He opens the door for me and I walk in. My mother comes up to us.
"Excuse me, who are you and how did you get in?" She asks.
"Mother it's me, Odette," I say with a chuckle.
"Oh. Why'd you change? And Archibald your suit is all wrinkly, what-" she asks then she gasps loudly.
"Please tell me you didn't-" she asks but Archibald and I interrupt her.
We knew exactly what she was thinking.
"NO. No, no, no, no, no, not at all," Archibald and I say quickly.
"I spilled punch on myself and Archibald being-" I close my eyes, exhale and smile, "the great friend he is, waited for me to get ready, but instead of sitting on a chair, he sat on the floor outside my door. I redid my hair and makeup because they got ruined when I took off the gown," I say lying.
Archibald looks at me surprised, he definitely thought I was going to rat him out, but I wasn't going to tell her the truth.
"Oh, alright then," she says is a suspicious tone.
Then Mrs. Rhodes comes up to us.
"Archibald, dear your suit is all wrinkly, and who's this young lady? I thought you were dancing with Odette," she says.
"Mother this is Odette, she spilled punch on herself, so she changed, and my suit is wrinkly because I waited for her to get ready, but I sat on the floor," he says going along with the lie.
"Oh alright then, Oddie you look beautiful ," she says.
"Thank you, Mrs. Rhodes," I say.
"Please call me Dorothea. Gwenyth do you know where he can get it all fixed up?" asks Mrs. Williams.
"Yes, let's see... Odette dear, do you think you could get him to a dressing room and steam it?" She asks.
"Yes... sure," I say.
"Alright thank you," says my mother.
"Thank you," says Mrs. Rhodes.
Archibald and I are walking to the dressing room.
"Why'd you lie?" He asks.
"What?" I ask in a serious tone.
"You didn't rat me out," he says.
"Because I'm not trying to ruin my mother's night," I say.
'Why didn't I rat him out?'
"And how did you come up with such a specific lie so fast?" He asks.
"You're asking too many questions," I say in a serious tone.
He rolls his eyes and we walk into the dressing room.
"Give me your waistcoat," I say.
"Well since you asked so nicely," he says taking it off and handing it to me.
I take the waistcoat and start steaming it. As soon as it's wrinkle free, I turn to give it to him. I see him standing there shirtless.
"OH MY GOODNESS ARCHIBLAD," I say turning around quickly.
"What? My shirt's next, isn't it?" He asks.
"Yes, but you could've told me so I wouldn't have to see that," I say handing him his waistcoat, turning my back against him.
He takes the waistcoat and hands me his button up. I take it and start steaming it, then I finish and hand it back to him.
"I'm not steaming your pants, if you want to, you can do it and I'll wait outside," I say.
"Works for me, not that I don't enjoy your angelic presence," he says in a sarcastic tone.
I leave the dressing room and wait outside. I kept thinking about what I had just seen. He was so... fit. I shake my head trying to get rid of the image and my thoughts, but it wasn't working. About 5 minutes later he comes out.
"Ready," he says.
"Don't care," I say.
We walk back to the ballroom and walk in.
"There you kids are," says Mrs. Rhodes with a sweet smile, "and all better," she says fixing Archibald's bowtie.
"Mother, please," he says quietly.
He looks at me and I'm holding in my laugh.
"Alright, go right ahead," says Mrs. Rhode gesturing him to come with me.
I have a fake smile on, and Archibald walks up to me.
"They look good together, right?" I can hear my mother say in the distance.
"Oh definitely," says Mrs. Rhodes.
Archibald looks back at them then at me, I look back at them and then at him. For the rest of the night Archibald and I danced. I did not enjoy it.
Archibald's P.O.V:
I was forced to dance with Odette all night. I did not enjoy it. She stepped on my shoes a lot on purpose, so naturally I'd hold her tighter and closer.
Back to Odette's P.OV:
I stepped on his shoes a lot of purpose, and whenever I did he would always hold me tighter and closer. I hate admitting it, but when he pulled me tighter and closer, I didn't hate it. The ball is over and all the families are leaving, except the Rhodes. Martha walks into the ballroom.
"Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes, how are you?" She asks.
"I'm great Martha, thanks for asking. How are you?" asks Mrs. Rhodes with a sweet smile.
"I'm good, thank you," she says.
"I'm good," says Mr. Williams.
Archibald and I are still standing together.
"Such a way with words my father has," he says.
I chuckle a little.
"Wow did I just make the Odette Darlington laugh and NOT in a 'I'm going to kill you' way?" He says in a sarcastic tone.
"You're stupid," I say.
"Not so friendly, I see," he says.
"And why would I be?" I ask.
He raises his eyebrows.
"Martha, please set up two guest rooms. One for Mr. and Mrs. Rhode parents and one for Archibald," says mother with a sweet smile.
"No," I say quietly.
"Great," he says.
"Right away ma'am," says Martha.
She leaves to the third floor, the guest room floor. Archibald and I walk towards our parents.
"Darling, the Rhodes are spending the night with us!" Says mother.
'Nooooo.'
"How amazing!" I say with a forced smile.
Archibald's P.O.V:
How... perfect.
"How amazing!" She says with a forced smile.
"Indeed," I say with a forced smile as well.
Back to Odette's P.O.V:
"Indeed," he says with a forced smile as well.
"We have some fun activities planned for tomorrow, we can spend the day at the town!" Says mother.
"That sounds wonderful," I say.
Archibald simply nods yes.
The ballroom is all clean, the Rhodes were taken to their respective guest rooms and I'm in my room. I change out of my gown, take a bath, and I'm in my bed. Tossing and turning not being able to sleep.
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I'm not really feeling this chapter, I don't really have motivation or ideas, but let me know what you think!
