Me: Hey everyone!
Danny: Back for another chapter already? So soon?
Me: Well, I'm getting better and I've got my imagination back. I even watched something romance-y (which trust me, I don't usually do).
Danny: No… wait... you didn't watch-
Me: OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB! Oh yeah!
Danny: *facepalm*
Me: I like the twins :3 Yes, yes I do.
Danny: *to readers* I better get on with the replies before the serious fangirling stars:
Black robin: That's alright, I do like to please people :3
Inuyuke: Thanks Inu! Ugh, I think I've got something a bit like clinical depression, but not the same. My therapist won't tell me exactly what's wrong, he just talks to me a lot (which I guess they're supposed to do XD).
Nycorrall: Yay for the interwebs! Hopefully this one's a bit longer (too lazy to do a word count)
Annabell99: Here's another update, and thanks so much for your concern :)
HouLoiMouGin: Yeah, I know what you mean. But I only have twelve chapters for this one, so it's hard and I have to cram it all in, you know? And thanks for your concern, too!
ckittykatty: Here's another smiley for you :)
Oak Leaf Ninja: You can use smileys now, 'cause here's another update! :)
Sincerely The Sign Painter: Thanks :)
Christmas Present, Chapter 7
Nine days had passed since I had woken up in the red bedroom. I hadn't left it once so far – Dani told me Masters says I shouldn't, and besides, I was locked in – apart from going to the bathroom next door. But what I did see of the hall outside the room was interesting. It was all painted shades of green and gold with portraits and signed photos of a football team which I couldn't remember. Masters obviously enjoyed the sport, but with all the money he seemed to have, I sometimes wondered why he didn't just buy the team itself.
And even though he owned the very house I was staying (or, rather being held hostage) in, I hadn't seen him once. Danielle was with me almost constantly, but eventually our conversations had simmered down to small talk. I asked her about her father once or twice, but she never really answered properly. I got the feeling that she didn't like him much at all. It was hard to work out why though. Despite the news of my parents' divorce, I still loved my father. Wasn't it human nature for one to love their parents? Or maybe Dani was adopted. I had no idea on the subject.
From my view out of the window, I could tell I was somewhere in the country. I guessed I was staying in the west wing of the house, with the driveway to left and the main entrance slightly further in front of that. If I ignored the fact I was being held here against my will, the mansion actually seemed quite a nice, peaceful place.
"Paulina?" I heard Dani's now familiar voice come from the other side of the door, "I brought you breakfast. Masters made you pancakes."
That was another funny thing about the man. According to Danielle, he did everything for me himself – fetch me new clothes, prepare my meals and such. It was a strange thing to do for someone that hadn't even properly met me face-to-face, and it made Masters seem even more suspicious. Whatever his motives behind it, I guessed I was most likely someone quite important to him.
I heard the sound of a key being put into a lock and a short, scrabbling sound, then the door opened with a small 'click' and Dani appeared with my first meal of the day arranged neatly on a tray. She was still wearing her usual t-shirt and shorts, but a thick bandage was wrapped all the way up her right arm, its edges reaching her wrist and shoulder.
"What happened to you?" I asked the younger girl as she made her way towards my bed.
"Oh, nothing," she replied with a quick smile, "just a little fall down the stairs, that's all."
She handed me the tray and I took it with a small nod of thanks, placing it on my lap. The pancakes were still warm with a sprinkle of lemon juice and sugar over the top, giving it a 'bittersweet' taste. I laughed in my head at my own pun. Masters, whoever he was, was a great cook.
As I was eating, Dani sat on the edge of my bed, watching the fountain just outside the window intently.
I took this opportunity to look at her wounded arm.
It was so thickly wrapped I couldn't tell if it was still bleeding or not, but it seemed to make it hard for her to bend her elbow and whenever she fidgeted slightly, I saw her wince in pain. It couldn't possibly have been 'just a fall down the stairs', that was for sure. But what was troubling me was the fact she didn't answer about it truthfully. She open about things most of the time, apart from a select few topics and subjects.
Suddenly, Dani jumped up, her un-bandaged hand reaching into her pocket.
"What's happened?" I asked.
"Jus' my phone," she said and walked out the room quickly, putting the device up to her ear and shutting the door with a small slam behind her.
To be honest, I didn't even know that Dani had a phone in the first place. And who would be calling her? No one seemed to visit, and she was obviously being home schooled, otherwise I wouldn't see her every other hour or so.
Based on that, I decided it was either Masters, or one of those 'abductees' that have been released that she had gotten particularly close to. But I started to doubt that it was the latter through, as my phone had been gone since the moment I first woke up here – no chance she'd be able to get my number, and most likely not the others, either.
Thinking of the others, I wondered if anyone else was being held here. Dani hadn't mentioned it, so I couldn't be sure.
Sighing to myself, worrying about how many more questions I had to ask than answers I knew, I finished my breakfast in silence and waited for Danielle to come back in. I knew she was outside the door – I could hear mumbling coming from the other side.
I just managed to make out a "Yes, of course. Bye," from the girl before the door opened again and she came back in, shoving the phone back in her pocket.
"What were we talking about again?" Dani asked, pulling the chair out from under the desk and sitting down.
"Nothing," I replied, taking a final sip of my orange juice, "you were just staring out the window."
"Is that so?" She said. "Oh, anyway, Masters says he's bringing another person to the house, if you wanted to know. It was my father I was on the phone to."
"Really?" I perked up a bit, "Who?"
"I didn't catch the name," Dani said, surprisingly hesitantly. I ignored it, not wanting to add another problem to my mental list.
"Oh… well, how long till they get here?" I asked.
"He's coming in a few hours, just before lunch," she answered, "I'll introduce him to you."
"That would be nice, thank you Danielle."
Those 'few hours' passed by at a fairly average rate, with me playing a board game with Dani and flicking through a couple of books she had brought me from the library downstairs.
Just after the clock chimed eleven thirty, Dani got another phone call from Masters, telling her to meet him downstairs.
"Can I come?" I asked the girl, closing my book.
Danielle shook her head. "No, sorry," she replied, "Masters told me he doesn't want you out of the room yet, but he'll allow you a visit from the boy he brought here shortly."
Good. She told me he had said 'yet', which meant he was obviously going to let me out of here sooner or later. And maybe I could form an escape plan with that boy I would meet soon? Would he be brave enough to do such a thing? I was sure, with Masters' likely high budget, he could afford a decent security system.
With a mutter of "see you in a minute", Dani put down her own book and got up to leave, closing the door and carefully locking it behind her.
I stood up in the middle of the room, wondering what I should do while I waited. Judging by what Danielle had just said, she wouldn't be long fetching the boy.
Shrugging, I picked up my book again and continued reading.
It wasn't long at all before I heard multiple footsteps getting closer to the door to my room and the muffled sound of people talking as it travelled through the wall.
I closed my book for probably the hundredth time that day and looked curiously at the door as it opened.
Danielle was standing in front of the boy, but as she took a step to the side I could see clearly who he was.
…and he wasn't who I was expecting at all.
Danny: … Hayden, I think that's the biggest cliffy you've left the readers with for this fic. You'd better update soon
Me: I know, I'm trying my best.
Danny: Until next time, everyone!
Me: (Just realised I finished Ouran, watched Deadman Wonderland and got halfway through Pandora Hearts between the pre-chappie A/N and the post-chappie A/N. Wow, I watch a lot of anime). Bye guys! Reviews are always appreciated!