Scandal
Chapter IV:
Prayer
Thank you guys for those who reviewed and alerted my story:
xenocanaan- Enjoy!
Animefreak1145- Haha I'm glad you enjoyed the interaction! Yes, the thoughts that started out as innocent and just pure disapproval would develop into something that's you know ;) for now Vincent probably wants Sebastian Rolls-Royce a figure of myth for now. It's very easy and simple for Vincent to forge someone's identity, without the Queen's or his mother's approval but he'd use that chance later on in the story. However her being a student and sharing room with boy students (in the manga it seems the class shares a large room together) would be much riskier since it's very difficult to keep up the façade without anyone becoming suspicious. Hahaha I didn't watch maid sama anime/manga but the touching chest sounds hilarious! I absolutely love your review, I appreciate long review so thanks sweetie!
Guest#1- Hope you like this chapter!
DeathlyIceMaiden- Yes I'm back!
MadaraUchiha-Chan- Thank you! I really like writing Julia and Vincent!
BooksAteMe- Hey, I'm doing well, thank you! Hope you're well! Well when I started the story, I didn't really have a solid plan as to how this story was going it was just a spur of a moment kind of story like most of my other stories. At first, I wanted the story to be bitter sweet ending (the ending I had it planned out so tell me in review if you want full draft plot!) but now it's going to be happy ending!
dy-bookworm- Hope you liked the story!
steph557-Thank you! Rachel won't be coming into the story until later on.
Guest#2- Haha don't worry! You'll see more Diedrich, Julia and Vincent later on!
Guest#3- enjoy!
swevs- Aww that's very sweet of you! thank you so much, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
sillybillymolly- Haha yes it'd be a hilarious event! Can you imagine? The Sebastian Rolls-Royce that he's been looking for is actually a girl in disguise!
grace freya- Enjoy the chapter!
katearabian- Yes, I'm back!
A/N: This chapter has been slightly altered from its original posting on 19th December 2018.
"You are much more mellow when sober." He commented while leaning against the haystack near her makeshift bed with half bitten bread in his hand. Julia was currently enjoying her second piece of cake.
"Yeah, I'm much more fun when I'm high, aren't' I?" She mentioned after swallowing the piece of food in her mouth.
"High?"
"When I'm under the influence of drugs." She clarified.
"Ah…" He remembered then smiled, "I much prefer this side of you."
Her mouth stopped chewing, then looked at Vincent and gasped, "Don't be so mean!"
Vincent blinked, puzzled. His comment was meant to have been a compliment.
"Some of the best and nicest people are high people!" She defended.
Vincent sighed, she reminds me of Diedrich…always in their own little world, impulsive and clueless. Then again, this may be her own way of dealing with things.
"I have enjoyed the small cakes you have given me." He told her.
She tilted her head as if reaching out inside her memory to figure out what 'little cakes' he was referring to.
"Oh!" She nodded, "You mean the Jaffa Cakes? I never came across anyone that didn't like Jaffa Cakes!"
"Tell me about your world." He suddenly mentioned, "I want to know."
"Hmm…" Julia stared at the ceiling, mustering up her memories, "Uh, I don't know where to start. The world changed so much."
"Then start with yourself."
She smiled, "Well, I was born in '98–1998 and my sister was born two years after me. My mum's family is originally from Nigeria, moved before mum was born and my dad was born in UK but his parents are from Texas. I'm also part Italian, Irish, Filipino and German from both my grandparents side. It's complicating, I'd love to do some DNA test to see what other roots I've got. Anyway, my parent both went to same school. She was year three, so she was like seven I think and he was year five, so ten. My dad told her that she needed to shave her legs –– I have no idea why and he doesn't really know why he said it–– so she kicked him in his balls." Vincent tilted his head and elevated a questioning aristocratic brow, "Fast forward few more years, they met again in the café she was working and he kept spilling his coffee so she would have to come clean it up and they got married, had me and my sister and divorced when I was seven."
Vincent allowed the information to sink in. It was fascinating how much the world seemed to have change from the way she worded certain phrases or meant certain things or even how people behaved.
"And the society is fine with..divorce ?" He asked. The fact that she spoke of such personal affair easily seemed to hint that people's views on the subject have become much kinder.
