Chapter Seven: Mattie's perspective
I awoke the next morning when I could feel his absence. Opening my eyes, I saw the dusty ceiling far above me. I rolled over and as I suspected Gilbert wasn't there. What was there, were the wrinkles in the sheets that were made when he got up. I grabbed his pillow, and brought it to my face. I closed my eyes, and breathed deeply. I breathed in his smell; it was a good, indescribable smell.
I sat up, still clutching the pillow, and remembered yesterday. It was so confusing, so exiting, and seemingly impossible, yet possible. All I had to do was look around as proof. I stood up and put down the pillow. I realized there was a mirror by the dresser so I checked my reflection. I could have been worse so I decided to go find out how to get some breakfast.
As I opened the door, I remembered Gilberts warning about the guys not always wearing cloths, but no one was down here. I was grateful that I forgot to take off my socks, because I could feel the chill of the stone floor through them. The stairs creaked on nearly every step as I climbed them up to the door.
I paused at the top, thinking of what I look like, is it okay, or should I get dressed? What will they do? Will they great me or ignore me? Will they remember me? Of course they will, don't be silly!
So I went ahead and opened the door. I saw that there was a table set up by the fridges to my left where all the guys sat and were talking and eating. Gilbert waved me over, smiling.
"Good morning." said Gilbert.
"Morning sleepy head", said Alfred, "It took you long enough."
"Don't tease the girl for getting her beauty rest." Francis told Alfred
"Morning. Nice to meet you. I'm Arthur. Sorry I didn't properly introduce myself last night." His accent was British and far more sophisticated than I had imagined because of his punk-goth-ish clothing. It makes me wonder how old he really is. He looks as if he's a bit older than Peter, but then the clothes make him seem like a teen and his speech is one of an adult!
"Nice to meet you, I'm Mattie." I said.
He snorted, "Of course, who you are, I know." then went back to eating his cheerios.
"Right, yeah." I muttered. I guess the way he spoke before doesn't eliminate rudeness from the meaning.
"What do you want?" Gilbert interrupted, "We have all the stuff you brought, so there are a lot of choices. See," he pointed to the counter.
"And they're all lined up alphabetically because someone insisted." Alfred said, ore to Arthur than to me.
"And there's milk in the fridge, and water from the sink." Gilbert finished.
"Thanks!" I said quickly, scurrying over to the counter. I grab the box of Rice Kipsies and a yellow bowl with a straw built into it. I went to the fridge, and got out he milk. I poured it slowly over the cereal, trying not to waste any since I know that milk must be expensive to them.
I picked a spoon from a cup holding an assortment of styles. The one I chose is a big soupspoon, with flowers engraved in the top. I pick up the bowl, and went to sit in the only available seat at the end next to Gilbert, who smiled at me. I smile back. I ate quickly, and went over to the sink to wash the bowl. I put the bowl on the drying rack, and scurried down the stairs, back to my room. Gilbert is there. He's pulls on his shirt and turns, when he hears me come in.
He smiles as he strides over to me, "Did you sleep well?" he asks as he puts a stray strand of hair behind my ear. My heart begins to race, and so I nod, not trusting my voice.
Gilbert lets his hand fall, and tries to go around past me, to the door. I instinctively put up my hand to block his way. Holding his shirt, and turn toward him. I stand on my tip-toes, and kiss him. He holds on to me, until I release him. He smiles, a big smile that I try to return.
"I'll be back," he says before he passes me, and goes up stairs. I quickly pick out, and change into a fresh set of cloths. I am wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, and a bright red, v-neck t-shirt. I sit on the couch, and look at a pile of book on the table. They seem to all be old books, but they seem like they have been read multiple times. When Gil came back in he sat next to me and let me finish reading the back of a thick, blue, book.
"You read non-fiction?" I say, "I wouldn't think you like that kind of stuff. Looks like you read it a lot though." then I put down the book and look at him.
"I read anything I can get my hands on. I really wish I could have gone to school. You guys are so lucky. You got four more years of worth of education! I mean, I only got five, and I really don't know anything. It makes me feel so un-awesome, it's annoying." Gilbert says.
"Well I've never thought of it that way. I was always tormented at school, and my mom would take away my dinner if I got bad grades, so I never really thought that you could want to go."
"Yeah, well, no matter how much I want to be smart, I will just be stupid, and scary..." he said looking away.
"I thought I told you last night that you are not scary. And for being stupid, you're not that either." I said sternly, "I bet that I could get all my old textbooks for you from home. I won't be going to school either, so you can have them, okay?" I said trying to cheer him up. He had that sad look in his eyes, like before.
"Really?" He said, a smile growing across his face.
"Really, really. I could be like you tutor, or something. What else is there to do around here anyway?" I say.
"Oh, well, when I was up stairs, I asked if you would have to have a day, you know were, you got the next day's money, but they said you didn't have to."
"Good, I don't think I could do anything like that, I would end up disappointing you." I admitted.
"But they said that, since you said before, that you could do the cleaning and stuff, we will need that for The Den. Why don't you start now? We really, really, need to clean the room over there or else it will eat us alive! No kidding, it's really that bad!" he pleaded, "I'll help, of course." he added.
I just wanted to tell you guys that I wrote the first ten or so chapters this october(that's why it's set in october) but they were more like chapter summaries. Also back then I was doing a fairy tale theme, so Mattie would have been cinderella and snow-white, and Panda(japan) was sleeping beauty. Also abby had a sister in that version so they'd be the ugly step sisters. Then Felicia was going to be Rapunzel or something... Also Mattie ran away in the other version then and left her shoe for gil to find... so yeah I edited it a lot :)