9

I stare at my reflection one more time and say "I look ridiculous"

"Never say never my love"

I roll my eyes, as I take in my reflection again.

Painstakingly, I had forgotten how hugging this dress could be because of how it shows all my coat bone and suck parts to the wall as I was too thin to even be alive or not be believed to not have some sort of eating disorder while the back of it was made of rope like straps that started all the way from my waist to my back that had to be fixed into designated holes in an X like pattern.

Leaving my back bare to the wind.

Usually, I loved this dress for that some reason...

Now, I just wanted it ripped into pieces and turned to a rag.

"It's like freezing out Pops" I say as I see him try to fix the straps into their respective holes.

He looks like some kid trying to learn how to tie their shoelaces for the first time which is oddly adorable for a man with a bulky frame, salt and pepper hair then a face and a concentrated look that makes it look like he's having a hard time trying to take a shit, literally.

"Id get your furcoat for you, you barely ever wear it anyway, it's be nice to flex it a while"

"Jesus, can I just wear a hoodie?"

I hear him tap my head and I wince, biting my lower lips as he says "Horrible fashion sense, you surely did not get that from me"

I sigh "But Pops, can we just..."

"Did I compliment your hair Princess?" He suddenly asks, taking strands of my hair into his hands "Who knew? You would look beautiful in anything"

My hair was now raven black, parted in the middle with waves and ringlets stopping at my shoulder with my face in a frown "This is you trying to hurriedly bribe me, that is low"

"I am a politician my love, it happens"

"No, you're a law enforcer, the Mayor is the politician"

"Old man is in Manhattan right now drinking a cup of rich persian tea and I am here working hard for you and this town"

"I would tell your boss you plan to dethrone him"

"Oh you wouldn't dare lady"

A small smile breaks on my face as he quickly goes back to my dress, saying "Besides, I never usually talk you out of anything, this is still all sort of new to me, can I enjoy my victory in peace?"

I look away, smiling more now.

Of course Pops barely won arguments with me because most of the times, it was on Tyler, and I was already pretty biased there, but I also knew that I actually wanted to know who Green eyes was.

I could barely recall his features except his hair and some other things that I barely remember now...

Suddenly remembering the feel of his hand on my skin, I shiver making Pops say "You okay? You got goosebumps, want your coat now?"

I shake my head quickly, cursing the fact that if Pops knew what I was thinking, he would never let me hear the end of it "Where's the damn coat?"

"Relax, I haven't gotten the hang of this contraption yet"

I chuckle there as I see him finally at the top, knotting it into a bow then hurriedly running to the sitting room, coming back with my black furcoat and a basket of cupcakes.

I take a look inside it and pout "You gotta be kidding, he got way more cupcakes than I did"

"There were originally for him princess" He says making me gasp.

"So those were also bribes too?" I ask "I am definetely telling the Mayor now"

He rolls his eyes as he turns me around to face the door and says "Off now Princess"

"Red riding hood"

"What?"

"I'm literally Red riding hood who is going over to her grandma's place with cakes.."

"It was cookies"

"Pies, I think, but I get sidetracked by a wolf, except this time, I am being forced, and of course, j am too dressed for that, you know? Pops, do you know you're literally selling me out right now? I have never seen a man so happy to sell his daughter before"

"Nice to know I am one of the unknown wonders of the world"

I grumble there as I reach the door then suddenly turn making him groan "Pops, his hands were cold"

"What?" He asks, probably tired of whatever I had to say.

"He touched me through his gloves and I swear, I could tell that he was freezing as fuck"

"Liliana...."

"Oh mi God, Pops, what if he's a vampire?"

He makes a low growl and suddenly pushes me out the door then slams it on my face as I glare at it, before I blow my tongue at it then harrumph before turning and staring at the huge house at my side.

Now, of course, I start to bang at the door, telling him I had changed my mind but he was not going to answer me.

Like literally, he slipped a paper under the door and wrote.

Sorry Princess, but you are not getting in.

Five minutes later, I am giving myself a pep talk.

Don't think too much of this Lily, this could help you sleep better at night and not have scary dreams of some person with green eyes staring all over you if you just let him explain himself about him not being a crazy stalker and just a normal boy who you could probably talk about cupcakes with.

Yet, I felt all my resolve die as I reached the house.

It was in all of it's glory, staring down at me, looming like some sort of castle in a gothic movie that literally warned me.

Enter.

And never leave.

I feel the aura again, something so cold and yet familiar that make me tug more into my coat and then then around, wanting to walk back home and literally sell my dignity to Pops about letting him before I notice him giving me the thumbs up sign.

Oh come on!

All that was left was for him to hold a placard about how he knew he could definetely not fail him.

Rude!

Sighing, I turn back to the door, about to knock before it suddenly opens and my hands freezes midway and I am face to face with a....

Butler?

Who in the world still keeps those?

He has his hair slicked back, and hw looks about in his late thirties or so, in a white shirt and black coattails, with gloves and some sort of self important look on his face "Miss Walker?"

I nod, probably lost beyond all reasonable doubt that this guy that I was being made to see was not a psycho.

"Follow me"

The man walks away, still leaving me at the door while I gaze into a dark hallway, seeing absolutely nothing.

Now I want to drop the basket, and run.

But I was always curious...

It was never good, I know, but then I was.

So I stepped into the house, skwlmh shutting the door.