Chapter 7: Knock on the Heart

"Sorry! I am really sorry~" Leo says while giving Primrose a bouquet of flowers--- white tulips, white roses and purple hyacinths. The famous flowers meaning, "Please forgive me!" or "I'm sorry!"

He has been patiently asking Primrose's forgiveness the day after the concert.

"Stop doing this! Just give me some time and I will be alright!" she says, ignoring the flowers in front of her.

"Please, take these flowers and I won't bother you," he says while smiling nervously.

"You're really something!" she says, taking the bouquet from his hands.

"Love you!" says Leo as he stands up.

"Get out!" she replies. She sighs after he leaves.

Meanwhile...

"Hey... do you have a minute?" Jay asks Sophia. She's busy reading her notes under the willow tree--- their favorite spot at the rooftop.

She nods.

"Look... I am sorry about what I did! Really!" he says.

"I understand. What I don't understand is why don't you trust me?" she replies without glancing at him.

He sighs.

"It's not that I don't trust you! It's just~" he pauses, trying to find the appropriate words to explain his point.

"It's what?"

He is silent for a moment.

"It's more like~ scared."

"Scared? What are you afraid of?"

"Losing you! I am afraid of losing you!"

Sophia meets his eyes. Then, she looks away. She can't meet his gaze. She's confused at this time. So, she walks away.

"Sophia! Sophia!" Jay shouts. But, she never looks back.

The lords woe their ladies after realizing their mistakes. For the first time, I see them work hard to be forgiven.

Am I happy? Indeed!

I am so delighted to see how their towering and highly guarded pride crumbles to the ground, making them more human than before.

I congratulate myself for choosing the right ladies. I grin at how my plan is working.

"Professor... I will cancel my plan going home," Primrose announces over our breakfast.

"Why?" the ladies exclaim, utterly surprised by the news because they know how much she loves to go home.

"My father will be on a business trip at that time, so I moved my visit to another time," she replies.

"Aaaaaaah!" they utter. But... a shade of disappointment is still apparent on their voices.

I think for a moment.

"Why don't you go horseback riding? I think the stallions will be free this weekend," I suggest. Primrose's eyes beam and widen.

"Seriously?!" she asks.

I nod.

"Oh, how I miss riding!" she exclaims.

"I can see that!" I say.

I look at how the ladies are waiting for me to include them.

"All of you can go," I tell them which makes them squeal in excitement.

"But... I don't know how to ride a horse!" Camille says worriedly.

"Hmmm... the lords will go with you."

"What?! No!" Stephanie disagrees.

"And why is that?" I ask.

"I am sorry, professor. I still feel awkward around them," she replies.

"Me, too!" the other ladies add.

I ponder for a while.

"Well... I do understand why you feel that way, but... I think you have to work things out since you are all under one roof," I explain.

"But..." Primrose protests.

"They are good horsemen. It would make me feel less worried if they will join you since some of the horses are wild just like them," I convince.

They relent after I tell them that I will be joining them.

Saturday...

"Alright... ride in pairs!" I say as we enter the stable where fifteen beautiful stallions are kept.

"Uhm... sorry to ask professor, but~ ahm... they are all couples, so who will be our partners?" Stephanie asks, pointing at herself and Chealsy while smiling coyly.

They chuckle at her question.

"I will be your partner!" Mon exclaims.

"You?!"

"Oh c'mon! Don't be so flustered. I just don't have any other choice!"

"What?! So, are you saying that I am not even in your options?!" Chealsy shouts.

Mon looks at her and smirks.

"I might die early if I ride with you. My horse is a little sensitive to noise!" he says. We laugh while Chealsy sulks.

"You ride with me!" I console. She smiles.

"Better than riding with a jerk!" she exclaims.

"Hmmm... careful! He's maybe a jerk, but he's still my son!" I warn.

"Sorry, professor Khaeli!" she apologizes.

I just shake my head at her reaction.

"Alright! Primrose, this is Storm. She will be your horse!" Leo says while presenting her a beautiful white horse.

"Wow!" the ladies exclaim. The ladies ooze with enthusiasm as they are presented with their horses.

"Do all your horses have a name?" Camille asks while standing beside a stallion with chestnut silky mane and tail.

"Of course, your horse is Draco, mine is Toby," Ron answers.

"Wow! Look at this beautiful horse!" Primrose says as she walks closer to the horse. She raises her hand to touch its head. The horse huffs.

"Careful! Storm is easily...~"

Leo stands still with his mouth wide open while everyone holds their breath as Primrose pets Storm's neck. The horse neighs. Primrose giggles.

"Nice meeting you, too! Easy there~ easy boy!" she says as she fixes the saddle on the horse's back.

"Well! We have a natural here!" I utter as they all watch her in amazement.

The lords help the ladies mount on their horses. When everyone settles, I ride on my black Arabian horse, Nightwish--- after my favorite band.

"Primrose, race me to that oak tree on the hill!" I shout as I lightly kick Nightwish's belly, causing him to run.

Primrose follows as soon as I get out of the stable. I can see in her eyes the fullness of life while she rides.

Just like me, she loves the feeling of freedom and the illusion of flight as her horse gallops on the endless grassland.

I click my tongue.

"Ho. Ho!" I shout as I pull the rein to stop Nightwish from running.

"You're an excellent rider, professor!" Primrose exclaims when she arrives under the oak tree. I smile.

"So do you!" I reply.

We watch the lords and ladies as they approach us.

"Don't hold the rein too tight!" Ron tells Camille, looking so nervous.

"I can't help it!" she replies. Her horse grunts. She screams. She is literally shaking, making Draco uneasy.

Fearing that Draco might go wild, Ron gets down from Toby and rides on Draco's back behind Camille.

"Relax! Draco can sense your anxiety," Ron whispers in her ear. But at this moment, Draco isn't making her feel uneasy rather it's the closeness of their body, causing her to shiver.