"So? How was the date with Miss Popularity?" Matilda asked him the next day at school as soon as she laid her eyes on him.

"Different than I expected," Ferry said, shrugging. "And it wasn't a date."

"Different how? In a good way?"

Ferry didn't quite know how to name his first visit to the Haughty residence. "Not really ... There are a lot of things they're not what they seem. Nobody is what it seems and everyone has secrets..."

Matilda gave it a thought for a few moments before saying, "Sometimes, some things are better left unsaid," she said, looking away.

"What do you mean?" Ferry asked.

"Nothing, don't mind me," she said, trying to smile.

Ferry had that feeling again—that strange distance that fell between them like a thin veil, separating them even when they were so close to each other.

"How was your visit to May's?" he asked to fill the silence and distance that was growing bigger with every second that passed.

"Boring," she said with a sigh. "We read, talked about the book, ate cookies and tea, then I left. We were this close to having our nails polished. We have to meet again today. May doesn't want to go to the library. She says it's still chilly and she might catch a cold again. You know May. She's more ... delicate," said Matilda as if she didn't believe what she was saying.

Ferry wanted to say something, but he changed his mind. Matilda had never liked May, for some reason. Maybe now, as they were studying together, they would get to know each other better. Maybe she could see how wonderful May was.

"What?" Matilda asked, seeing that he was hesitant.

"I was wondering if ... if she said something about me..."

Matilda's mood changed suddenly. If at first, she was suspicious, now she was fuming. "Why would we talk about you?" she asked, and the blood rushed to her cheeks. "You know, the world doesn't spin around you, Ferry," she said, glaring at him.

"Calm down, Matt ... I was just trying to--"

But Matilda was far from calm, "Do you think you're popular now that you're hanging around Celia?" she asked, barely breathing. "What makes you think you're more special than others? Well, you're not! And May sees you only as a friend and nothing more," she added, her face in flames, before proceeding to the next class with a firm pace. The girl almost knocked Ben down who was coming towards them. The other students made their way in front of the hurricane called Matilda.

"What's wrong with Matt?" Ben asked, looking behind her.

Ferry shrugged, "I have no idea. Girls are so complicated at this age," he said bitterly. "One time, you think they are the most delicate beings, and then, they turn into beasts."

"I know ..." said Ben with a sigh. "One day, they make you believe they finally see you... really see you... and the next day, they pass by you as if you didn't exist ..."

"Does Steph act the same?" asked Ferry.

"Yes ... I mean, no," Ben fussed. "I mean--"

"Whatever," Ferry interrupted him, "I'm tired of their moods. Listen, I have something to tell you. Celia told me a lot about what was going on at the Pride Mansion. Can we meet tomorrow night and talk about it?"

To his surprise, Ben hesitated, "Well ... I don't have much time. I have to go to the library with Steph."

"That's fine, I'll see you later. I have to meet Celia, anyway."

"And after that," Ben continued, "I have to ... help my mum make a pie."

Ferry frowned, "Ben, you have three sisters. Can't one of them help your mother?"

"Well, they're all busy with ... spring cleaning."

Ferry sighed, "That's all right. We can talk another time, I guess."

Ben looked at his watch. "We'd better hurry," he said. "The next class starts soon."

Ferry nodded and followed his friend down the corridor to the classroom. They didn't have the time to take two steps further, that Celia cut them off. She was accompanied by two of her friends.

"Elf," she said loudly as if she hasn't seen him in a century. "See you tonight?" she added, smiling at him with her perfect teeth. "We had such a great time last night, didn't we?" she said and clung to his arm, flipping her long hair as she turned her back at Ben. Now Ben could only see her shiny hair fluttering and almost falling into his eyes each time Celia ran her hand through it. He took a few steps back.

Ferry was a bit confused, "Yes ... See you tonight ... Haven't we set this up already?"

Celia laughed, a little too loud, "Oh, you're so funny, Elf," she said, clenching her other hand to his arm. Ferry didn't know what Celia found so funny.

