"Aisyha," I spoke, approaching her. She stood with Julian, chatting away like a merry little bird. "I need to speak with you."
"Oh," She responded, seeing my grave expression. Aishya quickly apologised to Julian and linked arms with me once more. We walked out into the gardens and sat on the stone bench. Our view looked out onto a large pond which the moonlight had lit it up just enough to make it visible, the flowers surrounding it shining in their vibrant colours.
"It's Josh." I admitted, taking my phone out. I handed her phone with the text messages between Jeremy and I and she read them, her mouth getting a little more agape each time she scrolled down. It only took her two minutes before she let out a triumphant squeal, pulling me into a tight hug.
"I'm so happy for you!"
"Happy?" I scoffed. "He hasn't come to see me nor do I think he will, Aishya. What if it's more lust than love? You're forgetting the night of my eighteenth and how that turned out. Josh is a notorious womaniser who has slept with half of the women in London, Aisyha."
"Oh, stop it." She hissed, snarking back. "Anyone could see that he loved you from how he looked at you. When you entered a room all he could ever fixtate on was you! God forbid anyone said anything to him because he'd drown it out, only hearing your voice."
"Aisyha.." I responded, looking away.
"You'd be a fool not to take this chance of happiness."
"Do you think?" I croaked. I felt I was running away from all my problems, all ideas of commitment and seriousness.
"You deserve to be happy, Matilda, especially now."
"I feel guilty," I admitted. "If we allow this to go any deeper the endgame would be marriage and, well, I don't want him to be forced into giving up his life. Either his career would go down the drain because he couldn't act and be a member of the family or I would have to forfeit my duty and renounce my rights. Either way, we'd be so unhappy and I fear we'd grow to hate each other."
"Too many what ifs." She spoke softly, reassuring me. "Take a chance on him."
"Was that an intentional ABBA reference?" I chuckled, looking to her. She shrugged,
"So what if it was? It made you laugh, didn't it?"
"I don't know what I'd do without you, Aisyha." I told her, hugging her tightly.
"None of us do, I know." She jested, speaking in a higher pitch. "I am an angel from above."
"Or a demon from hell.." I chuckled lightly. I felt lighter for talking to her, as if the weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I was grateful.
We went back into the party and stood with Julian, having a little dance. I was intoxicated but not too much, Smithers was likely diluting my drinks to prevent me from being utterly wasted. When the song ended, there was a short silence, leading to 'boos' from the crowds. Camila Cabello's Crying in the Club came on, much to my joy.
"Matilda!" I could hear a voice popping up around me, calling my name, but I couldn't quite place it's origin. "Matilda!"
I stumbled forward a little and fell onto Julian who, thankfully, held me up from falling. He placed a hand on my waist to prevent me falling once more and I leaned forward, smelling the vanilla of his scent. I was tired but, rather quickly, I was grabbed and spun around -- coming face to face with Josh.
"Josh," I breathed. The tension that had existed in the changing room came round once more. I lunged towards him and threw my arms around his neck, albeit sloppily.
