Chapter Twenty Seven ~ Confessions From The Heart

I froze as I set eyes on Jesse. Robin dropped my hand and walked over to where Jesse was sat. "Jesse is Jude's brother." With one movement, Robin lifted the small boy into his arms. Jesse laughed at this.

"Down!" The boy demanded. He looked so much like his sister. His face was round and cheerful, a friendly smile on his tiny mouth. Though he had no hair, there was no argument that he was related to Jude and Mrs Harper.

"Jesse, be nice." Robin warned. The boy watched me in wonderment, biting his thumb with his tiny teeth. "This is Maria."

"Hello." I smiled. I couldn't deny I was thankful for the boy's existence. I was so glad he wasn't some pretty adoration of Robin's affection. I was also glad to have finally met him after so long.

"Jesse's been very ill." Robin said suddenly. "That's why you haven't met him yet."

"Robin, dear, put him down. You'll strain your stitches." Mrs Harper said softly, smiling at her son in Robin's arms.

"He's getting a bit heavy aswell." Robin said, pretending to groan in pain. Jesse stared at him with an open mouth.

"I no heavy!" He protested. Robin raised an eyebrow and grinned. He put the boy back on the ground and Jesse waddled back to his mother. Jude jumped off her chair and ran over to me.

"Happy Birthday, Miss Maria!" She cried, jumping up and down. I grinned and leant down to give the girl a hug. She held out her arms, which had an oddly coloured material in. "I made it myself." I took the object form her and unravelled it. I realised it was a multicoloured scarf. It was a little rough around the edges, but I didn't care. Jude had made it for me. I smiled and hugged her again.

"Thank you very much, Jude!" I wrapped the scarf around my neck, despite it not being cold, so to please the little girl.

We remained with them for a short while. Jesse seemed very curious with me and I would catch him watching me with wonder. Though when he saw me looking, he would look away or hide his face in Robin's chest, as he was sat on the De Noir's lap. I would grin at this and would continue watching him until he braved another look. He would then look away again and I saw him giggling to himself. The whole activity seemed to thrill the boy a lot.

I was interrupted though by someone tapping my shoulder lightly. I turned to look at who it was only to set my eyes on Henry Cunningham. I stared at him, opened mouthed. I had hoped not to see him for the whole the evening. My birthday wish had obviously not come true. Surely the boy was not stupid enough to realise I did not want to see him at all today after what he had done to his cousin and a very fond friend of mine.

"Happy Birthday, Maria." Henry said confidently. I was aware of the sour expression on Robin's face.

"Thanks Henry." I said finally, when I was out of shock. Henry glanced at everyone around the table, his eyes lingering on his cousin, before speaking again.

"Can I talk to you in private?" He asked. I didn't answer for a few moments. I caught Robin's eyes, though he looked away straight away.

"Fine." I nodded slowly. Henry grinned and I stood up. He led the way out the room. When I glanced back at the table I saw Robin watching me over his shoulder. He looked away once he saw me looking.

Henry headed through the manor, not saying a word to me. Finally he stopped and opened one of the rooms. He went inside and I followed. It was the sitting room. I turned to face Henry when he shut the door behind us.

"What do you want to say?" I asked, crossing my arms across my chest.

"You look amazing." He said. I raised an eyebrow.

"And you took me away to tell me that?" I asked. I compared the two compliments I had gotten this evening. The one from Henry; Amazing. The one from Robin; Beautiful. It was easy to say which one I appreciated the most and which one sent my stomach into flutters.

"I took you away to talk to you." Henry said slowly. I stood, waiting for him to continue. He didn't.

"Go on then." I urged.

"I'm sorry." Henry blurted out.

"For what?"

"For what I did to my cousin." Henry began. "I know he's your friend and you had every right to hate me." He stared at me in an odd way. "But I don't want you to hate me anymore."

"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning.

"I like you, Maria." Henry said. "Really like you." I breathed a laugh.

"You hardly know me."

