A/N Hi, guys! Here's the next chapter, because I love you all so much. I'm sorry it's delayed, but I have to be in the right mood to write this. Being bored makes it boring. Anyhooo, here it is! OH, and can we scratch the fact that Eugene's getting worse every day? 'Cause if that's the case, I can't do something I just realized I could do. -Liz
The dining room's awkward and silent as Nathan, Mother, Father, Eugene, and I have dinner. The only sound for a little while is forks clanking on plates. Eugene looks about as uncomfortable as a guy whose girlfriend is the object of another dude's courting can be. Finally, Nathan attempts to make some conversation.
"So, your mother tells me you and Eugene had a little…" Nathan looks for the right word. "…adventure…together." I nod happily and turn to Eugene.
"Oh yes, we did! It's how we first met. You see, there were these lanterns that I wanted to see, and mo-Gothel wouldn't take me to see them. I really, really wanted to go, so when Eugene climbed my tower to escape the guards-" Nathan cuts me off.
"Why on Earth would Eugene be trying to escape the guards?" he asks with a glance at the former thief. Eugene chuckles.
"Better not ask." He says with a cheeky smile. Nathan raises one eyebrow, then turns to me. "Anyway, she also told me you like to paint." I nod again and start rambling on and on about how much I painted in my tower. But after a while, I start to notice that the boys are glaring at each other. Nathan's looking at Eugene with a more…you-seem-like-you're-hiding-something look, and Eugene's got his familiar what, me? look. I try not to take too much notice, but I do slip my hand into Eugene's under the table. He entwines his fingers with mine, his hand warm and strong. I'm daydreaming about going on a trail ride with him and Max later when Nathan jolts me from my thoughts.
"But seriously, a chameleon friend? How the heck did that happen?" he seems disgusted by the idea that Pascal is my best friend-well, one of them. I give Nathan an angry-but-controlled look.
"Excuse me, but Pascal was pretty much my only source of fun for eighteen years. I was locked. In a tower. With nothing to do except paint and read and play guitar and cook and play with Pascal." I snap, and Nathan backs off of the question. But his next question is something I really don't like to hear.
"Rapunzel, since I'm here to court you, how about we go get dinner tomorrow night?"