Harold x Rhonda: Somewhere in a past life (II)

He woke up the next morning which was bitterly cold, it was already five in the morning but the sun has not risen yet.
Harris stretched every muscle in his body and despite his hunger, he couldn't wait to start working … mainly because he needed to work up a sweat and escape this cold.

"Morning father." He yawned and walked past his father who was putting his coat on.

"Won't you have breakfast first Harris?." His mother sweetly asked as she placed food on the table.

"After I get a little warmer mum." He replied. "This cold is killing me!."

His father let out a hearty laugh as he watched his son run to the stables. "He's probably worried about lavender."

He was talking about one of the horses who was pregnant, she was due any day now and this made Harris take extra good care of her lately. He loved that horse too.

"Rebecca?." Her father's gentle voice woke her up from her little dream.

"Hm?." She replied, her head still in the clouds.

"What's the matter dear? Aren't you hungry?." He asked eying her plate which hasn't been touched.

"Huh? Oh no, not really daddy. May I be excused?." She immediately got up from the breakfast table and ran to her room.

"Where are you going Rebecca?." Her mother asked sternly stopping the girl in her tracks.

Rebecca shut her eyes tight, what was she supposed to tell her mother? That she wanted to go see the servant boy who has captivated her thoughts since last night?.
She needed to think up an excuse … fast!.

"My-my coat!. Yes! My coat!." She turned to face her parents and smiled."I have to give it to the maids to wash it. I've accidentally slipped on the ice last night and got mud all over it."

Her mother sighed in disbelief and shook her head. "Rebecca you should be more careful with your things. For God's sake you're not a child anymore, you're nineteen!."

"It's alright dear, accidents can happen. Besides, it was awfully icy last night. Even I slipped and fell on my behind." He laughed but his laugh died down when his wife gave him a stern look.

"Don't encourage her dear." Rebecca's mother warned.

Rebecca just shot an apologizing 'thank you' look to him and left. She loved her father more than her mother simply because he was more understanding.

She grabbed her coat and scarf and rushed down the stairs careful not to bump into anyone. Rebecca giggled at a flashback of the Christmas party a few months back. She remembered glimpsing Harris actually staring at her. It was a beautiful summer evening so they had the party outside in the gardens.

"Hello lavender." Harris gently stroked the beautiful creature's head to which she replied with a soft neigh.

He laughed when the horse started sniffing at his face. "The little sugar treats will have to wait till you give birth. I can't give you anything other than hay and vegetables now."

He noticed a figure standing at the stable doors, it was her!. His heart raced within him at the sight of her walking towards them, his eyes immediately took notice of her navy blue coat and her red scarf.

"Good morning." She meekly greeted.

"Good morning ma'am." He replied.

She gave him a warm smile and looked at the horse. "Hello lavender." She greeted in baby voice and patted the creature. "Look at how big your belly's become." She remarked.

"Where expectin' her to deliver any day now." Harris mustered up the courage to blurt out.

Rebecca's eyes shone excitedly "Really! Ooh I just can't wait."

"Neither am I." Harris muttered smilingly as he patted lavender.

She loved that look in his eyes, it wasn't new to her, she's always seen that look whenever he was around the horses. "You love them don't you?." She blurted out unexpectedly even surprising herself.

"Yeah. You?."

"They are lovely creatures indeed." Rebecca recalled how David had beaten up one of the horses a few months back. "Which one did that bum beat?."

Harris knew who she referred to. "lavender."

Rebecca's eyes widened in shock and she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Thankfully it wasn't a hard beating." He tried to calm her down.

"I don't like him." She told him as if to assure him.

"I don't understand how anyone could."

Rebecca turned to him and gave him a warm smile. "I've been thinking of you last night."

He immediately felt all the blood rush to his face.

"I remembered how when we were children we always played together." She continued as she stroked the horse.

He laughed at the memory as he remembered how she was much better at him at doing boy stuff like tree climbing and catching bugs.

So they sat there chatting away and laughing at old memories till Rebecca had to leave … someone was watching them. Eyes full of jealousy and … vengeance.

The two have been meeting up for almost a month now, they talked about almost everything. Subjects from animals to books to people to the economy … even geography.

"I don't quite understand how while we have winter here the rest of the world have summer." She said. "Isn't that a little bit twisted? I mean, imagine celebrating Christmas in the winter!."

"Well it is understandable since our continent is farther from the rest of the world, and I don't find it the least bit twisted. This is how the Mighty Lord created this earth and we should be thankful." He gazed longingly at the setting sun in the horizon. "There are some things that He has kept secret."

She just blinked at him and followed his gaze. "You're probably right. Well." She came down from sitting on top of the small wooden gate of the garden. "I should get going before it gets dark."

So she helps him get the horses to the stable, nightfall fell quickly upon them.

"Look at the sky!." She exclaimed as they left the stable. It was like a beautiful black blanket studded with millions of tiny diamonds."It's lovely."

"Like you." He muttered obliviously and only realized that he said it out loud when he saw her staring at him wide eyed. "Erm, you should get going my lady it-."

"Harris." She whispered as she placed her soft hand on his strong arm. "You really think I'm lovely?." She asked temptingly.

"Wh-Who doesn't?." he stuttered, there was that feeling again.

She gave him a warm smile and placed a hand on his cheek. "I think you're lovely too." And before he knew it both their lips were touching and his hands carefully landed on her hips as her arms carelessly wrapped around his neck.

Their lips finally split apart and they looked at each other longingly, she naughtily licked her lips and he tried to suppress the urge to lick his.

Rebecca giggled at the lipstick mark on his lips and wiped it off. "I love you Harris." She told him.

He did too. "You really should get going." He sounded out of breath.

"Do you?." She grabbed his arm before he walked away. "Harris this isn't something that I just felt." She placed her hand over her heart. "I've felt this way the moment you saved me."

He looked into her eyes. "Who could never love you?."

She smiled before plunging in to give him another kiss which he held her back. "You should get going my lady."

She pouted her lips at him. "It's Rebecca, Harris. " she began to walk away but stopped. "My birthday party is tomorrow. Would you like to come?." She turned to him.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I'll check my schedule." He sarcastically told her.

Rebecca placed her hands on her hips. "You are coming." She commanded and left after giving him a little wink.

He sighed, somehow he was afraid to find out how she was going to make him come.