Falling for a Bridgerton : a Bridgerton fanfic

chapter 28 : garden fever

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Now standing in front of Mabel's house, looking up at her window, Eloise wondered why she was even here in the first place.

She was so hooked on adrenaline all the way here, that she didn't prepare a speech. Or even thought of a plan to talk to Mabel in the middle of the night.

She couldn't just walk up and knock on the front door. What could be so important that she couldn't see Mabel in the morning? How could she explain that to her parents?

She glanced to her right where a tree stood, its branches long enough to reach the window ledge. Thinking about how a half hour ago, she was climbing down from her bedroom window, she figured it was only right she'd climb right back up to Mabel's.

Minutes later (but it felt like hours to Eloise), and thorns and cuts strewn all over her arms and legs, she'd made her way on the window ledge.

She paused for a moment, catching her breath and knocked on the window.

There were a few seconds of silence before she heard footsteps and to her relief, her favorite person opened the door.

"Eloise, what are you doing here?," Mabel asked in disbelief. She was clearly shocked yet a smile laced her face, wondering how Eloise had even made it all the way up here.

"I needed to see you," Eloise whispered. Mabel pulled her into the bedroom, closing the windows and locking her front door.

"Eloise, what happened? Is everything okay?"

"You didn't write me."

Mabel rolled her eyes but was unable to hide her smile. She took a seat beside Eloise, "you're telling me I didn't write to you in a week, that you climbed a tree just to see me? In the middle of the night, I might add."

Eloise looked down in her lap. She didn't realize how extreme she was being until Mabel said it out loud.

Mabel pushed Eloise's shoulder with her arm, "Don't worry. I find it quite romantic."

Eloise looked up at her grinning, and slowly leaned closer. Mabel inched forward before quickly standing and walking away.

"Eloise, we can't."

"I'm sorry what?"

"Eloise, I really like you. Trust me, I do. But this - you and I - can't happen. I'm so sorry for letting it get this far but this can't go on."

Eloise felt her heart shatter in two. She couldn't understand why this was happening.

The only sensible reason was that this was a joke, but surely Mabel could never be this cruel.

"I don't understand," Eloise whispered under her breath, feeling her eyes begin to water.

She hated this effect on her. She never cried in front of anyone, even that time she fell off her horse and sprained her ankle. But here she was, crying when she wasn't even sure what was actually going on.

She quickly wiped her tears and turned her head to Mabel, who looked away, unable to face Eloise.
"Mabel, what changed?"

Mabel sighed, still not being able to look at Eloise. "El, I moved here because I ruined my family's reputation once. I can't bear to do it again. We left everything behind, friends, family, our house. All because of me. My brothers just got settled here. I can't risk messing it all up again. It wouldn't be fair to them."

Eloise stood up and walked over, her chest inexplicably rising with anger, "am I not worth it?"

Mabel quickly turned around, finally being able to stare Eloise in the eyes. She could see the animosity in her pupils, an expression she never saw before.

"Eloise, please understand! You are worth it. But it's one thing running away from an arranged marriage, it's another thing people finding out I'm in love with a girl."

"You're in love with me?" Eloise asked softly.

How was this simultaneously the best and worst moment of her life?

"That's not the point, Eloise!" Mabel threw her hands exasperatedly. "The point is, I can't ruin my family again. I can't cause another downfall. Because if this happened, and people found out, it wouldn't be like last time, where we'd move.

This time, it would be irreparable."

Eloise stood her ground silently, her anger hadn't subsided yet. For a second, the rational part of her questioned why she was angry, Mabel clearly was making sense. But for Eloise, when something good was finally happening to her and was now being taken away, she couldn't help but act unreasonably.

Mabel noticed and grabbed Eloise's shoulders, "Please El, tell me you understand. This is what's best for the both of us!"

Eloise pushed away from her grip, "Don't tell me what is best for me! Don't act like you're doing this for both of our sakes. You're being selfish."

"Eloise..... how can you say that?"

"No Mabel, how can you do this?" Eloise felt rage in her every vein and nerve.

She knew she should stop but the words left her mouth before she could even think. "You say you love me, but you don't. You're not doing this for my sake. What you are is a coward."

Mabel flinched at her words.

"You're a coward Mabel. You'd rather run and hide than stand up for what you want."

"How do you expect this to happen, Eloise? You want to spend the rest of our lives hiding in secret, behind closed doors and windows. That won't work. Our families expect us to get married one day? How do you propose we work around that? Do you still think I'm just being a coward?"

"We could figure it out Mabel! That's why people have been doing for ages. Do you sincerely think we're the first of our kind? People have done it before and they'll do it again, so why can't we?"

"Eloise, it's not feasible. It would be too hard!"

"And that's your problem!" Eloise shouted, before covering her mouth, realizing it was the middle of the night in Mabel's house.

The both of them stood quietly for a minute. When they didn't hear footsteps, they let out a breath of relief. She began again, whispering this time, "I understand it's going to be hard Mabel. I'm not that blind nor shortsighted. But unlike you, I'm willing to fight for us. I'm willing to at least try."

Mabel opened her mouth but shortly closed it, not knowing what to say.

Eloise took that as her response and walked over to the window.

"Eloise, wait."

Eloise glanced back at her. Her anger had subsided and right now all she felt was sadness. She shook her head, and quickly climbed down the tree, not even noticing the thorns cutting into the sides of her arm.

Why was the world so insistent on not letting her be content?

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A/N

Chapter 28 baby

Yay! The second season is out but I'm not going to watch it until I finish this story first.
So pray that I finish this story soon, cause we're most halfway there!!

I just want to end this saying how thankful I am for the votes and comments. Truth be told, I am kinda checked out but you guys keep me going :))

vote & comment if you like

& have a wonderful day,

Violet

10/04/22