Hunting the Fairy Tale

Chapter 104 - Finding Paradise

Ronja

The chime of Willow's message calling me outside breaks through boring silence of my room, filling bland space with sudden colour. I jump from bed and storm from room, ignoring Papa's wife when she complains about noise as I shout goodbye and run down the stairs and out of house.

Since we moved to Briar Cove, I haven't had any invitations to other people's homes. I have no friends. I know it is mostly my own fault because I've kept to myself and exaggerated my speaking accent to shut everyone out. I wanted to go home. I miss my sister, I miss my mother, I miss my friends and family in Sweden.

Today, I'm happy to go out. Willow is first person in Briar Cove I felt a connection with. I am not sure why it happened, but it did. Perhaps because she, too, seemed lost and sad and lonely. Through her, I've met many others now, and I am not hating Briar Cove so much anymore. Many of the people I've met are boys, and I know Papa hates boys. I can have fun and pay him back for dragging me from my home in one move by hanging out with Willow and her many male friends.

Unlike Papa, I like boys.

I know I would've hated this place even more if Tanner hadn't been there on Monday... if he hadn't saved me. I made terrible mistake thinking I could make quick money to go home by getting involved with modelling agent that did not care about guardian signatures. I am not normally stupid girl, but I was desperate.

"Hej!" I greet Willow as I hurry down the driveway to meet her at the gate. She has little dog with her, and he happily dances and jumps when he sees me. I pick him up and give him cuddles, smiling at Willow, who patiently waits for me to finish greeting her dog.

She waves to my father's woman, who is standing at the door, making sure I'm not meeting up with someone they have not approved of. I am allowed to go for lunch but have to be home by four o'clock. Sometimes, I am angry at Ebba for causing Papa to become overly strict with me because of the things she used to do, like slipping out of the house to meet her boyfriend, getting pregnant, running away... 

But I love her too much to hate her.

I wonder if they would still let me go if they saw that Willow lives with very sexy young man. I am torn between risking it by letting them know clearly after I've had lunch there and hiding it so as not to endanger future visits.

"How are you, Ronja?" Willow finally asks when I put the dog down, and we start to walk to her home. She messaged me earlier, saying she would stop by on her way back from walking her dog, and we could go to her house together if I wanted to. I wanted to very much. I was feeling a little nervous about going there by myself. I am always afraid of saying or doing wrong things when I go to new places and meet strangers. I want to be invited back.

"I'm well, thanks; how about you? You look like... dog shit?"

She gives me a look and laughs a little nervously. "Why, thank you! I suppose it does describe how I'm feeling."

"Are you still in pain?" I ask and can see that Willow is not quite herself, but I cannot tell what might be wrong. She does not look completely ill, just a little bit off. "If you're not feeling well, I can stay home and-"

"Oh! No, I'm fine, thank you," she says, and I am very relieved to hear that. I really want this visit today. "We're all looking forward to your visit. I just accidentally ate and drank things last night I shouldn't have."

"Oh! You have food poisoning! I'm sorry."

"Well, something like that," she laughs, shaking her head, and after hesitating for a few seconds, she adds. "I... inadvertently ate biscuits laced with cannabis... and said and did some strange things... It's nothing. Everything is fine now," she shrugs, and I can see that she doesn't want to talk about it; she seems to be a bit upset now.