I expected to wake up around white. Not the funeral-esque white, no of course why would I wake up at my funeral?! But the plain white of our school's infirmary, surrounded by the smell of room cleaner and repulsive balms applied on injured athletes.
But I did not expect to wake up in a room representing posh extravagance and filthy richness.
What scam was the owner of this house running?
The sparkling chandelier overhead, the queen sized bed adorned with silk sheets, the obnoxious imperial windows overseeing an enormous garden — one could never afford this luxury without owning a country.
I wanted to sit up, but the riches intimidated me. I felt too out of place and uncomfortable to even raise my head or speak a word but the longer time I spent on the bed, the more indebted I felt.
.
.
.
But...
Where am I?
Why am I here?
How was I here?
What if they demand money for letting me stay here?
What ha— nevermind, my beautiful blunder of a morning rushed through my brain like a cheap low budget theater movie glitching on repeat. Cringing with my whole body, I curled up to my right and buried myself inside the spectacularly warm fleece quilt.
At least my drowsiness was gone and I didn't feel light headed anymore. What had even happened...? Did I imagine all of it up? The voice and the time...people freezing up...no,I couldn't have. The pain I felt was so real, there's no way I was deluding myself.
A lucid dream?
It was too erratic to be true...maybe I passed out from nervousness when Aedion was asking me questions. Yes, that sounds plausible. But— why would my brain make up a scenario where I am tortured for rejecting to babysit, that too a prophet.
Whatever the hell that meant. My mother has always been into fantasies and my father is also now on the sanest side of the spectrum...made I did brew it all up like a fever dream.
But, more importantly, where am I?
The surroundings, other than being extremely aesthetic, weren't much help on tracking my location down. Nor were there any personal items to determine that I was invading someone's privacy.
Whosoever brought me here surely had means and resources to get this through.
The doorknob turned and the lock clicked open. I gasped, shutting my eyes close.
Play dead. Play dead! PLAY DEAD!!
CONSISTENT BREATHS.
PLAY DEAD!
DON'T LET THERE BE CREASES IN YOUR EYELIDS!
PLAY DEAD.
The footsteps neared closer to my bed.
WHAT IF THEY KEPT ME HERE TO FEED ME WELL AND THEN STEAL MY KIDNEYS?!
My eyes flung open as instant horror washed over me. My hands instantly flung over my stomach to feel any evident scars of secret surgeries. The handsome man in front was fidgeting with the drip irrigation stand and I realized there was an IV cannula tapped on my right wrist.
ARE THEY DRUGGING ME?!
I screamed.
The man in front, tall and lean, dressed in black formals with white gloves typically looking like an anime butler, jolted and screamed right back at me.
He was too loud!
Hastily, I lunged at him with a pillow and shoved it on his face, tackling him on the ground as I straddled him. My butt on his heaving chest, and my hands evidently trying to suffocate him and break out.
It was fight or flight but the man wasn't defending himself!
Confused as to why was he screaming back and not attacking me, I questioned in a shout, "Why are you screaming?!"
"Because you're screaming right back at me!!" He replied with a shout, trying to remove the pillow I was trying to choke him with. "Why are you screaming?!" He questioned irritatedly.
"Well you have kidnapped me! Of course I will scream at you!!" I cried out and was about to hit him again when suddenly he was gripping my bare thighs and rolling us over.
Wait — bare thighs?!
My back hit the warm carpeted floor and his hands caged me under his big body.
I looked down and found myself wearing an oversized white button down shirt which was now riding up my thighs and barely covering anything.
Who changed my clothes?! S-someone c-c-changed m-my clOthes?!!
In that moment, I felt what a pressure cooker feels being full of food after a some time. I was so full of shame and embarrassment, I was about to combust!
Flustered, I pulled the pillow to hide my exposed feet as the butler lingered on top of me. His face so close to mine that his navy locks brushed against my face and tickled my exposed neck.
I gasped as his hands started to move.
"W-what are y-you doing, get off —" I panicked, heart thundering under my breath as I avoided looking him in the face but he cut me off.
"You jumped at me with an IV cord attached to your hand! You could have hurt yourself!" He snapped, clearly unamused anymore as he sat back up and thankfully put some distance between us. I breathed in greedy breaths while he moderated the IV.
Taking my wrist in his hand, he checked the IV and the pulse, before replying, "Thankfully it seems alright." I subtly nodded, fidgeting with the pillow that was barely covering me.
