•Maeve Grey•

•Past•

On the patio of the courtyard of Maxton Hall, I spread my book, reading the annotations I made in the book last night, and began writing out my Essay that I failed to finish as I fell asleep sometime around one in the morning.

My last three days were spent on the dress along with Ruby and her sister Ember, helping out with the details that I had intricated in the design. Then, later at night, I had to run to the fabric store and buy creme silk that fell short for the skirt after Ember had to stitch the bodice twice as she got the proportion incorrect the first time.

I returned home around midnight.

"Maeve!" Ruby stands in front of me, her eyes dull and tired just like mine. "I don't know how to tell you."

My stomach somersaults. "Why do you look like 'we're screwed. Big time' instead of 'yay, we did it' huh?"

Ruby slumps next to me, her bags thudding on the ground. "I'm sorry," she pulls out her phone and shows me a picture.

My eyes gape. On the screen, the dress we spent so much to tailor and perfect is ruined, with a large iron press hole right in the bodice and the seam of the skirt. Since it was a silk dress, the damage is beyond repair and even if we did fix it, it wouldn't matter. I can't replicate the designs at the bottom and the pleated Bertha lace in such a short time.

"Ember is trying to fix it," she says, a little hopeful and doubtful at the same time. "But—"

She trails off, her words hanging mid-air. It wouldn't matter if the dress is fixed somehow, a possibility I don't consider but my work will always be hidden behind my sketchpad, always.

Lin joins us and seeing our faces, she snatches Ruby's phone and explains our ordeal. "We have no option but to try Costume Rental place at Haddington," Lin suggests.

"In their dress, you looked like Elsa from Frozen After Flood," Ruby says in a dry voice. "We can't put some polyester thing on the poster."

Lin agrees, her head swaying, and eyes lost and I shut my notebook and decide to give my dreams up.

Lin gets excited all of a sudden. "Beaufort is one of the oldest luxury brands in England and their collection goes back hundreds of years."

Still, no help to me. At least Ruby can have her dream.

"And their collection is where, across the road, in front of your house?" Ruby jokes unkindly, irritation is visible on her face.

Lins thins her lips. "No, it's in London, idiot!"

Ruby slaps her temple. "And sure they will welcome us with open arms."

"No, we should ask Lydia," Lin clarifies. "It was her idea after all."

Good luck with that.

They keep going on about Lydia, weighing down their options and outcome and I pack my bag, letting them on their own. Other than setting tables, and arranging music and food, I'm no longer helpful to them. I hear them calling my name but I veer away, grateful they didn't follow me.

A year ago my life was set and I didn't care much about college recommendations anyway. My mother kept bragging about spending as much as money she could on me.

And then I walked all over it, left the house, and got me one of my own, not wanting anything to do with her and her source of money. Since then I've been on my own and it's awful. I've been struggling with school, my work, and my dream. I could never spare enough time for either of them.

A tear escapes my eyes and instead of going to Sutton's class when the first bell rings, My feet take me to the stairs to the first floor, then the second.

I am so sucked up in my world that I barely notice a shadow descending past me as I head up and seconds later, a hand wraps my arm, stopping me midway.

I turn back, standing two steps higher than James in front of me with Alistair, Cyril, and Kesh behind him. I train my gaze on James, noticing he's a little out of breath like others and I comprehend they must have been rushing for the class when they found me on the way.

I hide my face away and wipe my tears with the other hand.

"What happened?" He asks in a concerned voice, taking steps up.

I keep my mouth shut, biting down my lips hard when I feel too close to breaking down like a vase. I don't want him to see me in pieces. I don't want him to see me at all.

"Cover for me," he says. "And her."

"Sure," Alistair mutters, and three pairs of feet stride away from us.

"Look at me," he says, holding my arm firmly that I try to pry out of his hold. "Maeve!"

"The class has started. You should be on time." I tell him, filtering out my cracked voice.

"And so should you," he states, nudging me to turn around.

I stay rooted at my place. "I...I have a headache. Just want to be left alone. Now leave my hand."

He loosens his hold but keeps his fingers on me. "Then you should be at Sanatorium."

I nod my head knowing it would be better to go there, be around with nurses than with James who will follow me if I go to the rooftop instead.

He lets go of my hand and I turn on my heels to descend when he blocks my way, finally able to see my full face.

"Tell me what the hell happened?" he demands in a stern voice.

I keep my head down, thinking why it hurt this much. Three days ago, I had little to no hope for my career and now when I'm back at exactly where I was earlier, it shouldn't have mattered. But it does. I was too hopeful, too excited.

"Look at me, Maeve," his voice goes to a whisper and he tips my chin up.

I shake my head and keep my eyes down.

"Maeve," his thumb grazes my cheek and I can't hold back, a sob wracks through me, this time louder.

He holds my arms, taking another step closer. The whole corridor is quiet and If any teacher saw us, I'd be in trouble. Pulling myself together, I backed away from him. It's just a moment and I'll overcome it even if I have to knock out Lydia at the Gala to introduce my work to Mrs. Lawrance.

James grabs me once again. "Come with me," he climbs back to the third floor to the roof and I clutch my bag tighter, too dazed by him. I try to not make any noise as we are way past the first period and the last thing I want is Lexington yelling at me as if I wasn't warned enough to improve in academics.

We both arrive on the rooftop that's mostly deserted. Several ivy wines crawl around, hanging at the edge of the balcony on each side. Stone benches formed with blocks of giant rocks line around us, here and there, topped with patches of green moss.

"Sit," James rounds us up to one of the benches and I oblige, too exhausted to argue. He sits beside me, not indulging me to talk, letting me have some peace as I stare at the dewdrops on the grass.

The distant bell of a church nearby rings in my ear and I look up, finding the company of vibrant Jays chirping and adorning the blue sky.

I smile and snap a photo on my phone.

The rooftop of Maxton Hall is mostly off-limits to the students but that doesn't stop students like James from sneaking around. I wish I had once come up here to enjoy my solidute.

"It's always this quiet here," James speaks after some time.

"But you and your friends like the opposite." I say, no longer feeling the burden of the world on my shoulders. "You guys enjoy entropy."

"Yeah, a little bit," He says, his blue eyes boring mine with such tenderness that it makes me wanna reach my hands out and touch his face. "Maeve, are you okay?"

I respond positively. "Yeah, my head feels a lot better. Thanks."

"Why were you crying then?" he asks. "It wouldn't be just the headache. I know you damn well."

I chuckle. "I highly doubt that."

"One day I'll prove you wrong!" He seems determined when he says that.

I feel a wave of sincerity in his words and see the promise in his eyes. He passes me a beautiful smile and my heart expands. "We needed a dress for the poster of the Donor Gala." I begin out of resignation, letting go of my inhibition just this once. "Ruby's sister was able to pull off a Victorian gown but it's now gone."

"A dress made you cry?" he asks. "Give me a word and the poster will be done before midnight."

I keep searching his eyes if he is joking. "They are going to talk to Lydia but I don't think she'd help."

"Good thing that I'm a Beaufort, too." he smiles proudly.

"Then help her." I request him.

"And that's all you want, right?" he questions, not quite convinced.

"Yeah, that's all." I lie.

..........................................................................................

I write the chapter and read it five times at least to edit it perfectly and post it. Hours later, when I take a look and BAM! There are still grammatical/sentence structure/missing word errors.

Writing is never easy!!!

Anyway, Vote and comment.