Th_omas

" How about we help each other?" He says and I look up at him, eyes still wet from the tears streaming down my cheeks, heart freshly broken from the public humiliation and betrayal that was Lucas's breakup. I can faintly make out the first droppings of snow floating magically under the light of the street lamps. It's that time of the year, a time for wool coats, a time for relaxing, none of which I'll be doing. "I'm an orphan with a wicked aunt and a boyfriend who left her because she has nothing to her name, how could I possibly help you?" I say another sob escaping my lips. "Marry me" he replies and my eyes widen in anger. Is he mocking me?. I look into the eyes of this stranger and see he's dead serious. "I need a wife, you need a home, marry me and you'll have all you want". I nod.

A Snowy Marriage (A Christmas agreement)

I realise I simply don't have the guts to. I simply don't have the guts to ask someone who had saved me from possibly being poisoned, the sort of questions that would suggest I distrust her.

Arden has been nothing but nice to me since the very day I got here. She was the first person other than Adrian to actually ever speak a word to me, well except for Charlotte but I don't think that counts.

Arden has helped me out of a most unlikely situation, and I don't think I can just bring myself to start questioning her on who exactly she is, and on what side she's on. But is it actually possible for me to fight and play for both sides?.

Who would I have to side with when it finally came down to the last decision?. I realise the bitter truth that it's not like I have any form of power here, as I'm basically not meant to be here in the first place. I just can't imagine how things seem to always twist and turn, from the first day that I got here, till now just barely five days later, and yet I feel like I've lived here for and for a whole year.

The intricacies of this place seem to come to me naturally, as I realise this isn't a fancy place for people to come enjoy their Christmas. It is a lion's den, which people stray into, so as to battle for survival. If you're not careful in here, you will also end as the Year ends.

I don't want to think of the fact that I am basically standing on the fence right now, as I think of who to side with if it ever comes down to it. It would surely be Adrian as a first choice, but if Adrian can't seem to control himself, what then?.

What do I do if he goes on making another irrational decision like he made with Charlotte?. The name coming into my head seems to invoke the person, as I can catch a beautifully elegant figure in a white gown very similar to mine, I wonder if she does this intentionally.

She walks like she's floating on the floor, and you can see that she is the very picture of the refined elegance, not a single hair out of place. The attention of almost everyone snaps to her as I can evidently see she has changed her dress, and is now wearing silk gloves, the sort that cover still healing hands.

The sort of risk she would have experienced, at having to put poison on her own hands marvel me, it just truly goes to show that people will do anything to get what they want.

Just an accidental scratch of the eyes, or just maybe a taste of that hand on her tongue, and she would be dying right now. I seem to wonder exactly where these kids seem to get their weapons of battle from.

From poison, to threats, to intimidation, where do they seem to get all the courage to carry out this sort of stuff?. From the looks of it, it's not easy at all, and I can tell from the wariness of both people sitting near me.

I abandon my quest to ask Arden about where she's from or who she possibly is. I trust her enough as a friend, and again i painfully realised I have no power here, to be going around asking questions of such importance.

Chapter 59