Eves Of Flora

Chapter Eleven

"So what's up with you and Nathan?" Lily asked Flora as they were both folding laundry which had dried outside when her siblings had gone for their afternoon nap.

"What do you mean by that?" Flora pretended as she dropped a baby napkin in a basket.

"Come on, don't try to play ignorant with me. I see the way he looks at you and I catch him stealing glances of whenever you aren't looking. He even dropped you off at my house today and wanted to stay if you hadn't dismissed him". Lily said as she laid her right hand on her shoulder.

Some hours ago, Nathan dropped Flora at Lily's house. He wanted to stay with them but Flora couldn't allow that to happen so, she dismissed him immediately and he left after forcing a hug on her.

Lily's house was one story house with three bedrooms and an attic, a sitting room, a kitchen, bathrooms, a laundry and as all houses during that time it had a basement.

"There is nothing between us. He is just someone who helped I and Tara with a place to stay. That's it". Flora yelled as she shrugged off Lily's hand.

"Okay, okay I agree but why did you guys even need a place to stay? What about your parents? I've never heard you speak about them before and why are you from? Because I've never seen you around our town before". Lily asked.

Flora gave her an angry stare. "Em, about Tara have you seen her around cos I've not seen her since morning". She changed the topic to avoid further questions as she picked up an empty basket to continue with the laundry.

Lily frowned realising the sudden change of her mood. "She came over earlier before you did but she left before you came. She was really pissed off about something and kept on shouting about your betrayal and your back stabbing".

"She must have heard my conversation with Nathan". Flora whispered lightly.

"Were you saying something? Lily intruded in her thoughts rudely.

"No, no I didn't say anything. I need to go home because I'm having slight pains on my neck and I don't want it to escalate". Flora lied.

"Wait, don't leave now. You promised to spend the whole day and its still 2pm. I have some pain killers to reduce the pains". Lily pleaded with sad eyes.

Flora knew she had to make a distraction if she wanted to leave as Lily won't let her leave that easy.
She hid her right hand at her back and wriggled it while concentrating at the piles of baskets filled with clothes behind lily. They toppled over making lily to turn, the impact also making Lily's baby brother to wake up with a cry. Flora acted on her opportunity and dashed from the building.

***
"I need a bath to ease this stress". Flora said as she went into the cottage which was already open to her surprise. She went to her bedroom and took out an oversized white T-shirt she found lying in one of the cardboard boxes and a new pair of jeans from the wardrobe. She grabbed a towel and proceeded to the bathroom opposite their room. She locked the door to the bathroom and stripped down from her gloves to he underwear. She got into the tub earlier filled with water trying to relax.

***
Nathan decided to go home quite early after spotting a maid who worked at the Ashe mansion following him. He lost her in a crowd at the streets and took a short cut to the forest through an alley. The whole town was surrounded by the forest. People imagined that the founder of their town just cleared a path of the forest and decided to live there. The people called the forest 'Labýrinthos' meaning labyrinth in Greek which is synonymous to maze. They called it that because once one enters into the forest it is almost impossible for them to come out. The only ones who could come out were those who knew the forest by heart. The only way out of that town was a small clearing which led to the railing of an old cargo train which brought tools for the company.

Nathan arrived home, unlocked the door with his key, went into his room and lay on his bed for a nap after shutting his bedroom door.

About an hour later he woke up to the sound of some one barging into the house. He obviously forgot to lock the door as always. He wore a shirt then got out to find out who it was.

***
Flora got out the tub stopping by to look at her reflection in the mirror after noticing something. Flora wasn't the type of girl who always checked her reflection every hour or cared about make up or loved dressing up. She loved being simple unlike Tara who was the complete opposite. Flora's hair turned icy blue, her eyes were at a more pronounced shade of blue and her lips had become a more prominent red in colour.

"Oh no, no, no. This can not be happening. The festival of winter will occur this year. The last time it occured I was only four years of age. Grandma told me that I have the power to detect seasons usually rare ones according to my hair which is normally jet black during other times". She tied a towel and came out the bathroom.

Flora and Nathan bumped into each other in the hallway. Nathan's eyes scanned Flora's drenched body like an open book. She tried to escape into the bedroom but Nathan held her hands in a firm grip, preventing her from moving forward.

He pinned her to the wall and had her  hands above her head, against the wall. "What do you think you are doing?" Flora muttered trying to escape from his strong hold.

"You look so beautiful". Nathan spat as he looked at her with his hungry looking eyes.