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

17. Would You Rather?

I spent the rest of the night trailing after Kat and forcing a smile onto my face, drinking nothing but bubbly water and some kind of lemonade that was delicious. Kat was rather wasted enough for the two of us, so I guided her home and up to my room. In the darkness of the hall, the light shone through the crack under my grandmother's door. But that was a problem for tomorrow.

Once I had settled Kat into the bed, I got ready myself, went down to the kitchen for a glass of water, and then returned to my room, where I slept on the floor to prevent being attacked by Kat. I'd known her long enough to know you ought to give her the same space you'd give a moose or a polar bear. That is to say: a lot.

Despite my best attempts, I was rudely awakened the next morning by Kat crash landing right on top of my stomach. A groan escaped me and Kat rolled onto the floor, smacking her own head into the corner of a table leg and screaming out in pain.

"Good morning to you, too, Kat." My voice came out somewhat strained due to the pain in my stomach. It was like Kat had deflated the balloon of air when she had fallen on me.

"Sorry," she groaned, rubbing her head. "I didn't expect you to be on the floor."

"Where did you expect me to be?"

"Who knows? The bathtub, the wardrobe, the underside of a dining table, the living room... That one time it was a balcony. That was scary."

I winced when she spoke. She's right. I was never in the places you'd expect.

"Oh, sorry. Am I talking too loud again? We should get some water. And some breakfast. I know I have some painkillers somewhere in my purse."

"No, it's not that." I sat up and pulled my knees up to my chest, my eyes wandering to the top drawer of my dresser where I knew my engagement ring to be. "I just have some stuff to deal with today that I don't want to do."

Not a whole lie, at least.

"Yeah, what are you going to do?" Kat sat up, still holding her head, and pulled her legs underneath her. "You just dumped that Edward guy on his ass, so I can't imagine that's going to go over well with him or your grandmother. I need sausages."

"That Edward guy," I repeated. "Don't let anyone else hear you with that one. But I don't know what I'm going to do. I think the first thing I should do is go talk to Edward. I..."

"You can't marry him."

"Well, that's what's so confusing. I would have said that a month ago but now I'm not so sure. What I do know is I can't marry him yet. I have no idea why my parents thought that was a good idea and seeing as they're dead I can't exactly ask them. But I know that's where I need to start. Forgive me for leaving you alone all day?"

"Nothing to forgive. Just point me in the direction of the kitchen and find my painkillers?" Kat's eyes were closed and she was rubbing the bridge of her nose. I grabbed her purse and threw it across the room into her lap and gave her directions to the kitchen while I got dressed and pulled my hair up into a ponytail.

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Take your time. Good luck!"

And then the door closed between us and it was just me, alone, standing in the creaking drafty hallway of a house it now seemed would never be mine. And just when I was starting to become fond of your decrepit shutters.

* * *

After a brief moment of confusion at the gate, I had been allowed onto Edward's property despite the fact that I was dressed like a farm hand and probably had huge bags under my eyes from not sleeping.