A date ?!

"Gentle!" The boy flinches when Ilona touches his wound with a rash movement.

"Stop overreacting. Aren't you a man?" The girl takes another spoonful and lets the honey-cinnamon mixture drop on the wound, so he wound complain that the spoon hurt him.

Not only she was in a hurry also her mood was awful. Anise teased her a little saying that she tries for nothing since she wouldn't grow taller anymore. Of course, Ilona knows that! Just because of this boy she had to suffer an unnecessary humiliation.

The lady is satisfied with the job she did. The brown mixture covers part of his cheek and above his eyebrow. He looked hilarious! As if something pooped on him.

She looks at him as she stays on her knees next to him. Her lip corners are slowly rising.

Victor looks at the girl. She looks so tired! Her smile lights up her face a little. Her hair is messy and a few curls are on her face. The girl doesn't seem to mind them even if they are close to her sight. He lifts his hand and puts the hair behind her ear. His gaze is observing her as she seems to enjoy looking at him too.

"What are you doing? Haven't I told you to keep your hands to yourself?" She suddenly frowns when his fand withdraws after arranging her hair.

"I just arranged your hair." He smirks as he can. A sharp pain hits him when he rise his lip corner. Victor groans but still maintains the weird smirk as he can't really do a natural face because of the cut." You seemed pretty distracted as you smiled looking at me. Have you fallen in love?"

Ilona remembers why she smiled. Her frown disappears and the previous innocent smile covers her face.

'He is stupid …. Should I tell him that he looks like shit? ….'

Her smile vanishes gradually when she remembers that she didn't smile sincerely since her parents died. Even if Anise made her smile it was more because she just couldn't stay cold. Her smile was fake, like all the smiles she gave to other people. This was the first time she wanted to smile genuinely without forcing herself or feeling that she has to put up a front.

She frowns and turns his hand to apply medicine to his neck too. She can't believe how much power the boy had in making her feel natural.

'What's wrong with me?

'Ilona doesn't want to turn to her true self. Will she be able to handle the situations she is going true if she were to be the same innocent and playful kid as when her family was around her? Her shell did a great job till now and getting out of it will definitely give her more scars. She knows it ….

"It hurts! Ilona, it hurts! "Victor yells to get her out of her thoughts. He saw how she changed her behavior so suddenly. Was it because he said too much? Was it because she pushed the joke too far? Or is it because he touched her?

Victor grabs her hand that is constantly rubbing his wound making him get away from her touch as if she doesn't have ears. His hand is too weak to push her away.

Ilona stops and stares for a moment at him.

'I have to avoid him.' That was the best way to keep her safe.

"I am done. Here's the water …." She puts the glass next to him and leaves the barn. Her head hurts a little from all the fatigue. Not to mention that she has to hurry to her job, and her steps quicken till she begins to run. Her breath quickens too as she changes her clothes and Kisses her sister's forehead.

"Anise, I finished arranging the hay in the barn. You don't need to go there. Just go to school and learn. Sis is taking care of everything. "She smiles faintly.

"You look pale … Are you really fine?" Anise is looking worried as she brushes Ilona's cheek. Her skin tone is lighter than her usual tanned tone. Anise never saw her sister being sick before.

"I am fine. I didn't really sleep well last night. That's all." Ilona presses over Anise's hand that is on her cheek and tries to convince the lady in front of her that she will be fine.

Ilona doesn't stay in her thoughts too much and leaves. Anise will go to school later.

She looks around and sees the same medieval houses, the stone streets, and men having their attire composed of pants, shirt, vest, and their legs shoved in boots. The women wear long dresses and sometimes had their heads covered with colorful hats. No matter how poor or their job was, the villagers were dressed enough to not catch the mocking eyes of the nobles. Ilona felt proud that the gold given is used wisely. The coins of the castle are in the hands of the people of her village.

She smiles.

The girl passes one street and she feels that her head is in clouds as if she can't concentrate on anything or on avoiding the people that come towards her on the pathway.

'I will be fine … I need to hurry …' She sees black for a moment and leans on a house wall that is sideways. She waits for a little as she feels her body getting drained of her energy. Her vision is clear and she spots the big clock on the church that is behind a few houses.

'I ..need to .. hurry."

Her stubbornness is in this situation one of her weaknesses. She breathes and keeps herself straight as she passes the people that hustle to go to their everyday jobs.

'The bread line is long already …' She frowns when she sees the line of people waiting outside of the bread shop.

"I am sorry for being late! Excuse me!" Ilona puts a smile on and opens the door with the key the owner gave her.

"You are late five minutes, lady! Don't worry!" The old man has a young man next to him. He closes the distance with Ilona and whispers in her year polite." He is my nephew."

The girl glances at the young lad. His hair is blond and curly and his blue eyes smiling looking at Ilona. She smiles back and in a hurry steps into the shop going behind the counter.

'Like I have time to date ….' She sighs as her headache is more pronounced.

The people are flowing in and out with the bread bags. Is the turn of the old man. He is all smiles.

"Lady Ilona, I shalt take the usual ratio." He hands the bag and puts the coins on the counter. "Do you have some free time today? My young man needs to leave in two days." The grandpa drags the man in front of the counter as he stays behind the old man, not wanting to interrupt or make the girl feel pressed.

"My name is Otis, my lady. I am sorry for interrupting your work!" He is smiling innocently and wants to take the bag the lady just filled.

'He is such a gentleman … nothing like that bastard …' Ilona hands him the bag and smiles friendly.

"Don't worry. Your grandpa was attentive to not interrupt my work. See! No one is in line anymore. "She glances behind them as the boy follows her gaze.

He turns and with a serious yet gentle face, he observes the girl that is definitely pale. Ilona feels her head bursting.

'Is getting worse…'

She steps in front of the counter and wants to talk face-to-face with the boy. Her steps are wobbly. One wrong step and she loses her balance and she doesn't feel her body anymore as she sees black.

The gentleman snatches her right before she would hit the ground. His hands are carrying her princess-like.

"Grandpa, are you sure we can trespass on her house? Wouldn't she be mad at us? "He is walking towards Ilona's house with her grandpa next to him. The old man is a little panicked because he thinks that the girl is in a critical state. "She just fainted. Answer my question!" Otis glances at the old man that is flinching.

"I am fine but she … do you think she will regain her consciousness? "He looks worried at his grandson. He loved the hard-working girl that never complained and worked like a proper adult even though she was very young. He always told her to take a holiday. But no! Ilona worked every day, more than a bull.

"Grandpa, she will be fine. How are we going to open her house?" Otis is still unsure if they chose the right decision. No one wants to have their house broken into! Especially a girl.

"Her house doesn't have a key." The man shakes his head in disappointment." I told her to buy one, but she insisted that if something were to happen, the people could enter and help easier. Can you believe she renounced buying a key after the first thief broke and the objects stolen were cheaper than how much she paid for the windows and the door? She is one weird but good child."

Otis glances at the lady in his arms and frowns. How can she be so unprotected and still alive? Was she not afraid of anything? Does she care about money that much to sacrifice her life and health?

"She is indeed unique …" He glances at his grandpa that smiles seeing his face.

"Told you that she is one of a kind lady. You will never find someone like her again. Don't lose her, boy. I never saw her with boys. You know I have hawk eyes." The grandpa pats the boy as he smirks.

"Grandpa ….. you are one hell of a scheme!" Otis is smiling embarrassed by his grandfather's proud face.