Rags Meets Riches

After spending another thirty minutes or so watching the night slip away, I wandered out the doors of the room and walked down the long hallways and out the back door. I kept walking until I got to the small lake hidden by nature. Ever since my father died, I’ve come here whenever I need to be alone. Sitting on the edge on a rock by the water, I looked up at the sky, at the constellations. It was such a beautiful night but for some reason, I had a feeling that it was the start of something that would lead to tragedy.

As I was skipping stones across the water, I heard a noise come from behind me. Placing the rock I had in my hand back down lightly on the ground, I stopped what I was doing and listened to the sound of footsteps getting louder and more evident. The leaves on the ground gave away the person’s location and I became aware that they were getting closer to me. My heart started to race, but I still found the courage to speak up.

“The party is back in the mansion,” I reprimanded without even turning around. Leaves continued to rustle under heavy feet and the person refused to cease. I saw their shadow hovering above me as they got closer and I tried once more. “The party is back in the mansion. You’re not supposed to be out here right now.”

“I’m willing to bet that neither are you, princess.” I turned around and a gasp left my lips as I saw a familiar head of tousled curls and light green eyes staring back at me. “Adelaide,” he addressed me with my name this time.

“What are you doing here?” I questioned, standing up from my seat. “I still don’t know your name…”

He stepped closer to me and instinctively, I stepped back and felt myself sliding off of the land which would eventually lead me into the cold water. Panicking, I swung my arms left and right and almost immediately, his large hand reached out for me and pulled me back up, steadying me.

I mumbled a thank you, but kept my reaction to him minimal, knowing that he fed off whatever I gave him.

“What are you doing out here? How did you even find me out here?” I repeated.

“I didn’t come here to find you.” He laughed, ridiculing me. “I should ask the same of you though, shouldn’t I? What are you doing out here when you’re supposed to be inside, Adelaide?”

“Well, I asked you first, didn’t I?” It was the first thing that came to mind so I spoke it aloud.

He chuckled at my reply, most likely because I had used the same line he had told me just an hour ago.

“Fair enough.” I hadn’t noticed he had a cigarette with him until he brought it up to his mouth and rested it between his lips. My eyes widened as I saw him inhale and exhale, leaving a cloud of smoke that blew almost directly in my face. I held my breath as he repeated the action.

My face must have held a look of utter disgust because he smirked at me. His eyes narrowed and he asked, “Do you want one?”

It sounded like a trick question and I couldn’t make up my mind with whether I wanted to take a risk or play it safe.

“I insist,” He spoke in a low, raspy voice. “Take it.”

For some reason, I was willing to do whatever he said and right as my fingertips brushed the cigarette, he pulled his arm back and tossed the cigarette into the lake with a smirk playing on his lips, “Did you really think I was going to give it to you, princess?”

Notes