Ben stepped closer to him. He looked sad for some reason. "I have to go, Steph is waiting for me," he said, "I don't want to be late for the next class."

"Yeah, Ben, run to your precious Steph," Celia shouted behind him. "I'm sure she tells you when to go to bed, wake up, eat, and wash ... Is there anything you can do by yourself?"

All this time, her nails were getting more and more into Ferry's flesh. She let go of the grip as soon as Ben disappeared down the corner of the corridor.

Ferry turned to her, "Why are you treating Ben like that?" he raised his voice at her. "What's wrong with you?"

Celia's gaze turned into a squint, "Six-thirty, my place. Be there!"

*

The first signs of spring showed up in the gardens of the Pride Mansion before they did in town. Under Ferry's care, the shrubs of the maze came into leaf earlier than the previous years. Ol' Joseph himself told him that, and for the first time, he praised Ferry and thanked him for his hard work and dedication. He even told him he would suggest Mrs. Pride a raise. Ferry didn't want anything to do with Mrs. Pride; he had avoided her since the... kissing incident. But the truth was he needed the money.

Andrew had also returned to the Pride Mansion. Ferry found out about it during the sandwich break in the kitchen—he was to stay a whole week, for as long as the school project lasted. He was staying in one of the guest rooms on the second floor.

Ferry met him and Billy a few times, walking around the garden and talking. The boys no longer seemed at ease as they once were. They even seemed embarrassed in the presence of each other. During their long walks, Billy was reading out loud, and Andrew was listening without taking his eyes away from him. Sometimes, when their eyes would meet, they seemed flustered and simply went silent. Ferry wondered about the influence Andrew seemed to have on Billy. Around him, Billy was no longer demanding or arrogant as usual. It seemed Andrew was getting the better part of Billy, no matter how small that was.

The owner of the house, Mr. Pride, was gone again. So Billy could easily skip school and spend all day with Andrew. The boys stayed up late at night and woke up in the afternoon, snacked on something, then spent the whole day in the garden, reading and talking. When the Haughty driver came to pick Ferry up, at the end of a working day, they were still on the second-floor terrace where, as he later found out, they stayed until late at night. When Ferry came for work at three in the afternoon, they were still sleeping.

Ferry was still intrigued by Andrew, half a year after he appeared in Goodharts. Who was this boy? What did he want? What was he hiding, and how come no one knew anything about him or his past? As if before he came to Goodharts, he would not have existed.

On that warm day, when the sun scattered generously over the Pride gardens, Ferry couldn't find his peace. Ol' Joseph sent him to bring some hyacinth and tulip bulbs from the greenhouse which Ferry had to plant in stands in front of the terrace. Ferry had planted more than half when he felt the sun was burning too hot. He went to the kitchen for a glass of water, which he hoped it would relieve him of the uneasy feeling he felt slowly coming upon him.

At the kitchen, a late breakfast was prepared for Billy and his guest. Ferry caught an interesting discussion on the subject.

"Don't forget to make the apple juice," said one of the cooks to a young girl who was a kitchen help. "Master Pride's friend loves apple juice."

"Isn't he awake yet?" the girl asked.

"Not yet," said the cook. "They stayed up until after midnight last night. Ol' Joseph said the light was still on in the guest room at three in the morning."

"Should I check if he woke up?"

"Don't. You make sure everything is ready by then. Master Billy insists he should be the one who brings him breakfast."

"Master Billy looked different these past days. More relaxed, more at peace..."

"You're right, you know. I think his friend makes him feel that way. Master Billy is not a bad young man. I'm glad this boy brings a little joy to his life. Master Billy, with all the wealth he is surrounded with, with all the servants who do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, is still a very lonely boy."

"I just hope his friend doesn't get caught up in trouble. There's a talk around town that he's not really Peter Donovan's son. And that he came to Goodharts to hide. And that's more—I heard he even got involved with Lily Jones who left Peter Donovan for him."

