Where there's a Will, there's a Tiara | Complete (ONC 2021 Longlister)

9. In From the Town

I remember putting on Elsie's belt and walking down to the pub where all the patrons were already sufficiently drunk.

I didn't even remember the end of the night, which usually meant good things. In fact, I didn't even know where I was when my eyes popped open in the morning. Please don't be Ezrah's, I thought to myself. The last thing I need is him hanging around even more.

I closed my eyes again and wished with all my might before opening them again and slowly sitting up. I was in a bed by myself, which was a good sign.

"Where am I?" I accidentally said out loud.

"Elsie's" a male voice said from the other side of the bed. My heart shot into my throat and I could feel my chest squeezing in on itself. Instinctively, my arms pulled the sheets up to my chin, though closer inspection would reveal I was fully clothed.

"Who are you?" I asked, inching closer to the other side of the bed to see who was there, and then questioning if I really wanted to see what might be exposed.

"I'm James," he replied, sitting up so I could see his face. "Elsie's boyfriend. She and a couple of the other girls were in here last night, too, but they're out making breakfast. I wanted a little more sleep." His groggy voice backed up his statement.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. Just been a weird..." I was going to say 'day' but honestly it's been a weird month. How do you explain that to a stranger?

"No problem." He yawned as he spoke. "But if you don't mind, I'm gonna--" he pointed to the pillow his head had been resting upon moments before.

Double-checking that I really was clothed, I let the blankets fall from my chest. "Why don't you sleep on the bed? I'll go out and see the girls."

"Bless you!" he sighed, flinging his half-clothed body onto the bed and sliding under the blankets all in one swift motion. How many times has he done that before? I'm glad his eyes were closed and he didn't catch the smirk that surely crossed my face.

"Hey, Elsie," I called after closing her bedroom door. "Good morning."

"Probably afternoon," she said, keeping her eyes on whatever it was she was attempting to cook at that moment.

"Afternoon, Canada." Ezrah's voice was one I was used to enough that I could identify it even without the benefit of a face to go with it.

"Ezrah," I said, not turning my gaze from Elsie and her friends, all of whom suddenly seemed incapable of speech or movement.

"You want me to take you back up to the house? I have some stuff to get done today so I'm headed over anyway."

"Yes," one of the girls breathed, staring at a spot behind me. Not wanting to offend, I held my laugh inside and turned around to face a still-shirtless Ezrah. Someone has a crush.

"That's fine if you're going when I'm ready. I'd like to eat and get my things together first."

"I'm in no rush." He smiled and turned back to the bathroom to collect his shirt and slide it over his head. No sooner had he returned than Elsie announced the food was finished and had us all sit at the table where she served up a full spread of breakfast I had never seen before. And toast, which is mostly what I was managing to eat.

Soon, my stomach was full and my head was only slightly pounding. Armed with my possessions and my shoes, I bid Elsie goodbye. "Thanks for inviting me," I said, honestly. "I had a lot of fun. It's nice to have some friends around."

"You're welcome any time," she returned with a hug. "Anyone who can put up with Ezrah deserves snacks and maybe a few beverages."

Ezrah laughed along with me and embraced Elsie. "See you later," he said, closing the door behind us.

I didn't know how to react now suddenly alone in a hallway with a man who knew where I lived. Everything about this situation normally would freak me out entirely, but there was no reason to suggest there was anything dangerous about broad daylight on my grandmother's property, so I relaxed slightly. The tension in my shoulders still held on, though, no matter how hard I tried.

"So, what are you doing with the rest of your weekend off?" he asked, stepping to the other side of the path to put another foot of space between us.

Only then did I really notice that there were no clouds in the sky. The green leaves whispered as the wind tore through them and lifted my hair off my face. I used my hand to hold it down and turned to look at him. He was politely smiling at me and waiting for my response, casually glancing around and then back to me, waiting until I felt ready, it seemed.

"Well, I was thinking I might need to rearrange my bedroom and one of the drawers is sticking so I was thinking I'd give it a go. Honestly there's a draft and the floor creaks and I just want to make it seem..." Tears unexpectedly gathered in the corner of my eyes and I blinked them away. "Make it seem a little like home."

"I could help you with the floor squeaking if you want. You could invite a couple of the girls over and I'll come move stuff for you and fix the floors. Or you can maybe make a list for your grandmother and I can come in when you aren't there." He snapped his mouth closed and ran his hand over the back of his hair.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "That sounds like a lot of work. I could probably just show you when we get back. I'll make sure my grandmother knows so you'll be paid."

"That isn't necessary," he said. "But thanks."

"So what are you planning to work on this weekend?"

The gravel crunching under our feet was the only sound while I waited for his answer. The path opened up in front of us and the whole house became visible, a shutter swinging off its hinges above the front door with a very audible creak.

"Probably that," he pointed.

The laugh that escaped my lips was carried off by the wind and I saw my grandmother in one of the upper windows waving at us as we approached the house. I wonder what she wants now. 

* ~ * Author's Note * ~ * 

Time for another suggestion of another fabulous ONC entries. Check out Broken Bonds by wera_nyooms .