𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

𝟎𝟐 : 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐒

A/N : this is a flashback chapter but i will not be putting it into italics like i would normally do.

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𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐒

𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑 𝐏𝐎𝐕

𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊

The sun shone brightly outside on this fine August afternoon, Clara was taking a stroll through the manor grounds. It was coming to an end of the summer and she had to take every opportunity she could to soak up the warm sun.

Clara walked across the manor grounds, feeling the afternoon breeze as she did so. Today she would step away from all the troubles of wedding planning and take in the warmth of the outdoors. Clara missed when times could be simpler, when she could run around barefoot without any worries. Unfortunately those times had come to an end seeing as she was to be married but, today she would finally allow herself a break.

Clara's dress dragged behind her as she made her way over to the rose bushes. The red roses of which had been planted on the property since Clara was a small child. The roses had always held some form of sentimental value to Clara, for as long as she could remember possibly even before she was born the roses had sat on the Winston property. They were just in a way very special to the family.

As Clara made her way over to the bushes she couldn't help but recap those moments with Edmund from only days prior at the ball. The way she left him standing there in utter shock as she moved on with someone new. She felt truly so awful. Edmund was someone she cherished, someone she would be there for until the end of time. She couldn't imagine any reason why he would want to talk to her again,

"Good Afternoon, Clara" Edmund spoke as he neared her presence.

"Edmund?" her breath hitched as she saw him almost standing in front of her, "I didn't expect you today or well ever again if I'm being completely honest here".

"Well here I am darling" He smirked at her, it was as if he was enjoying making her nervous. Clara took a look at him briefly and continued walking through the gardens right past him, "Well aren't you going to join me?" she called back.

Edmund enjoyed the mischievous game of cat and mouse that they had kept up throughout the years. He enjoyed chasing her because in the end he knew she would always give in, so with that he chased after her.

"What brings you here Edmund?" Clara asked as the pair walked side by side through the garden. Clara truly was surprised by this visit, she was sure that after the events from the ball he would never speak to her again yet, here he was walking beside her.

"Please don't marry him Clara, I can give you so much more than he can" Edmund stopped right in front of her. Clara looked him in the eyes, she could still see the heartbreak swimming in them.

"Like what Edmund?" she cocked her head to the side. She would only entertain his games this one time.

"I can make you happy, I've always made you happy. I can bring you joy, laughter, and love" Edmund moved his hand to cup Clara's cheek. Edmund knew he didn't have as much to offer as Malcolm, he wasn't ridiculously rich and he definitely didn't own several plots of land but he knew he could give her what she deserved. Love and happiness.

"Oh Edmund..." Clara could only dream of the days where love and happiness were the only things that mattered but, as of right now they did not. "Edmund, I've told you that Malcolm gives me those things. He makes me happy. He loves me." Lies. Clara truly only hurt herself by lying to Edmund but she kept telling herself it was for the better that they stayed apart. It had to be for the better right?

"You're lying Clara, please don't lie to me" Edmund could feel the tears wallowing in his eyes as he turned away from the sight of her. But not just his heart broke in that moment. 

"Edmund I wish-" Clara tried to reach for his hand.

"Clara where are you?" Clara's  mother called from the entryway of their home. Clara turned around to finish her sentence but alas Edmund had escaped her once again. Her head turned with all the things she wish she could say to Edmund. She would tell him how in love with him she was. She would tell him how handsome she thought he was to her. She would tell him how she never wished to be parted from him. But in this day and age her happiness meant nothing to those around her. 

"Clara where are you?" Her mother called again from their porch. It was time to come back to the real world Clara thought. The small moments in the garden were over and she never knew when she was going to get another moment to herself like these ones. 

She took in a deep breath and walked back toward her home. She took in the scenery around her making sure not to forget one single moment of this day. 

As she stood on her porch she looked at her roses one last time. 

word count : 1,000 

a/n : HIII OMG!!! this chapter was very short but i am trying to slowly ease myself back into writing after being gone. i MISSED writing so so much and i missed you guys!!! i hope you enjoyed this brief chapter:)

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