Hi guys;
I know—YOU LIVE?
I do—and I'm so sorry I let my life get in the way of
what I love doing most.

So, I was planning on releasing this around
when the new year started, but I just got so
caught up in my personal life and I'm working
on original pieces as well but let's just pretend
I took a very well-needed sabbatical.

I am releasing this and a new story to start,
and will subsequently be working on:

A Sentimental Heart Among Wendigos
Like I'm Walking on Broken Glass (new piece)
The Red Blush Society
Winter
Maids of the Austen Manor

In no particular order—but! This
is the official revival of Maids, though I don't
plan on making this piece too much longer!

Much love, and enjoy.

Ch. 5: With Her Heart Painted Red

I stared at him in stark confusion; the carriage had stopped at the door to the manor. He, being the gentleman he attempted to pose, exited first.

"Why?"
"You…reside here?"

I sighed short in agitation, "Sir."

I find you desirable." He smirked, "And I always obtain what I desire."

I pushed his hand away, and exited the carriage myself, "I find you the most impossible being to obtain feelings for."

"Don't throw me out of the game yet, Miss Evans." He bowed politely, and entered the house.

I stood on the porch; the carriage long since left for its resting place. The horse heading back to its stable, yet I refused to enter the house. Wrapping the shawl tightly around me, I made my way through the hedge maze and flower bed.

I shook my head, and pursed my lips. Edward Austen, who are you? What are you devising?

..:….:..

"Oh please cousin!" Phoebe pouted the next day on the third floor; upon coming inside from the tree swing the night before, she hasn't stopped the constant pestering.

I lazily dusted a statute while she escaped The Room for a few moments to once again question me. How was the opera? What was it like? Why is Edward suddenly treating you like a decent human being?

"I'm not going to tell you a thing." I smiled cheekily while sidestepping her to expel the dust on the frame of a painting near her, "Why are you persisting so much?"

"Because I can sense it. Lily, Kitty, Prue even! Something happened last night, and now he's treating you like a member of his class."

I sighed, "Could you please just let it go? Nothing of importance happened last evening; his true motive for taking me with him to the opera was to make a past fling of his pepper with jealousy."

Phoebe gasped, "That dog! Why would he conceive such a plan?"

"Because that girl was smart enough to realize what a fraud Sir Austen is." I continued on down the hall, feather duster in hand.

"Phoebe!" An irritated yell resounded down the hall as Prue stomped her way down to meet us, "Please explain why you left Lily alone in The Room for an hour?"

"…I wanted to see if Shar was ready to admit what really happened." Phoebe smiled extravagantly.

Prue let out a long, aggravated sig, and composed her emotions, "And what did you deduce?"

"That Edward was using her for a jealous tactic on Elena." Phoebe crossed her arms, and awaited Prue's retaliation.

Prue herself seemed shocked, and turned to face me, "Is it true?"

I nodded, "Yes, why?"

She shook her head, "He never could get past Elena's sound rejection. I just can't believe he'd do such a thing to you."

"Really?" I quipped in a bit of sarcasm, "You're that shocked?"

Prue eyed me in annoyance, "I just never thought he'd stoop so low."

"But I know she's hiding something else." Phoebe went on with her detective findings, "Why didn't you enter the manor with him last night?"

Prue nodded in agreement, "Yes Charlotte, why didn't enter the manor with him? Where did you go?"

"I…headed out to the tree swing to catch my breath." I pursed my lips, "It was a lot to take in one night."

Prue stared at me like she didn't fully believe me, "Really?"

"Yes."
"He didn't say anything to you on the ride back?"
"No."
"And he didn't do anything like, say, kiss your hand?"

I shook my head, "Please, like he has the tendency of being cordial."

"Well, alright…" Prue looked back at Phoebe, "You go on back to The Room to rescue Lily, and you." She smiled to me, "The Headmistress requests you to meet her in the Sun Room."

..:….:..

"Charlotte." The Headmistress greeted me with a playful smile upon entering the sun room, "I wanted to share with you a few details on the upcoming soiree I plan on throwing."

"Yes mum."

"Well, as you know, Christmas will be upon us in a few months tide." She stared out a stain glassed window to watch the impeding clouds, "And I plan on hosting quite an exquisite gathering. While your other co-workers will be helping on the technical aspects, I wish you ask you a small favor."

"Yes?"
"I need you to pretend to be an aristocrat again."
"I-I'm sorry?"

She sighed, "It's just that a few of my, colleges if you will, spotted you in my son's box at the opera last night. You piqued quite a lot of interest, and they were wondering if you would be in attendance?"