The old cook began to lose her patience, "Would you stop gossiping around and mind your own business? Instead of jabbering away, you'd better finish doing the dishes. They don't clean by themselves, you know."

Ferry left the kitchen more confused than when he had entered. He wasn't the only one intrigued about Andrew, as it seemed. A thought came to his mind—if Andrew was still sleeping, he could take a look at his room. Just for a second.

He pretended to leave the house but instead started for the second floor. As far as he knew it, the second floor was not forbidden. He would say he wanted to see the garden from above to know how to plant the flowers so he could give the garden symmetry.

He quietly went into the guest room that was Andrew's for the time of his stay. As he entered, he got hit by the heavy air filled with the smell of tobacco. Indeed, Andrew was still sleeping. Ferry could only see his shiny black hair coming out from under the blanket. The curtains were pulled, and the room was almost in complete darkness. Ferry took a look around. The clothes Billy had loaned to Andrew were scattered on the floor. A glass of water half empty on the bedside table. The book he read with Billy for the school project, next to the glass. An ashtray laid on the floor near the bed. Nothing looked suspicious. A corner of the curtain let in a strip of light that fell near the bed. Something glowed inside that strip. A drop of quicksilver that seemed to tremble in the light. Ferry wanted to touch that drop, but he heard footsteps approaching and had to find a place to hide. Fast. He couldn't find a better place than the closet. Through the crack of the doors, he could now see the whole room perfectly.

The footsteps came closer, the room's door opened, and Billy came in. He had a tray loaded with an abundant breakfast: fruits, cakes, tea, boiled eggs, buttercream sandwiches, jam of different sorts, and of course, apple juice, Andrew's favorite.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Billy said, placing the tray on the coffee table at the end of the bed. "It's almost evening," he said and pulled the curtains. Light flooded the room, and the drop near the bed shone even more, like a small, lost diamond. Billy opened the window, and the wind filled the room, joining the light.

Andrew mumbled something and pulled the blanket over his head. Billy smiled and pulled the blanket from him. Andrew wore only pajama pants, and he shivered from the cold draft entering through the window. He finally got up, sat on the edge of the bed, and stretched his hands.

"How did you sleep?" Billy asked.

"I haven't slept so well in ages," Andrew said with a yawn.

"Me too," Billy admitted and handed him the apple juice that Andrew drank in one breath.

"Did you bring me what I asked you?" asked Andrew, looking up at Billy, who was standing in front of him.

Billy searched his pockets and gave him an almost empty pack of cigarettes.

"Do you think your mum will notice? She'll be angry if she finds out I smoke her cigarettes," Andrew said and lit up a cigarette. After the first smoke, he began coughing.

"I took them from her room. She was so wasted, she didn't even realize I was there. But I still think you should give it up," he added and sat down next to him on the edge of the bed. "Why do you smoke, anyway? It's obvious it's not doing you any good."

Andrew turned to Billy and looked at him; his gaze became intense but sad. "It's my way of punishing myself," he said. "I'm not a very good person."

Billy turned sad, "See? You're doing that thing again."

"What thing?" Andrew asked.

"You, talking in riddles. I never understand what you mean. You won't let me ... You never let me understand you," Billy said in a low, almost whispered voice.

Andrew looked at him again, and his eyes filled with tears. He swallowed but said nothing.

"People say you keep visiting Lily Jones," Billy continued. "Is that true?"

Andrew nodded.

"How old is she? Thirty-five, forty? Over forty?" Billy kept asking. "Do you love her?" he said, and his voice broke.

Andrew was barely breathing, "It's complicated..."

"No, it's not," Billy said and his jaw clenched. "It shouldn't be."

Andrew shook his head, "You don't understand..."

"I could if you'd tell me. Talk to me..." Billy said, looking him dead in the eye.

"They don't understand you ..." sighed Andrew. "They don't see you the way I do. As I see you," he said, and a tear ran down his cheek. He wiped it off quickly, but Billy had already seen it. "Love is love," Andrew added. "What does it matter if you are old or young, man or woman, or coming from a different world?"

