AN: Hey everyone! Hope summer is treating you all well! Thanks for the lovely comments and critiques, they're really helping me continue this story! I'm going away for a few weeks so I won't have a new chapter out for you guys till later in July! But thanks for reading and love you all lots!
"Unbelievable. This is not happening. Do not tell me I left them in the material box..." I mumbled to myself. I fumbled around in my rucksack; looking for the gems I had laid away for my new shop but could not see the shiny gemstones looking back at me. I threw the rucksack on the ground and searched under the register table of my tiny cart, "The one day I actually need them, I sell them." I peered under the long tablecloth, hoping to see the glint of the topaz and rubies.
"Are you talking to yourself?" A voice echoed above me. I hit my head against the table in shock. Pain surged to the top of my head as I groaned loudly, "Did you just hit your head too?" the voice added. I crawled out from under the table, rubbing the tender spot on the top of my head. Fritz was looking at me with a quizzical look and a wide smile. He had a brown sack thrown over his shoulder and a chicken resting under his arm.
"Hi, Fritz," I smiled meekly.
"First day out in the trading depot not treating you well huh?" His eyes danced happily.
"I lost my product and now have my first workplace injury." I threw my hands up in mock exasperation, "I'm hopeless."
He closed his eyes and laughed loudly, "Now why do you think I just stick to bartering! But congrats on Veronica giving you your own booth! You're going to be rolling in money soon enough!"
"If I can find products to sell." I pinched the bridge of my nose. This was my first day and I already had nothing to sell. I was saving the cow's milk for a trade with Silk Country and my crops were nowhere ready to ship. The gems were going to be my main product till my corn finally came in.
"Oh, they're probably just hiding in your rucksack somewhere. I can't imagine they just walked off, not like these little guys." He poked his chicken, who squawked in annoyance.
"Why are you selling your chicken?" I asked him.
Fritz shrugged, "She's just too temperamental for me. I've had her since she as a chick but all she wants to do is peck at me. I thought someone else might find some use for her." He paused in thought for a minute, "Do you want her? You don't have a chicken yet do you?"
"No, just a few cows and sheep. But I've got a blueprint for a chicken coop…" My voice trailed off. A chicken wouldn't be too much trouble. Besides, they had everyday income with eggs… "How much do you want for her?" I asked him.
"For you? Nothing." Fritz handed me the white bird. She squawked again in my arms but did not attack me with her beak. I softly laid my hand on her head and petted her soft feathers. The chicken relaxed in my arms and clucked happily.
"Hello there." I spoke softly to her, "You're with me now kid."
"Wow, you really have an affinity for animals, don't you?" Fritz said with disbelief.
I shrugged, "I like animals, what can I say. Thank you, Fritz. This means a lot to me."
He waved off my gratitude, "Don't worry about it, Annie! You're my friend after all even if you're fighting with Raeger." He spoke with a joking tone.
"I'm not fighting with him." I clarified, "I'm not even mad at him." It was the truth. What had happened a week ago was not his fault as well as mine. I was mad at myself. I put myself in a fragile position. I had feelings for him when I knew; I knew he was friendly with the girls. Even from the first day I saw him, I saw the way he looked at those girls and I never once saw him look at me that way. Despite the encouragement from Klaus, I know I would bury my feelings. I had to in order to save myself. I was already bruised internally but like all bruises, I was healing. I focused on the farm. I've worked hard in the last few weeks and I surprised myself more than once at my strength and my determination when it came to my little home. I had my little victories but they were mine and I was proud of how far I had come in the few short months I had lived here.
Fritz laughed, "That's what I figured. Although Lillie has it going through her head that you two got into a massive fight and won't even speak to each other." Fritz sighed, "As with most of the gossip in this town, I am assuming there is much more going on and this has blown up out of proportion."
I rolled my eyes, "There has to be better gossip in town. We didn't get into a fight; I don't even know where that came from. I spoke to him two days ago." I told Fritz. I had spoken to Raeger. It was the truth, sort of. We spoke quickly as I rode into town and he was wandering the mountain paths. The conversation was jilted to me and I wondered if he felt it too. I guess he had.
"That's what I thought." He shifted the pack onto his other shoulder, "Told you she wasn't mad." He spoke loudly. Fritz whistled happily and walked around my booth. I heard hushed whispers before Fritz dragged Raeger out from behind my cart.
"Raeger?" I looked at him puzzled. His cheeks were flaming red and his eyes were closed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Were you just hiding behind my cart?"
"Yes…no…maybe…" He spoke flustered, "I came to talk to you but you were busy…"
"So he hid behind the cart like a stalker." Fritz sighed, "You, my friend, are hopeless. Well now that you two have seen each other, I must tip my hat and go! I have things to sell and time to waste away. Enjoy the chicken, Annie. Have fun stalking Raeger." He waved goodbye and wandered over to the Silk Country Booth. Raeger and I stood awkwardly near each other. I stared at my feet, my tongue wrapped into knots.
"I came here to uh leave this on your cart when you were gone but Fritz blew my cover." Raeger ran his hand through his tawny hair; only bring more of my attention to his red cheeks. He placed a small paper airplane on my till. I picked it up with my free hand, observing it's almost perfect shape.
"I can't open it with the chicken in my hands." I told him, "Hold her." Raeger opened his arms and I slid the chicken into his arms. He smiled gently and stroked his fingers along her silky feathers. The chicken clucked happily and nestled closer to him, "I think she likes you." I told him.
