ivy

Chapter 3

A few hours later, I'm waiting by the door for him to return home. I already set the table and the dinner was cooking. Suddenly I smelt something burning. I sniffled a few times before jumping up and running to the kitchen.

I see Betty running out of the room with me to check on the smell. I enter the room and see the oven smoking. I rush to it and turn it off. I quickly grab the pan out of the oven and see that my meal was burnt! I worked so hard for this! I made a casserole a few hours ago but now it's ruined! It's completely useless! I'm useless. I can't believe I messed this up too! I can't do anything! John's right, I am useless! I start to shed some tears but 2 seconds later, John bursts through the door.

"Dorothea! Where are you?" He yells.

I run as fast as I can to the doorway. I wipe my tears.

"Sorry. I was-"

"I don't care. You're supposed to meet me in the doorway when I return home. We talked about this last night!" He banged his fist onto the nearby table.

"Sorry-"

"That's what I asked you to do! When I ask I expect you to obey! That's an order! You have to do what I want!" He huffed.

"But I'm not your slave!"

"Don't talk to me that way!" He yelled. He leans towards me and punches me right in the face. I feel weak. I fall onto my knees and cry on the ground.

"Get up. Your so sensitive!" He says, rolling his eyes.

I timidly get up. That punch hurt so much. I touched my cheek where he hurt me. It hurt even more when I touched it.

"Where's my dinner?" He huffed.

"Umm ab..b..bout that..." I quietly said. I didn't want to get hurt again.

"What have you done now?" He rolled his eyes.

"I kinda b..b..burnt the d...dinner..."

"YOU WHAT! YOU STUPID WOMAN YOU BURNT MY DINNER? MY MEAL? MINE?" He yelled. It was like a storm happening and he was the cause.

"I'm.." I quietly said.

"THATS IT! IVE HAD ENOUGH! I CANT BELIEVE YOU! THATS IT!" He yelled as he stormed out with his fists clenched and his shoes pounding on the wooden floor. Soon the footsteps became quieter and I heard the sound of a door slam suddenly.

I broke down crying on the ground. I felt my knees buckle and I couldn't stop myself from falling. I cried so hard that night. I really was useless. I felt as if I was a complete idiot. I should've checked in on the oven! I'm so stupid! I cried until I could see my reflection in them. I cried until there were no tears left.

I got up after a while and went into the library and into my secret spot. I found out about it when we first moved in here. Underneath the wooden chair is a trapdoor and through there is a secret tunnel that leads to a small room. It was completely empty when I found it but I decorated it now and it is the perfect hideaway for when I need alone time. It has 2 entrances. One from the library and one from outside, near the stables. Yes, we have stables. We also have a tennis court and a small pool. The stables are run by a woman named Mary. Well, it was. She left the job because she was moving to the north of the town with her husband and it was too far for her to come here and then come back everyday. Now, we need a new person to help with the stables. Anyways, the other trapdoor is behind the stables under some old hay.

I decided to come here tonight and stay here until it was later and John was asleep. Me and John sleep in separate beds. We always did. We never talk about it. People think it's strange. I think it would be strange if it was with your Romeo but that isn't real. It's merely an illusion that you will meet your 'perfect someone'.

I accidentally stayed in my secret spot all night. I fell asleep here. I didn't mean to but I did. The next morning I realized I was in here and quickly snuck out. Thankfully I woke up early and John was still asleep. I really didn't want to go and explain to him why I was nowhere to be found all night and morning. It was too complicated and if he ever found out about my hideaway I would be in so much trouble. Luckily I got away with it. I tiptoed into the guest bedroom and lied down. I pretended I slept there all night. He would never know. Before I went to bed, I covered up my bruise with makeup. I didn't want him to say that I looked bad with my bruise.

I actually did fall asleep in the guest bedroom so I technically wouldn't be lying if I told him I slept in here.

By the time I woke up again I heard pot and pans clanking. Was he cooking? Impossible. I went into the kitchen and saw a middle aged woman in my kitchen.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" I asked. Why is there a woman in the kitchen?

"Oh! You must be Miss Dorothea! I'm..err... name is Este! I sorry about me english it is not very...err...good! Anywhere, I am the new chef your husband hired. He didn't...err...tell you?"

"Nope."

"He had hired me, a maid named Abigail and a stable boy named...err.. I forgot his name! But it starts with a S!" She looked proud of herself.

"Oh! Okay! Well he didn't tell me.." I replied. Why didn't he tell me he was hiring staff. Maybe that's what he meant when he was saying, "that's it!". Maybe he meant that he was just going to hire staff. Well, I wish he would've talked to me about it but at least now this makes my job easier.

I decide to meet these new staff. After all, I'll be seeing them everyday. I run into a girl in the hallway.

"Hello, i am Abigail. It's nice to meet you, Miss!" She says. She looks around my age.

"Hi. I'm Dorothea!"

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry for the delay in the cleaning!" She says.

"Oh! Um it's no problem!" I reply. Why was she apologizing? She was cleaning my house!

"Okay! Thank you Miss!" She says before walking away.

Okay, 2 down, 1 to go. I go open the door to go outside but I realize it's cold. I grab my favorite cardigan and walk out.

The wind is blowing in my face and I feel like I'm freezing. Today is cold. It is supposed to be a very cold week. It's snowing out but I don't care. I make my way through the snow.

I squint my eyes as I get closer to the stables and see a man with super light, curly hair and the brightest smile I've ever seen feeding a carrot to a horse. I smile and head towards him.