"Who are they?" Billy asked slowly.

"Doesn't matter..."

"See? You're doing it again! You're not talking to me," Billy said, with his fists clenched; he stood up and walked away from him. "You don't trust me!" he shouted.

Andrew got up and came to him. Billy was resting his head against the wall next to him, his eyes closed. Andrew slowly turned Billy towards him, grasped his face in his hands and looked into his eyes.

"I do trust you," he said, stressing the words. "If I could, I'd take you with me and we'd get away from here. Away from everyone and everything ..."

Then, as if it were the most natural thing, he locked his lips to Billy's. Billy tried to resist him at first and pushed him away. But Andrew came back and kissed him again. This time, Billy gave up resisting and kissed him back. It was an insatiable, breathless kiss from both of them as if there was no tomorrow; as if their lips separated, the world would come to an end. When their lips finally parted, they just stood there, motionless as if for eternity, their foreheads glued to each other and their eyes shut.

In his hiding place, Ferry almost stopped breathing. He felt, more than ever before, he shouldn't be there. That he had no right to be the witness to such a confused,  yet so intense moment.

"If you left, I'd come with you," whispered Billy. "But they won't let us ..."

"No, they won't let us ..." Andrew whispered back on Billy's lips.

*

Ferry felt it lasted an eternity before the boys left the room. After the heated discussion and passionate kiss, the boys went out into the garden taking the tray of food with them. Ferry heard them laughing and joking. He returned to his flower bulbs and worked fast, his thoughts far away. From time to time, he looked at Billy and Andrew, but they only had eyes for each other. He was once again witnessing Andrew's emotions and again, he couldn't understand them. Andrew was now more mysterious than the first day he met him.

When the shadows of the night fell over the garden, the boys left for the leisure room in the basement. Ferry picked up his gardening tools and prepared himself for leaving. The driver of the Haughtys was due to arrive soon. But after leaving the tools in the warehouse, something caught his eyes. The curtain of the last room on the third floor was pulled, and the room was lit. The mysterious visitor had come to the mansion unexpectedly.

But this time, Ferry was prepared. He ran to the warehouse again and took out Ben's telescope from the darkest corner. He slipped past the hedges of the garden and climbed an old hazelnut tree that watched over the mansion from across the lawn. He adjusted the telescope and focused the lens on the last room on the third floor. Indeed, the mysterious man had arrived. He was now walking along and across the room in a visible state of agitation. He poured himself something to drink, but that didn't seem to calm him down.

After a few minutes, the door of the room opened and Mrs. Pride came in. She was stumbling on her feet as Ferry had seen her ever more often lately. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but judging by their gestures, they were arguing. At one point, Mrs. Pride began to cry. The man showed her the door and turned his back on her. But that seemed to make her even more agitated and to scream even more. At one point, she came closer to the man and clung to him in a desperate embrace. The man detached her hands from around his neck and brutally pushed her to the ground. She seemed to have fallen hard on the floor. But she just stood there and cried, her body shaken with sighs. The man, on the other hand, remained indifferent, looking at her with disgust. Then, he lifted her from the ground and, with quick and clenched movements, he kicked her out the door and locked the door behind her. Then, he threw the glass against the wall and then headed to the library shelves in front of him. He reached for a book with red covers and the wall in front of him slid open, letting the secret room behind the library in plain sight. This time, the door stood open.

Ferry adjusted the telescope's lens again so he can see the secret room better; the entire room was of a dazzling white. That was because of the many white boxes that covered all the walls up to the ceiling. Ferry took a better look and realized they were not boxes but ... refrigerators. Ten refrigerators that filled the entire room. In the middle of it, there was a hospital bed near which there was a stander with perfusion containing a greyish liquid. The visitor laid on the bed. Then, the door slid again, and the secret room went out of his sight. 

Disclaimer: I do not own the copyright for the video accompanying to this chapter.

On a scale from one to ten, how intense was this chapter? ;)