Fake Princess
CHAPTER 27
Sometimes our chess game goes on long enough that we are forced to declare a draw because it is late. I pointed out the small lake I found in the forest behind our cottage, and if I waited for dusk, I could almost always see a deer coming for a drink.
We walked down the main street of Treb, sometimes we stopped at the tavern to relax and drink a cup of apple cider. Every now and then kids our age try to join in, but Jose can always lead them away without making them look unfriendly. Sometimes I wish he wasn't that good at it; it would be nice to get to know them, and I'm too shy to approach them myself. But in general I'm happy to have a friend, a little happiness.
I considered telling Jose about the strange feeling I felt inside me, the feeling like something was trapped inside me and trying to get out. The sensation was getting worse, so sometimes I felt like I could see the heat coming out of my skin. As Jose looked at me with his clear eyes and smiled, I thought he would understand.
But I doubt it, not to burden the time we spent together with the fear of something that may or may not be real. Whatever it was, it didn't seem to hurt me, other than causing anxiety, then I didn't say anything.
I'm trying to think about what Aunt Vania said about Jose. My aunt never prevented me from seeing Jose, but her pouting expression inevitably made me fall silent every time I asked permission to leave the house.
That expression always flashed in my mind every time Jose joked about something about Treb, or when trying to ask Tabita to lower the price of our apple cider in the store. That expression haunted me every time I looked at Jose with a hurt look when I saw him with me, an expression that seemed to show something that was suddenly seized. However, usually I managed to forget that brief moment of anxiety, because a few moments later Jose looked at me with a very friendly smile until I assumed of course the haughty tone in his voice was only my shadow.
I try not to think about Devan. I try not to compare his friendly & relaxed witty nature with Jose's serenity & beautiful smile. Sometimes, I try not to expect Devan to be sitting across my desk. I forced myself not to imagine how Devan would charm everyone, from Ardi, the reclusive blacksmith, to Tabita, the carefree, red-cheeked innkeeper.
Then came the day Jose kissed me, and everything was immediately knocked out of my head.
It happened while we were in the forest. I should have been unaccompanied by Jose while collecting plants for Aunt Vania, but that afternoon she saw me as she walked into the forest and followed me. Had thought by me to tell him to leave, just in case Aunt Vania was looking for me, but just as I was about to say it, Jose looked at me so closely that I forgot about it.
“ Well, then you have to work,” I laugh.
“ You can help me find Meadowsweet.”
Seriate