》Chapter Four.

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Edited by: _rose

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I'm crawled up in my tiny bed, searching for the energy to get rid of the comfy duvet that is now embracing my aching body. I barely slept and I'm so tired but I have to convince my lazy ass to move. Today is going to be different. I can do it, I can do better and keep this job as long as I need to..

I'm more determinate than ever to impress Miss Alice and do a good job. She's not going to fire me and I'll become a great helper, the greatest she could possibly ask for. I don't know if she expects me to show up this morning after the terrible week that has passed, but I'll go anyway.

So I get into the shower, massaging every nots and aching spots, relaxing every nerve I have. With my renew strength, I step out and get dressed , applying a bit of oil on my swollen skin to help the soreness  decreasing. I wear my hoodie and jeans, slide into my shoes and meet Louis downstairs. He hands me a cup of coffee and I drink it all at once before slowly devouring the muffin my mum made yesterday.

'' Ready?'' He inquires and I nod grabbing my coat.

'' I am, but answer this question Louis, do you mind?'' I start as we get into his little grey car.

'' Yes, sure. What is it?''

'' What do you do in that huge place when you don't have to drive Mr. Styles around the city? You just disappear and i get worry about you.''

Louis licks his lips, a smart smirk tugs to his lips slowly while he turns the wheel to get us on the highway.

'' Well, there's not only Mr. Styles in the family, to begin with.'' My mind instantly runs to the mysterious boy I have met the first day at the Styles' and on Saturday again.

'' But to answer your question, I basically wonder around the whole day or go wherever Mr. Styles requires me to go; do whatever he asks me to do. He pays me really well, so I don't complain when I have to run to the shop in the middle of the night. It's not that easy when I fall asleep and he calls me at 3 in the bloody morning but I don't mind."

Louis then stops to a red light and for a moment, we lock our gazes together. It looks like he wants to say something, something he's dying to bring up, nevertheless he just really can't. I narrow my eyes around his features and analyse him, trying to get what he means by looking at me with that worried, half pitiful expression.

When we get to the Styles' residence, Louis goes eating breakfast in the kitchen and I go in the servant's quarter to change. Once I'm finished and ready, I get to Missus Alice with my uniform completely spotless, my hair on point and with the most challenging, determinate face just to let her know I'm ready to burn this house down and built it up stone by stone with my bare hands, if she asks me to.

''Missus Alice.'' I slowly bow my head and then with my hands on my hips, I smile up at her. '' Put me to work.''

She looks puzzled however, when she notices I don't either laugh or add anything more, she decides I'm not kidding so she signals me to follow her.

I start by cleaning the bathrooms; apparently it's true that rich people have a toilet for each room, even for the guest ones, since I've spent years to finish them all.

Missus Alice forbids me to set foot on the third floor and I suppose I'm grateful, given the little accident with that weird long-haired boy.

''Missus Jade!'' Miss Alice comes screaming from the back of the stairs. I shake my head and meet her halfway.

'' Yes, ma'am?'' She cringes at my informal tone and I bite my tongue for being so distracted. She closes her eyes for a brief moment, just to calm herself down and not get angry at me, which is something I appreciate so much.

'' Have you finished what I asked you to do, Miss?'' I simply nod.

'' Good. Today is the prearranged day to change the sheets." She leads us into a dark alley, through the corridors till an old wooden closet stands right in front of us. She uses her key to open it and takes out clean silky sheets and puts them in a big basket.

'' You make sure your hands are immaculate when you touch them, these are really expensive. It's Italian manufacture and not even a month of work could let you repaid them off. You start from the first room until the end of the corridor. Everyone should be up by now, but don't make any noise, no matter what and don't be clumsy please, the last thing I need is having to explain to Mr. Styles why a not qualified little mouse is walking around his house trying to destroy all of his belongings.'' Unqualified, me? I've been studying and reading my whole life; it annoys me so much to be treated like everybody in this place is better than me.

I storm upstairs, walking so fast that I don't even know where I'm going, till I reach the far end of the corridor, pushing the last door open. I throw the sheets on the nearest chair I can find and pace furiously to the window. I pull the red curtains apart, letting the light coming in.

I turn and look at the messy bedroom. The bed is unmade; the covers are randomly spread across the mattress. Besides that, the room is pretty clean and neat. There's just a merely noticeable layer of dust on the furniture, the walls are saturated by this light smell of cologne that lingers around the place as a warm but also foreign blanket.

I hurry to take the used sheets, I fold them, rolling the fabric around my forearms and make a huge ball that I throw in the basket near the door, when my attention is caught by some pictures that are standing on the nightstand. I debate on if I should take the courage and go check them or if I should just shut my curiosity down and keep working as any other maid would do.

I place the silky sheets on the bed, carefully not to crinkle them, and take a step forward. There he is, the boy that didn't have a single moment of kindness or courtesy in my regards and that I hope, no I totally pray, not to bump into, not even by mistake. He has shorter hair and curlier than now, his cheeks are rosy for the cold and his eyes are so green and enchanting, that i find myself leaning in to take a closer look.

He's younger too, perhaps around sixteen? Maybe more.

I don't know why, but looking at him like this, gives me another kind of emotion besides fear; the quiff that falls on the left side of his face makes him adorable, so much adorable that I grab the picture in my hands and bring it right under my eyes while I smile back down at him.

I wonder what happened that made him so angry and hostile towards people? Or perhaps it's just that he can't stand servants hanging around his quarters. I'd be upset too if I'd find a stranger ghosting near my stuff.

I pass my thumb on the little crack at the bottom of the frame and finally acknowledge the other person that is standing next to him. It's a girl, a pretty girl with ginger hair and matching dimples. Her eyes are sharper than the boy's, her smile is as wide and they look so happy while she mimics a V sing with her long fingers. They both wear rings on their hands but she seems older than him: no red cheeks or any other childish characteristic, still she's so beautiful it makes my stomach clench for how peculiar her green-brown eyes sparkle with joy behind her half closed eyelids.

I've never been the jealous type of girl. However her beauty, the way she looked so gorgeous even without wearing any make-up, makes me uncomfortable with my body.

She seems skinny under all those layers of clothes while I'm fluffy on my hips. I'm not fat, I wouldn't call myself that for sure, but I'm not thin either;

I sigh and put the pic back on its place leaning in to examine the next one right in time to hear the door swinging open and meet the glare of two thundering upset green eyes.

Only two split seconds pass before he stops, acknowledging my presence, along way my too close position to his stuff.

The wooden door flies backwards and slams itself against the frame, giving my head a sense of dizziness that forces me to duck my head down, before everything falls silent, so silent that I think he left the room, until he finally decides to speak.

***

Just wanted to say that the more you vote, the more I will update. I hope you are liking this story ;) we have just begun, the path is so long and I hope you have a lovely time.

Lou.

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