a prisoner. He was my pupil, I was his tutor.
"It was very good. I see you've been practicing your readings quite a bit," I gave a small smile, then realized how sad I may have looked.
"Are you alright? Was it not good? I'm sorry if I've offended you, I-," he began to apologize for nothing.
"It was very good, Elliot," I smiled at him, trying to forget the tiny bit of hurt I was feeling. Why was I even feeling hurt? There was nothing to feel hurt about!
YOU ARE READING
The Other Side of the Door
Romance"Mademoiselle, you mustn't be too angry with him, he has had a hard time coping, you know," the teapot spoke to me. "I have every right to be angry with him. He could go meet the devil himself, and I would still have every right to be angry. He has...