"Yeah, we're much more relax on subjects like that. They weren't happy together and it doesn't always work so why stay in a relationship that's just gonna hurt you all the time? And before I ended up here, I just finished my second year at uni so I was out celebrating with my friends."
"Uni?"
"University."
"You went to university?" He repeated, as if it was an absurd concept.
"The world progressed." She simply explained rather than taking it as an insult to her intelligence.
"What did you study?"
"Chemistry." She said as she finished the last bit of her cake.
He raised a brow, "Chemistry?"
"Why do everyone give me that look when I tell them I go to uni and study chemistry?"
"Yes, I wonder why. With your drug taking habits and drunken stupor…I'm not sure what it could be."
"Well you shouldn't judge the books by its cover then." She told him, tapping the side of her forehead.
"May I ask which university you attend?"
"Um, not sure if it exists but Imperial?"
"I'm not too sure." He said.
"Well it said it used to be several Royal colleges, mine being Royal College of Science before they merged to form Imperial."
"It exists. His Majesty was the founder of the Royal Colleges along with avid support from Her Majesty, who always had a great interest in progressing the England's scientific and technological power."
"I literally prayed for five month straight to try and get into that uni because I messed up on maybe few of my tests."
"Yes, it's certainly is a miracle." He agreed, earning a blank, pointed look from Julia.
"What happened to your leg?" Vincent nodded toward the site of the scar all while gazing toward the wall behind her to avoid prolong staring at her exposed calves and thighs.
"Oh this?" She traced the line of the thin scar that ran vertically down her right calf. Vincent watched as a small, sad smile appeared and regretted bringing up what it seemed to have been a painful memory.
"I apologise. It seemed my question was inappropriate. You don't have to answer."
"Nah, it's fine." She shrugged, "I was eight I think…I had a dachshund called Sausage and I was laying on the bed when Sausage jumped into the bed with me and his full momentum collided with my face; my nose broke and as I fell down the bed, I scratched my leg against the sharp part of the bed and that's how I got this scar."
"…"
Julia felt tears gather in her eyes. The fond memories were now just a hallow whisper of her old life in 2017. Now she was stuck in 1864; alone and without a reason as to why this had happened and why her. It took a while to notice that the boy has been very quiet, his head buried in his arms and shoulders visibly shaking.
It looked as if he was crying.
"Hey…are you ok?" Julia was startled when the laughter he was holding broke out of its constraint and his head thrown back.
"What's so funny?" Julia's eyes were widened with surprise. She had no idea why he was laughing. Yes the story about her injury was funny but it wasn't so funny that it evoked this kind of reaction. The laughter died down soon after, wiping away the falling tears.
"You have a knack for trouble, don't you?"
"Well apparently I do." Julia smiled, "Oh, do you want to try some German sweets?"
Vincent frowned, brows furrowing on his forehead, "German sweets? Where did you get them from? He asked as he watched her crawl to the top side of her bed. He examined the few sweets Julia had laid out in front of him.
"I snuck into that German guy's room and stole them." She said without shame.
"Weizsäcker?" His brows shot up.
"Yea. I still can't pronounce his surname though."
"How did you manage that?"
"Well basically, I thought that maybe if I go back to where we first met, the magical portal that I fell through would appear and I'd be sucked back in but unfortunately it didn't happen. So I was just sitting down, having a smoke," She didn't miss the disapproving look Vincent gave her, "And then he was like 'you can't smoke in school!' and recognised me as Sebastian Rolls-Royce and chased me down. Luckily I didn't get caught and decided to away with my boredom by just irritating him. Yesterday, I followed him to his dorm and rummaged through his belongings and found some snacks. I thought you'd know about it since he's been going around the campus asking if anyone seen Sebastian Rolls-Royce and that he was the culprit for missing stuff like his food."
His frown deepened, "No I was not aware. I decide to leave the townhouse early and came here straight away."
"Why would––aww for me?!" Julia made a gesture of touched, "That's so sweet!"
"I was worried for the school." He explained, "You may burn it to the ground."
"Whatever you say, Vincent." Julia sang, "Can I hug you?"
"No."
She gave him a quick arm wrap around his shoulders and moved away before he could manage to push her off of him. His cheeks were stained red although his expression was passive.
"Do you want some pocky?"