"Thank...you..." I mumbled under my breath, sucking the insides if my cheeks while he merely nodded in reply.
His tall frame towered over my small one as he kept on staring at my face and I felt my heart flutter.
Oh you treacherous organ!!
Oh no no, no no heart, stay loyal to the love of your life! You love Adeion!!
I was about to push him away and get up but then his fingers lingered over my legs and were already tracing its way to my ankles. Goosebumps rose all across my body, but before the impulse to jerk away could act or adrenaline could drown me in the river of bad decisions again, he pulled my feet up and brought it in front of his face.
I yelped, blushing as I jolted up and covered my decency with the pillow while revolting, "S-Stop it! Y-you should leave me! O-Our family doesn't have any money. N-no one would probably want to get me back anyway."
His sharp golden eyes snapped their focus from my feet to my face and startled, I looked away, cracking my fingers involuntarily.
"Whatever made you think that we kidnapped you," he mumbled under his breath, softly caressing my ankle bone with his thumb.
"Then— why am I here? Where am I? Why are you drugging me? Who are you?" I questioned in an unsure tone.
"You have the mark," He whispered as if it was an obvious answer to all my questions.
"Huh? What mark are you talking about?" I asked, curiously shifting towards him. He gulped, diverting his eyes from me as I stared up at him.
Was he...blushing?
"Ahem, the— the crown," He coughed out, tapping a point on my ankle and I leaned in more to get a better look.
Just then, the door opened.
"Oh sweet love, will you look at that!"
Distracted, I turned to face a smirking Elvi, a concerned looking Aedion and an ever so obviously annoyed Hale.
"I didn't know you liked it that way, angel," Elvi voiced out with a husky chuckle and confused as to what he was referring to I looked back at us and my face went beetroot.
The loose shirt had slid down my shoulder and even though it was buttoned all the way up, the side exposed a little cleavage along with half of my shoulders. Because my feet was still in the Butler's hands, my thighs were exposed with whatever little the pillow could cover.
I hope the person who chose my clothes would choke on a fish bone!
I can't believe Aedion saw me like this! This is so upsetting!!
Now was a good time for adrenaline to rush in, as it did, and I pulled my feet back and crawled away instantly shifting the shirt to adjust as moderately as it could. The white silk ended up pooling over me. Mr. Butler stood up, brushing his impeccable clothes and bowing to the boys.
"I-It's n-not what y-you think, I swear!!" I cried, hugging the pillow against myself.
"Why are you always jumping people? Do you have a tendency to take advantage of pretty men?" Hale questioned sourly, grey eyes venomously staring in my hazel ones.
"I-uh, didn't mean to— I thought you kid-n-napped me— I am so sorry!" I stuttered out, digging my nails into the pillow while dying out of shame.
"Apologies don't bring back decencies," Hale spat out.
"You have read it wrong, young master, milady was merely complying to my actions, and on my master's honour, they were nothing to be frowned upon," Mr. Butler jumped to my defense and I couldn't be more grateful.
Hale turned with wide eyes to look at Elvi up and down, "You master doesn't look quite honourable to me."
"Hey you brat! I am the poster child of honor!" Elvi whined, shoving Hale on his back.
"We heard screaming, was everything okay?" Aedion questioned, soft grey eyes (very unlike his little brother) brimmed with concerned.
"Yes master, Milady just happened to see a gekko on the window. The monsoon brings about all sorts of insects. I shall take care of it as soon as possible," the Butler smoothly lied and I was left baffled as four intimidating pairs of eyes stared at me.
I buried my face in the security of the pillow, chuckles resounded in the room. "It's a misunderstanding..."
I hope Aedion doesn't thinks any bad of me.
I peeked from one eye to see Aedion and Hale were engaged in a hushed conversation.
Were they badmouthing me?!
Anxiety washed over me and I could feel my body temperature lower, so I clutched the pillow closer to provide warmth and protection. They must be laughing at how pathetic and disgusting I am...
"What's the status Nova?" I heard Elvi question in a distance.
What if they don't trust Mr. Butler and still think that I am a vindictive girl without morals! I want to cry!
Aedion and Hale looked back at me and the younger Dorian brother sneered at me.
They hate me! I lost my love before ever actually getting a try! This is horrible!! I could feel my heart beat get relatively slower.
