the prince and the peasant | skephalo | DISCONTINUED

leisurely stroll

He led me, standing before me, stretching his hand back to be able to hold mine. The first drop of rain dropped. We were still a couple of yards away before entering the building, so we rushed our speed. By the time we made it under the soffit of the building, our clothes and hair were slightly watered but not enough to get us colder than we originally were. We laughed it off before pulling the knob of the door and letting ourselves in.

The room is unlighted, the only source seemed to be from a partially glass ceiling. Since there was no sun to light up the room, it was mostly dark but seeable. As I admired the interior of the building, Zak seemed to be bowed down, pulling off his shoes. I noticed he still kept his glasses on.

I followed his actions, nudging at my foot with the other to loosen my shoe. I stepped out, walking with my socks only. I move the pair close to the doorway, moving on to leave to sit on one of the pews built in the front. I sit, leaned in with my hands in the space of my spread-out legs. My eyes wander, I've never seen this place before. It seemed to be hidden from the town. The fact made it very calming. I waited for Zak in comfortable silence.

His footsteps echoed so it was no surprise when I saw the boy now seated next to me moments later. His sitting position made me think. One foot sat on the bench too, tucked under a rested leg that relaxed, foot barely grazing over the floor. His arms were folded and judging by his thoughtful gaze, he was lost in thought.

"This place seems pretty cool," I thought out loud.

Zak doesn't have much of a response. Just a murmur. I murmur back, moving my hand out of its original placement, and reverted to drumming my fingers on the wooden surface we were sitting on.

"Can you stop?" Zak asks, his tone somewhat aggressive scaring me into listening.

I nod, tapping my foot lightly instead.

"That too."

He must've been thinking of something important - or I was being flat-out annoying.

"Sorry," he apologizes. "I just have something on my mind."

I nod, wanting to say something more. "Do you want to talk about it?"

His head perks up. "Yeah," he scoots closer to me, our arms sweeping over each other. "My parents. They think just because I turned 18, I should be in a rush to find someone. So they're planning a ball. Just with women, so I could find the perfect one."

My eye contact with him breaks as the words sink in. Swiftly, I face back at the floor kicking my feet to the floorboards as I think of a response. One better than the simple, 'oh' that I was thinking of. Questions are always good.

"Is that why you were walking around the kingdom? Because you got into a fight?"

His head turns, looking at me. I wasn't looking back, but I could tell. After he sees that, his eyes avert to the front of the altar. "Yeah."

An uncomfortable silence forms around us. My heart warms for some reason, there was a soft feeling around us that was telling me something. Zak gasps in enlightenment before grabbing for my hand. Awkward at first, seeing the position of my hands and how close they were to my legs and the rest of my body, but I move out of that, hoping to not make it any more awkward than it is.

"You could help me!" He exclaims, shaking my holden hand up and down.

I can't but smile at the other boy's excitement. "How so?"

His fingers tangle with mine. "You could.. come? And help me stay calm. Oh! Or you can help me prepare. Or.."

He seemed to have something in mind, his tone making me think he's thinking of something mischievous. "Hm?"