"Pock-what?"
"Pocky." She said, taking her bag out and taking out two rectangular boxes, "I always carry lots of snacks around because I tend to get hungry after a night of binge drinking and I need constant upping of my sugar levels just to get through my life as student. Which flavour do you want? I've got strawberry, chocolate, cookie 'n' cream and green tea."
She could see his eyes sparkle as he eyed the confectionery in wonder, "Let's try it all then."
Later that evening, she found that he liked cookie 'n' cream and green tea flavours.
"Here." She said, handing the rest of remaining boxes to him, noting she hadn't spared some for herself.
He looked up to her surprise, "Are you sure? Do you want me to give you something in return? I can give you whatever you need, money, jewellery, anything."
"I would love to have some ice cream." She said after a few minutes of pondering.
"Ice cream? Just ice cream?" He asked, unsure.
"You can magically transport me back to 2017 but I don't think even you have the power to do that." Julia sadly said.
He was quiet because he knew she was right. He might have the necessary title and power to provide and fulfil any materialistic demands but he was powerless to give her what she truly needed and wanted.
"I'll bring the ice cream tomorrow with the evening's meal." He nodded and stood up, dusting his uniform, "I must get back to my dormitory."
Julia's hand reached out to grab onto his sleeves but stopped mid-air before bringing it back to her side. Vincent noted her hesitant from the corner of his eyes but made no announcement of his observation.
"Goodnight." She said, "Thanks for coming to check on me."
"It is no trouble at all."
He watched as she closed the door, her eyes not meeting his and in fact turning away from it even before the door was fully closed. Vincent knew that she was growing increasingly lonely from the forced isolation.
As Julia had warned, the rumours of a mysterious student by the name of 'Sebastian Rolls-Royce' had spread among the other students. What worried him was the whispers will sooner or later; inevitably end up in professors' ears. He can't have a German dog barking everyone awake in the middle of the night.
"I do not quite remember about having a student named 'Sebastian Rolls-Royce' in our year." Vincent spoke up, heads turning toward his way.
Diedrich narrowed his eyes, "Well Mole, I saw Rolls-Royce few times with my own two eyes. Some of you have seen, few days ago, a boy stepping onto the lawn, no?"
Murmurs of agreement among other student body could be heard, earning a frowning look from Vincent.
"Ah, yes, I think I remember.."
"Perhaps he's a ghost of a student who died here!"
"Now that you mention it, I believe I have seen a boy few days ago being reprimand for stepping on the lawn."
"Perhaps he gave you a false name and year." Vincent suggested, leaning against his chair, "After all, you cannot possibly know all the students attending the college by name, no?"
Vincent could see the nodding of heads at his suggestions.
"Then how do you explain the missing of my belongings? My sweets?"
"Have you checked the lost property? Maybe someone ate them thinking it was theirs'. All of it is replaceable; I am not sure why you are making such an unnecessary big fuss."
"Weizsäcker, perhaps Vincent is right." Alexis Midford put a comforting hand on Diedrich's shoulder. The distinguished Midford family had long history with the Phantomhive family. While his family protected the country and the Queen from the dark, the Midford family were entitled to the rank Marquis as the head of knights that had protected England for generations in the light. It was common for the light and dark to clash with each other on occasions when their respective tasks called for a joint of hands.
Diedrich gave the Marquis heir a glare before directing it to him.
"I am raising this seemingly absurd case because I have witnessed him breaking several rules," Diedrich glowered, "Such as smoking within the premise."
That had raised a few brows from other students while Vincent supressed the urge to massage his aching temples. Drinking, smoking and drugs. What a dangerous combination.
"That is a serious problem," Vincent agreed, "However, a simple words of accusation only has so much strength. Were you able to catch him?"
"No." He huffed angrily, "I lost him."
"Well…" Vincent started, "No culprit, no physical evidence, no witnesses –– other than you –– it's not a well prepared case, is it not?"
The other students looked at Diedrich for the answers but the German noble, despite his distaste for the Phantomhive heir, grudgingly nodded, head hung low. For now, the German dog seized his barking, ear hung back, tail and head lowered. But dogs with their stubborn streak, don't back down once they caught the slightest scent of their prey.
