Keeping Secrets (An Anonymous Novella)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

            "Jason!" Chloe shrieked, running down the long tan staircase. At the bottom, her socked feet slid along the marble floor. "Get away from me!"

            Jason, Ethan's best friend, trailed on her heels. In his hands he cupped a spider the size of a quarter. "Come on Chlo!" He yelled after her. "It's just a tiny thing! It loves you!"

            The idea of a spider crawling up and down her arms and legs made her shiver. She craned her head behind her, making sure Jason wasn't close enough to—

            Her front slammed into something hard. Chloe slipped, her feet disappearing from under her, and grabbed onto whatever happened to be in her reach. In this case, it was another arm. Both bodies went down and Chloe closed her eyes for the impact. Glass shattered on the floor next to her. Her hip had taken most of the brunt of it and she rubbed at it when she opened her eyes.

            One of the castle's help blinked at her through shocked eyes. Her light blue polo and khakis darkened where water hit and it only took a second for Chloe to notice the bright orange hibiscus flowers draping the floor.

            Chloe looked to the girl on the floor, her mouth open in silent surprise. "I am so sorry." She breathed.

            The girl she'd run into had strawberry blonde hair that had been pulled back into a neat and sleek bun. Her blue eyes were wide, glancing at the mess around her as if she hadn't any clue how she got there. "It's fine. I'm fine." The girl said when she was finally able to speak. She glanced down at her wet shirt and back up to Chloe. Her breath caught when she noticed who she was. A bright flush worked over her cheeks. "Miss Chloe! I am so sorry, this is all my fault." The words gushed out of her mouth. She bit her lip with worry. "Oh, Miss Barbara is going to be furious..."

            Jason stepped near Chloe's hip. "Here, let me help you up."

            Chloe was seconds away from taking his outstretched hand when she remembered. "Get your spidery hands away from me." She warned, then turned an apologetic expression to the girl. "It's completely my fault." She carefully worked her way back to her feet while avoiding the shattered glass crystals. "Here, let me help you."

            The girl's hand felt tiny in Chloe's grip. She pulled her up, half afraid that her skinny arm might just pop out of the socket. "What's your name?" Chloe asked nicely.

            Frazzled didn't even begin to describe how the girl acted. Her eyes darted around the mess on the floor, a note of panic on her features. Chloe swore she kept muttering, "oh no, oh no, oh no..." Over and over under her breath.

            "Hey, it's okay." Jason stepped in. His hands appeared to be free of a spider. Who knows, he might have just thrown it anywhere and now it could be crawling all over—

            She halted that thought.

            "What's your name?" Jason repeated Chloe's question.

            "M-miranda."

            "Hi Miranda." Chloe kicked at a large chunk of glass, scraping it together in a pile carefully with her socked feet. "Don't worry, we will get this taken care of in a heartbeat." She told her, nudging Jason with her elbow. "Jason, go get a broom."

            "What? Why do I gotta—"

            "Dude, just go get a broom." She rolled her eyes.