It's been three days since the kiss and in that time, I've resolved to think about it as less as I possibly could until I'd have to face him again. Since we were down a farmhand due to Michael having the flu, I stepped into his role temporarily. For the past few days I've been up since the crack of dawn; milking endlessly alongside the other boys for a few hours at a time, so that when I would finish my regular chores around the house I was too exhausted for an excursion to Liliowy. I didn't know what Audrey had thought about all of this, but I suspected she was glad to have me here at home, than in the clutches of a boy she despised. She cooked my lunches so that I wouldn't have to exhaust myself even more and when the time came for dinner she would be right there alongside me, doing whatever she could to keep me from wanting to leave. And as stifling as that was, I almost appreciated the distraction. If I kept on filling my days with menial chores, there'd be no room in my imagination to linger over Nick and how he'd kissed me.
When Michael finally returned to work, I knew I couldn't avoid Nick forever. Did I know what was going to say to him once I saw him? No. But I knew I'd feel all the worse for hiding from the issue altogether. So when Audrey finally left to go out with her friends, I picked out a half-decent dress and even fixed my hair to make it look half-pretty. I think I wanted to look sort-of nice when I saw Nick today; I couldn't say why exactly, but I felt like it was going to be important. I contemplated for a second, using some of Audrey's makeup even, but decided against it. This was Liliowy, not some sort of date! But I did put on some of that perfume I'd won, thanks to Nick. I'd barely had a chance to smell it as I dabbed a little behind my ears and along my collarbone. I just hoped it wasn't too much.
When I got to Liliowy, I didn't see Nick sitting under the Lilac trees like he usually did. He was standing, but hunched over almost, holding his hand to the side of his abdomen. Something was wrong, I thought, rushing over. He was hurt!
"What happened?" I asked him, levering him into the grass.
"Gunshot," somebody shot him?! "Don't worry-he's only skimmed me. Any more, and I wouldn't be conscious right now."
"You'd better hope they only skimmed you!" I said, pulling his hand away to examine the damage. I couldn't see any wound, but the skirt was stained in red. Skimmed bullet or no skimmed bullet, I needed to act fast. "Do you know who did it?"
"Can you think of anyone else who'd carry a fucking shotgun in broad daylight?"
Mr. Ottoman. Why was I not surprised?
"What on earth were you doing near the Ottoman's?" I asked him, rummaging through my satchel.
"I was hungry; they had fruit-trees in their back yard and it didn't seem like they'd notice anything missing. I got a couple before he caught me; I'm lucky I was so fast, otherwise he would've got me where it counted."
"Damn right, you're lucky!" I scolded, "why would you even try the Ottoman's, after what they did to you?!"
"Hazel please, you don't need to scold me." He grunted, "I think I've learnt my lesson, don't you?"
He had a point-unless he was just plain stupid, I doubt he'd go sniffing around the Ottoman's orchid again, if he knew what was good for him.
"At least let me clean you up," I said. "You need to get that bandaged right away, and I've got the necessities."
"Well, it can't hurt any more than my pride at the moment." He consented.
"You'll just...you need to get rid of the shirt."
"Oh, I see how it is." He started to smirk, "you want me half-naked again so you can admire my physique."
"To get to the wound, I need to be able to see it." I said stiffly, avoiding his eyes. "Clothing would only get in the way."
YOU ARE READING
Scarred Roses
RomanceHazel's always tried to do the right thing by her family-sometimes she even succeeds. On the cusp of liberation, Hazel and her sister Audrey are doing all they can to put their past behind them. But what if their past came back somehow? Broken and b...
