Order of the Gears

Chapter 8

Author's Note: I just remembered that I said I'd upload today :P

Enjoy, comment and vote please!

3 Votes: July 24

Normality: July 26

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“Do you have any hormones?” Tom asked as we walked to the east wing of the palace to where the Chief Guard was. On the way there, he simply refused to accept the fact that I didn’t blush at what most normal girls would. During the walk, he had taken off his shirt, stating that it was rather hot, showing off a perfect abs.

            “Do you have any shame as a prince?” I countered. “I told you for the millionth time, I’m just used to it. You live in the Gear Hall, you either get used to it or you’re going to start making mistakes. And yes, I do have hormones. It’s not like I’ve never been in love.”

            I’m half annoyed, half amused he would go this far.

            “So if you fell in love with me…”

            “Which I won’t be doing any time soon.”

            “…you’d blush?”

            “Why are so bent on it?” I asked. “Yes, in the slight off chance I would ever fall in love with you, I would blush. Now will you stop pressing on this ridiculous topic?”

            He remained silent for the rest of the trip to the Chief Guard.

            Thank goodness. I was going to tear his throat out if he asked another question.

            ****

            I stood outside the door, leaning against the cool wall while Tom was inside talking to the Chief Guard. Soon, the door opened up, Tom saying, “Thank you,” and the door closing back up.

            “So?” I raised an eyebrow.

            “He’ll be investigating my room. For now, he said, I’ll have to find another place to sleep for the week,” Tom shrugged.

            “So you’re going move in with your precious Sylvia?” I joked. Tom gave a laugh and shook his head.

            “As nice of prospect that sounds,” he said sarcastically, “I’m afraid I’ll have to decline that idea. I think I’ll room with Marko.”

            He gave a glance over and a wicked smile formed.

            “Or with you.”

            “Go have your fun with Marko,” I smirked. “I would never allow you in my room. Now if you excuse me, I have to finish all these repairs.”

            “If you told me where your room was…”

            “You’ve lived here for half your life and you still don’t know where the Engineer quarters are?” I said, amused. “No, I think I’ll leave it a mystery. See you later, Prince Tom.”

            I walked away, and turned the corner before laughing to myself. Hormones, I rolled my eyes, of course I have them, the stupid boy. So what if I’m not like every other girl who swoons at the very sight of a male that has the (bad) luck to cross their eyes? As every Engineer learns, falling in love is perfectly fine, feeling like you’re about to faint from the beauty of someone else in the room isn’t. Especially when it means that you’re most likely going to end up screwing up whatever you’re doing. Save yourself the embarrassment and a finger.

            Of course, off the job most of the Engineer girls are still like that. I don’t know, maybe it was because I had witnessed one of the Engineers lose a finger when he got distracted from a girl that walked past was the reason that I never felt my heart beating faster except for the person I happened to be crushing on at the moment. Thankfully, the person I liked luckily never crossed my path when I was working. So unlike most girls, I only blush (and act like a complete girl) when I see the person that’s residing in my heart for the moment.

            Meh, who knows?

            ****

            I yawned, my shirt covered in stains from fixing everything on my list. After a quick trip into my room for a shower and a change, I joined everyone but Reid for dinner. Apparently, he was still working.

            “So how’d you think of your first day working here?” Rika asked me as I chewed on the beef. I took a drink from my water and replied, “It was fun, a little too dangerous for my tastes, but fun.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Someone had attached a trap to one of the broken machines,” I sighed. “Almost took Prince Tom’s life.”

            Rika’s eyes immediately lit up and she got that dreamy gaze that I knew too well from living with Riles.

            I smirked, and Rika caught herself, regaining her composure.

            “So who has a cute crush on the prince?” I sang, looking at Rika who turned red. I laughed, Henry adding a chuckle, shoved down the rest of my dinner, and said, “Well, I’ll be retiring. Been a long day.”

            “G-Good night,” Rika was still red, but attempted a small smile.

            “Night,” I waved and went to my room, undoing the lock and going inside to the welcoming smell of wood. A little too soon to be sleeping, I went onto the balcony, checking it out. It was then that I found a ladder that extended down into the garden. A little walk wouldn’t be bad, would it? Even if I get lost, I can just walk back in the direction of the palace. I left the lights on to mark the place where my room was and climbed down into the mist.