The Mountain

Gracia walked past the drawing room on her way to her room and was called back by Bridget who was seated watching a documentary. "Come my dear, come sit with me." Bridget invited her in.

Gracia walked over and sat down. "I'm so sorry about this breakfast." She apologized, even before Bridget could say a word.

If she was going to try her luck at getting Simon, then it was best to get back in the good books of every member of the house. Their impression about her mattered a whole lot in this case.

"It's okay." Bridget said. "I bear no grudges. But, if you like someone, why don't let the person know. That way, you'll get to find out if they are free or not and if they feel the same way about you." Bridget told her giving her a pat on the back. "A lady always needs to be classy. Even when her feelings are involved. Always keep that in mind." She added.

"Thank you for being nice ma'am. I expected you to snap at me like the others." Gracia confessed. "Although in my defense, I didn't know that my words would hurt anyone at all." She added, and received a frown from Bridget.

"Keep the lies to yourself child. I have no need for them." Bridget said, getting up. She immediately left for her room.

"Please don't leave on my account ma'am, you were watching the television." Gracia called, standing up.

"The stupid show is a sad one. I'm headed to my room." Bridget replied, as she continued towards the direction of her room.

Gracia stood rooted to a spot, lost on what to do. Just as she was still contemplating on how to mend her broken fence with Anna, she overheard a loud chatter coming from the sitting room.

She took a few slow steps to the drawing room door, opened it slightly and saw the Kentley sisters with the plain looking girl chatting endlessly as they headed out of the house. Gracia saw this as her cue and stepped out immediately. She followed them outside with a plan to mend her relationship with Anna. She didn't mind apologizing if necessary.

Once inside the compound, June Kentley headed straight to her awaiting car.

"I will see you all tomorrow, the big day right?" She asked.

"I can't wait for tomorrow June. it's going to be a beautiful day for us." Anna replied, giving her sister a warm hug.

"I'll see you Paige. Please take care of Anna while I'm away, will you?" June pleaded.

"You can count on that." Came Paige's reply.

A sharp throaty sound from behind caught the girls attention and they turned to see a nervous looking Gracia.

"Hi," Gracia called, flashing an uneasy smile.

"Gracia." June called. "I'll see you and mama tomorrow right?" She asked, trying to ease the threatening awkwardness between them.

"Yes," Gracia replied with an uneasy laughter, before turning to Anna. "Anna, I'm so sorry for today, I'm sorry for hurting you with my words. It was never my intention. Can you please forgive me?" She pleaded.

Anna shrugged. "I was mad at you then, but not anymore. It's fine, you obviously didn't know better." She told Gracia. "Have you met Paige, my brother's girlfriend." She queried, knowing exactly what she was doing. She turned to Paige. "Paige, meet Gracia, a distant friend of the family."

"Hi," Paige greeted, stretching out her hand for a handshake.

"Hi, Paige." Gracia greeted. She thought of ignoring Paige's outstretched hands but changed her mind and shook her hands. "Are you guys going somewhere, mind if I join you?" She continued.

"Oh, I'm heading back to Crescent Fall. But my sister and Paige are going out. They plan on using the Ferrari, there is really no extra space in the car." June explained, sounding polite and nice to a fault.

"Not to worry, we'll definitely get something nice for you Gracia. I'll see you a bit alright." Anna said, pulling Paige along, towards the Ferrari parked beside June's car.

"Alright guys, please be safe." Said Gracia, trying to hide her built up anger, to no avail.

"W.h.a.t? Anna! What did you just introduce me as?" Paige whispered as they entered the car.

"My brother's girlfriend." Anna replied, smiling. "You guys made it pretty obvious at the dining hall this morning. Or did I misread the sign?"

Paige laughed out loud. "You know your brother will kill me if he finds out that I'm leaving the house today." Paige said, changing the topic at once.

"And that's another confirmation. Since when did you start thinking of what Simon would say, especially during weekends?" Anna's excitement resonated in her voice. She crossed the seat belt across her shoulder and started the car.

June's chauffeur led the way and Anna followed behind.

"Oh well, what can I say?" Paige replied plainly.

"That's all you're going to say. Ahh! Simon is rubbing off on you already." She giggled. "I love this, from June's love story to Simons. I can't wait to watch it all unfold." Anna giggled

"It's not a big deal Anna, we haven't even gotten there yet" Paige explained.