"I know you well enough to know my feelings for you." He stepped towards me.

"Henry, you're being absurd."

"I'm not, Maria." Henry shook his head slowly. "I think I'm in love with you." I stared at him. I had never been so baffled in my life.

"Okay, now you're just being ridiculous." I said, trying to leave. He grabbed my arm before I could and spun me to face him.

"I'm not." He shook his head. "All that time spent with you was unbelievable. I love you. I would do anything for you. Marry me." With his face so close to mine, I tasted the alcohol on my tongue.

"You're drunk." I cried.

"Drunk on love." I had never heard anything so pathetic and believably ridiculous in all my life. Before I could say anything, Henry forced his lips on mine. I tried to push him away, but he was too strong. His hard lips crushed mine and he pried open my mouth with them. The taste of alcohol was disgusting. I managed to push him off me and I slapped him hard across the cheek. It made a very satisfying crack as they collided.

"Do not touch me again." I said firmly. He stared at me with hard eyes and I left the room, slamming the door as I went.

I felt sick after the encounter with Henry. I rubbed my lips furiously against the back of my hand to rid myself from that taste of his mouth. Loveday and Robin were right. He was just an arrogant pig. I couldn't wait to be rid of him for good. And his irritating father aswell.

I headed out into the hall again and back to the table in which I was sat at before. Though when I got there, I noticed Robin's absence. Mrs Harper held her son in her arms, rocking him slowly. Jude was playing absently with some sort of ragged doll.

"Where did Robin go?" I asked. Mrs Harper looked up and smiled at me.

"I do believe young Robin went outside into the gardens." She told me. I said my thanks and headed out to Loveday's rose gardens.

It wasn't snowing, surprisingly, anymore. Though the ground was still covered with the slushy white. The roses all looked beautiful in the flicker of the candle light and buzz from the party back in the house. As I made my way quite deep into the garden, the party became just a distant noise of music and laughter. I found the De Noir boy leaning carelessly against a tree, a red rose in his hands. He twirled it aimlessly, watching it.

"Robin?" I asked, warily. He glanced up at me and back down at the flower. I made my way slowly to where he stood and stopped just a few feet away. "Are you alright?"

"Shouldn't you be back at your party?" He asked, dryly.

"Shouldn't you?" I attempted to smile at him as he looked up at me, though he looked away again and ignored my smile.

"You shouldn't answer a question with a question." He told me, almost like a teacher to a student.

"I didn't realise there were rules in the way we speak." He didn't say anything or look at me.

"Aren't you going to head back inside?" Robin asked finally.

"I will after you tell me what's wrong." He looked up at me again but this time held my eyes. He dropped the flower on the floor.

"How's Henry?" He asked, like it was an accusation.

"I don't know, I didn't ask him." I said, remembering what had just happened. The sickness came back and I unintentionally rubbed my mouth again.

"Too busy with other things, eh?" I stared at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. He didn't say anything, he just watched me. Finally he pushed himself away from the tree and walked towards me. I didn't move. Probably because I was too intimidated by him. Even with the shoes on, he seemed to tower over me.

"What do you feel for my cousin?" He asked slowly.

"Nothing." He raised an eyebrow.

"You could have fooled me." He said. "You like him don't you?"

"No." I shook my head. Robin just stared at me, unconvinced.

"You're telling me, that you haven't fallen for his good looks and his charm and all his love songs that he's wrote for you?"

"I can't be won over just by looks and charm, Robin." I said, glaring at him. "And I didn't even know he had wrote any songs for me."

"Maybe you should go ask him to play you some then you can run away and be happy together. Maybe you should get married." The boy was unbelievable.

"Robin. I do not feel anything for Henry!" He laughed without humour. "If you don't believe me, go ask him yourself. He's just made the mistake in thinking I have some sort of romantic feelings towards him aswell."

"What do you mean?" Robin's hard demeanour softened slightly.

