Clandestine (Chaennie Fanfiction)

Chapter Fifteen

[WARNING: SLIGHTLY SENSITIVE CONTENT]

15
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When the world comes to light, it has never appeared so hazy.

"Rosie wake up"

The space beside you shifts.

"Jisoo?"

"Jennie you must hurry— both of you—"

You rub your tired eyes, forced to adjust to the bright lights above. Jisoo comes to sight. "Rosie, you need to go down to the stables." She tells you, and she's frantic- beckoning you to get up- you look at her robe and the sky out the window- it's the dead of night, "What's the matter?" you grog, trying to blink the blur to clear.

You turn to Jennie and she's just as bewildered as you, but that's not just it— she's mortified and she's glancing between you and Jisoo— your heart stops—

You brace the sheets as you scurry against the headboard. Jisoo stammers over words, eyes avoid yours and feet step to turn around, but not quite— "Get dressed—" she says, "y-you need to hurry" and fear strikes in the seconds it takes to jump in your pajamas and slip on your robe.

You're staggering on your feet, trying to grasp reality- trying to hurry because something is wrong. Terribly wrong.

Jisoo can't even articulate her words to tell you, too scattered, too shaken—

You're panic-stricken because it's Orange, you just know it- and you're gutless because Jisoo— you and Jennie were— she just came in and— oh god she knows—

It is your flight of fright that steers you out the door, drowning away all thought for what Jisoo had just seen— that you've just been caught- you think about your stallion and you sprint faster.

You burst out the palace doors and down the hill, and it's pouring- it's pouring rain and Jennie is calling for you but you don't stop running to the illuminated shed. You catch yourself slipping on your feet. Mud splashes everywhere, raindrops to your vision, cold bites on your skin.

You're hoping and you're praying "Please" that it's just not Orange.

"Rosie!"

That he's all better now and there's nothing to be afraid of.

"Roseanne!"

That he has nothing to be afraid of "please please please" you run faster. You jump off the slope and when you throw those wooden doors open—

Fear has never appeared so clearly.

It punctures through you- all of you- breaking the cages of your heart to drop to your stomach- the anguish twisting and pulling to wretchedness until it becomes too painful to keep your eyes open because it's Orange.