Aromantic Desires

VIII

"Kenneth! Kenny, can you hear us?" Valerie sobbed, as she slapped his face with cold water.

The mansion walls were cold as ice, even though it was dusk. The girls sat on the wooden chairs out in the hallway, while Jack was with Kenneth.

For the first time, Audrey had truly hated the way she felt at this moment. Guilt, sadness and fear consumed her. Valerie confided with the girls, to stay outside his room. It was hard for them to even think. Audrey could not help but fearing that Valerie had blamed her for getting Kenneth beaten up badly. After all, he did fight on her behalf. The case was not so. Merely, Valerie wanted the two people whom he cared for the most, to give him some room. He won't be able to rest seeing Audrey so disheartened. Despite this, she wanted to do something to help.

With a low and disheartening tone, Valerie told the housemaid to fetch the doctor that lived a bit away from them.

Several minutes of tapping their feet after the call, the middle-aged doctor finally came. He entered running with his briefcase and sheets of paper on the other hand. They silently shut the door behind them, as Audrey cheekily tipped toed towards them. Jack stood beside Kenneth, beaming at his best friend, while Valerie sat beside his frame.

The doctor removed his shirt to expose his bare chest. Kenneth had fresh bruises on his shoulders. Albeit, none of that compared to what was on his abdomen.

Jack got up to see Audrey's concerned eyes, between the crease of the door. He sighed tiredly and got up, walking towards her.

"Go to bed, Drey. I know you must think this is your fault. But it is not. He will be alright. I am certain Kenneth thinks the same."

"Did he tell you that?" She pondered, darting her eyes in the room while whispering.

"I know he would not. Now go to bed and take Kate and June with you."

"Okay."

Just before they started walking, Valerie slid out his room, with her head held down. She sighed, as she thanked the girls for watching out for him. Even supposing he's a bit foolish to fight a drunk man in the street; in broad daylight.

??

The evening painted the sky and shadowed the trees of the mansion. June and Kate repeatedly passed to and fro. With no more tolerance, they called on Audrey as it was time to have supper.

While walking towards the dining room, Valerie stopped Audrey and waited until everyone passed by. Her fingers tapped on Audrey's arms, which caused her to jump.

"Audrey, I want you to be honest with me," Valerie whispered.

"Of course, I always am," Audrey announced.

She was about to snicker at the irony of this, yet Valerie's mouth curled together.

"What was the man's name? Who fought and almost killed my Kenneth."

"H- I"

"You must tell me Audrey!"

A mechanical and unusual glint in her eyes became dominant. Audrey squinted her eyebrows, wondering what she was up to. Truly, she swore not to lie. So she did tell her.

"Freddy. His name is Freddy."

"Thank you, darling……You know, Kenneth is the one who arranged for the ball tomorrow"

"What? Why did he?"

"It's a birthday ball of course! He arranged it to surprise you. Though, he won't be able to tell you as he has retired to bed, obviously."

Was Kenneth really this persuasive? His gesture was a self-less one, yet stupid she thought. It had been a while since she had a birthday surprise. Not only was the ball a surprise, the person who arranged it was. She thought he hated her. He loved to toy with her, as they fought for as long as she remembered.

??

In the dining room, the girls sat at the dining table, soundlessly eating shepherd's pie and sipping apple cider.

"Kenneth surprised me today," June quietly broke the silence.

"What do you mean? He was beaten badly!" Kate exclaimed.

"That was noble of him."

"How could you say such a thing?" Audrey intervened.

"Audrey, calm down. At least be grateful he was there at the right time. Us girls would not have been able to stop such a thing."

June gave a smart point. Excluding that horrendous fact, it was rude of her to praise Kenneth when Audrey could have been down right traumatic. But that did not happen.

So, yes.

Thank God Kenneth was there. As they finished eating at the dining room, they looked for other meaningless things to do. Their anxiety got the best of them. After tidying up, they went to their rooms.

??

While sitting in her baby pink elegant room, Audrey took a bath as she saw one of the maidens had drawn hot water and soap next to her tub. They were really treating her well despite it all.

After washing up, she slipped into her lily white nightgown without underwear. The reason for this she had not known, yet it was comfortable.

As it drew closer to midnight, Audrey could not sleep as she was up worrying about the day's events. The book she had been reading was stuck on repeat all night while she glared at the clock against the wall.

"Kenneth's room is two doors away," she whispered to herself.

It won't be wrong for her to check on him as she didn't thank him. Slipping through the little space the door had created, and slowly walking on the cold marble floor bare footed, her heartbeat quickened. Was Kenneth angry with her? Will he discontinue the courtship?

Approaching his white door, she knocked lightly and entered. Kenneth's room was quite adorable and minimalist for a young entrepreneur. His bed was simpler than hers with three pillows and a blanket. This was the only thing that contrasted a sophisticated look. The vast room had one chair, a table with books and papers, and a white closet.

