Darien Grace

Fifteen minutes later, I was halfway across the Festival grounds. The wind kept blowing my hood off, and after the eighth time I gave up on fixing it. I was still wearing the mask that Jas had given me. I told myself that it was enough to ward off the people I wanted most to avoid. Of course, I knew that was a lie. A mask did nothing to disguise the color of my hair, but I wasn't exactly in the mood to deal with absolute truths at the moment. The morning had already burned through my patience for the day.

I wandered aimlessly, clutching the thick fabric of the cloak tight against my body, willing it to obstruct the worst of the biting wind. I'd just rounded the ferris wheel when there was a tug at my cloak followed by a giggle. I turned, looking for the source. Nettie beamed up at me from beneath a tiny black bowler hat adorned with fake white flowers. Her wild curling hair was pulled back into a bun at the base of her neck. A bright red bowtie and a white ruffled collar peeked out from beneath a thick black peacoat. Her long navy skirt stopped a few inches above her ankles, revealing black tights and shiny black shoes. She clutched at the far too large carpet bag on her shoulder, but her happy grin split her face.

I knelt down to her level, sitting on my heels. "Salut, petite—" (Hello, there little one—) I was cut off when she reached forward and lifted my mask. She pressed a quick kiss to my check, her giggling intensifying. I clutched the tiny girl to my chest.

"Tu es jolie," (You look pretty,) she whispered in my ear.

I pulled away to look at her. "Tu es bien plus belle, petite Mary Poppins." (You're far more beautiful, little Mary Poppins.) I brushed a gentle kiss against the tip of her nose. It sent her into another giggling fit. It was infectious. I hauled her up into my arms, balancing her weight on my hip, smiling the entire time. "Où est ton oncle?" (Where's your uncle?)

"Il arrive." (He's coming.) She gave a little shrug before leaning in to whisper once more in my ear, "On a fait la course, et j'ai gagné" (We raced and I won.)

"La course?" (Raced?")

"Jusqu'à toi, et j'ai gagné." (To you and I won.) She grinned triumphantly at me and I smiled back at her.

Just then Zayn rounded one of the booths, his eyes searching the crowd frantically before he saw us. He jogged over, relief coloring his features. "Je suis désolée, elle a dû te voir, elle a filé à toute vitesse." (I'm so sorry. She must have seen you. She just took off.)

"Bert! Te voilà. Mademoiselle Poppins et moi parlions justement de toi," (Bert! There you are. Miss Poppins and I were just talking about you,) I said, nodding toward the little girl in my arms. Zayn's face and clothes were covered in black smudges, a charcoal colored hat riding low over his brow. He'd strapped his chimney brush to his back, looping it through his suspenders. Looking between the two, I knew that it had to be the most adorable idea I'd ever seen.

Zayn frowned at the two of us for a long moment before realization finally dawned."Oh, vraiment?" (Oh, really now?) He asked. I handed the little girl off to him, and he immediately flashed me a grateful smile.

"Oui. elle me disait que vous aviez fait la course jusqu'à moi." (Yes. She told me that you were racing to find me,) I said, willing him to hear the apologetic inflection in my voice. He must have because his eyes softened slightly and he pressed a possessive kiss against her forehead. Nettie looked between the two of us and giggled. A second later her attention was diverted as she stared around the Festival with rapt enthusiasm.

"Où es Jassy? Elle a promis," (Where's Jassy? She promised,) Nettie said, returning her attention to me. Over the months we'd spent together in France, she'd grown incredibly fond of my best friend. When we'd run into Jas at the end of the Festival yesterday, Nettie had begged Zayn and I to let her get her face painted. Jas had promised that she would do it today. I'd forgotten, but Nettie, obviously, had not. She squirmed in Zayn's arms.

"Je suis sûre qu'elle est ici quelque part. Tu veux aller la chercher?" (I'm sure she's around here somewhere. Do you want to go find her?) I asked, grinning at the eager little girl.

"Oui!" (Yes!) Nettie exclaimed with a cheer. Laughing, Zayn set her on her feet. We each took one of Nettie's hands and let her lead us through the crowded Festival.

Ten minutes later, Nettie sat a few feet away while Jas painted bright, multicolored flowers across her right cheek. Nettie watched the older girl in wonder, pointing up at her glossy hair twisted high into horns. The wind suddenly sipped through the tent, whipping at Jas's crimson faux fur coat, revealing a black lace bodysuit underneath. Jas pulled her coat tighter around her, crossing her red-leather clad legs as she shifted her position on her stool. She and Nettie seemed caught up in their own world; though every now and then the younger girl would look our way and giggle, nodding emphatically along with whatever Jas said.