"Well, I couldn't possibly-"

"Oh no need to be humble darling! I…may have forged the detail that you were seeing my son." She smirked, "So, they're practically expecting you. Just play dress up, and play nice with my son; you'll be fine."

"I'm not sure if I feel comfortable." I sighed, "With being around your son."

She eyed me in confusion, which dissolved into an eerie sense of understanding in a mere second, "He roped you in, didn't he?"

"…Roped me in, mum?"

"He told you the story about his father?" When my features held no recognition of what she was talking about, she moved on, "No…he made a more physical gesture…?"

"H-He kissed me, mum."

She smirked softly, "That foolish boy of mine; here is what you'll do. Keep your judgment clear, and deny him any advances made in front of the guests."

"B-But-"

"Charlotte, dear, trust me. Do not fall for someone like my son." She looked at me as if she were reprimanding me, "There are far better men for you out there."

"Yes mum."

"Well alright." She smiled, "Jane will help you like she did before; that's all."

..:….:..

"What do you think the mistress is devising?" Troy asked me while I busied myself on making the kitchen look impeccably clean. He stood at a spare stove off to the side, the head cook allowing him to experiment ever since his concoction of an o'r durve at Thanksgiving was a huge success.

"I wish I knew Troy." I replied while putting in quite a lot of work in a stain in the corner, "She's quite a spectacle. If I didn't know better, it almost seems like she wants me to be a part of her family."

"And would that appease you?" He sounded hurt, "Have lavish riches, and your family moving in, as I assume you'd request."

"It's confusing…the entire idea." I tossed the rag into a bucket nearby, and balanced myself on my knees, "I'm not sure how I feel about it."

"The idea you've concocted." He walked closer to me, "Or your own emotions?"

"My emotions, presumably." I pursed my lips, and lightly shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know how I feel about him at the moment."

"He treats you like discarded trash." He paced away from me, "Doesn't that count for anything?"

"I'm just confused by all of this." I watched him pace in a straight path: back and forth, back and forth, "I don't understand Edward's angle, or the Headmistress' for that matter."

"Maybe she's on a tolerable high since The Master is set to arrive for the party." Troy sighed, and stopped mid-pace, "What are your feelings for him? Confusion aside."

I rose, and walked to him slowly, "He's odd; it's strange, it's like he came on to me out of nowhere."

"He…came on to you."
"Yes. He kissed me."

"I-I have to go." Troy stole a glance at the clock on the far wall, "Help the Cook…hunt for the party."

"Of course, for that kind of gathering, many game must be-" I watched him briskly leave the kitchen, "hunted."

..:….:..

I leaned over in my bed, watching the filtering moonlight from the window dance upon my cousin's face.

"What?" She broke the silence by deeply breathing herself out of a light sleeping spell, "I could feel your eyes boring into me in my dream."

"I-It's noting, just go back to sleep-"
"I'm awake now; what's the matter?"

"Today I was speaking with Troy while cleaning the kitchen." I stared at the ceiling, "And I told him what transpired between Edward and I, and-"

"What exactly happened..?"
"Right…I never told you, he…kissed me."

"He kissed you?" She laughed in concern, "You shouldn't have done that dearest."

"And why is that?"
"Troy is smitten with you, dear cousin."

I sat up, and faced her side of the room, "You can't be serious."

She mimicked me, and smile cheekily, "Everyone can see it, why do you think everyone's been avoiding you?"

"Oh…" I sighed, "Isn't that a bit childish?"

She shrugged, "They'll come around. So…what do you think of him?

"What do I—think of him…?"
"You did not unintentionally wake me up to say nothing."

I hesitated; my mouth forming words that didn't fully exist in my mindset. How do I feel about Troy…

"I'm not sure."

"Can you make a decision if you were presented with one?" Phoebe eyed me in somewhat of a challenge.

"Decision between what?"
"Between Edward and Troy."

I stared at my cousin in confusion, "But I don't feel anything for either of them."

"Sharpay, you're talented at various things, but lying isn't one of them." She sighed, "Be honest with me, I'm your cousin."

"They make me want different things." I lied back down on my bed, my head resting on my pillow, "They make me feel different things."

"Troy?"
"Safe."
"Edward."
"Dangerous."

"Well, you must decide on what you desire the most." Phoebe shuffled back into her bed, and made herself face the wall it was up against, "Or you won't have either of them."

This is all for now;
review pretty please!
I missed you guys!