Vincent wondered if the trouble was worth his time. She had her uses in providing him with ideas that could further Funtom but he wasn't as concerned as his metier as Watchdog.
But… a small smile appeared, my life is much less boring.
Diedrich silently studied the Phantomhive heir who seemed to be lost in his thought. A cryptic smile proposed a trouble in brewing but did not know what that smile meant. For whatever the reason, his mind nagged something was going on. Something in his head presumed the mole and Sebastian Rolls-Royce was also a part of the ingredients. He did not voice it out loud as not to have the Phantomhive up his guard more than he already has –– which Diedrich is already having hard time trying to penetrate it –– but Diedrich was very aware that Phantomhive knew this Sebastian Rolls-Royce. He was very sure. And for whatever the reason, he was going to a great length to distract others from the subjects.
What are you up to, Mole?
Vincent Phantomhive was the perfect child of the infamous noble Phantomhive family. For generations, they were entitled to the Earldom and all the favours and prosperity that came along with nobility. Their philanthropy and successful businesses were well documented among their peers. Only one could imagine the burden that fell on their one and only heir –– their first born. His image and record was impeccable just as expected of an heir and nothing was out of place than what was expected of him. But recently, Diedrich noted cracks appearing in his little bubble of perfect. It was small that most would not really notice or care. But the fact that after all the years of immaculate effort that he started to crumbles was worrying.
If it hadn't for a random chance of coincidence, he'd never have seen the crumbs. The Phantomhive heir was always up and ready before anyone and the last to go to sleep after hours of study in the library. It was easy to get around the mandatory curfew and many teachers were willing to turn blind eyes to some, more likely if you happened to be the son of more prominent noble. Fortunately for Vincent, being professor's favourite and Phantomhive heir, being late out curfew was one of perks he had in his disposable.
Diedrich had been about to return to his dorm from the library having skipped his supper when he saw a familiar figure heading out from the window of the upper part of the building. It would not have been strange had it not for the covered basket and that Vincent was running. Running. A noble never ran. Unless the country was about to fall to ruin or Her Majesty dire the need one's presence or their wealth were lost, there weren't many other reasons that would have set someone like Vincent Phantomhive into a near sprint.
Diedrich quickly staggered down the stairs and out of the building in attempt to catch the sight of fleeting Vincent but he was too late.
"Damn it." He cursed. Just what are you up to, Mole? What is going on with you?
He had only few minutes to get to the barn before the ice cream inside the basket melt. He wasn't like his sister who was the more athletic of the two much to others' disapproval who believed a lady should be a frail damsel in distress rather than running around with a dangerous sword and wear trousers and ride horses like men. There hadn't been much reason in his life for him to run in a way he did and it wasn't a pleasant sensation to feel your lung tighten.
He didn't even bother to knock or to think beforehand that she might be indecent before he barged open the door and invited himself in without waiting for her to give him the clear.
Panting furiously, he looked around and saw a glimpse of her leg sticking out from the stacked hays on the upper attic.
"Are you asleep?" He asked.
No answer.
"..Julia?" He called, her name sounding foreign and awkward on his tongue.
"Wake up!" He shouted. The only answer was the quiet snore of her deep slumbering state.
Putting the basket on one of the hays, he climbed up to the attic and carefully stepped toward the unconscious figure sprawled across the dirty floor. She doesn't seem to mind her hair was full of odd hays that resembled a bird nest. He wondered if she wasn't too hot wearing burgundy baggy top although she was still wearing the inappropriate body hugging short bottoms that only covered her mid thighs.
All thoughts ran through his mind in speed that he couldn't catch. His life has been so ordinary, so normal..so boring before she came along.
'Give me a meaning in life. Something. Anything.' He had once prayed. All his life there had been nothing but an endless cycle of dull and bored life of luxury.
"You must be the young Lord of Phantomhive family." One of the young woman said, half of her lower face hidden by the lace delicate fan held in her gloved hands, "What a promising young lad."
"It is nice to meet you, Mr. Phantomhive." Another man curtsied, "This is my son, Leon. We hope to make your acquaintance."
"The heir to the Phantomhive family…"
"You must befriend the young Phantomhive boy. He is to be the next Earl."
"Claudia, what a lovely son you have."
"He exceeds in everything he pursues."
"A perfect child."
