Hello again! Here is the next chapter here. I have a purpose to makning the chapters choppy. :)
I really shouldn't have assumed anything about Akiri.
The maids still hadn't emptied the trash at my desk from nights ago. The list of things I thought I hated about him was still resting on top of the rest of the papers in the basket.
I smile as I tie my running shoes on. None of those words on that list are true. The assumptions that I made about him were completely wrong. I tip-toe to the window in my room as quietly as I could.
Wait, there is one word that describes him perfectly.
Defiant. And damn, he is persuasive with his defiance.
The night was dark and cloudy. The storm front had moved on about a week ago, but there still is a lot of moisture in the air. A perfect night to sneak out of my window.
I don't own a single pair of pants. I only have long dresses that require petticoats and nightgowns, because of this, I am stuck wearing a dress while escaping from my window. I start to unlatch the locks and quietly slide the window open.
Jumping out a window onto part of the roof in a dress is very difficult. Though, the running shoes make it easier than what it would be if I were wearing heels. I remember the first time I did this when I was smaller. I would jump out onto the roof tiles outside my window and write there. The nursemaids would freak out, saying that I would slide off the roof to my death. I laughed at them then, but now I see their point.
The window is about three stories from the ground. I had scouted out my escape route earlier today when I was riding Penelope, my horse, in the field. I don't know if I will be able to sneak out without falling and drawing attention to myself.
I lowered myself to the other side of the window. This would have been difficult in my smooth-soled heels. These shoes probably saved my life already. I gain some balance as I turn around to shut the window behind me.
The absurdity of what I was doing caught up with me as I started to climb down to another, lower part of the roof. If I were to fall and break something, my father would bolt all of the windows shut. If he were to find out that I was doing thing in order to sneak off and meet a boy, then I would be grounded to my room for the rest of my life here.
I think that it is too late to turn back now. I continue on my decent down the side of my house.
I was told to meet him on the other side of the stables. I would just have to sneak there without being seen. I don't think that would be too difficult. Nobody knew that I was sneaking out and I never have before, so nobody would be looking for me.
I don't know why I agreed to this. I could die if my shoe slipped right now. What if the trellis I was on broke? Climbing down this flimsy, ladder like structure was not one of my smartest ideas.
"Man, this is a sight to see, Princess," a voice rang out from below me. I groan and peak over my shoulder to look at the ground.
"You are supposed to be waiting near the stables," I mutter to him. I know that he was entertained with the sight of me struggling to come down the side of the house.
I steal another look at him, he was walking closer. I was still about 8 feet from the ground and I really don't want to prolong the amount of time that he gets to harass me, "You were taking too long, so I looked around the corner and I saw a girl in a pretty princess dress climbing down the side of the mansion." His tone made it sound like I was some damsel in distress.
"So what does that make you, a Good Samaritan or something?" I raise my voice a little so I didn't have to look over my shoulder.
"I'm honored that you think that highly of me, Princess," I could hear the grin in voice.
I shake my head, my own smile creeping onto my face. He sure had his own way to distract me, "You, sir, are a jerk."
"Oh, now the Princess is calling me names, I must be a bad influence on you," Akiri laughed. I look over my shoulder to playfully glare at him. I quickly realize that was not a smart idea. The wood beneath one of my feet gave out. I let out a yelp before I shift my weight to a different rung.
I hear a ripping sound as I step down. My dress caught on the splintered wood and had torn a hole from my knee to my ankle. I groan knowing that I will get a lecture from my nursemaids. Then I would have to explain what I was doing to tear it.
"Are you okay?" Akiri asked. I see him step closer to me. He holds up both of his hands.
"Yeah," I tug at the skirt of my dress, making the tear the fabric further tear up my leg to my lower thigh. "I just ripped my dress."
Akiri laughed, "Well, that is what you get for sneaking out of your house dressed to impress me."
"You wish, I don't own anything other than dresses and long skirts," I look over my shoulder to say try to communicate that I was not trying to impress him.
I quickly see that the motion was not very smart because the rung that I had moved my foot to also broke. My torn dress was preventing me from moving my legs to another rung. Whenever I moved to the side, the tear would rip up my leg more.
"Hey Princess, are you okay?" I could hear the worry in his voice.
"No, the trellis is breaking," I exclaim as I try to kick out my leg to find another rung that wasn't covered in plants.
"Let go," Akiri demanded from me.
"Are you crazy?" I exclaim. I still couldn't find another safe place to put my foot. The rung that I was holding onto with my hands gave an ominous groan. It was about to break to.
"Trust me. I will catch you, Princess."
At this point I only had one choice, to fall. The matter of falling was up to me. Either way, Akiri was going to have to catch me. I let go of the rung that I was grasping right before I knew it would break.
I fall the remaining feet. I try to suppress my yelp as I feel something hard beneath me. I soon realize that Akiri caught me. I open my eyes to see his magenta ones.
Akiri laughs and puts me down on my feet, "You sure are ungraceful for being a princess."
"You try climbing down a trellis in a dress, it's harder than it looks," I brush off some dirt that got on my skirt. "And one that is torn, on top of that."
"I think this will help," Akiri crouched down and reached for my skirt.
I move back from him quickly, "What are playing at?"
"Calm down, Princess. Trust me," He grabbed the fabric at the top of my tear. He tears the hole so that it makes my long dress skirt into a short skirt. I watched, shocked, as he tears the mass amount of fabric from my skirt.
He finishes tearing and tells me to step out of the fabric. He takes it and throws it over his shoulder, "Now you have something that isn't a long, elegant dress to wear. It looks good with the tennis shoes."
Akiri turns around begins to walk away.
There is so much about this boy that I didn't know.
As always, tell me what you think about the chapter.
Till next time,
Amber
