Keeping Ciarra Lake away proves to be more difficult than I had thought it would be when I confidently made the promise to Panda King.
I overhear Mrs King and Ciarra speaking in quiet voices in the kitchen. They must be planning something. Ciarra hasn't spoken to me at all.
It has already been two days since they came and I have done my best to be a fishbone stuck in her throat. Pan has been making sure that I am always within an arms length of wherever he is. I have answered for him when she asks questions, blocked off her advances towards him and basically been the third wheel.
Mrs King seems to support her to the fullest. So much so that it has not stopped Ciarra from trying to seduce Pan when she thinks I am not in sight.
Pan was so frightened that he has been camping inside my room at night in case she comes for him in the dark.
Is this the true Ciarra Lake?
"Panda, are you thirsty?" Her sweet voice asks as I pass the room. I glance through the small hole in the door. It's late and I nipped to the bathroom for a few minutes. How fast did she manage to put on her act?
"No, I'm fine." Pan answers coldly.
"Are you sure? You must be tired. Let's have a drink together." Her voice is quiet and seductive as I see her lean closer to Pan.
"I don't want to." I can tell he is afraid.
"Come on, just a bit. I've already poured it out into glasses for us." Ciarra says.
Taking a deep breath, I enter briskly and grab the wine glass she has prepared for Pan. I swirl it and take a small sniff. It's red champagne.
"I'm thirsty." I say and gulp the wine down. I grin at Ciarra, "Thanks for the drink."
Pan suddenly grabs the glass from me and finishes the last of it. I stare at him. Didn't he just say he didn't want to drink?
Ciarra's expression flickers in horror but she quickly smiles. Did I just imagine it?
"The more the merrier." She grins.
I plaster a fake smile and pull Pan's arm, "Well, enjoy yourself. We will be heading to sleep now."
"Let's go Tin." Pan nods and we walk away from her.
"You guys!"
"What's up with her?" Pan mumbles as he walks up the stairs ahead of me.
"You'll have to quickly get used to her because your mother is rooting for you two." I shrug.
"I don't have any feelings for her. She can't force my feelings." Pan says adamantly.
"You're right." I say quietly as I think about how my feelings for him have to be suppressed so I can act normally.
He stops outside my bedroom and I bump into his back. "Ow! Are you not going back to your room tonight?"
"I'm still scared that crazy woman will try to get me whilst I am sleeping." Pan admits with a shiver.
"Fine. Come in." I say. As I walk into my room, my vision blurs and I blink in confusion. What's happening?
"Are you okay Tin?" He asks worriedly.
I nod, "I'm fine. Just a dizzy spell." Is the room really warm or am I not well?
"It's so hot." Pan groans as he takes his top off.
"I feel so hot too." I moan as my body heats up all over.
My sight is blurry as I try to stay standing but I fall onto my bed as my body feels like it is on fire. I pull off my top layer, not being able to endure it anymore.
***
The way I wake up in his arms is now a normal start to the morning for me. I smile as I lie there for a moment. Why is my head hurting so much? I only drank a little bit of the wine last night. Pan had the rest of it.
As I feel his arms tighten around me, I gasp. His hands are touching me skin-to-skin. Picking up the duvet, I glance under and my eyes widen in shock.
No way. How could... Panda and I...?
I can't remember anything after we came upstairs. I vaguely remember both of us complaining that it was hot... then what?
My eyes blur with tears as I grab the nearest clothes and quickly wear it. It's 6am. I need to escape and calm down so I can think over everything. Why did I get drunk on such little alcohol? I usually have a decent tolerance.
The mansion is silent with only a few servants who look at me oddly as I leave. It's better that I go whilst Pan is still asleep.
***
Panda King wakes up to a cold feeling. He sits up and glances around, his head pounding in pain. He can't remember what happened at all. He was talking with that woman and she was pressuring him to drink.
Then? Right, Tin came to the rescue as usual. Pan felt bad that Tin had to drink on his behalf so he finished the rest of the glass.
That's where his memory stops. Why can't he remember? He only drank a little, not enough to make him drunk.
As he scratches his painful head in confusion, he pulls off the rest of the covers and his eyes land in shock and horror at the small red stain on the duvet.
Tin!