"We must be nice to him."
"Do whatever he tells you. He is your friend."
Boring.
Pathetic.
"Vincent, come, this is Emily, the Baroness Campbell of Surbiton."
Boring, ridiculous woman.
"Hello, Baroness Campbell! My name is Vincent Phantomhive." A toothy grin appropriate for ten years old should suffice.
Are you my answer? He asked inwardly as his eyes studied the sleeping figure beneath him. Something novel that I hopefully won't become bored of..
His arm strayed away from his side to hover above her face, her breath grazing his knuckle and it almost looked like he'd close the gap. Instead his hand moved away from her face and went to shake her shoulder to awake her.
She jumped, startled at the sudden interruption and he saw her eyes open. Her eyes were dark, black, a colour of abyss pit as opposed to his much lighter orbs.
Julia turned to look at the face that hovered above her. Blinking as she registered the blurry image, she said, "Kid, is that you?"
"I'm not a 'kid'." He sighed, "I have called you many times to no avail. I brought your ice cream. Although I cannot assure that it has not melted."
"As long as its ice cream, I don't mind." She murmured sleepily.
She lazily rolled over into an upright position, rolling her neck and stretching her back, "Morning."
"It's afternoon and only eight o'clock." He answered.
"Yeah, yeah." She waved dismissively. Wordlessly, she climbed down to where the basket is and pulled back the covering to reveal butter, bread, milk, water, ice cream, chips, vegetables, Sunday roast and Yorkshire pudding. Her eyes widened at the delicious and sumptuous content, "Woah, this is like a feast!"
Vincent didn't say anything as he climbed down, simply watched as she grabbed the pudding with her hand and bit into it. For a moment, he almost saw his sister's face on hers'.
"You're just like my sister." He unconsciously revealed. Much to his horror, she dipped a chip into the partially melted ice cream.
"You have a sister?" She gaped, "Don't look at me like that! Dipping chip into ice cream is like the best combo ever!"
"I do." He weakly let out as his frown deepened as she dipped a bit of Yorkshire pudding into the ice cream.
She waved him closer. He stepped toward her, stopping just a short of arm length. Dipping a chip into the ice cream, she held it to him, "Try it."
He made a disgusted face and pulled away, "No, thank you."
"Try it!" She forced.
"No." He firmly replied.
"You said you can give me anything right?"
"But that deal was sealed." He retorted.
"I gave you what like four recipes? So that means I can get four favours. One was spent on ice cream; another is that you eat this chip!"
Vincent groaned but quickly supressed it for it wasn't fitting for someone of his standing to show such relapse in social situation.
He eyed the ice cream dipped chip, a horribly mismatched duo.
"Come on! Don't tell me you're scared?" She grinned, "Ha, you're scar––"
Vincent snatched a chip from her hand and quickly shoved it into his mouth, chewing quickly. The texture and taste was foreign in his mouth but then, much to his surprise, he found that the odd pair actually made for a delicious taste. The oily, salty chip and the sweetness and coolness of the ice cream seemed to complement each other in weirdest way possible.
"It's nice isn't it?" Julia quipped with a smile.
"..It's certainly an interesting taste. Not bad."
"I told you." Julia flipped her hair having proven herself right, "Wanna try the pudding one?"
Vincent was hesitant but nodding.
She dipped the piece of pudding into the vanilla and held it up. He wasn't used to being fed by hand, the act was more common amongst the commoners and was seen by his peers as dirty, unhygienic act.
"Eating from my hand isn't going to kill you." She said, "Beside, you 19th century people don't have much to say what's hygienic and what's not. Some things you've done are considered unhygienic in my time."
"And eating by hand isn't considered unhygienic in your time?"
"Well people's opinions differ." She said, "My hands are clean so eat up. Quickly before the ice cream falls!"
He leaned forward, opening his mouth as her hand came toward him. As he bit onto the bread gently as not to accidentally bite down her fingers, he felt her fingers graze his bottom teeth then his lower lip. His lips tingled at the intimacy. She stood there, blinking curiously while waiting for him to comment his opinion on the food.
"So…?"
"It's good."
"Right!" She grinned and grabbed the spoon to scoop out the melted ice cream. Sitting on top of the haystack, she used the fork to eat the steak and vegetables while Vincent sat across her.
