I tried to wave the darkness away.
"Get away! Leave me alone!"
"Poor little princess... fated to cheat death but lose everything in the process."
Fear clutched at my heart as something began to form in front of me. A face dark with glee and malice came toward me.
"NO!" I bolted upright in bed, soaked in sweat, chest heaving.
"Rose?" Sarah came in. "Are you all right?"
"Yes. I'm fine. Just a bad dream," I assured her. I brushed the wild stray strands of hair out of my face. "I'll be fine."
"All right."
I waited until she left before getting up. I crossed the room and untied my braid. I carefully unbraided it. I shook out the golden curls and grabbed a brush. I sat down on my bed and absently combed it out.
I stayed like that, brushing my hair until my aunts arose. Then I dressed and went to work.
***
"You look awful," Alton announced when he came to visit.
"Thanks. That's what every girl wants to hear," I said before returning to shelling peas.
"Don't be so sour." He reached out to tug on my hair but stopped. "You didn't braid your hair. What am I supposed to tug on now?"
I huffed. "Aren't you a little old to be tugging on my braids anyway?"
He didn't respond to that. "Your hair's really long."
I shrugged. "I guess."
He sat down beside me. Wordlessly, he reached over and ran his hands through the gold curls.
I froze, the peas forgotten. My cheeks heated. I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry as Alton continued to toy with my hair.
After a few seconds, I slowly turned toward him. I was going to ask him what he was doing until our eyes met. Then the last thing on my mind was my hair. Vaguely, I noticed his hand had stilled.
Then, it stole to the back of my neck. A bit of pressure urged my face forward as he leaned in. I let my eyes slide shut, as a hundred voices in my mind jibbered for attention. I knew what was going to happen. Our noses would brush before his lips and mine met.
My heart pounded so loudly in my chest I feared he would hear it. Unlike what I had felt back when we were kids, I was excited to know it was Alton. Would it be like it had back then, quick and teasing? Or would it be longer, sweeter?
Our lips barely brushed, so softly I almost doubted they were touching. But with the brief contact, a jolt of feeling zinged through me. I leaned closer...
"Mistress Rose!"
I jumped about a mile in the air, knocking over the bowl of peas. I looked up toward the voice.
"Cooper!" I scolded the robin perched in a bush nearby. "Don't scare me like that!"
"Did I interrupt something?" the bird asked, hopping closer.
I opened my mouth to respond that, yes, yes he had, when Alton stood clearing his throat.
"I should get going."
"But--"
"Your aunts just asked me to check on you, make sure you were fine. Lack of sleep and all. I'll see you tomorrow." He left before I could protest.
"Good job, Cooper." I knelt to pick up the scattered peas.
