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PROMISES
AFTER BEGINNING TO feel faint from the corset you were wearing and the champagne, you sat on the couch and leaned your head against the cool windowpane to quell the heat rising on your cheeks. you felt the velvet couch dip under you, signifying the presence of someone else.
"please forgive me and come dance." laurie uttered softly.
"i'm afraid i will look too ridiculous for you," you scoffed.
"i don't like your dress, but i think you are just stunning," he breathed.
"really?" you regained your hope, looking into his eyes with bright ones of your own. his seemed warmer now, eyes pools of gorgeous honey.
"truly," he nodded.
"teddy i—" you smiled, looking down at your lap. instead, he swiftly pulled you into a hug and you sighed at the contact.
"i truly am sorry, choupette," and for the first time in days, you allowed him to call you the endearing name.
you placed your hand in his gently and took up his offer.
and so you danced with him, pleased and sincere and terrific. you felt younger, younger than you had felt over after you went went through a little while to to learn and learn laurie told you to grow up. laughing and spinning as the music played on and ended with a flourish, you and laurie almost collapsing in a heap.
when you and laurie arrived home, a letter from aunt alice awaited you on your bed. almost frantically, you sat down and tore open the envelope and started reading. you hadn't noticed laurie entering the room, and you continue to scan the letter unknowingly.
she wanted you to make your journey tomorrow.
"what are you looking at?" laurie asked, startling you, as he tried to reach around your body to grab the letter. after the ball, you both had made up and were now a stronger pair than ever.
"nothing!" you squeaked, outstretching your arms far in front of you to prevent him from intercepting it.
"let me see!" he demanded playfully, continuously brushing his nose on your cheek as he got in front of you to reach your outstretch hands.
"teddy you're like a puppy, my goodness. and no, you may not see it." you said, face turning stern but eyes still shimmering.
"please?" he asked, now giving you a wide eyed look, making him actually look like a puppy.
"i said no!" you turned to face your headboard so it would be harder for him to grab the letter. you wouldn't let him see it. no matter how silly you were being, you did have a reason. you knew he would try and fight you to stay and he would ask when you replied other previous letter, and you weren't wanting to deal with that just then.
"teddy, that tickles!" you gasped, his warm laughs brushed against your neck and his nose repeatedly rubbed against your cheek. as you curled up to fend him off, he found the opportunity to snatch the letter from your hands and read it.
"this better not be a love letter," he smirked mischievously.
"give it back, teddy! you don't want to read it, i'm telling you." you sighed, trying to reach it. but all he did was stand on your bed and hold it high above your head where he knew you couldn't reach because of your height.
he brought it down to eye level and twisted around and out of your arms to read the fine writing. you gave up as his face changed rapidly.
"what is this?" he hissed.
"i'm, well, leaving tomorrow. for england." you sighed.
"for england?" his voice dropped, breaking. "what? when—how—why didn't you tell me?"
"we were fighting, teddy. i thought you wouldn't care." you shrugged and found looking at the silk sheets a lot more interesting. he went wide eyed and cupped your cheeks softly, forcing you to look at him.
"[ y/n ]," he started sincerely. "just because we're not on the best terms, does not mean i won't ever care about you."
your cheeks rosed and you sighed.
"i'm sorry teddy, i was just lost and i felt that you would like it better if i just...disappeared for a while."
"please don't ever do this again. no matter how much i like someone don't ever leave me. i need you." he admitted. you could feel your heart swell and your pulse quicken.
"i need you too. i won't leave you ever. pinky promise?" you laughed, proposing the age old swear.
"pinky promise." he said, grabbing your pinky and bringing you into one long hug before he left your room and retired to his own.
