Cinderella: A Fractured Fairytale

Twenty-Seven

Phillip's POV

Chapter 27

***

A young man about my age was in the sitting room, next to a girl who looked slightly younger. As soon as Ella and I entered the room, the young man stiffened. He got to his feet quickly, seeming disgruntled.

"Eric, this is Phillip." Ella said before he could speak. "Phillip, meet Eric."

Eric's gaze bored into me, bordering on hostile, I took a step back, bewildered. What did he have against me?

He extended his hand in a slightly forced manner, bringing a strained smile to his face. "A pleasure." he mumbled.

I shook his hand, baffled. "Er, likewise..."

Ella put a hand over her mouth as if she were trying not to laugh. Did she know what was going on?

Trying to regain my composure, I glanced about the room until my eyes rested on the girl. "Have we been introduced?"

Eric stiffened even more.

She stood, not meeting my eyes. "I'm Anastasia," she said shyly, almost too quiet to hear.

I would have shaken her hand, too, but Eric put his arm around her and brought her right up next to him. I wasn't getting any closer to him.

"It's nice to meet you," I said, wishing someone would tell me what was going on. Why did Eric seemingly hate me? Did it have anything to do with the shy smile Anastasia was giving me?

I decided to look away from Anastasia, just to be safe. Instead I turned to Ella, who was regarding me with a slightly wary expression.

"What?" I asked wearily.

She shot me a look. "Why did you stay in the coach if you were so set on finding me?"

I opened my mouth.

"Maybe you didn't care enough." she continued crossly. "Maybe you thought, 'Oh, let's just let the servants do it', because you didn't want to put any effort in yourself."

I could tell she was feeling hurt, and that was the only reason she seemed angry.

I stepped closer to her, trying to calm her. "Ella, I didn't stay in the coach for the first little while of searching. But after about fifteen different girls that weren't you had tried to kiss me, I'd had enough. That's why I started waiting in the coach."

She opened her mouth, then closed it. "Oh."

I laughed at her expression. "Don't feel bad. It was a perfectly valid concern." My eyes twinkled with mischief. "And just so you know, I would have no objections if you wanted to kiss me." Just throwing that out there.

She grunted. "I don't take the initiative and kiss men. If they're not brave enough to kiss me first, they're not worth my time."

I stopped, confused. Is that an invitation? "But you said-"

"Never mind what I said." Ella was trying not to smile. "I say things all the time. Doesn't mean I really mean them."

That was an invitation if I'd ever heard one.

But I wasn't going to be baited so easily. If she really wanted to be kissed, she'd have to try harder than that.

I stepped closer, allowing her to wonder for just a moment. Then I turned away. "Hmm. That's interesting."

I sneaked a sideways glance at her. She looked frustrated.

I couldn't help it. I grinned.

Perfect.

Suddenly, a piercing scream split the air and then just as suddenly was cut off, as if someone had screamed, then had a hand slapped over their mouth in the middle.

Eric jumped, spinning around and scanning the room as if searching for something. Terrified awareness lit his eyes and he spoke tersely, his muscles taut and tense, green eyes hard and alert.

"Someone's here."

HAHAHA

YOU thought I was gonna wait just a little longer, didn't you?

but nOPE

KIDNAPPED