"Young Master, milady's vitals are absolutely normal and no other conditions were observed upon touch. Though..." He walked up to his silver haired master and whispered something in his ear.
Elvi's handsome face contoured into a mischievous smirk.
"That's brilliant, good work Nova. You may leave now."
No! don't leave me alone with them! what if they speak to me?!
"Yes Master," Nova curtsied and walked out of the door, leaving me alone with three predators.
My Aedion would never be a preparator!
But he sure could be intimidating!!
My teeth clenched against each other as silence prevailed. I didn't dare look up, dreading their scorns at my pathetic self. But I needed to go back home before six, I had a curfew and if I didn't say something now then I would have to face my father's wrath.
That would be more horrible than the love of my life hating me forever.
"I— I will get going now...please give me my clothes...," I managed to croak out without choking on my own spit and eventually calling my own death.
"You can't have your clothes darling angel," Elvi answered with a grin plastered across his face.
"You cannot go home yet," Hale spoke coldly, grey eyes stabbing my soul.
I swear these two were adenosine and lignocaine. They sure knew how to stop a heart efficiently.
I sucked in a deep breath, crawling back to the walls. What were they talking about?! Wasn't today too much already?!
"What they mean is— your clothes are in the washing and you haven't had food yet. Our doctor informed that you passed out due to over exhaustion so maybe you should eat first before you go, Nova is already done with the meal," Aedion supplied, chuckling awkwardly as Elvi shrugged and Hale rolled his eyes.
"What were you even thinking, loser?" Hale spat out, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I just came to check to if you were dead or not. Now that I know you aren't, I'll leave," He drawled out, pulling open the door and banging it on his way out.
I whimpered from the impact.
Aedion brushed a hand through his hair and spoke up, "Ah— don't mind him. He's constantly PMSing ever since yesterday."
Aedion spoke, looking directly at ME!
I blushed, barely mumbling a, "it's fine...I don't need food!"
Elvi walked up to me and put out a hand in front for me to take, "Common, get up, we need to get some food in that system of yours."
"I am, not really hungry," I mumbled as an apology, trying to scram further away from his intimidating presence.
Aedion too walked up to me and held out his hand, "Yeah, let's make sure you don't pass out like that again. You missed a great session."
I looked up at them staring down at me with their hands held out in front, gulping, I stood by myself, still hugging the pillow for dear life.
I blushed, getting all this sudden attention from the boy I've loved forever, it was overwhelming.
"Y-Yeah, i-i uh, I am, s-sorry I but i-uh, did n-not realize tha-at i-i p-passed o-out...yeah. That."
Kill me and my conditional speech impairment at the most impressionable of times.
I stared at my hands, fisting them, clenching and unclenching. Aedion ruffled my hair and my body melted to the touch. I subdued a sudden urge to mewl.
STOP IT CERIDWEN.
"It's fine, I'm sure you would do brilliantly even without the orientation, welcome to the science program!" He exclaimed.
I had diligently worked for the past five years of my life just to get into Silverstone Institute of Scientific Arts' Special Science Program. It had been a dream even before I liked science. It had been Aedion's dream. Hence, it became my dream.
I wanted to cry in that moment, my bottom lip quivered, I was too overwhelmed and if Elvi didn't butt in on our conversation, I would have.
"Woah, she gets a congratulation and I don't? I got selected as well bro. Give me some special treatment!" The silver haired teenager slapped the redhead's shoulder and clung onto his neck.
Aedion gasped, hitting Elvi's hand and shoving him back while laughing, "Stop it dude, what should I do, kiss your ass in congratulations or something?"
"Yes please that's an excellent idea! Precisely, do it, kiss my ass," Elvi grinned broadly, leaving Aedion out of his clutches and turning around to wiggle his ass in front of Aedion's face. "Kiss this thicc booty and you shall be blessed for an eternity, common common, do it bud, I know you want to!" He started twerking with the wiggle.
"Yeah sure, sure, look ahead and I'll ready myself," Aedion replied, clearly amused.
"Wait, you will?!" Elvi exclaimed, clearly astonished.
"Yeah, look ahead," Aedion grinned, pressing Elvi's pretty ice-blonde head into the mattress and as Elvi excitedly fidgeted on his toes — Aedion readied his hands and spanked him.
So hard.
A loud thump resounded in the room. His butt jiggled.
And all my nervousness washed away with it.
And in that stunned silence, I burst out laughing maniacally.
"No homo bro."