"What do you think they're on about?" I asked when Leala came to stand next to me. I turned to look at her and immediately did a double take. "

I hadn't thought it possible, but Jas had someone managed to cover Leala in even more glitter than she had me. Somehow Jas had convinces Leala to play the angel to her devil and the wild brit was decked out in a smart, white pantsuit with a plunging neckline, white lace brazier, with a golden halo bobbing above her head. The wind threw her wild curls around her glitter-covered face. Jas had painted a thick layer of gold glitter across Leala's cheekbones and up onto her temples and then across any other visible bit of skin.

Oh good god. She got to you too?"

Leala shrugged. "I am forever at her mercy."

I laughed out loud, actually enjoying Lee's company. Christ, it was strange to think how dramatically everything had changed in just a year.

"Is she trying to be ironic with this year's costumes?"

"What do you mean?"

"There is some serious role-reversal going on here. You an angel and Jas as the devil?"

"I still don't see your point. That woman is temptation made flesh," Lee said, a rosy tint coloring her cheeks as she watched her new girlfriend. Since Jas had begun to work on Nettie, a small line had formed behind the smaller girl. Zayn sat in the stool next to his niece, nodding along and helping to translate whatever story Nettie was reciting.

"So spill, Barney. Who's the deal with you and Father-of-the-Year over there?" Leala said, casting her eyes toward Zayn.

"She's his niece," I said.

"Not the point. I've seen the way he's been eyeing you."

"We're just friends," I said, my own cheeks warming as thoughts I shouldn't entertain swirled through my mind. Zayn brought a warmth back into my life that I thought lost. It wasn't the all-consuming fire brought on by a single moment alone with the Darling Professor, but there was warmth... there was heat... there was potential.

Leala nodded once, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet. "And what about you and Hattie?"

"There is no 'me and Harry'."

Leala didn't look convinced, and quite frankly, I didn't blame her. There was the possibility of more with Zayn, but my Otherwise had been real—at least to me. Memories of sleepless nights and lost days still dominated my heart and mind.

"Incoming," Leala muttered, nudging me in the ribs with her elbow. I looked up. Harry was headed this way.

"Damn, all the way from the Shire? Didn't know I deserved that kind of effort," Leala called out. Harry's face heated, and he frowned as he closed the remaining distance between us.

"Little ears, Leala," he said, glancing toward the steadily growing line for the faceprinting booth. "Aren't you supposed to be helping her, anyway?" Harry motioned toward Jas.

"It's my break."

"No it's not," Jas called, grinning wickedly while Zayn looked on in quite amusement.

"Hush, Satan," Lee said, waving Jas away. "Not that I'm not enjoying your criticism, Heidi, but is there a reason for this particularly pleasant visit?"

"Yeah, I'm actually here for Darien."

Alarm bells went off in my head and I immediately stiffened, my breath catching in my throat.

"And my break is officially up. Cheers!" Leala said, hurriedly taking her seat at the table beside Jas. The next kid in line plopped onto the stool in front of Leala. He began chattering away and Lee just rolled her eyes, popping the lids off of tins of face-paint.

"What's going on?" I turned back to face him, just as Nettie barreled into me, wrapping her arms around my legs. I scooped her up into my arms, balancing her weight on my hip.

"Belle," (Beautiful), I said, kissing her gently on her nose to avoid the still drying paint coloring her cheek. Harry looked curiously between Nettie and I before his gaze landed on something—rather someone—just behind me.

"I just came to tell you the first show starts in ten. Danielle wants you back at the stage to warm up."

"I'll be there in five," I said, shifting Nettie's weight in my arms. Harry managed a small smile before turning and pushing his way back through the crowd.
Sighing, I turned to Zayn. "You ready to see a real show?"

A/N: Wow, I know it's super late and probably isn't Monday anymore where some of you live, but HELLO and Happy #SonataMonday! I promise next week will be longer and more will happen. The past two weeks have just been crazy busy, but I wanted/needed to update.

So I love you all so much! Thank you for reading. This is going to be a short author's note as well, because I have to be an adult and wake up at 6:00 a.m. to go into the office for a day of meetings. YIPPEE. Lord, do I miss my drunken college writing sessions.

Anywho, please skip on over and check out the following: 

The Famoux and The Classix by famouxx (Updates every #FMXFriday)

THE AROTTIR by hannahgrowe (Updates every #ArottirTuesday)

A Dream of Snow or really anything by ScarletteDrake

Until next time, my loves.

Loads of love,

--xE