She looked at him sleeping peacefully. His eyes squint as he grunts in his sleep. A bad dream perhaps. Nonetheless, Audrey looked at his desk to vent its contents.

"Audrey?" Kenneth groaned.

She paid no attention to him as she thought he was talking in his sleep.

"Audrey?"

"Oh! I thought you were asleep. You are to be resting."

"What are you doing in my room?"

"I-I-I thought you were going to die, Kenneth."

He chuckled and then held his chest, as the muscles from laughing stretched, hurting his abdomen. This made her flinch and her eyes wandered to his cut.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm very much alive, darling. Though I feel awful."

"Are you not crossed with me?"

Kenneth studied her chocolate eyes. Her feet twisted and seeing this, he knew she was worried.

"Merely."

"Oh, well. Why, if I may ask?"

"It is because I don't want you to hate me for someone I am not. I rather you hate me for something I am."

"Kenneth, if this is about what I told your mother, I didn't mean to hurt you. Well I did, really."

"I deserved it to say the least. My ways of expressing my feelings are quite odd, do you think?"

"I agree. Thank you for saving me from something horrible."

"I'm always gonna be looking out for you, princess."

Audrey smiled at him as he grinned like a fool. After all that he endured, he still acts like nothing has happened. As if this was a reward for him. How can he be okay with me treating him like a child and still acting kind towards me? She walked closer towards the bed.

"You can sit on my bed, Drey. After all, we are in a courtship."

"Don't be vazey, now. You still cannot bed me."

"Am I in shape to do so? Even if I was, that would be the last thing I would want."

"But it is still a thought. I do not wish to be used."

"As do I, Audrey. Guess we have someone in common after all."

The quiet droplets of rain fell on the roof. After a few seconds, the sounds of heavy rainfall became all they could hear as the candle by the nightstand flickered. Its flame swayed with the wind. Audrey began feeling cold as the air cooled.

"Are you cold? Go put on one of my coats."

"I am okay. The room is very chilly but I will survive."

"If you say so. Audrey, tomorrow you turn one and twenty. Do you have a birthday wish?"

"I do not. Oh! And why pray tell, did you arrange a ball for my birthday?"

"It was a surprise, darling. You surely deserve it. The cooks are making your favorite sponge cake and sweet desserts. Almost all our friends will be there. Your family will be joining us as well..And ones you do not even know. I even invited your favorite author."

"What? Does she know me?"

"No, though she knows you are intrigued with her work. I told her so."

"How can you still remember who my favorite author is? Is she even still alive?"

"Yes, she is."

"Kenneth."

"As they call me."

"Thank you. Even if you are a tremendous brute at times, you helped me. I am so sorry."

"I'm sorry as well, princess. Though, do not thank me yet. I have a birthday present for you."

"You are spoiling me like a child."

"You called me one first. I guess we both are."

They laughed together for the first time in years. Since his arrival back at Newston, Audrey hated every minute with him. But there were times he made her feel better as a child. When her parents were fighting, he called on her to play outdoors. And when she was sick, he chose to be under her, so he could contract it.

Perchance Kenneth did care, yet she was not certain. Those thoughts were interrupted as the wind blew the window out open. Audrey felt even more cold than before. Digging up her courage, she wanted to stay with him for all the trouble she caused.

"Kenneth, I-I want to stay with you tonight."

"Are you sure? You did mention we are courting and it would be a talk if-"

"You do not wish for me to stay?"

"Yes I do but-"

"Do not get in a fuss. I will go to bed."

"Oh, Christ Audrey. Just get in my bed."

His demanding tone sent shivers up her spine as they smiled at each other. Like a toddler, she crawled on the other side of the king sized bed and dug below the dark blanket. Her toes brushed against Kenneth's thighs and he looked at her with concern. She was not acting as herself. She, of all people, would be yelling at him. This very moment.

"I'm sorry, Kenneth."

"Do not be. Perhaps you may want to bed with me, Audrey. May I remind you I have a thick skull," he pressured, teasingly.

"It surely is the other way around, Kenneth."

Her eyelids became heavy as she placed her fingers over her mouth, containing her yawn.

"I'll have you bowing to me, eating out the palm of my hands!"

Kenneth gasped playfully and then giggled. While so, she slid towards him, resting her hands on his chest lightly. He then stared at her, as the dim light from the candle's flame showed some of her facial features.

She's even more interesting up close.

He thought of this as Audrey drifted off to sleep, leaving him gazing at the architecture that sat on the ceiling.The rain had stopped and the silence that came after was so dominant, that he heard the clock beside the wall ticking.

It was quarter past twelve.

His eyelids batted. Fighting the urge for sleep, yet he insisted on staring at her all night. Though he wasn't successful as he noticed he could not stay awake. Instead, he was pleased. She was right there with him as he imagined. She was opening up to him little by little. Now he could rest, knowing that there may be a second of a chance. Whispering, he replied to her final words before she fell asleep beside him.

"I already am. Happy birthday Darling."