"Strange, since the most experience I've had with chickens is in the kitchen and they're the most lively company," Raeger smiled gently and continued to pet my chicken. I returned to the airplane in my hands. I opened it carefully, sad to see the perfect airplane disappear. It was a note written in Raeger's messy scrawl.
Are you mad at me? Check yes or no
There were two boxes at the bottom. My lips turned up into a small smile as I shook my head. Unbelievable. I took out a pen and check the no box. I folded the note back into an airplane. I threw it directly at Raeger who caught it with his free hand. He opened it whilst still holding the chicken. I saw his eyes light up at my answer and his smile return to my face. He placed the chicken on the ground yet she remained close to him.
"Hi again." He spoke softly.
"Hi," I repeated back to him.
"I need to apologize." Raeger exhaled, "It's been bugging me since the restaurant about what I said, I could see it really bothered you and yet I've let it hang between us for at least a week. I'm really sorry Annie. I didn't mean to come off as such a jerk about Klaus. I just...trying to look out for you."
I brushed my fingers against my orange skirt, "From what?"
Raeger didn't reply at first and ran his fingers through his bronze hair, "He's a handsome guy, I just don't want him to take advantage of you."
I scoffed, "There is nothing going on with Klaus and I." Of that I was sure. Even if I had thought there could be an inkling of affection, they would have been dashed because of that walk back to his home. "After I gave him the tour, I walked back to town with him as we talked about the books on my shelf. Klaus seemed almost surprised that I was well acquainted with classical literature. When we reached his house, he invited me inside and I accepted as I had yet to see it. When we entered, the most beautiful woman I had seen was sitting at a table scribbling away in leather bound journal. Klaus continued walking into his house as if it was normal. He walked into another section of the house and eased off his jacket. I could barely keep my eyes off the woman. Her sleek and long blonde hair dangled down the chair and almost touched the floor. She wore an elegant dress with a purple jacket. She looked like a princess out of a fairytale book. Klaus approached her, placing both hands on her shoulders and murmured into her ear. She dropped her pen and rose from the chair. Then I realized how tall she was. She wasn't a princess anymore but an Amazonian beauty."
"I do apologize!" Her voice was charming and lovely, "How incredibly rude of me! I didn't realize Klaus brought home a friend! I'm Iris. Oak Tree Town's resident novelist." Her pink lips turned into a bright smile. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from embarrassment yet she looked almost ethereal. I felt very insignificant standing in front of such a woman.
"I'm Annie." I had waved to her awkwardly.
"I've heard much of you." Her eyes wandered to Klaus who looked as pensive as ever, "I should have introduced myself sooner but I've locked myself away writing recently. I've had the most wonderful idea for a story and once I get an idea, I can barely function until it is written down." She turned to face Klaus, "I'm sorry for stealing your table, Mistel was testing out an old gramophone and it was just too distracting to stay at home."
Klaus shook his head, "Don't apologize, Iris. My home is your home, you know that." His loosened his tie and placed it on the table. It was odd to see him standing there with just his white shirt and green vest on. He looked more comfortable than I had seen him before. But it was expected, this was his home.
Iris closed her eyes when she smiled, "Yes I tend to forget that. Thank you." They conversed with each other about some new record Mistel had just acquired and I had just stood there in confusion. They both spoke so elegantly it was alarming to me. I felt like I was staring at royalty. I felt very conscious of my posture and my outfit. They were perfect for each other. Now I finally understood what Lillie and Fritz had said, except Iris. None of us were like Klaus, except Iris.
"I should head back to the farm now," I had told them, "I have to go put the cows back in the barn. It was nice to meet you." I smiled at Iris before waving goodbye to the two of them. Then I left before I could hear another word and had walked quickly back to the farm, not daring to look behind me."
I nodded my head in conclusion and Raeger nodded back, "So that's that." I sighed, "Even if I did like Klaus that way, which I don't." I pointed out, "There has never been anyone more perfect for him than Iris. Just watching those two was like staring at the most exclusive A-list celebrity couple. They looked magnificent together. I finally understand that joke Fritz made all that time ago…everyone but Iris." I shrugged.
"I don't doubt it." Raeger agreed, "I've seen them walk around town together. They look like something out of a novel."
An uneasy silence between us followed his words. I played with the ends of my hair as I stared at the ground. Raeger stared at the refolded paper airplane in his hands.
"I'm sorry too." I broke the silence, "I shouldn't have walked out like that when we were in the middle of something. I wasn't mad, well at least not for you. That girl just interrupted something important…"
"That wasn't your fault." He told me, "You have nothing to be sorry for."
I looked up at his face, the sunlight brought out the hazel flecks in his eyes, "and still, it didn't feel like the right thing to do yet I did it anyways." I looked back down at the stones between us. I fiddled with my braid, completely avoiding Raeger's eyes.
He grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly, "Hey, I'm not mad at you. I don't think I could ever be mad at you."
I laughed despite myself, "Oh you say that now. I've been known to irritate my friends."
"I would never call you an irritant. You're so much more than that. " Raeger shook his head. I smiled up at him and he smiled back. I tried to ignore the fluttering of my heart and the feeling of his fingers on mine. Could this be that moment? I could tell him of my feelings and he would take me into his arms? Or would this be the moment where our friendship would lay in crumbles at out feet?
I pulled my hand out from his.
"Friends again?" I shot him a cheery smile. He smiled back and laughed.
"Friends again. Now it's Wednesday is it not?" He picked my chicken up off the ground, "I suggest we show your chicken her new home." He offered me the crook of his arm and I interlaced my arm with a small smile. One day. One day my feelings will fade and on that day, Raeger will still be standing by me. I would rather have him platonically than nothing at all.
