Blanca Like Snow

Chapter 25 - Hide & Seek

       A few more days pass by and things remain the same. The wait, the anxiety, and the fear. I still have nightmares every night, but I'm sleeping a bit more, and it's not due to the medication but because Nora brings every night a mug of honeyed warm milk. It helps me relax and fall asleep. The biggest difference now is that I can move freely and my muscles are getting stronger, yet it is still a bit uncomfortable at times. However, I've been able to explore a bit more and realised time alone is actually necessary.

Nora can't talk too often to her parents because that would raise suspicions, so unless there's an emergency or something to report, she doesn't call them. Every time I see her I feel guilty about that, because it's my fault she's here, away from her family, hiding as well. She's going through that to protect me and I can't help feeling like a burden to her.

I know, I really know that she doesn't really mind because I'm also family to her and if I were in her shoes I'd do the same. That doesn't mean I can stop feeling bad for keeping her away from her parents. I just wish all this were over already and we could back to our normal lives.

However, I quite like it here.

The kids are wonderful and I love them all, playing with them, helping them study or just helping them in the morning to get ready. All that makes me at least feel useful. I'm also trying to help more around although I spend more time with Clarisse, understanding how they work here and offering some input of my own. In my head I can already see how to manage to sponsor all the kids here and the orphanage, creating a chain of help. When I'm back, it's going to be my first project, of that I'm sure.

Regarding Will... I've been avoiding him. Just tiny bit, because he makes me too nervous. When we run into each other, he's always close, smiling cheekily, making me blush or feel awkward. Most of the time, both. I think he does it on purpose, just to tease me. It's not to make me suffer or hurt me like before, but it's not exactly nice. And because I have pride, I don't like making a fool of myself in front of him. Despite the Dream House is quite big, we still run into each other a lot.

I've come to see the goats when I find him already with them. I turn on my heels, ready to leave before he can see me, but I fail.

"Leaving already, Princess? You just got here, though," I hear his voice. I sigh in defeat.

I turn around to look at him, trying to smile as if I weren't nervous at all. "I came to see Heidi, but you're already monopolising her attention so it's no use. I'll come back later."

"Oh, so you just come for the goat. What about me? You didn't want to see me?" he teases me and I have to roll my eyes, trying to stay calm when I see him walking towards the fence. Towards me.

"No," I reply drily and I hear him chuckling.

"Ouch. You're ruthless," he laughs, finally stopping at the fence, resting his forearms on it as he leans forward, closer to me. "You can stay, though. No need to keep avoiding me."

"I'm not avoiding you," I fight, taking a step closer to make my statement stronger, more certain.

"Oh really?" He arches an eyebrow, clearly not believing me. "Is that why every time you see me in the room find an excuse to leave?"

"They are not excuses," I insist. "Have you never just gotten so distracted that entered a room without knowing why or you just forget what you were going to do?" He only smiles and that makes me more nervous. "Anyway, the point is I'm not avoiding you."

"Then stay," he challenges me, and the smirk he's giving me makes me go against my better judgment.

"Fine," I reply, walking up to him and getting ready to go over the fence. I only get more determined when I see his smile widen as I get closer, but before I can even begin to climb, I hear my name being called.