"He kissed me." I told him. "So I slapped him." There was a long pause before a large grin broke out across Robin's face and he started to laugh. I watched as Robin's 'hard look' evaporated and he laughed.

"You slapped him?" Robin asked, when he had recovered.

"Is that so hard for you believe?" I asked. He started to laugh again.

"Why wasn't I there to witness that?" He said between laughs. I was taken back by Robin's sudden change in attitude.

"Probably because you were too busy accusing people of false presumptions." I said, folding my arms across my chest, much like I had done back in the room with Henry. I raised an eyebrow at Robin, who looked slightly embarrassed.

"I'm sorry." He said finally.

"It's alright." I shrugged. "Though there's no need to be jealous anymore because Henry won't be bothering me again. If he had any sense."

"I'm not jealous." Robin denied. I just stared at him, baffled. He still denied it after all this time. I will repeat it again, the boy is unbelievable. "So, after all this time you've never…" He paused, probably trying to work out what he was going to say would anger me or not. "You've never felt anything for Henry." I shook my head.

"No." I told him. "It's all been in your head." Robin nodded slowly.

"That's good to know." He said, laughing slightly. His eyes went sad again and he bit his lip in thought. "You don't have to stay out here with me, it is your birthday. You should go and enjoy it." I turned back to the house. Everyone still seemed like they were having a good time in there, without me. It would probably be a while before anyone realised I was gone. I turned back to Robin, who was watching me.

"I was never good with crowds." I said, shrugging. I walked past Robin and knelt down to pick up the rose he had dropped on the floor. As I did I felt the chain around my neck swing forward and back again. I examined the locket again between my fingers and then reread the prayer on the inside.

"My mother told me that whenever I was sad or lonely that I should just say the prayer and I would feel better." Robin's voice said. "She told me that she would be my guardian angel when she passed on." I looked up at him, he was watching me with a unreadable expression.

"She knew she was going to die." I guessed. Robin nodded slowly.

"And she didn't tell anyone but me." He sighed. "A small four year old boy that didn't know any wiser. She gave me the locket the night before she died. The last time I ever saw her." A single tear streamed down Robin's face and he wiped it away quickly. "You've seen me cry too much over these past few weeks." Robin said, trying to laugh. "It's unhealthy." I stood up.

"Robin, if this necklace means so much to you then I…" Robin cut me off.

"I want you to have it, Maria." He said firmly. "Besides, I know the prayer off by heart anyway." I let the locket fall back around my neck.

"I'm not a De Noir though." I said. He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I don't feel as if I should be wearing this locket." He smiled slightly.

"My family is your family." He said. "We are practically family, due to all time we spend together." I felt myself blushing as Robin repeated the embarrassing conversation we had had previously this evening.

"Won't your father be angry?" I asked.

"Why should he be?"

"Because you have given this locket it to me." Robin rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. I saw him lean back against the bark of the tree in a casual manner.

"Stop your worrying, princess." He muttered, a small mocking grin on his face.

"So, I'm not allowed to worry about a sentimental gift, whereas you're allowed to worry about some absurd fantasy that involves your cousin and I?" Robin narrowed his eyes.

"You do realise he won't give up on you just because you rejected him once?" He said slowly. I shrugged. "He'll shower you with gifts and affection."

"And like I've told you, gifts and affection do not work on me." I said, laughing at Robin's persistence of the subject.

"What does work on you then?" Robin asked, almost carefully. He titled his head up slightly as his eyes watched me intently. I pondered the question for a few moments.

"I do not know." I sighed. "I am just a simple teenaged girl. I daresay Henry's apparent love for me is all new stuff in my eyes."

"A simple teenaged girl?" Robin repeated, smiling. "You don't see yourself correctly, do you?" I made a gesture of confusion so he continued. "Simple? Why, you saved Moonacre a year ago and became a true moon princess. Hardly simple if you think about it, my princess." I didn't fail to notice the my in front of princess. The butterflies of mine were becoming such a nuisance. "How many girls can say they achieved that before they're 16th birthday?"

