Chapter 8: Staying over

It just past midnight, the grandfather clock chiming in the hallway. It rings once; twice; twelve times to signal midnight, which means it's Tuesday. The day that I finally get to see Levi again, my mind should be at ease but no.

My brain races all over thinking of what he might be doing. If Alexander spoke to Levi, maybe he'll ban me from ever seeing him again.

I'm tossing and turning, trying to find the right position to sleep in. Trying to get my body to succumb to exhaustion and just sleep.

My whole body is tired, my eyelids droopy; my legs tired; my arms heavy, the only thing not tired is my mind. It moves at the speed of a racing horse, jumping from one thought to the next, making me crave the peacefulness sleep would provide even more.

Hopefully, soon my mind will wear itself out, join my body in its hazy, sleepy state. Let the dark blanket of the night, hug me and comfort me into a deep sleep.

That is what happened, at least I think so because I woke up the next morning to the usual or what I have started to accept as the usual. The maid calling us to wake up, Edith knocking at my door to make sure that I am awake.

The bustle, yawning, and the babble of students just waking up and getting ready. Nothing different, just the day. However, it is not just any day, it is the day that I speak to the King of Northmere.

With a bright smile on my face as I realize just that. I bounce up and down in excitement, holding back an excited squeal. I don't usually react this way towards boys but there is just something about him.

Whether it's the thrill of going against the rules that light up my day or the comforting feeling he brings. I'm not sure which one but one thing is for sure, I crave to even just be around him.

After a long day of school, I finally get back to my dorm. I place my books on my desk which has become terribly cluttered. To my dismay, I have to clean that before the next room check-up, I don't want trouble for something so silly.

I search around for the book about stutters while also eating my lunch, a ham sandwich. Unfortunately while looking around for it I trip over a book. I crash down hard, my breath gets stolen by the hard impact.

My sandwich flies out my mouth and I groan at the sudden loss of air. After regaining my breath I stand back up, carefully, and dust myself off. Looking over to what tripped me, I see it's just the book I'm looking for. I sigh walking over and pick up the book before turning around to make sure I'm not missing anything.

As I examine the room a pang of sadness hits my heart as I realize, "My...sandwich." I say dramatically and sigh clutching my empty stomach as it growls for sustenance.

A defeated sigh comes out, I won't get something to eat until dinner. "I'll just have to power through it," I say to the air as I turn around and leave to go see Levi.

I make my way over to the closet and make my way through the tunnel with a lantern in hand. The longer I walk to more I see a door get bigger and bigger as I'm lighting a few torches here and there.

Right as I come face to face with the now full-sized door, I knock. Unlike I was expecting there was no reply. My heart races as I begin to panic, thinking only the worst. I raise my hand and knock once more but once again, nothing. Shakily I reach for the doorknob and open said door.

To my surprise, I find the bedroom empty, empty of the one person I came here for. Looking around I see the door on the furthest wall from me is open. I bite my lip nervously, realizing that I have to make my way through his wing to find him.

I feel like I'm betraying his trust by walking around his wing, without him. I don't know if he trusts me enough for that yet but I continue anyway.

As softly as I can, I open the door, as not to scare him. The door opens up to a long hallway with several other doors. I walk down the dimly-lit hallway, skimming for any open entryways. As I was about to walk past it, I see a slightly agape door.

I crack the door more every so lightly and I catch a glimpse at Levi. He's standing behind a table, his large figure almost closing off my few of the table but I can make out a shuffleboard laid out. I push the door open, Levi quickly turns around and in a flash, I'm pushed against the wall by my arms.

My eyes turn big, scared for my life. I look up at Levi right in his eyes, his hand tightly resting around my neck, and see the panic set in as he realizes that it's me and not an enemy.

He immediately lets go of me, he pats down my leaves as he rushes out, "I-I, I'm s-s-s-so s-s-s-sorry." He stutters more than usual as he panics to get the words out.

I gulp down the fear bubbling in my throat and collect myself. Levi continues to panic, checking me all over for bruises or any harm and frantically stuttering out several apologies.

I chuckle, seeing him like this. I reach up and touch his cheek, to get his attention, "I'm alright," He searches my face for a sign that I might be lying, "Really." I finish my sentence.

He smiles and nods, taking my hand in his and turning around to show me what he setup. I look, to see an elegant and delicious looking lunch along with a shuffleboard game set out. Right on cue, my stomach rumbles.

Levi laughs at that, "I-I w-would ask you I-If you're h-hungry but you already answered." He stumbled on his words, stuttering here and there but ultimately getting through the sentence. I chuckle, "I dropped my sandwich." I say, licking my lips at the thought of eating all that delicious food. He gives a hearty chuckle and leads me over to the lunch table.

"So let me get this straight, you were sliding down the railing when the nub at the bottom stopped you. Sending you flying and falling flat on your face?" I sputtered out, trying my best to laugh through my fit of laughter. Once I calmed down I took another bite of my chicken.

"Yeah! T-then when my m-mom found me, she w-was yelling at me for scratching the stairs! She was so scared that my father would see and-" He starts but stops before saying what his dad would do. His eyes glaze over and he turns his face from me like he's remembering something.

"And?" I ask, looking him in the eyes. He takes a sharp intake of air and turns his attention to me. He places a fake smile on his face, "Let's play shuffleboard, yeah?" He asks, trying to take attention off what he said.

Right when Levi won our fifth game of board the bell rang. I look over to that forever-bothersome clock on the wall, "It's been five hours? I have homework to do!" I say in a panic tone, turning my attention back to Levi. He was about to sigh when his face lit up.

"I c-c-could tell them to let the homework g-go." He says shrugging his shoulders in a nonchalant way. I'm about to glare at him but decide against it and instead say, "For everyone?" I ask and he nods, "A day w-without h-homework, I h-have t-the power might as w-well use i-it"

There was a moment of silence and then I said, "That was hard to say huh?" he sighs and nods as an answer.

I chuckle and then say, "If you can take away the homework for the whole school then I'll stay a little longer." He perks up at me staying. "Hell Yeah!" He says excitedly and we start another game of shuffleboard.

"You know, a lot of rumors have started spreading. Some people have started calling me, the closet girl, behind my back." I say, not to make him feel bad, to show him what I would go through all that for my newfound best friend.

We've moved from the previous room, back to his bedroom, on the couch we talked the first time. He's sitting, while my head is in his lap and my legs laid out on the couch.

He stops raking his fingers through my hair and looks me in the eyes, "Really?" He asks, his voice laced with anger but his eyebrows crossed with worry.

I nod and look up at him, "Don't do anything about it." I said with a gentle smile, "Why would you tell me if you don't want me to do anything about it?" I furrow my eyebrows and sit up, "I told you so you can know that I would go through all that for you because I want to spend time with you. So bad."

He seems to think for a moment, slightly surprised by my words. To my shock, he leaned his body down and gave me a hug. He's quite tall, having to bend down to hug me, even when sitting.

Stretching out my arm and placing it on his chin. His scruff tickling my hand, calming him down with this movement.

That night we talked and talked and talked, all while Levi raked his fingers through my hair. Eventually his soothing voice and calming actions I drifted off to my deepest sleep in a long time.