Hidden Desire // Nicholas Scratch //

6

ACADEMY OF DARK ARTS

Pov Nick

For half an hour I have been watching Amelia and Matthew having breakfast together from the opposite side of the room and as the situation was already unpleasant here with me there is Prudence who enjoys tormenting me.

"Aren't you tired of staring at them like a maniac yet?"

"No."

She laughed and made various jokes about me and my jealousy. I knew that the moment she understood the true state of my feelings for Amy she would never leave me alone.

"Seriously Nicky why don't you tell her how you really feel about her?"

I've lost count of the times I've tried to confess my feelings but for one reason or another I've never been able to.

Now because of my cowardice I am forced to witness that scene.

"Do you really think she has never tried it? I have tried many times but I have failed."

But even if I did, whoever tells me she would have accepted has succeeded. It's too high a risk I'm afraid of losing our friendship.

***

12 YEARS BEFORE

Father Blackwood took me to his office and ordered me not to go anywhere until he returned.

I asked him where he was headed and he replied that he was going to pick up someone he wanted to meet me.

While I was waiting for the high priest to return I started looking around but shortly after he heard someone watching me behind me.

I turned and saw a little girl, who seems to be about the same age as me, was watching me silently so I did with her.

Was Father Blackwood referring to you?

Why on earth would this girl want to see me?

Suddenly the high priest came out behind her and said "Mr. Scratch I have a surprise for you!"

"What is it about?" I asked him.

He approached me further and replied pointing to the little girl "A young lady you know very well would like to meet you."

Who could be all those I loved have died apart from Amalia and my gaze goes back to the girl in front of me.

The girl in front of me looks like a doll, she is wearing a very accentuated red dress. Even though I don't know her name, she looks very familiar to me.

She has brown hair tied in a single long braid, her skin is very light and finally the thing I adored most about her are her big blue eyes.

He looks so much like her and what if it was her?

No it's not possible Amalia said that Amy was dead like my parents, she said that I had no one else in the world but her.

But over time I learned that on many occasions Amalia lied to me, maybe she did it too about her death.

"Amy is that you?" I tried to ask the figure in front of me.