Page 53 of Sweet Madness
She looks… adorable.
Amused, I take a handful of popcorn and settle back, noticing she made the fort large enough for me to fit in and sit comfortably.
The Kenton princess is an endearing mystery, and every day she spends in my presence I feel the need to uncover all the wonder that she is, with a fear in my heart that one day I’ll go too far and won’t ever come back from all the beauty that is Ellaiza Kenton.
When a pressure in my chest appears out of nowhere with thoughts of her, I rub the spot where it hurts.
The fuck is this feeling?
You know… a little voice inside me whispers, sounding almost condensed.
Not wanting to give much thought to the tightness in my chest and what it means, I gaze at the baby goat, Poppy, nestled between the sheets, now sleeping soundly. “The goat seems to be enjoying herself.” I look back at Ella.
“Poppy.” Ella’s dark brows furrow as if somehow my not calling the goat by its name offends her.
“Poppy.” I repeat, amused by her attitude. A lovely contrast to her usual sweetness.
A fond smile graced her lips as she gently stroked the goat’s soft fur, careful not to wake her. “I thought she might like to join us tonight. She looked so lost at the shelter. She must’ve had a lonely existence before we saved her,” she explains, her gaze drifting back to meet mine.
Saved her.
Thud.
Thud.
The ache in my chest feels stronger than before.
I clear my throat, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. “Does having Poppy here make you happy?” I ask, curiously.
“It does.” Her blue eyes pierce mine, and for a moment, I wonder what she sees when she looks at me. Unlike before, the thought of her seeing more of me doesn’t disturb me. It’s a freeing feeling.
That’s new.
What are you doing to me, moonshine?
I fall silent, not knowing what to say, but like every time before, we don’t seem to need to fill the silence. The moments of silence between us never feel awkward or forced, leaving me to think that not many words are needed between Ella and me.
I can get addicted to this feeling.
Because, yes, no words are needed because her presence is more than enough. I just need her close… and ain’t that a bitch.
“Okay, here we go!” Ella sings happily, pulling me back from the confusing thoughts in my head.
She does a lot.
Laid back in the soft pillows, I watch as she carefully settles next to me after pressing play on the movie. Our shoulders lightly brush, and I can’t shake the feeling of bliss that washes over me.
It’s as if, with just one touch, one look, and one smile, this princess quiets all the noise inside and outside my head.
No one has ever done that for me.
Just my luck, the one to do it is the one I can’t have.
And as my thoughts of her torture the fuck out of me, we watch the movie in silence, except for the times Ella laughs or swoons at the handsome cartoon prince with the white horse.
With each passing moment, I find myself captivated not only by her beauty in this moment but by her heart. Not many have hearts like hers, and in this day and age, her strength, her kindness, and the way she so easily brings joy into my lowly and sad existence are a rarity.
Her eyes are fixed on the animated princess on the screen, and her laughter floats through the room, warm and infectious. Even though the movie makes her happy and makes her laugh, I am captivated, and words are stuck in my throat. Because at that moment, I can’t help but think how beautiful she looks. Her laughter bubbles up, her eyes sparkle with joy, and genuine happiness beams from her as she watches her favorite movie.