"So what's your sister's name? How old is she?"
"Her name is Francis. She is eleven."
"Huh, you seemed more of an 'only child' type."
"I am not spoiled." His brow twitched.
"No comment."
"What does that mean?"
"It means I rather not say anything to that question or comment." She explained, "Usually when the said questions or comments are the 'you know it, I know it, everyone knows it, what's to say otherwise'."
"Which means you still think I am a mere 'spoiled kid'."
"No comment."
"I can promise you I'm far from spoiled."
"No comment."
He sighed.
"Hey, do you think you can grant me my third wishes?" She noticed how he suddenly became gloom as if dreading her next sentence, "It's simple really." Her eyes lowered to her dangling legs.
"I want to see the outside world."
He would be lying if he said that he was surprised at her request to escape this lonely isolation. Vincent was simply anticipating that request, biding when she will ask to go out.
"I shall think about it."
She grinned, "Thanks! I just want to get out of here."
On certain weekdays, with the permission of a parent or guardian, the school permitted their students to make trip to the central London for two hours of free activities. He decided that the oncoming special week would be a better time to take her out under the disguise of another fellow student of the school. Being seen with a man was much more invisible than being seen with a woman.
The carriage left nine in the morning, hours after morning tea and register.
"Wear the hat and uniform and blend in with the others outside the dormitory." He said to her as she diligently listened and nodded to his instructions.
"I will look for you and we will get in the carriage together." He continued, "Try not to speak or get noticed than necessary. If they ask you for your name, tell them your name is Charles Spencer. If they ask you for your year, tell them you're in your third year."
"Don't worry. I watched all the 007 series. I can be James Bond."
Vincent frowned and sighed in frustration, "I do not know what you have just said but I hope it means you know what to do."
She simply gave him the thumbs up and a smile.
Vincent wondered if he made a mistake. He didn't usually make many mistakes and did his best to avoid making one from the beginning. As his professor checked his name on the list and headed out, eyes continuously moving in search for the person in question, trepidation slowly crept in.
I'm sweating. He realised, unable to comprehend the strange sensation he was experiencing.
His head was down, the top hat hiding most of his upper face from others but still sharp enough to search through the crowd for the very person he was looking for, he stayed back from others and slowed his pace. As the students' steps quickened and neared the area where the carriages await, inwardly he began panicking. Vincent couldn't find her, overtly turning his body to look around.
Then a cold hand covered his eyes, blinding him. A warm breath on the crook of his neck that flustered him in a way he could not describe and shallow whisper, "You lost someone?"
"I did." He smiled.
Julia removed her hand from his eyes and he turned to glance over his shoulder. Her hair was tied into a bun and hidden by the hat and donned a standard uniform like him. Even with the disguise, he could still detect the feminine features leaking through.
"'Sup, bro." She greeted with her deepened voice.
"What does that mean?"
"It shortened for what's up, brother. 'What's up' is a much fun way of saying how do you do?"
"I see."
"I found you." She said with a smile; this time with her real voice seeing that they were alone.
"It seems you did." He said, "Come, the carriage is about to leave."
They managed to get on the last carriage and much to their relief, they were the only occupants. Opening the window, Julia watched in awe as the carriage travelled through the large thicket surrounding the school until River Thames were within her sight.
"I can't believe I'm actually looking at 19th Century London! Holy shit!"
"Language." He chastised her.
His words remained unheard to Julia who was engrossed with the wonders of scenery discordant with her own memory of London that she came to know.
"What does your London looks like?" He asked, watching as some of her loose strands blew against the direction of the wind.
She began to describe all the architectures and landmarks she could remember from her memory, the London Eye, the Tower Bridges, and The Thames House. Although he didn't show it, something akin to awe and proud was felt within his chest.
"Across that bridge, there'd be this really awesome food stalls," She pointed to the far distance, "Over there you can get the bus that'd go to my university, over there would be the Trafalgar Square and there'd always be something fun going on. And few minutes from there would be China Town that I always go to eat…" She trailed off as hazy memories began to clear like a foggy bathroom cooling to reveal her own reflection in the mirror.
Vincent remained quiet throughout the journey, silently observing the changes in her countenance as the carriage wavered through the paths to the destination.