"Jealousy- thy name is Anthony Bridgerton."
Friedrich held out his arm for me after the game to escort me out of the rows and over to the staircase. He held onto my hand as we descended them together, with Anthony and Edwina close behind us. Anthony FINALLY offered his arm to my sister, more out of obligation than anything I think; she was getting all swoony eyed by how attentive Friedrich was being to me. I didn't mind him paying so much attention to me, so long as Edwina witnessed a good man is supposed to treat a lady. Anthony's hatred of Friedrich came back in full force once the match was done, and he reverted back to being cold and distant towards him. So his usual self basically…..
Nugh, his mood swings were exhausting!
Meanwhile Friedrich was all joyful and free again, repeatedly glancing my way to send me kind, considerate smiles. His hand gave mine a squeeze as he led me down the staircase and out into the rafters. "What an excellent game." "It was," I agreed. The corners of his grin widened in my direction. "It was a fantastic match, but I'm not sure which I liked more: the game or the company watching it with me…" He spoke softly, and Edwina gave an "awe" cry behind us. "Oh my god," Anthony's eyes rolled as he muttered under his breath.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs, Friedrich stood beside me, still holding onto my hand for a moment. Our eyes turned to each other; his face lit up a little. "Perhaps there is an Ajax match we can go watch in a pub somewhere another time." "But your favourite team is from Berlin!" I countered quickly and he chuckled, shaking his head ever so tenderly. "Wouldn't it be lucky if both teams played each other? Ah, that's unlikely, so we should watch your favourite team. Then maybe you can tell me about your time in Amsterdam…." Friedrich's hand gave mine another gentle squeeze.
"I think it is about time I escort the ladies home," once again, Anthony had to cut Friedrich off, shooting him daggers directly at his face. Friedrich blinked to him, completely unphased; he's such an honest, good guy, I think he actually believed Anthony liked him…. somehow. The kind German certainly showed no ill-will towards the Viscount. I doubt Friedrich could be mean to anyone- the angel. He simply gazed back at Anthony in a friendly sort of way…..
And all while still refusing to let my hand go.
"Oh, I wanted to ask Kate if she'd like to go for something to eat with me. There's still so much I'd like to ask her," Friedrich freely admitted, and Edwina's eyes widened a sliver. She wasn't used to hearing men talk like that about women, I'm sure. I definitely wasn't! That's when it started to dawn on me that Friedrich might have a crush on me. Don't blame me for taking this long to figure it out! I don't have any experience "romantically" with guys, and I don't watch rom-coms or read smutty books. That's all Edwina's department; heh, ironic since she said so herself that she's not interested in a love-match. Anthony wasn't supposed to be either….
He fired off another enraged glare at the completely oblivious Friedrich. The corners of Anthony's mouth twitched a little in total irritation. "It was excessively hot today, and I think the ladies could use a good rest this evening. Come, Kate; I'll drive you and Edwina home," Anthony's hand extended out for me, which I resisted. Why does he want to take me home? Shouldn't he only be concerned with Edwina's welfare? He just wants to turn me off Friedrich like I already am with him, so I won't want my sister to get to know Friedrich better! The jerk! A handsome jerk, granted; but a jerk nonetheless!
My foot slid defiantly back an inch as I drew in closer to Friedrich; a move Anthony did NOT appreciate. "Edwina and I can make it back home just fine on our own, thank you." "Are you sure, Kate? I don't mind riding the metro back with you if it would make you better," to my surprise- well, not really- Friedrich cut in. I gave a much softer glance than the one I'd just given the Viscount. Sure, this kind German might have a bit of a misguided crush on me, but I didn't want to be rude on this account. Hopes that he and Edwina might develop feelings still smouldered in depths of my heart. I looked back his way and grinned politely.
"That's very sweet of you to offer, Friedrich, but I don't want to you to have to ride the metro longer than you need to." Anthony's eyebrow twitched infuriated. "Oh, so when he offers its kindness, but when I offer it's a burden? Is that it? It's not a matter of inconvenience, Kate; it's a matter of safety." "Lord Bridgerton is absolutely right. I would feel better if one of you escorted you home," Friedrich persisted as well, and I finally smiled at him relenting. I could use this to my advantage… "Very well. You can take us home, Friedrich."
