Rejected

Chapter 18

“I should drop you off since I dragged you in this mess in the first place,” The Prince sighed.

“Yes, your logic is astounding. Look at you. And look at me. A half naked man dropping me off will be just what I ordered for my daily dose of social suicide. Isn’t it?” She asked with her eyes still averted, “I would not answer that if I were you.”

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"Wha, what is going on?" Delilah woke up abruptly with a niggling feeling that a glass of water had been hurled on her head. She patted her dark hair wearily and determined that water had indeed been thrown on her.

"Del, its nine! The sun would have risen ages ago if we could actually see the sun," Cecilia announced with an annoyingly loud voice. She tried to pull the covers away from her cousin but Delilah held on for dear life. After a few more minutes of struggling the older cousin let go.

Delilah looked to the left, outside and was startled to see rain splattering down the glass windows with a steady roar and clouds rumbled distantly. It had been a cloudless night so the change was alarming but Delilah appreciated the change in weather nevertheless.

"He was right about the rain," Delilah mumbled before she could stop herself.

"Eh, who?" Cecilia broke out of her train of thought.

"Just heard someone say it was going to rain today," Delilah casually tried to dismiss the matter.

"Hmm, the ability to predict the weather is a good one.  Anyway the hiking expedition has been cancelled so we're going to have to stay indoors. I'll have to replace my wardrobe for today as well," Cecilia grumbled as she picking up another dress.

"Hiking? Why don't I know about this hiking trip?"

"Delilah, where are you these days? It's like your head is in the clouds all the time," Cecilia complained.

"I must have missed the announcement," Delilah whispered slowly.

"Really, I should have thought your ears would have perked up at the word hiking since you seem to like it so much," Cecilia rolled her eyes before handing her cousin a dress, "I need to ask you what dress I should wear. I've nearly run out new dresses!"

"Oh, don't be so inane. Repeating a gown won't kill you."

"Hah bloody hah, its social suicide. Not everyone is like you. Gah! What would you do without me?"

Delilah paused at the word social suicide and remembered the whole of last night. Of course she would completely lose her mind and insult the Crown Prince. She ignored the urge to groan miserably and continued the conversation.

 "Wear the periwinkle lace and what do you mean what would I do without you? Are you plotting something?" Delilah asked what her instincts were telling her. Cecilia gave her a doe eyed look but her grin was hardly innocent.

"So, how was your excursion yesterday?" Cecilia asked instead.

"What excursion?" Delilah swallowed.

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice that filthy gown stuck in the corner of the cupboard?"

"It -I was- honestly, I went out for an early morning walk," Delilah tired to explain without having to mention her actual movements the night before.  She also did not want to remember the frank manner in which she conversed with the Prince. Apparently keeping her awake, hours after her bed time, made her tongue looser than Cecilia’s.

"Must have been early because I don't remember you slinking off like you usually do," Cecilia shrugged, "The breakfast is waiting for you."

"You should have woken me up earlier. It's horrible to wake up so late," Delilah grumbled.