The Crown Formality

Chapter 4: The Staff

Benedict's POV

 That evening when we returned home, I helped Edith gather all her belongings to dump in my room. She was obviously uncomfortable, and I delighted in the fact that my best friend was still innocent in her ways. She unfolded all of her articles of clothing, looking at me questioningly.

   I pointed to the walk-in closet on the right side of the room. "The left side is empty. You can leave your clothes there."

       She nodded wordlessly and I focused on the large bed in the middle of the room. It would be fine, I thought as I peeled off my shirt for my routine shower. We used to sleep together when we were kids, it'd be fine. I clicked the door shut behind me and took a quick shower, thinking how messed up our lives had become. At least my parents replaced her with someone I was familiar with, but I'm not sure how well Edith was taking it. I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around myself. Pinching my side, I grimaced at the lack of exercise I had done over the past two months. I needed to exercise again. I opened the door and looked down at my stomach. "Hey, Edith, you wanna go running tomorr--WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU WEARING?!"

     Her head snapped up at me in shock, covering her body with her hands and blushing furiously. "I-I didn't think you'd come out so quickly!"

     She was standing  in front of the mirror in a sheer white piece of lIngerie, her hair fluttering down her back. Before I could reprimand her some more, she dashed into the closet and aggressively slid the door shut behind her. I pinched the bridge of my nose and sauntered over to my drawer to put on some underwear. Slinging the towel around my neck, I hesitantly walked over to the closet door. It was silent in there. "Edith? I'm sorry for yelling at you. You just...surprised me, that's all."

      She slid the door open and brushed past me. Her hair was up in a bun and she was wearing a very long thermal that went to her knees coupled with sleeping pants and socks. She looked at me with cold eyes before focusing on undoing the necklace fastened around her neck. 

      "I'm sorry for surprising you," she spat and crawled into bed. I rolled my eyes.

"It's not a big deal."

      "Tell me, am I ugly?"

      "Not at all!" I exclaimed, following her to bed and sitting on the opposite side. "You're pretty, ok? It's just...It's like seeing my little sister in lingerie. It's weird."

        I saw her eyes flash in anger and she slammed the necklace down on the nightstand beside her. "I'm not Jane, Benedict."

       She was upset. Very upset. I couldn't fathom why though, and that irritated me. Edith was never one to get upset over such little things. She shoved her feet under the covers and wriggled in and used one of the pillows as a divider. 

      I rolled my eyes. She was being childish. "What did I do?"

      "Nothing. Good night."

      I knew I couldn't get another word out of her so after brushing my teeth, I climbed into bed and fell asleep. It was a troubled sleep with her being there, and I immediately woke up when I felt the bed shift and she tiptoed out of the room. She probably went to get a drink of water, I told myself, rolling back onto my side and trying to go to sleep. The thought of her running away from home nagged away at my mind, and I tossed and turned until frustration and worry pulled me out of bed to find her. I didn't have to look far; she was fast asleep outside my door. 

      She looked like a little child nestled into a ball outside my room. Edith looked adorable. I scratched my neck uneasily, glancing at the clock. I knelt down and brushed one of the curls from her face and sat down beside her.