That Peculiar Feeling | Mphfpc ~Enoch O'Connor~

Chapter Forty-five

I leapt out of bed the split second my alarm rang. Shutting it off, I tied my hair up in a rushed bun. I hoped to get some practice in before Miss Avocet arrived. Lacing up my boots as quick as I could, I left my room.

I thought I could hear Miss P's voice downstairs, so I planned to give her a good morning, while it still was one.

"Oh, you're up." Spinning around, my gaze met Enoch's tired one. He wasn't usually awake this early. Shifting his feet, I notice him fumbling with a brown paper parcel, with a crudely tied bow of twine.

"Yeah I am, what's that?" I questioned him, gesturing to his odd package.

"It's uh– just um– here." He pushed it into my hands, it was soft and light, the paper crinkled between my fingers.

"Oh, thanks." I smiled up at him, as I pulled open the twine and began gently pulling away the paper, Enoch rubbed the back of his neck gingerly.

"I thought since you didn't really have anything- I-if you don't like it though that's ok..."

I finally revealed the insides of the gift. It was a silky tulle dress. Short and minty blue, with a shiny silk bodice and delicate straps. Just like the expensive dresses I'd dreamed of performing in back in Belfast. Wrapped up alongside the dress was a pair of soft matching dance slippers, pristinely blue and accompanied with pearly ribbons to secure them around the ankles.

I couldn't help one final inspection to ensure what I had in my hands was real, then I turned to the giver of this gift completely flabbergasted.

"T-this is amazing. Oh my Bird, thank you Enoch." I held the clothes as if it were my only possession on this earth.

He chuckled quietly. "Don't thank me, you deserved it."

Carefully, I held the dress out of harms way and pulled him in for a brisk but warm hug. Pulling away, I looked into eyes again. They looked tired but happy.

"But seriously, you don't want to know how hard it is to get that stuff in the forties." Enoch said, raising an eyebrow along with his signature cocky grin.

I giggled my nerves away. "Well I don't know how you did it, but thank you."

"Don't mention it, now go show them what you're made of, ok?" He grinned in return, and I couldn't help but nod. He's boosted my confidence enormously, and I needed it.

...

Enoch's P.O.V

Miss Avocet had arrived, I was too anxious to see her so I listened to her talk to the bird in the next room. Eden had gone to practice behind the the makeshift stage set up for her. I felt exhausted yet full of nervous energy.

Bronwyn walked passed, carrying a large metal bath full of water with ease. Horace gave me courteous nod as he looked over the piano notes Eden had given him to play for her performance. It was French music, I hadn't heard it, but I remember her saying it was called 'Comptine d'un Autre été'.

I decided to leave the front hall and sit in the quiet of the parlor. I let my thoughts free while clenched and unclenched my right fist.

The only thing I could think about clearly was Eden. So that's what I did, I thought about her. I created her image in my mind.

I thought of her sculpted figure which was twine-thin. How her waist was tapered and her porcelain complexion. Her pair of arched eyebrows looking down on sweeping eyelashes. How her delicate ears framed a button nose. Her set of dazzling, angel-white teeth gleaming when she broke into smile. Her flowing shadow-black curls falling over her shoulders. How her enticing, constellation-blue eyes gazed at me over her puffy, heart shaped lips. Her lips tasted like strawberry sweet when I kissed her. She had a bouncy personality and a sugary voice, which I adored. How it was never expected what she would wear, vibrant colors that could never compare to the brightness of her soul.

I could almost see her, the short time she was gone felt like years. It was strange, time seemed to move so fast when you aren't aware of it passing. Yet when this girl from the present showed up in my room, everything slowed down. I didn't want to waste a second, a week, and year, that she was there.

It almost scared me, how much she had changed me.

...

Everyone practically vibrated in their seats, anxious small talk filled the room. The dining room had been rearranged to accommodate an audience. Finally, the muttering muffled itself, as Miss Avocet was lead to her seat by Miss P.

I crossed my nervous arms over my chest, I could barely keep still and took to scanning around the room to distract myself. Miss Avocet' expression was stone-faced, she talked bluntly to Miss Peregrine about God knows what. Jake had arrived too, he sat awkwardly next to Emma, occasionally turning to acknowledge Olive, who was sitting to his left.

Claire struggled to sit herself on the rather big chair next to me, so I helped her up. Her glittery pink dress spread out around her small legs and she smiled at me.

"Eden's going to stay right?" She asked, her lighthearted tone almost suggesting she knew the answer. I swallowed the ever-returning lump in my throat, then nodded.

"Sure Claire, sure she is." I replied quickly, I could barely speak at the moment, my throat felt dry. I hastily began tapping my foot and adjusting my shirt sleeves.

As Fiona finished adding her last decorations of periwinkles to the base of the stage, and Millard jumped to dim the lights slightly, everyone hushed.

...

A/N~ I'm sorry for the cliffhanger again!! I just had to get a chapter out and hopefully the wait for the next one won't be as long, thanks for reading xx