George took out his phone and made a call, saying where we were. He sounded somewhat authoritative, as if he was ordering something. I simply stood still and stared down at my painted nails, feeling a little upset at their perfection. I was upset that this look had caused my sister to distance herself. I know that the nail polish and lipstick were meant for a date… but they weren’t meant for George. That means that Julian planned to take me out on… I’d guess at Christmas Eve. My first date, though George didn’t know that. Turned out to be a failure after all. A few minutes later, George stood close to me, stroking my cheek, a navy blue Jaguar came to a halt on the pavement nearby, and George began walking towards it, holding my hand and pulling me along with him. “Get in, my love.”
I smiled in confusion and opened the door, sliding in gracefully and smiling. “This is better than the company car,” I thought. George’s family must have a reasonable amount of money. George entered the car through the other door, sliding in to sit beside me in the back seat, and resumed stroking my cheek. I closed my eyes and lay my head back against the leather upholstery, embracing the warmth and the comfort of it all and slowly dozing into a dreamless sleep.
What seemed like moments later, I felt a warmth against my lips that was only slightly familiar. Racking my brain and using my other senses of smell and taste, I realised that it was George whose lips were pressed against my own, and left my eyes closed. I kept my breathing the same, made no change to the steady rise and fall of my chest, only slightly moving an arm to make it look like I was still asleep. George pulled back after a few seconds and began to run his fingers through my hair. I sighed gently, slowly moving myself against him. I must have looked and felt like a sleeping child, perfectly at peace, craving the love and attention of its mother. And I got that attention. For what seemed like forever, George held me tight, his fingers running softly through my hair, his head leant against my own. And I felt at peace.
I felt a gentle squeeze, and stretched slightly. “We’re here, my love.” I opened my eyes blearily and looked up at George, who was smiling down at me. I sat sharply upright and looked around in shock. “Did I fall asleep!?” George simply looked at me and kissed my cheek. “You’re a cute sleeper.” I smiled, and he blushed wildly. Something was running through his mind, I could tell by the look in his eyes, and that something had some relevance to sleeping. He turned quickly and opened the door, jumping out and holding out his hand towards me. “Come on. I know you’ll love it.” I took his hand gracefully as a princess would a prince and he pulled me gently out of the car and into his chest. I smiled and blushed slightly before turning to look at the house of George and Georgina Devaux.
I stretched out, blinking, and felt the satiny sheets beneath me. Recalling the taste of Mitsu’s mouth on mine brought a smile to my face as I sat up slowly, glancing around. It was only then that I realised I was alone; where was Mitsu? My bare feet hit the lush carpet, tickling slightly, and my head span a little as I straightened up. I suddenly felt very exposed; I scooped Mitsu’s shirt up from next to my feet and tugged it on before going to look for Mitsu. Every movement I made caused a whiff of Mitsu’s personal smell float upwards, and I sucked it in greedily, remembering happily. Pausing for a minute at the door, I picked up my jeans and hopped into them clumsily.
I drifted through Mitsu’s unfamiliar home, afraid to break the creepy silence by calling his name. But when there was no sign of him, I could think of no other option. “Mitsu?” I called tentatively. “Mitsu?” There was no reply. I searched for a note, quickly but thoroughly, and felt a little discomfited when I found nothing. The flat, I suddenly noticed, was very clinical and cold; there were no personal effects anywhere. There wasn’t really much of anything – a small sofa sat alone in the middle of the living room, with only a floor lamp for company.
A sudden chill shivered down my spine uncomfortably, and I felt a sudden inexplicable urge to get away from here. Three long strides placed me in front of the door, and I tugged fruitlessly at the handle. It was locked. That simple fact sent me reeling and made me feel dizzy. I braced my shoulder and rammed it into the door, but simply ricocheted off. It was then that I noticed the strange lightness of my jeans. My hands dug deep into my pockets, but I found no pistol. I shook my head in disbelief, sinking onto the sofa. I was alone in a stranger’s flat with no gun…and after the time I had spent with Mitsu…my thoughts refused to be sorted into a rational order.
I gasped. I wasn’t surprised, but even still, the majesty of the house… if you could call it that, was sublime. White marble walls gleamed in the sunlight, and the pillars and arches that surrounded the property looked positively regal. I took a few hesitant steps forward, off the driveway and onto… well, it still was the driveway. Just like in the movies, the driveway was long and curved. I looked away from the house, turning on the spot and gazing at the exquisite gardens, hedges shaped in the forms of dolphins and eagles. The gravel crunched beneath my feet as I walked slowly forwards, beneath a grand, golden arch and up some more marble stairs onto a raised platform, where the door into the residence stood boldly before me. George stood beside me and smiled. “Like it?” I shuddered slightly and leaned against him. “I love it.”
George beamed, and walked forward to open the door. “Get ready,” he said, and turned the door handle, opening the door into a large foyer. I gasped once more. Patterned black and white marble shone beneath a royal crimson carpet, edged with golden lace. To the left and right, guarding stone archways into separate corridors, were statues of lions, rearing to strike. A large stairway spanned the back wall, curving to the left and right to balconies above, leading onto further corridors. A butler scurried past, carrying a silver platter, nodding politely as he passed us. I turned to George and grinned. “This is like a palace!” George’s mouth opened and he made to reply, but was cut off my a familiar call. “George! Steven! How good of you to come!” George’s eyes lit up as I turned to the stairway, seeing a female figure in a stunning turquoise dress.
