Where the Sidewalk Ends
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Kristen, my very own, customize as you wish character.
Chapter Four: Blushes and Crushes
((Thanks for all the avid readers! Makes me feel wanted!))
"Come on, Come on, we're going to be late!" Susan said hastily, pushing Lucy and Kristen into the hallway. Music was now flowing gently upwards and the gentle murmur of polite conversation was mingling in the air. Before they started a descent down the stairs and into the hall, Susan had to attach their capes with the Narnia emblem on them, since it was always tradition. Kristen helped Susan put on a black cape with gold stitching over the back of her forest green dress, and while Susan attached a red cape to Kristen's back, Kristen put a purple one on Lucy's back. The three girls then scampered down the stairs, a nervous energy amongst the all. Balls, feasts, and dances all had some mysterious energy for girls. They always imagined something...magical happening. Susan had always secretly wished that somehow, she wouldn't be spending the night dancing with her cousin. She always wished some mysterious, charming, young man would come to ask her to dance ((Who doesn't?)). Call it a girls prerogative but a ball was always the perfect occasion for something amazing to happen.
"Are you ready?" Lucy asked Kristen excitedly as the three girls joined Peter and Edmund infront of the now closed oak doors to make their royal entrance. Lucy was now clasping Kristen's hand eagerly and as she moved to enter the hall, Lucy didn't let go.
"For what? Shouldn't I be going inside?" Kristen asked a bit confused now. She wasn't royalty. Why should she be making an entrance? Besides, she hated people staring at her. It was bad enough she got looked at weirdly at school, but she didn't need it now. She was in a mystical, mysterious land where animals talked. She didn't need to gain the title 'Basket case' quite yet.
"No silly! You're entering with us, as our special guest," the little Queen said excitedly, her face now oozing energy, a huge, childish smile plastered on her face. She had emphasized the eight word in her sentence and Kristen's confusion only grew. Guest? Well duh Kristen, it's not like you invited yourself into Narnia, she thought in her head as she was lead to a place next to Susan, between the eldest Queen and Peter. She stole a glance to her right, where Peter was standing, and couldn't help but notice the pained and hurting expression on his face. He as about to enter into a room of people that bowed down in his presence. What did he have to be worried about.
She began to feel the nerves set in. What if she tripped? What if she stumbled and fell again? What if people threw something at her? Ok so her last thought was sort of farfetched, but anything could happen. She hated the fact that people were going to be looking at her, but she'd suck it up for one evening and then go on living her life in the shadows like she always did. A girl could have one night of fun, right?
Trumpets started blaring and slowly, the oak doors creaked open, a gentle round of applause greeting the four siblings, plus one. The four of them started down the purple carpet that had been layed out for them, Susan nudging Kristen and whispering "Get a move on it!" as Kristen stayed in her spot. She began to get warmer and felt her cheeks start to burn, but quickly joined the four in their walk. Her eyes remained focused on the floor, refusing to look up and greet the people of Narnia like the Pevensie family was doing. She didn't have an diplomatic responsibilities to up hold. She wasn't royalty. Yet.
They finally reached the head of the hall where 5 golden thrones had been placed behind a large, red mahogany table which was littered with beautiful, colourful roses. The whole hall had circular tables that fit 8 people at each, the place settings and flowers matching from table to table. Huge bouquets of white roses and lilies had been placed at the centre of each table, pink and red roses spread throughout to add contrast. As Kristen hurried off to find her seat at one of the circular tables, Lucy caught her hand and dragged her up to the head table and sat her down between Peter and Susan, who were waiting expectantly for her. Oh what like I've done this before or something. My bad if I'm not accustom to the ways of the Narnia Royalty! What am I saying...I'm not accustom to the ways of ANY royalty! Just keep you cool...stay calm, Kristen said in her head as she smiled at Lucy and gracefully sat herself down in the throne, Susan smiling warming at her from her left. Kristen finally took a good look at the table and her jaw dropped. All the cutlery, all 3 forks, 3 knives, 3 spoons in total, were a beautiful gold. The plates were a gorgeous enamel white with gold detail around the edges. The cups or goblets as they'd call them were crystal with the Narnia emblem etched into them in gold.
