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973 Words
They never spoke of that incident. It was a silent agreement between the two, that, for all intents and purposes, it didn't happen.
Also, alcohol was a no no for them. Still, they talked, laughed, watched movies. Bailey started getting out more, going to the cafe, or the store.
Baby steps.
One afternoon, she met someone.
"Bailey," The barista called her name flatly. She hurried to get her order. There were too many people here. Before he could get to the counter she was splashed with coffee.
Hot coffee.
"Oh, s**t I'm so sorry Miss," the man awkwardly tried to dry her shirt with napkins. "I'm so sorry I'm clumsy I wasn't looking where I was going—"
"It's okay," she smiled softly. "It was an accident."
For the first time the man looked up.
Woah. She was pretty.
"Are you okay?" Bailey frowned, "You were staring at me."
Cause you're so pretty, he thought, smitten.
Of course, Bailey didn't notice the lovesick expression, and figured he has some type f problem.
"Well, I gotta go—"
"Wait!"
She frowned.
"Um, I'm Carter, I live down the street. Why did I just tell you that?" He shook his head. "Could we...talk sometime, maybe go to a cafe?"
Bailey nodded happily. She needed friends. "Sure," she grinned "I'll give you my number."
Carter was over the moon. Although he was attractive, he had golden hair, and green eyes, a nice body, and a pretty smile—he was a nerd. An awkward one.
He doubted she'd even talk to him after this debacle, but surely as soon as started saying words like debacle—she'd be running or hills.
"Is that...Austen?"
Carter fumbled. "Yes, Pride and Prejudice. You've read it?"
"Austen is my favorite author, especially during that time period. Bronte was so hard to follow, I just could stay focused—" Bailey looked at his entranced face.
He probably has no idea what I'm talking about he thought.
"Though he was an earlier author I think Tolstoy and Austen share a writing style that sarcastic, witty relatable style,"
Bailey grinned. "Exactly. Like War and Peace? Once you get past how long it is, it is actually hilarious."
Carter chuckled, as the naturally walked out of the cafe, onto the sidewalk.
"Yeah, like when the Prince said his sons the bane of his existence?"
Bailey laughed. "I read that part twice. How about the time the Pierre went to visit his friend, who told him not to get married?"
"His rant about marriage and mundane social societies was funny and was true. My favorite character has to be Pierre."
"I do love Pierre. He was an oddball from the begining. He walks in; the bastard son, and just ignores all customs."
Carter snorted. "Pierre did not care about the Princess' aunt."
"Yeah, she kept trying to get him into appropriate conversations and was just not have it!"
"Have you read Sense and Sensibility?"
Bailey scoffed.
"Have I read Sense and Sensibility? Of course! I love the dynamic between them. And how the younger sister cared about what her older sisters husband was like!"
"Yeah and she's like I don't care so why do you?"
"Classic Austen!" They chimed grinning.
"So what else do you read?" Carter asked.
"A bit of every thing. Orwell, I like some of his stories. Have you ever read the Brother's Grimm?"
Carter frowned. "No. What is it about."
Bailey beamed. "You know Disney Princess movies, Cinderella, Snow White, little mermaid?"
"Yeah. What of them?"
"The Brothers Grimm wrote the originals, and let me tell it is nothing like what Disney portrays."
"Tell me more."
"Let's see um...Sleeping Beauty I feel like is the worse. I'm gonna spoil it."
Carter waved it off.
"So you know how in the move she pricks her finger woken up true love blah blah?"
"Yeah."
"In the original tale it starts the same way with the spindle, but here's where it differs dramatically: sleeping beauty pricks her finger and goes to sleep."
"Her father was overcome with grief, his only daughter died. So he decided, to put her in a coffin in a house."
"So this Prince comes riding by and he sees her. He couldn't wake her up, so he rapes her and leaves."
Carter stopped. "Wait what?"
"Hold on it gets worse, she gets pregnant with twins mind you she's still sleep, one of the babies sucked on her finger and took the splinter out and she woke up."
"She saw the babies and decided to take care of them , not knowing that they were hers. So this Prince comes back and basically he wants be happy family, but he has wife."
"And she's crazy. So when she finds out, as says fine. If that's what you do, I'll burn her and make you eat your children."
Carter stopped again.
"WHAT?!"
"Right? So she planned to have the babies given to her so she could put them in his soup, their bodies of course. But one the maids tell the Prince and he stops it from happening. From there I believe she was executed and they lived together Sleeping Beauty still no knowing she wS raped. The end."
Carter was no pleased. "I didn't know those tales were so dark!"
"Yeah their twisted. Have ever heard of the paying the piped piper?"
"Of course."
"Do know the story?"
"I feel like I won't beanie to sleep tonight if oh tell me anything else. Oh you won't!"
The sun had set they'd been talking for hours.
Baileys phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Treasure where are you and where have you been?"
"I'll be home Spencer."
"That's not—"
She hung up. "Sorry, I should get home."
"Hey, let me walk you back."
Bailey thought about Spencer but shrugged it off. He shouldn't have a problem anyway.
- Writer