Georgina walked gracefully down the stairs, her dress flowing behind her, and hugged me tightly before hugging her brother. “I’m so glad you came! I received word from Dawson that you’d be arriving shortly. Oh, and Steven, how do you like the place? I’m sure it’s not…exactly what you’re used to, but I really do hope you find it a nice place to be!” I nodded and smiled, finally noticing the little giveaways. George and Georgina had perfectly white, well-placed teeth. Georgina always wore a stunning pair of earrings, and George’s hair never had been out of place. Their accents, too, were rather airy, and they never seemed to anger. The pieces came together and formed a perfect solution in my head. The boy who loved me was rich. Rich, of all things! I thought I was lucky for his personality, but this… was overwhelming.
I sat on the sofa for what felt like a long time, attempting to sort my thoughts into an order that would make sense. And then I managed to find a logical solution: Mitsu must have gone to work. He was a doctor, after all. He had to work unpredictable hours sometimes. So. Now I had found an answer, I just had to convince myself that it was the truth. And yet I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that there was something abnormal was going on.
I shook my head again. I was being ridiculous. Mitsu was at work, I was panicking over nothing. And as for my gun…I probably dropped it or left it somewhere. I tried to immerse myself in chores, making the bed, finding and folding the remainder of our clothes. Then I dug out some cleaners from under the sink and cleaned the already spotless apartment. I was careful never to look at the clock: I didn’t want to know how long it had been since Mitsu just left…When I thought about him again, I dropped the bottle of bleach on the floor, my hands were shaking so violently. Why didn’t he just leave a note? Why didn’t he just leave something to tell me…?
I threw the thought forcefully from my mind, imagining it splatting with great force against one of the stone lions. I laughed slightly, turning to see Georgina’s bemused reaction. “What’s so funny?” I giggled slightly and turned to see George blush slightly. So he blushes when I giggle… “Oh, nothing. Funny thoughts is all.” I emphasized this by whistling quietly, a sort of bomb-whistle as it drops to the ground and finished it with a splat sound, noting George covering his mouth to hide the smile. Georgina laughed gently and took my hand. “Would you like to come upstairs? Me and George share the West Wing. There’s a small sort of playroom that leads on to both our bedrooms, and we can talk more privately there. Do say yes?”
I nodded and smiled. “Of course! I’d love to. It’s not every day I see the interior of a Marble Mansion.” Georgina laughed and poked me gently. “Then come along!” George slipped his hand into mine as Georgina began walking up the stairs, and he led me up, following her round to the left and down a long corridor draped here and there with velvet curtains. A large, floor length mirror, framed in gold, was stood against the right wall, and as I passed I noticed just how out-of-place I looked. In my opinion, I looked perfectly fine. But my posture and form were totally wrong, my long, matchstick legs looking far more feminine than normal. I paused slightly, removing my hand from George’s and placing my hands on my waist, looking at my reflection. That was one thing I always did like, my waist. The curve fit my hands perfectly, and hopefully I’d find someone else who’s hands fit the gaps.
The three of us entered the ‘playroom’ and I smiled. The shock wearing off, I simply breathed in the beauty and prettiness of the small room as Georgina sat on a white wooden bench in the centre. The room was dainty and plain, with three doors: The one we’d entered from, a red one and a blue one. I took the blue to be Georgina’s, as it matched exactly with her dress, and the red of George’s door was the same shade as the streak in his hair. I looked down to my hands and noticed something for the first time. “Georgina, could you stand by the blue door for a second?” Georgina stood up and began walking. “So you’ve noticed, have you? Yeah, this is my room.” I shook my head and smiled slightly, walking and stand beside her. “That’s not what I mean. Look at this.” I held up my hand before her as George walked over. “Ooh, nice nails!” Georgina said, looking at them with a slight hint of envy in her voice. I smiled and rolled my eyes. “Look!” I took a small fold of Georgina’s dress and held it against the door, placing my hand on top. “You see? All three are the same colour.”
Georgina gasped slightly. “You’re right!” George merely stood there and scratched his head. “I have a confession to make. Charlotte came to me a few days ago, after she’d gotten better, and asked for a nice blue colour. She said it was for you, but didn’t say why. She merely said that you’d be seeing someone at Christmas, and blue was their favourite colour.” I sighed softly and closed my eyes. “I knew it. This nail polish was for a date… but not with you, am I right?” George nodded. “Remember when we met out shopping, and we… kissed? Charlotte saw and attacked you. She said that… Julian was coming round for Christmas. It was meant as a gift to make you look good for a date with him, I’m guessing.”
I nodded and smiled. “Enough about him. He’s old news.” George smiled softly and Georgina opened her bedroom door. “I’m gonna leave you guys to it. I have to practise for my Clarinet exam. It’s lovely to see you again, Steven. Please, don’t be a stranger, come round whenever you like. Stay tonight, if you wish We’ll feed you well, believe me.” And with that, she closed the door. As soothing music became audible, George looked in my eyes and held my cheek. “I don’t want to be just a rebound to you, you know?” I stroked his hand gently. “You never were, George. You never were.”
He smiled and took my hand. “Come on. I’ll show you my room.” I smiled and squeezed his hand as he walked me towards the crimson door. The red reminded me of the fire, the explosion at the Ball. I didn’t think of destruction, though. As I walked through the doorway, past the crimson fire, I thought only of the purification fire brings. As I entered George’s room and sat down on his bed, I thought only of becoming pure. And as he ran his fingers through my hair, an overwhelming peace washed over me like the flickering warmth of fire. Suddenly, my heart seared in pain and I clutched my chest. George’s eyes widened in shock. Before I knew it, the pain was gone, and thousands of thoughts of Charlotte filled my head. “George… Something’s… Charlotte’s in trouble, I know it! I don’t know how, but I do… She’s trapped somehow… and I have to find her right now!”