When she finished admiring the table, she looked to her right where Peter was staring into the crowd of tables, his eyes focused on a gorgeous, platinum blonde girl who had a delicate, silver crown placed on her head. Her hair was straight and seemed to create a golden halo around her face, which was presently directed towards a handsome, dark haired young man across the table. It didn't take a genius to figure out the situation. Guy loves girl, Girl only likes guy. Girl moves on, guy gets heartbroken. Girl flirts with other guy, Guy gets heartbroken even more. Maybe Narnia wasn't as different from the real world after all.
"What's her name?" Kristen said to Peter politely as waiters with horse legs came out carrying platters of food. He finally brought his eyes off of the blonde beauty and looked at Kristen to his left, who was looking at him softly, her eyebrows raised, waiting for an answer. He couldn't lie. Why should he lie? Maybe if he talked the situation out with someone he didn't even know, things might not feel so bad.
"Isabel Evergreen. Princess of some province down south. Also, my ex-girlfriend," Peter said sternly, his voice showing no sign of weakness. Kristen was impressed. She nodded her head slowly and then looked forward, thanking the horse man waiter who was placing some sort of meat, mixed vegetable and a potato on her plate. The waiter smiled in return and walked off
"Usually when guys talk about their ex-girlfriends that they are still in love with their voiced go all shaky and unstable and weak. Sometimes they even cry. But you..nope. Your solid. You must like her a lot," Kristen said as she took her eyes off of Peter and dropped them to her plate, cutting up her food and starting to eat.
"Who said I still like her?" Peter said, is tone defensive and cautious. Had Lucy or Susan filled her in on everything that had happened? Or was this new girl just really good with relationships.
Kristen, her mouth full and not wanting to talk, looked over his shoulder and gave him a look that had I'm-not-as-stupid-as-I-look written all over it. He got the message and nodded.
"Any advice? Susan and Lucy aren't exactly experts at relationships," Peter asked as he began to cut up his food and eat. He stole a glance at Isabel, who was still flirting with the handsome guy across the table. His heart ached. How much he would give to be with her right now. Anything Kristen suggested would help. Anything was better then nothing.
Kristen swallowed and took a drink of whatever was in her glass. She thought about the situation.
"So you love her right?" she asked, gathering as much from him as she could. One of her waves went infront of her face and she tucked it behind her ear, turning to look at the King, trying to extract more from his body language then words. She had a way with relationships. Maybe it's because she had only ever been in a crappy one, but she still had incredible insight about boyfriends and girlfriends.
"I...I think so," he stuttered as he sipped his cup, turning to look at Kristen. She was still as average as he remembered her. Same, chocolate brown eyes. Same oval shaped face. Same pale pink lips. Same crooked nose. Her hair was down and looked really nice, the waves tumbling onto Kristen's shoulders. The dress she was wearing also complemented her really well. She was still no Isabel.
"If your hesitant about it, then it's a no. It's ok to have intense feelings about someone that aren't love. If it's meant to become that, it will in time," she said immediately after he finished talking. His words clearly showed that he wasn't in love with Isabel and his awkward body language told her that inside, he was trying to convince himself that he was to explain why he felt so horrible and lonely.
"It's ok to be heart broken. You don't have to be in love to feel the way you do. She's a gorgeous young lady. I'd be heartbroken to is she broke up with me," Kristen joked as she returned to her plate. Peter continued to look at her, even after her attention returned to her food. Was that all she was going to say. He adjusted the golden crown that was sitting on his head and took a hesitant sip from his glass. Should he just come right out and say he needed help?
"I'm not going to tell you to pull the whole I'm-going-to-hook-up-with-another-girl routine just to be her jealous because it's stupid, retarded and always ends up backfiring. I suggest letting her know that you still care about her, and be very careful on how you say it. Don't be blunt and come right out and say it. I know it's cheesy, but if it's meant to be, she'll come back to you," Kristen said as she stared at Isabel, who was now hard core flirting with the boy who was now sitting next to her. Their heads were close together and he was whispering things into her ear, as she let out little, girlish giggles. It was a sight to see and must have been heartbreaking for Peter to have to cope with.
Surprisingly, she was talking to him about relationships without any sort of yearning to him to lean over and kiss her. She was giving him legitimate, straight up, good to use relationship advice. It was also rather easy to talk to him as well, which she found surprising since she didn't even know anything about him but his name.