"Other than that though," I began. "I don't have much going for me." Robin watched me for a few moments before shaking his head slowly.

"I wasn't lying before when I said you looked beautiful." He said finally. "Though you look beautiful everyday, I just think it would be slightly odd of me to tell you daily." I giggled softly and began to play with the locket, fiddling with it between my fingers.

"You're my best friend." I began. "You're supposed to say things like that. It just proves you're a good friend." Robin laughed in disbelief.

"Fine, I may be your friend so my opinion may be somewhat biased." Robin agreed, nodding slowly. Then he met my eyes with a unreadable look. "But I am still of the male gender." He raised an eyebrow. I could feel my cheeks hot up a lot. "I know beauty when I see it." I stared at him for a few moments before looking away. My face was well and truly red. Just like the red roses surrounding us. "I'm making you embarrassed now, aren't I?" Robin's voice asked, slightly amused.

"Like I said," I nodded. "I'm new to this kind of…" I paused. "Stuff." I met Robin's eyes again. He hadn't moved a muscle, his eyes still watching me. He then frowned suddenly.

"What did you mean before about Henry's love for you?" He asked. I laughed, remembering the arrogance of the Cunningham boy.

"He confessed his love me." I said. Robin's face creased with shock. "Right before he kissed me."

"Do you love him back?" I laughed again.

"How many times do I have to tell you this?" I asked. "I do not love Henry Cunningham!" Robin smiled in amusement then paused.

"Yes, but when you were with my cousin, you told him you did not know what it felt to be in love." Robin said, slowly. I remembered that day. The day Robin and I argued. It wasn't one of our best memories. "So how do you not know that you are in love with Henry and you just don't know it?" Candle flicker rippled on the side of Robin's face, lighting up half of it and making his eyes glisten as he watched me, waiting for an answer. Beautiful may not be the best word to describe him, but it was what came to mind as I stared back at Robin.

"I know I'm not in love with Henry." I said, quietly. My heart was racing now at the prospect of what I was about to do. I felt queasy slightly, though it must have just been the nerves.

"How do you know though?" Robin pressed. "You said you did not know what it was like to love."

"I didn't then." I nodded. "But I do now." Robin stared in confusion, then he grasped the words I was saying. His face fell from wonder and slight amusement to a look of sheer shock. I could of sworn he looked a little hurt.

"You're in love?" He asked, just merely above a whisper.

"I think so." I nodded in confirmation. For the first time during the conversation, Robin broke eye contact with me and looked towards the party and then at the ground. He was averting looking at me. Did he know what I was about to say? Was he embarrassed that someone like me was in love with him?

I was in love with him.

I had admitted it. Of course it may not have been out loud, but it still counted for something. I more than just smitten for him, I had fallen completely for the De Noir boy. Loveday was right. Now I had just admitted it to myself, I understood my true feelings. Why didn't I just think of it before and saved myself from the awkward and troubled situation I was in?

But maybe telling Robin wasn't such a bad idea. It could help me. When Robin told me he didn't feel the same way, I could try get over him. Work out a way to fall out of love with him. I guessed it would be difficult, but I could make it work. I could make it work for the sake of our relationship.

Our friendship.

I cared far him too much to lose him. Even if it meant to rid my true feelings, I would. I just couldn't lose him. I was dependant of him now. What Loveday had asked me before seemed to apply to what I was thinking right now.

Is he all that matters to you? Would you do anything and everything for him?

I knew the answer to that now. The answer was that he is and I would. It all seemed so simple to me now.

I loved him.

"I love you." The words seemed to tumble out my mouth before I could stop myself.

(A/N) I feel well and truely evil leaving the story at this! :D And the worst part is, I may not get to update tomorrow as I'm out for the day. So you all may have to wait to hear the next part of the story! :D

Again, thank you for all your reviews and please keep them coming! I appreciate them all, bad and good.

-jemlou-