Happy Saturday to all my readers. I'm in a good mood even though this chapter isn't very happy at all.
Brigid escorted Felicity all the way up to her room, before leaving her to her own devices with a dry set of undergarments. Felicity held the clothes away from her wet body as she sauntered into the room that was anything but a home. Pippa was in a ball on her bed. She glanced at Felicity once, but lowered her eyes out of shame.
Felicity was too tired and worn out to care about anything anymore. She ripped the clothes off her sticky body as more tears erupted from within her. In front of the mirror Felicity examined her body. It was as if she could still see the bruises on her thighs from that first time he touched her. The scars of what she had experienced tattooed her pale skin in invisible ink. No one else could see the markings, but Felicity could feel them at her most vulnerable moments. That particular day, they burned her.
The anger spilled to the surface just as quickly as the tears came. Suddenly, Felicity was flinging her books and clothes against the walls. The smack of each different texture against other objects encouraged the rage to continue. It grew until Felicity finally collapsed on the floor in a heap.
The sobs ripped through her like an earthquake. Felicity sat there in a ball, looking only at her fists, until she felt a blanket fall over her shoulders. Pippa sat down next to her blonde friend because in that moment they were the only two people in the world. They were all that mattered. Felicity's head fell lightly on Pip's shoulder. Pippa responded by resting her own head atop Felicity's.
Seconds turned into minutes and minutes to hours. Shadows formed in the room, but the girls remained as they were. Finally, Pippa broke the silence. "Why didn't he come?"
"Duty to the Crown," Felicity spewed, a flash of anger breaking the numbness that was inside.
"Mr. Bumble proposed," Pippa whispered as her eyes glanced at the ring on her finger.
"I'm sorry."
"He kissed me too. And it was terrible—like kissing my father." Felicity's eyes moistened when a memory burst to the surface. Pippa realized what she had said. "Oh, Fee! I didn't mean it like that. I just mean that it didn't have passion or love. It was cold."
"I know, Pip." Felicity pushed the tears back down. She was done crying for that day. She had already been too weak.
"Sometimes I wish I could run away with you," Pippa whispered.
"You can," Felicity responded as an idea formed in her mind. She could take Pippa and run. They could move to America. Or they could just travel the world—see everything.
"With what money? How would we survive?"
"I'd figure it out."
"I wish I could bring the knight out of the realms. He would protect me and care for me."
Felicity flinched at the implicit meaning in Pippa's words. "I would care for you. And I would protect you too," she mumbled.
"I know," Pippa replied with a small kiss on Felicity's forehead. "But the world would never accept two women living on their own."
"I'd take that risk."
"I love you, Felicity."
Felicity smiled despite the fact that Pippa only meant as a friend loves a friend. It was enough for her to know that at least she had a real friend in the world. Felicity wondered if this was the time to finally come clean about her own intentions. But with each passing second, the moment drifted farther away until it was gone.
"We should probably get ready for vespers," Pippa said as she stood. Felicity could now see that the color in her friend's eyes had faded. She was saddened too—defeated as well.
Pippa gave Felicity her hand and helped pull her up. The blanket fell to the floor, reminding both girls of Felicity's nude state. Felicity watched Pippa's eyes slide down the curves of her body. Pippa's cheeks flared crimson, but Felicity remained sure of herself. Her nakedness was no longer something to be ashamed of.
"Y-you should get dressed," Pippa stuttered. To reach her clothes, Felicity had to lean past Pippa. The tension as Pip stiffened folded over the atmosphere of the room. Felicity considered kissing Pippa then just to see how she would react, but changed her mind out of decency. Felicity wanted the moment to be perfect when she eventually told her. Felicity knew that Pippa wanted romance, not a quick "I love you" before vespers.
