Chapter 16
"So that's why you won't go?" Zia asked, a bit bewildered about what I just told her.
I slowly nodded in reply.
"Okay. Let me get this straight. So, you're telling me that you won't go because your parents won't allow you to acquaint yourself with the Knights." she said in repitition of what I just told her.
"Yes, but there's more."
"More?"
"Do you remember before we welcomed the Knights, you told me that you saw Daniel looking at me so familiarly from across the table during lunch?"
She nodded upon the remembrance of the memory.
"Well, it's because I already met him before that." I stated with nervousness.
"You met him before?"
"Yes, but I didn't know he was a Knight! We met at night when I arrived in town. It was purely coincidental. He was lost near my tree and we argued and met each other." I explained.
"Eve. . . I can't believe this." she said with a frown.
I was nervous because she looked mad at me.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me this before I forced you to welcome him with me!"
'What?'
"You're not mad at me?" I asked, unsure and bewildered.
"I am, but only because you didn't me about this. I wish you would've told me. If I had only known, I wouldn't have let you put through with it." she said with regret. "I am so sorry."
"I'm sorry too. It wasn't your fault that he and I met and that I didn't tell you. I chose not to tell you because I thought that it wouldn't matter this much." I honestly confessed.
"But it did." she added shortly.
"Yes, it did. I met him again at the same place the night after you introduced me to Jonathan. It's too coincidental but it happened anyways. We were still strangers but because of the constant bickering and him saving me twice from falling off a tree,"
"You fell from your tree?!" she asked with exaggeration.
I nodded and continued, "We then became friends. He introduced himself as Daniel but he didn't mention being a Knight. So, when you told me about their family, I thought that it couldn't be him and I could never have been more wrong to think that.
"When I went home, my parents forbade me to come near them but I received a note from him before I left the orchard. I stood him up but went to checked if he went back here, but he was still waiting for me at my tree.
"He explained and wanted to remain as my friend, I did try to keep my distance and promise but I saw no reason to doubt him and refuse him my friendship so I accepted, until. . ." I said sighing.
"Until what?"
"Until Jonathan asked me to stay away from him." I answered, troubled.
"That's strange. Why would he say that?" she said as confused as I was.
"I don't know." I regrettably answered. "Now you know why I can't go even if I really do want to."
"But you can still go. You can just ignore them for the rest of the party." Zia suggested.
"It's easier said than done." I said, weakly. I slumped in my seat and sadly sighed.
"It must've been hard for you these past few days." she said, sympathetically.
I just gave her a small smile and shrugged.
"What are you going to do?" she asked with much worry.
"Honestly, I don't know." I answered, troubled.
"Don't worry. I'll help you figure something out." she said as she reached for my hand and gave me a comforting smile.
I grasped her hand tight and smiled back saying, "Thank you."
~
The rest of the afternoon went by lazily. I spent most of my time grooming the horses in the stables. I was brushing Orion while staring, dazed at the wall before me. I was thinking about what Zia and I had just talked back then. I was too pre-occupied that I was startled when Orion suddenly whinnied and shook his head away from me.
"What's wrong boy?" I asked as I soothingly stroked his neck.
When I turned my head to look around, I found Daniel casually standing by the main stable doors. His hands were in his pocket and he smiled at me but something was a bit off.
He walked slowly towards me and stopped before greeting, "Hi."
"Hi." I replied back, uneasily.
"I've been looking all over for you." he said, starting a conversation as he leaned on a pole.
"Well, you found me." I said, trying to make it sound funny but it didn't.
"That I did." he said, chuckling a bit. He stood back straight and cleared his throat. "I want to talk to you about something."
"I'm listening." I said as I stopped brushing Orion and tried to listen to what he had to say.
"Good. It's about Jonathan." he said with much seriousness.
I gulped, feeling a bit distressed. 'What now?'
"He told you something about me, correct?"
"How did you know?" I asked, bewildered.
"I figured as much." he said, smirking.
"Oh."
He went back to his seriousness and asked, "He probably told you something that might change your view about me; and to stay away from me, am I right?"
"Yes." I answered, weakly.
"Do you want to?"
I looked into his blue masked eyes but all I could see was doubt.
"Do you want to stay away from me?" he asked again, more clearly.
We were both silent. He stood there and anticipated my answer but I was still confused and undecided.
With a faltering voice, I tried to find words to say but only ended up saying, "Daniel. . . I-"
"Don't say anything more. I already know what it will be." he said, harshly cutting me off.