"Kate!" Edwina's eyes grew, and not in a good way. I bet she was mortified at me dismissing her fiancé off so casually, but it was for her own good! She'd understand that one day. But once again, to my sheer astonishment, Friedrich glanced back at her a tad taken aback now. His hands rose up in front of him innocently, pleadingly to Edwina. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to imply that you should come with me instead of your fiancé! I would never do that!" "Of course not. Friedrich is a Kantian, Edwina," I hastily tacked on, only for her to raise a puzzled eyebrow my way. "A what?" "It means he respects the sanctity of marriage," I rolled my eyes. "Entirely! There is nothing more blessed than two people coming together, joined in the bonds of love," Friedrich nodded in utter agreement, and both Edwina and Anthony shuffled their feet a tad. "U-Uh, y-yeah…." My sister eventually squeaked out.
I chuckled before shaking my head. "Thank you, Friedrich. Perhaps it is best that we go home by ourselves. But I'll be sure to text you when we arrive safely." "Please do," he looked right at me. Edwina watched us a moment before remembering herself and turning to Anthony. "Uh, I-I'll let you know too, Anthony," she said like it was an after-thought, since it was hehe. He returned her expression with his usual icy, detached own. "Thank you." My sister thought to herself a moment before gazing back to Friedrich with more animation.
"We're attending a poetry reading this Friday. Would you…. Um, that is….. Would you care to come?" Asking this was difficult for her, though I'm not sure as to why. Maybe because her extremely unhappy-looking fiancé was standing there right beside her. Friedrich's face lit up once more, but instead of answering Edwina directly, his head spun around my way. "Oh, that sounds delightful! Will you be going, Kate?" I nodded and he beamed. "Then I shall attend. Thank you for the invitation, Edwina," he next flashed my sister a wide grin, causing her gaze down and suppress a smile herself. Friedrich then glanced back toward me.
"Will you be reading any poetry?" "Me?! Oh no, my poetry's terrible." "I highly doubt that. You're a very remarkable person, and with that voice of yours, you could make anything sound interesting…. A voice I could listen to for hours," the back of his fingers reached up to brush some stray strands of hairs off my cheek. Edwina sighed wistfully to herself, lowering her shoulders a tad and staring at Friedrich.
"It would make me so happy if you said things like that…"
We all blinked to my sister, including her perplexed-looking fiancé. That wishful statement was obviously meant for him, which he had the sense enough to pick up on. "You have a lovely voice," he replied in that deadpan tone of his; I couldn't have rolled my eyes internally longer. Oh, now you say it? Going off the look on Edwina's face, that's not what she wanted to hear.
That's when Anthony reached his breaking point. To everyone's shock his hand suddenly stretched over to grab mine; not as tenderly or carefully as Friedrich had before. "Excuse us a moment," I found myself being dragged- yes, "dragged"- by the Viscount away and out of ear shot. He didn't stop yanking my arm until we were out of sight, where I guess he could tear into me in private. Letting go of my wrist he spun around to face me, planting his hands firmly on his hips and standing erect. He glared at me the exact same way he did that night of the bike crash, like he was about to lay into me- verbally, I mean!
"What are you doing?" His tone was full of anger and clearly unimpressed with…. well, everything, I guess. "What?" I fired back with an equal amount of venom, not holding back a sharp glare myself. He rolled his eyes. "With him! Why'd you bring that guy around?" "That "guy" happens to be my friend, and a very kind one at that," I retorted as soon as he finished his idiotic question. His head shook in that enraging way he did. "I think he has more than friendship on his mind….." "Why should you care if he does?" "Because you don't know him! He's not your friend; you barely know the man." "I barely know you! Where does that come into your argument?!" He paused here, not expecting that sort of response but he was able to think of a counterpoint quickly. "Because I'm marrying your sister! You and I are going to be brother and sister-in-law; we're hardly strangers." "I beg to differ. My point still stands; you should have no problem with Friedrich," my arms crossed defiantly, causing a vein to swell in his forehead. "So does mine! You DON'T know him; he could be a serial killer for all you know." "I sincerely doubt that," I spat and Anthony looked like he wanted to throttle me- heh, feeling's mutual.
His posture straightened up once more as his stupid forefinger pointed in my direction. His harsh eyes locked onto mine. "Stay away from him." "I beg your pardon?!" "You heard me. Stay clear of him, you and Edwina." My eyes rolled exasperated. "Don't tell me what to do. You don't get to tell me what to do." "I'm thinking of both your safety! Why can't you see that?" "No, you just don't want us to be alone with someone as charming and handsome as him. Well, I've got good news for you: Edwina isn't the cheating type. She'd break up with you first before she ever did anything with anyone else." "It's not…!" Anthony shouted before forcing himself to stop, trying his best to calm down. I watched him clear his throat and give me another stern, domineering glare.