"I guess. Anything else?" he asked, absorbing the information like it was gold. Although what she said was so obvious and innocent, he had never even thought about telling her how he still felt. Maybe Kristen would make a good fit with the 4 Pevensie siblings.
"Never let her see you sweat. Pull it together every time you see her. You don't want her to know how on the inside your all torn and twisted. Girls like guys that are strong," she said as she brought her eyes off of Isabel and back to Peter. For the first time, she looked into his aquamarine eyes and found herself getting lost in their blueness. After a few seconds, she smiled and went back to eating, forcing herself to tear her eyes away. They ate in silence, and when dinner was over the fawn waiters galloped out and cleaned up the tables, before another set of waiters came out and actually removed them. The hall was now empty and ready for dancing, an orchestra starting to play an odd cross of classical with Narnia instruments strung throughout. Couples started dancing and of course, Isabel and her dreamboat clung to each other tightly as they swayed to the music. She glanced over to Peter and of course, he was staring right at the blonde bombshell. Her heart went out for him.
"Look maybe you'd be better if you moved on. She's obviously not that great of a person if she's doing all this, knowing fully well that you're still heartbroken," Kristen admitted as a handsome, 16 year old looking young man with light brown hair and brown eyes came to the table. Silently, Kristen and Peter watched him bow infront of Susan and ask her to dance with him. Kristen saw Susan giggle and then nod, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of pink. She got up and walked around, joining the young man with her arm and they walked towards the dance floor, where he respectfully took her hand and waist. Kristen smiled. Then, looking down the table for Lucy, Kristen found her chair empty as the little girl ran just infront of the table and started dancing cheerfully with an adorable looking blonde boy, no older then Lucy was. She smiled again.
"Hey, Peter. Do you think that Alexa will say yes if I ask her to dance with me?" Edmund asked as he scooted over to his brother, the yong teenager's eyes focused on a pretty, short brown haired girl standing moodily in the corner.
"She'd be foolish not to," Kristen said, leaning over Peter to see the young King. Edmund smiled and nodded, mustering up the courage before getting out of his throne. He repositioned the crown on his head and walked over to the girl and soon enough, they were dancing slowly together on the dance floor. She smiled for the third time.
Peter turned to her and looked at her smiling face. Sure she wasn't exactly gorgeous and the only feelings he had towards her right now were friendly ones, but who said they couldn't dance together?
"Would you join me?" Peter asked politely as he stood up and bowed towards her. Kristen, a bit shocked, smiled and then looked at the dance floor, where Isabel was standing alone, waiting for her date to come back from the washroom. She felt torn. Dance with him or tell him now would be a good time to tell her how he feels.
"Maybe some other time. I think there is a girl out there who needs you more then I do," Kristen said as she softly jerked her head towards Isabel. Peter lifted his sandy brown haired head and looked at Isabel. He automatically knew what she meant and with a smile, he turned and started across the dance floor. Kristen watched as he cautiously went up to Isabel, and in a few seconds they had started dancing. She couldn't read lips, but he knew what he was saying. She felt something inside of her flicker as Isabel's date returned to the hall, making his way back to his date. She couldn't just sit here and watch Peter's chances go down the drain. As much as she had a crush on him and wanted him to be with her, she wasn't going to sabotage him being happy. If Isabel made Peter happy, she had no right to stop that from happening.
Hastily, she picked her dress up and clattered across the dance floor, catching Isabel's boytoy before he could see her dancing with Peter. She crowded his vision of Isabel and smiled a huge, fake smile at him.
"Dance with me?" she said as she looked up into his dark eyes with a puppy dog expression on his face. She knew she wasn't a beauty, but the sympathy act always got the handsome ones. He nodded politely and took her hand and waist as the two of them gently started swaying in the music. As they turned around, she cast a glance over her shoulder. She caught Peter's eyes and he looked confused at first. But after he saw who she was dancing with, he smiled gratefully at her and she smiled back.
Oh the things we do for love.
((Author's Note- I knew I had about 4 of you believing I was going to go the typical Lets-Make-The-Ex-Girlfriend-Jealous-by-dating-me routine, right? I toyed with the idea, but I have a bigger plan for Kristen then that. Read and Review))