Sarah submerged her washed plate before handing it over to Mrs. Gray. They made an exceptional team. One washed the dishes while the other rinsed and wiped them clean. While they were doing this, they started chatting.
"Oh dear, I'm so glad you came. This was supposed to be Roli's day to do chores, but he... doesn't look the same." Sarah winced. She too has noticed Roli's skinny arms, baggy eyes, and quieter voice. Yes, his room and dialect portrayed a calm person, by his own standards, of course. Starchy, some would say. But Sarah knew there was something deeper going on, and she felt responsible.
"I was going through something and kinda left him hanging," she admits while scraping crumps off a plate. Mrs. Gray only tilted her head and gave her a comforting look. "Its okay, dear; you are here now, and thats whats important. And with good reason. He hasn't left the house lately. Not that he was consistent in that," she chuckled to herself with the last line. Sarah didn't reciprocate. "Guess you right," she replies while giving her the lost plate.
While wiping their hands dry, Mrs. Gray cradled Sarahs and said, "I may have contributed too, so don't take it all on yourself, okay?" Sarah nodded.
The floor near Roli's room always creaks as she treads. She opened his door and saw him still glued to his screen with headphones on.
Just like how she left him.
"Hey Roli. I'm gonna go now." No response. He seemed to be too engrossed in the game he was playing. She stepped closer. "Hey, I heard from your mom that you haven't--" Roli held up a hand and pulled a face just as fast as he softened it. "I-I don't want to talk about her." Sarah searched his face as he said it.
His cheeks almost lost all their color, and his eyes flared with a light red hue. She stepped closer. "I'm just... worried about you, okay?" Roli was surprisingly baffled by that comment. Yet her words made him grin, if only for a second. "T-That takes me back. B-But it's fine now. I'm just glad you're okay. And back to your old self." His eyes grew moist, but he faced his back to her before anything visible came down. "G-Go on ahead. I'm bad at talking to people anyways. I'll be... okay." he said with a dismissive yet shaking hand.
Sarah widened her gaze and took a step closer. When Roli heard this, his body seemed to shink in itself. If I'm ever getting through to him, it won't be now. She made her way to the doorway of his room and said, "I'm here for you. Always. I hope you know that. Even now." No response. Probably can't hear her. She left while closing the door. When she did, Roli waited for the sound of his front door to open and close. When he confirmed her leaving, tears cascaded through his bloodshot eyes.
"L-Liar!"
Games couldn't soothe his pain.
Not this time.
...
Sarah hides in the tree with her phone zoomed in as binoculars. There, just beyond the decorative pillars and beautifully woven tapestries along the marble pathway, lived Noel, who sunbathed outside her ever-expanding yard. Despite the splendor of the mansion and its shadow, which shielded her delicate skin from the sun, she only wore humble clothes: a long blue dress and flip-flops. Her hair was the only physical attribute that hinted at her status. It rolled flawlessly into a bun that fashioned jewelry, which seemed to glow even in the shade.
Sarah had tried knocking at the front door, but a neckless guard seemed to dislike the idea of a pedestrian, who still didn't comb her hair yet, getting even an arm length towards the residence. So she had to be creative. Noel Hatchter, as the only child, had a clear influence on the workings of the house.
All Sarah had to do was get her attention and convince her to bypass the guard, and she knew just how. Although the snow had lifted, the sun was an even greater hurdle for her. She gripped hard to the tree bark and shuffled towards the next tree and the next. Now just meters away from Noel, Sarah felt a little proud of herself.
Yet her feelings were abruptly crumpled with the grunting of the same neckless guard who spots her from a distance. The guard raced towards her, and she tried to retreat, but her branch wouldn't hold. She crashed to the floor, spilling the insides of her bag.
Her dazed head was met with a strong, meaty hand that coiled around her collar. The guard yanked her into the air and exhaled sharply at her. "You again!" he breathed out. "No, no. Its not what it looks like," she tried to reason. The man only held a rope that fell out of her bag and raised his unibrow.
"I can explain. You see, it was a stormy night, and..." The man tightened his grip around her collar and motioned his face towards her, saying, "Listen here, girly. I don't care who you are or where you came from. All I care about is tossing little brats like you away from the lady Noel." He shoved everything into her bag and started dragging her while calling the cops. "Noel! My name is Sarah Hive. I wanted to talk to you about something!" No reaction. "And I like your hair!" Noel took note of that and approached the two.
"Great, now you have ruined Lady Noels rest. Why I'm gonn--"
"Be at ease, Grodin. This little one is my guest." she said.
Huh? Sarah thought.
"Huh?" Grodin mimics, but out loud.
Noel simply nods and gives her guard a knowing look. He released Sarah from his vice and tossed her bag at her. "Lady Noel, you are making a--" Noel held a dismissive hand. "Now, now Grodin. You have done quite enough presently. Return to your duties. Now." Grodin shank under Noels instructions and treads away. Not before giving Sarah a furious glare, however.
Sarah dusts off her clothes and looks up to see Noel, who has been studying her for quite some time. She looked more glamorous in person. "Thanks for the rescue," Sarah said, while still a little annoyed that all her planning had gone to waste. But she still got the result she wanted, at least. Noel simply pulled a mischievous grin, revealing perfectly straight teeth.
"Yes, yes. I'm delighted to know more about the things you fancy. Especially the ones about me. Let's have a tea while we discuss." She says this while gesturing her to the area she was sunbathing at.
Huh? Sarah thought again while following Noel. She, however, also kept room in her head to speculate: What's with Noel, whats with Roli, and why is Grodin's breath so bad?