"For the last time, stay away from him. I'm a pretty good judge of character, and I can tell what his intentions are." A nerve twitched in my finger. The nerve of this creep….! His audacity knew no bounds. "I'm not blind either; I can see what they are!" "Good! All the more reason for you to keep away. Seriously, Kate! Why do you always insist on making things more difficult than they have to be?" His hand ran over his face, like I was being the difficult one here! The cheek!
I shot him an irate glare. "I'm not the one being unreasonable here!" "Oh, yes you are! Remember what I said about you being a headache? Well you're being MINE now!" "And that's my fault?! If I'm so frustrating, then why do you insist on talking to me? Why did come to the football game today? I could have come alone, but you insisted on coming!" "Your sister wants us to spend more time together," he shot back and my eyes rolled dramatically. "She wants me to approve of you, which I don't! You think I'm a headache? Well you're a full-blown nightmare!" My arms flew up into the air. The Viscount eyed me a moment before smirking bitterly. This wasn't his usual playful banter smirk I was used to, but a momentarily lapse of amusement in an otherwise horrible situation.
"You know something? No girl has ever talked to me like that before." "None? I find that hard to believe," I'm sure Siena had some choice words for him when they broke up. He rolled his eyes. "You're impossible." "Then stop talking to me! Leave me alone!" "Believe me, I want to! You think I "like" this? Your annoying, hair-pulling, defiant attitude?" "If that's the case, then stop smiling at me!" "What?" Anthony's eyes genuinely blinked at me in real confusion here. That's when it also dawned on me that he might not be aware that he's doing it…. Oops.
My feet shuffled a bit underneath me uncomfortable now. "You smile…. when you're with me. You don't…. do that around others….. around Edwina….." I explained in the most awkward way possible- for myself. Anthony stared at me like I had just grown three new heads; this was evidently news to him. His lips parted a sliver as he zoomed through his internal memory bank. "T-That's not true. Of course I do!" "No, you don't." "Yes, I do. I should know; I'm the one smiling," his tone grew more annoyed, as did mine. Our glares intensified onto one another. "Not that I've seen," I hissed under my breath and frown sharpened. "Well I'm sorry if my smiling makes you so uncomfortable!" Oooooooh, that was the WRONG thing to say to me just now. I didn't hold back anymore, tearing into him this time. My foot slid an inch nearer to him as my balled hand lifted up defensively.
"Don't say sorry to me! Say sorry to my sister! You're marrying Edwina, genius! She's the one you have to make happy! I shouldn't even be in your attention's periphery!" "Believe me, Kate; I whole-heartedly agree with you! Despite what you may have convinced yourself, I could care less whether you are satisfised. Your happiness isn't even on my list of concerns," mirroring my reaction earlier, his own arms threw up angrily. But I wasn't backing down, standing very near him now. "Then prove it! Do something nice for Edwina; do something to make her happy for a change and leave Friedrich and I alone." "Oh trust me, I want to leave him well-enough alone." "And me too!" I added, which he didn't repeat. His lips curled together, his hands bunching clasped behind his back. He leaned forward slightly, our faces very close to one another. Our gazed cemented again, and our lips opened simultaneously after a brief second. Our breaths were matching just then….
"Why must you make everything so difficult?" His voice was lower now. I ogled him incredulously. "Me?! Why is it always my fault?" "Because it is! If you would just be obedient and listen to me like your sister….." "Then what? Would that finally make you happy? Oh, but I forgot; you told me before that your happiness doesn't count for anything either." "It can't! Not if I want to get married and produce an heir to the Bridgerton title and estate. But that has nothing to do with you…" He concluded and we exhaled at the same time. He breathed, and I breathed…. And we didn't take our eyes off each other.
Eventually Anthony leaned back slightly, clasping his hands behind his back once more. His expression softened a tad, as did his stare. For a spilt second, that smile-smirk returned to his mouth, and he was purely unconscious of the fact. He looked at me, and like so many times before, he couldn't help but smile. "I will give you this, Miss Sharma. You make me more irritated, more impassioned than I've ever been….. And I was unaware of how much I was…. ahem, "smiling" in your company. I'm ashamed that I let my….. myself be so open and unguarded with someone… with you." "A-Anthony….." My fist raised up to my pounding heart. His unconscious grin widened here- only for the briefest of moments. "Trust me, it was never my intention. It happened, well… somehow without my ever noticing it. Ever since that first evening we met, heh, and you almost crashed into me…." And the next part he said…. not realizing what he was actually saying to me.
Ever since that night it felt so natural, being near you….. having you near."