His expression was stoic. His eyes weren't the same soft blue carefree eyes I was enchanted with when we first met. They were dark and nonchalant. His tone was indifferent. He looked coldly at me like I meant. . . nothing. He felt so distant from me. I didn't like it at all. This wasn't the Daniel I had met before.
"You are just like everyone else. I'm disappointed. I guess I had you wrong." he said, coldly, then turned around and walked away.
Before he could leave, I pulled his arm to make him face towards me. I didn't want him to think I had nothing to say, because I do.
"Then you're wrong. I am not the kind of person who easily judges people and gives up on them without proper reason. If you think that I would doubt who you are, then this would be the time to say that because I guess I also had you wrong." I said, wounded.
He opened his mouth to say something but no words would come out so he immediately closed it. I let go of his arm and hurriedly walked out of the stables without giving him a glance. I didn't look back. I knew he thought of me differently now just like I had when Jonathan warned me; but the only difference was that I still trusted who he showed me he was. Clearly, he didn't trust me as much as I did him.
As I walked, I broke into a run. I ran towards the Oak trees within the orchard and hid myself. Here was where I would feel safe. There were only a handful of workers but not one of them noticed me. That was good. I wanted to be alone.
I sat down and rested my back towards the tree. I looked up on the leaf-covered sky and sighed.
'Why is this happening to me?' I thought to myself.
'Why did he say those hurtful and cold words? How could he say that? I thought I meant something to him, at least as a person or a friend. I guess I really had him wrong.'
I stayed there for minutes. When I noticed the luminescent sky turn into a soft orange with tinges of pink and yellow, I knew it was already sunset. I stayed too long. I got up and slowly made my way back to the stables to get Orion and head home.
When I was about to enter the stables, I stopped as I reached its doors. He was still there waiting, sitting on a barrel near Orion.
"Daniel?" I asked, bewildered by his unexpected presence.
He looked up and I met his soft blue eyes- the ones who beguiled me from when we first met. He bore his eyes into mine and I noticed that they were full of remorse.
"Eve. . ." he softly trailed off as he stood up.
I walked towards him and asked, "Why are you still here?"
"I waited for you to come back." he stated.
I was stunned.
'Why would he do that if he said such cold words to me? I don't understand him at all.'
I didn't put my mind into what he had said. I was still hurt and mad so I cast it aside. I walked past him and opened Orion's stable door. I finished saddling him and prepared his reigns. Daniel still stood there in silence and looked at me, who was still unexpectedly ignoring him.
When I finished preparing Orion, I remembered that I had forgotten to pass by Aunt Martha's house to grab a pie and say goodbye like I did everyday. I went out Orion's stable and closed its door. I still ignored Daniel and made my way out.
Before I could step outside, I felt a hand grab my wrist and pull me. That was when I felt that Daniel had pulled me to him and unexpectedly embraced me. I froze, shocked and startled from what he just did. I could feel my heart hammering in my chest.
'He's hugging me.'
I began to feel lightheaded as I remembered the times I felt the same when we had met. I shook the thoughts away. He still had hurt me so I'm not falling for this. I tried to pull away but he only held me tighter.
"Daniel, let go." I demanded.
He didn't say anything but held me closer.
I tried to pull away but still failed so I gave up and sighed. "I don't understand you at all."
"I'm sorry." he said, remorsefully, finally speaking up.
I was still in his arms, startled by his apology. He never failed to surprise me every time.
"I'm sorry." he repeated.
We didn't say anything after that. We stayed like that until he slowly let me go. He looked at me, anticipating my reply to his apology. I looked deep into his eyes and saw his sincerity.
I smiled at him and decided to let this fight pass. I shook my head amused and said, "You never do fail to surprise me."
He chuckled at my comment. I loved hearing him laugh like that. It made me think of what I saw in him before.
"That's all you can say after I apologized?" he asked, bemused.
"Apparently, but you need to do better for me to forgive you." I said, challenging him.
He looked at me with the same glint of mischievousness in his eyes and said, "I'll take you on that then. I know just what to do."
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Hey guys!
I'm very sorry for the late update! Things kind of gotten busy and complicated for awhile and I needed to catch up.
So did you like this chapter??? I seriously am running out of creative juices here. I need help. ANYONE OUT THERE WHO COULD INSPIRE ME? Hahaha xD
I'll try to make the develipment of the story faster. Goal: better story=more reads!
BTW, I'll be suggesting more stories for you to read next time.
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