𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✯ 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐂

𝟢𝟫．𝖸𝖤𝖠𝖧，𝖨 𝖳𝖮𝖫𝖣 𝖸𝖮𝖴 𝖧𝖤 𝖶𝖠𝖲𝖭'𝖳 𝖠 𝖬𝖨𝖭𝖦𝖤𝖱

"It's okay," I spoke dismissively, shrugging it off. It wasn't okay at all. Not only would Felix and Elspeth miss out on getting to experience all this, I would too, and that was only just hitting me — like really hitting me.

I hadn't realised how much I'd wanted to marry, or to have children, until that opportunity had been taken away from me. Admitting to myself what I'd always known, that the curse was real, meant I was admitting to myself I could never marry or have children — because unlike every generation before me I could not live with myself if I put another person's life, especially someone I love's, on the line for my own selfish wants.

"We can go see everyone after Ollie gets here and we show him around, yeah? Tell them then," Felix informed me, a small smile, full of pity, on his face.

A millisecond after I nodded at Felix to display that I was alright with doing that, the sound of the gates to Saltburn being opened entered my ears. They weren't quiet gates when being opened, their loud screeching could be heard for miles, not to mention the house was, for the most part, silent, at the moment.

"That'll be Oliver," Felix grinned at me, getting up off his bed, offering me his hand to take. I laced my fingers with his as we left his room, moving through Felix's maze for a home. "Let's hope we get to him before Duncan does."

Honestly, I was a bit nervous for Oliver to spend the Summer at Saltburn. Why? Because he's a great friend, I utterly adore him and I love spending time with him. Odd reasons to be anxious, I know, but it hadn't been the first time Felix invited a friend to stay for the Summer.

Before Oliver, whilst we were in secondary school through to sixth form. Felix and I were in a little trio-friendship with another boy. Eddie. Eddie stayed at Saltburn for the Summer, in our first year of sixth form. A brief romance sparked between Eddie and Venetia, it completely ruined the whole dynamic of our group. And at the end of it all, I picked Felix's side — even if I did think he was overreacting a bit — I'd known and loved Felix's much longer than I had Eddie. I still occasionally spoke to Eddie but all communications ceased when we left sixth form.

Venetia was gorgeous, she dressed provocatively, she was bold, outrageous, desirable. Not to mention, she enjoyed having a frequent shag as much as the next person. And Oliver is extremely good-looking, too. He's sweet, smart and he can be a really funny person when he warms up to you. Not to mention, he's an absolute virgin. I am slightly (massively) afraid that if their paths cross, there may be another Eddie situation; and I don't particularly want to lose Oliver, we've only been friends for a short amount of time, but I really love him. He's a good friend.

Before Felix and I even entered the room that Oliver and Duncan were, regretfully, interacting in, their awkward conversation could be heard, echoing throughout the room and travelling into the rooms nearby. It was what pulled me out of the trance I was in, as I thought about what had happened with Eddie.

"Ollie!" Felix shouted as Oliver came into his eye-line. "Thank God, you're here. I meant it when I said you and Hope are going to preserve my sanity this Summer. Duncan, Hope and I'll show him to his room. Don't worry. Oliver, try not to be too terrified of Duncan. Duncan, stop being so frightening in front of my friends."

"Well, I'll try," Duncan flashed one of his rare smiles, and though his tone was dull, you could tell his small smile was real.

"Come on, mate," Felix threw an arm around Oliver, as he began to guide him through the beautiful structure that is Saltburn. "Come on."