"Of course, it is a big deal, who are you kidding?" Came Anna's reply.

"It's not."

"It is." Anna insisted.

The ladies laughed happily, as they drove out to spend Simon Kentley's money.

Gracia decided to continue her journey to Simon's room. She needed to talk to him, at least to let out this thing in her heart, hear from him as well and understand why he was treating her the way he was.

She came to the foot of the stairs and kept wondering if she was really making the right decision. Simon Kentley might look cheerful but she knew that a man of his caliber will obviously have such sweetness reserved for his family alone and she was not his family.

Yet she was willing to try her luck. A civilized conversation won't hurt. At least they deserved that much before she decides to do something else.

Having stood at the foot of the stairs for a few seconds while in deep thoughts, she summoned the courage to climb up the stairs. Slowly she went up. She had once overheard Sherman telling Bridget how to locate Simon's room when the woman wanted to see him but the older woman had decided against it because she was obviously not in the mood to climb those long stairs.

In no time at all, she was in front of Simon's room. It took her almost two minutes to make up her mind and knock on the door. She paced a bit in front of the door and when she had given herself enough ted talks, she rapped her knuckles on the door waiting for him to respond.

Simon, who had already seen her from CCTV in the corridor, took his time to dress up before heading to the door. Once he pulled it open, he gave her a quizzical stare while blocking the entrance to his room with his body.

"Gracia, what can I do for?" He asked calmly.

"Hi Simon, hi.... I.... I was wondering... Ca... Can I come in?" She pointed to his room.

"I'm actually on my way out right now. Is there a problem?" He asked.

"No, of course not. I just..... I was wondering if you're free, I'd love to talk to you." She replied.

Simon took a moment to think before replying. "You know what, let's go downstairs. We can talk in the sitting room, then I'll leave from there." He said to her,

"Simon...." She paused, looking down. She tried bringing her face up to face him but was just unable to. "I.. I thought you liked me?" She finally blurted it out.

"What! You thought so?" Simon asked and Gracia nodded.

"No," he said. "I mean I like you as a person, but that's all there is to it. Nothing more."

She chuckled sadly. "So, it was me then, I misread the signs, did ?" She asked herself.

Silence followed and when it seemed like none of them was willing to speak, Simon cleared his throat.

"It's just that.." she started as if she had been woken up. "I've been attracted to you for a very long time. When you visited Baltimore, I believe my actions proved this to you. You asked for my number and you ended up not calling. Not even a text from you. I... I thought you saw me, I thought you liked me. I gave you all the signs. So what changed? Is it me, is it something I did? Listen, I can be better, for you. All you have to do is tell me what it is you want from me and I'll do it." She stopped, waiting to hear him speak.

He tapped her gently on the shoulder and smiled like an elder brother about to advise his sister.

"I think I have to be on my way now Gracia." He told her. "I'll see you when I get back, alright." He shifted forward and for the first time, locked his door with a key.

"Is that all you have to say?" She asked, visibly hurt. "Common Simon, I just bared my mind to you and this is all you've got to say? What do you take me for? I'm not a baby, I'm an adult and I just told you that I want you and this is all you want to say to me? Christ!!!"

Annoyed by his bones, Simon snapped. "What the hell do you want from me? I don't feel a thing for you and I'm trying my best to be polite. This is me trying to be polite Gracia. I don't want to be rude, but since you want to hear me say it, I'll do just that. I'm not in any way attracted to you, I have a girlfriend whom I'm in love with. You see this thing that just happened, I wouldn't want it to repeat itself ever again. Now excuse me." He said walking past her.

He made a stop at Paige's door and before he could touch the handle, Gracia started laughing hysterically.

"The famous girlfriend is not around. Oh! You had no idea. Let's see... She went out wearing a revealing dress. Who knows what she's doing out there."

Simon smiled at Gracia's funny way of trying to get him mad at Paige. He turned to her and shook his head. "Please take care of yourself. You may be going mad." He said and left downstairs. He made a few calls while climbing down the stairs and had Bruce bring the car over.

The first gush of tears ran down Gracia's eyes as frustration, anger and the feeling of defeat clouded her. She opened her mouth to start a slow pep talk, to reassure herself of her worth, but nothing came out.