CHAPTER FOUR
1477 Words
On getting back to the mansion, Madeline had intended to head to her room and take a shower before retiring for the night. She had decided that if she went to sleep early she'd pass the night quickly and head out to the whole new life she had found; it was exciting and she loved it more than she could explain. But then, Alvise spoke;
"Will you have dinner with me?". He asked her.
She turned to face him.
"Dinner?". She asked. It was rather late to be having dinner.
He nodded.
"Unless you've had dinner already". He said. Even at that, he saw no reason why she wouldn't sit with him like always, plus they hadn't spent much time together today.
"I had cookies and some orange juice earlier, i'm quite full". She told him..
He nodded consideringly.
"Are you sleepy?". He asked her.
She shook her head.
'"I wanted to take a shower and go to bed". She replied.
He said nothing more, just nodded once more. However, the slightest hints of disappointment flashed in his eyes and the look didn't go unnoticed.
"But i can keep you company if you'd like". She added slowly.
A faint smile curved his lips but he shook his head.
"It's fine". He said. "I just didn't want you going to bed without eating".
She shook her head once more.
She suddenly felt bad for having not included him in her plans.
"No, really. I'd like to keep you company". She insisted. "I'll just shower quickly and I'll come back.
"You have early classes tomorrow, don't you? You should retire early". He told her. "It's fine, really".
She could tell that he was.....not exactly upset, but not pleased either, and she felt bad for having made him this way.
"I'll keep you company". She said decisively. "Give me a few minutes to shower".
And before he could say anything else, she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and hurried away. She headed to her room quickly, set her backpack aside, disrobed and hastily went to take a shower, and all the while her thoughts revolved around how her evening had gone and the possibilities of how her vacation would go.
The plan had been Simple; to shower, throw on her nightwear and join Alvise in his suite, however, on stepping out of the bathroom she had decided to scroll through her phone briefly. It surprised her as to how much messages she had received from the others in such a short period of time, not just that, there were messages from people she didn't even know, all of which were implying friendship and hangouts with her.
She sat at the edge of her bed scrolling through the messages while smiling faintly, it felt nice having so many people saying nice stuff about her, having so many people wanting to talk to her, wanting to be around her, it felt amazing.
It felt amazing until her gaze lazily drifted to the top of her screen and she caught sight of the time. Her eyes widened at once as she realized she had spent nothing less than thirty minutes lying there....
Alvise...
She set the phone aside immediately and sprang up to her feet, it didn't take her five full seconds to throw on her nightgown and slip her feet into her flipflops. And once she was done she bolted out of her room and hurried to Alvise's suite as fast as she could, and on getting there she knocked hastily.
She stood there shifting from one feet to another anxiously, she didn't need anyone to tell her that she had f****d up now; first, she goes ahead and stay out late, and now she keeps him waiting for so long. She was about to knock again when the locks clicked quietly and the opened.
Alvise stood there wearing a blank expression which caused her heart to clench uncomfortably, the look in his eyes was rather distant and....cold; her heart clenched even more. He almost reminded her of the first time she had met him.
"I'm sorry". She said at once. "I...i lost track of time".
He said nothing, just stepped aside to let her pass through. She made her way into the space and made her way to the dinning area quickly.
She noticed the table had been set, and from the look of it, it had been set for a while now; the ceramic kettle containing the tea wasn't steaming and the melted butter had partially solidified.
She turned around when she heard his footsteps behind her.
"I'm sorry". She said.
"It was served twenty minutes ago". He said referring to the food on the table. He walked to a chair and settled down. "I don't think I'll be having dinner, you can go back to bed".
He had waited for her, and for a moment he had thought she wouldn't come. He was a bit....irritated, not because she had kept him waiting, but simply because it showed she didn't quite take him as seriously as she once did. He knew he was probably over thinking the whole thing but he very well couldn't help his possessiveness for her; he was okay with her having fun with her friends but he could never be okay with her being distant because of those very friends.
She shook her head as she settled down in the seat opposite his; her usual spot.
"I wanted to come sooner, i...i just lost track of time". She explained. "Don't be this way".
His distant gaze flickered to meet hers and he arched a brown ever so slightly.
"What way?". He asked her.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She knew she had f****d up, yes, but he truly didn't have to be like this.
"This way". She replied quietly. He knew what she meant after all.
Alvise leaned back into his seat, he crossed one regal leg over the other before saying:
"You lost track of time twice this evening, forgive me if I'm not exactly thrilled with that".
"I already apologised". She said. She wanted him to let it go already.
"Yes, but you don't seem apologetic". He replied.
She let out a breath. Her gaze lazily scanned around the table and on seeing the bunches of grapes on a silver platter she was reminded of not just her dark childhood but also her early arrival here.
Her mood damped considerably and she suddenly lost interest in everything at the moment. She stared blankly at nothing in particular as her mind threatened to bring back disturbing memories.
"Please just let it go". She said to him.
His brow arched even more, probably because he hadn't expected her to say that, at least not with such bitterness.
"Is there something we need to talk about?". He asked her.
This was after all unlike her, and he needed to know if she was upset about something.
"No. I'll just go to bed now". She replied. She begun pushing her her seat back.
He shook his head. He couldn't just accept that.
"Not yet, let's talk". He said.
"You said i could leave since you changed your mind about dinner". She said.
""Only i didn't change my mind about dinner. Believe it or not I'm not inclined towards having my tea lukewarm, and also, I'm not alright with you being like this". He told her.
She didn't have the energy for this, she could never deal with him, could never win against him, and that made her want to leave even more.
"Goodnight". She said as she got on her feet.
"Sit down, Madeline". He said simply.
She shook het head.
"I have early classes tomorrow". She told him as she attempted to turn around.
"I said sit down". He said to her.
They had done this before and it had ended with him snapping at her, however, she believed things were different now, she believed he wouldn't go that far.
"I don't want to argue with you". She told him.
"And you think you think I want to argue with you?". He asked.
She nodded.
"I don't get why you're being like this, i said i lost track of time". She replied. "Just let it go, please".
He stared at her a moment longer before nodding slowly.
"I'd like to think it's me and not you, I'd like to think it's just me overreacting and not be being different and distant". He said to her. "I'd like to believe you're not quite yourself today. I'll let it go"
She said nothing, just nodded once.
"Goodnight". She said quietly before she turned around and walked away quickly.
Alvise continued to stare at where she had been moments even after she had gone, and he truly wanted to believe that it was him and not her.
- Writer
