Glass Slippers [1st Draft]

30. Getting To Know You

Chapter Thirty:

Getting To Know You

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The sound of Harriet's footsteps faded away and Clara moved away from the door, biting her lip. She didn't want to have their conversation like this. She had looked away from Frederick and the door when suddenly a loud noise brought her attention back to him with a snap. Frederick had slammed his shoulder into the door, but the door didn't budge.

He did it again, his face grimacing from the pain, but the door only jostled slightly on its hinges. He made to do it again, but Clara quickly stepped forward, placing a hand on his arm.

"Stop. It's fine. She'll let us out eventually," Clara pleaded, not wanting Frederick to hurt himself needlessly. Frederick looked down at her, a frown tugging at the corner of his lips, but let out a sigh and backed away from the door.

"I know she will," he responded, running a hand through his hair, making it stick up from all sides. "I just didn't want to do this like this. I mean," he chuckled. "I had a plan and everything. I wanted to wait a little bit, so that way we could get to know each other more."

"We don't have to do what she has told us to if we don't want to. She's thirteen and though she may seem like a master schemer, she's not all-knowing. It's not like she's going to know," Clara said, meeting his eye, but Frederick just shook his head.

"It's not that I don't want to, I just don't want to rush this. I didn't want to force a conversation neither of us seemed to be ready to or wanted to have." Clara nodded in agreement. That was almost exactly what she was feeling. She was very fond of him, that much was obvious, and she knew she could potentially love him, but did she? Clara wasn't sure.

It was a relief to know that they were on the same page on that subject. However, she knew that if it was up to the part of her that was more cowardly than brave, they would never have the conversation they were speaking of. They would never have the chance to try, and that was something she didn't want to happen.

Clara didn't want to follow her sister's order, despite the almost kiss from a couple of days ago. She wanted it to be on their terms, may it be ten minutes from that moment or months from then.

"I agree. I think we should get to know each other better," she said, a small smile tilting her lips upwards as she looked at him. "Did you know that I don't know your favorite color? Or even what you like to do for fun?" Clara sat down in one of the armchairs while Frederick moved to sit in the diagonal to hers.

"I did not know that. Though to be fair, I don't know what your favorite color is or what you like to do for fun either. I didn't even know your last name until my father shouted it out loud when he chose to interrogate you." Frederick let out a chuckle. "I didn't even know your last name, and yet I was completely prepared to do anything to help you. I had never had an argument to that extent with my father until the day he saw me dancing with you instead of Sophia."

"I hope you didn't get into too much trouble," Clara said, leaning forward slightly in her chair to place a hand over his. "That was never my intention."

"Oh no, believe me, the argument was long overdue. In fact, I've argued more with my father in the past couple of weeks than I think my mother has in her entire life. Almost every day we have a shouting match. It's quite liberating really, to shout so loudly," Frederick said, his eyes sparkling with silent laughter.

"And that's a good thing?" Clara said hesitantly. Frederick didn't seem too upset about it.

"Yes. Absolutely, yes. I've been waiting for the opportunity to speak my mind to my father on the subject of many different things, your arrival in my life just gave me the opening." Frederick met her gaze with a smile. "Now, what is your favorite color?"