Someone Like You | Sample

12

One Simple Day
-•-•-

The air is clear today
She takes in a deep breath
The charm of a 5 AM breeze
The charm of the silence
the peace
She inhales and exhales
till the sun rises
Her eyes on the leaves
the winds are dancing with
She sighs
Why can't the morning breeze
blow her pain away?

"When's the marriage?"

I want to slap myself for asking this question but instead, I straighten myself and try to look as unaffected as I can.

I'm not unaffected. The throbbing ache between my eyes suddenly spreads to my temples and I cringe with the knowledge of an impending headache. I'm totally going to get a killer one soon.

For a second I almost see hesitance on William's face, a small brush of emotions in his eyes. But then they are gone, and instead, I am left to stare at the same blank-faced man I was slowly getting accustomed to seeing.

"If I agree, then by the end of the year,"

"So... what do I say now? Didn't he tell me he thinks of her as his sister? Do brothers get married to their sisters?" I think to myself as I stare at the man before me.

"Congratulations?" I try to smile at him but I know it probably looks like a grimace instead. For a moment I wonder why, why am I even grimacing? Why am I even upset? This was not supposed to have any strings attached.

I watch as William's blank expressions suddenly hardens, and he stares at me with hard orbs that remind me of thick, sweet molasses. Is this not the response he wanted?

"I do not want to marry Cecilia,"

Oh...

The words echo around the walls of the bedroom, and I drop my gaze to the first button on his shirt. It's safer looking there than looking into his eyes. Unlike him, I am aware that my face is a traitor. It is expressive. I try to hide the strange swirl of happiness I feel in my chest at his words.

It takes me a while to realise that the silence between us is spreading. William is still silent, waiting for my response, but I am too busy silently feeling relief.

"Oh," I mumble finally, not knowing what else to say suddenly. Sometimes it is really irritating not being a skilled vocalised. During times like these I wish I had Saara's skill at expressing herself verbally.

"Oh?... That's it?" William's question makes my eyes suddenly dart up to his. A shiver runs through my chest as soon as my eyes lands on him. The way he is looking at me, his eyes — then the vulnerability disappears and he is once again looking at me with the blank mask his face usually is set up as.

But I can't forget it. The way his eyes looked at me a moment ago — with disappointment and disbelief, the clenching of his jaws, and this other emotion... something I had never seen before. Has anyone ever looked at me the way he just did? I can not tell.

"Should I marry Cecelia, Gemma?" Again my eyes snap up to his and this time I am the one who lets her emotions slip. I stare at him with fear and disbelief.

"Don't you not want to marry her?" I ask him, somehow angered by his question. I don't understand why he has to ask me this question — what am I, his advisor?