Oliver saw the door open just slightly, revealing a narrow sliver of the room beyond. Without hesitation, he pushed it open fully and stepped inside.
CREEAAKKK!
The old hinges protested loudly as the door swung wide.
Inside, he saw Gracie kneeling on the ground in her usual maid outfit…. completely transformed from the dishevelled mess she'd been moments ago. She wore full-length pants that fit her perfectly, a beautiful half-jacket over a crisp white proper full-sleeved shirt, and a cute skirt in a matching color with her pants. A frilly apron sat neatly on top of the skirt, and a small, adorable bow tie decorated her top button. Her light brown hair rested gently against her back, held in place by a white headband that made her look professional yet incredibly cute at the same time.
Oliver sighed deeply, a mixture of exasperation and affection coloring his expression.
"I will count to five. If you're not sitting on the bed by then, I will truly throw you out of your job," he said firmly, though there was warmth beneath the threat. "One…. Two... Three."
WHOOSH!
Gracie moved like lightning and swiftly positioned herself sitting on her bed, her movements so fast she was almost a blur. But her head remained stubbornly down, her eyes fixed on her lap as her fingers twisted nervously in the fabric of her outer layer skirt.
Oliver smiled softly at her continued shyness and came forward. He bent down on one knee in front of her and gently held both her fidgeting hands with his own, stilling their anxious movements. He looked up at her face and saw a storm of emotions playing across her features….fear, hope, embarrassment, love, all swirling together in a beautiful, complicated mess.
"I already told you it's okay. Don't worry Gracie…..I'm not mad at you," he said gently making sure she heard him clearly. "You did what anyone else in that position would have done. You just wanted the person you love to make you feel safe and comfortable at that moment of distress"
His voice took on a sadder note, and he looked away briefly. "At least you're not like me, playing around with every woman like some kind of joke. You actually know what you want."
Gracie, hearing the self-deprecation in his tone, finally looked directly at him. Her eyes flashed with sudden anger.
"Young Master, what are you saying?! And why are you acting so normal after hearing that I love you?!" she demanded, pouting fiercely. "Are you thinking I'm just joking around?! Is that it?!"
Oliver chuckled softly and shook his head; his expression gave her a knowing look.
"I'm acting normal because I've already known that you love me. Gracie... I've known for quite some time now."
Gracie's mind went completely blank.
PUFF!
Her face turned absolutely red, the color spreading from her neck all the way to the tips of her ears. Her eyes shook so could see several versions of Oliver looking at her rapidly that she handsomely.
"WHAT?! WHAT?! HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN?!" she asked in complete panic, her voice climbing several octaves.
"Hmmmm, it's been a while since I figured it out," Oliver replied simply, but he was already asking for forgiveness in his mind since he known her feeling from a long way back.
"Then why..." Gracie shudder in nervousness as her voice trailed off, unable to finish the question.
"Because I was scared, Gracie."
Oliver tightened his grip on her hands, his fingers intertwining with hers more firmly. The intensity in his eyes made her breath catch.
"I was scared to say anything to you because I was nothing back then….. Well, I'm still nothing, hehe…. I hope maybe in the coming days I could achieve some success, become someone worth being proud of….Then maybe I could answer your feelings….sighhh…." Oliver shook his head "That's not it….I was scared that our world would change if I acknowledged your feelings. And if somehow, I ended up hurting you, then my best friend...the person I care about most...would disappear from my life forever. I didn't want to risk that...Gracie I..I…I am sorry….I am sorry for everything….. I am sorry for liking Emmy before clearing my thoughts about you… I never took any women seriously…."
He laughed bitterly, the pained hollow sound slightly echoed in the room.
"And guess what? Now the one person I actually tried to pursue seriously has left me for exactly that reason. Isn't that pathetic? Hehe, and the woman who loved me for years, I couldn't bring myself to respond to her feelings properly…siighhh.... It's no wonder the woman I started liking doesn't want a pathetic man like me who has such a terrible reputation." He shrugged helplessly. "Well, it can't be helped, right? Who would want a playboy useless failure of a man like…"
THUMP!
Gracie suddenly put her freed hand firmly over his mouth, cutting off his words.
"Young Master, I don't want you to speak badly about the person I love!" she said, her voice trembling with genuine anger. Her eyes blazed with protective fury. "NEVER TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT IN FRONT OF ME!"
She took a deep breath, her whole body practically vibrating with emotion.
"What the hell is wrong with that woman, rejecting Young Master just because you talk nicely to other women?! That doesn't make you a playboy! I know you...I've known you from the very start! Hell, I even secretly followed you on your outings sometimes!"
Oliver's eyes widened in surprise at that confession.
"And I NEVER saw you disrespecting any woman! Not once! So what if you flirt with them a little?! As long as your eyes don't look at other women with disrespect or with real romantic love, I don't care at all!!" She was breathing hard now, her chest heaving with the force of her passionate defense. "You said you liked that Emmy girl? Fine! I thought she would be grateful to have your attention, that she'd treasure it! BUT she threw it away! GRRR! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE HER FOR HURTING YOU!!"
Her grip on him tightened as she leaned forward, getting right in his face.
"AND YOU, YOUNG MASTER! STOP BELITTLING YOURSELF! AND WHY ARE YOU SO SCARED?! DO YOU THINK THIS WOMAN WILL EVER BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT SEEING YOUR HANDSOME FACE EVERY DAY?!" She was practically shouting now, all her restraint gone. "You can ask ANYONE in the house...I, Gracie Maher, will NEVER leave Young Master's side in any way possible! As long as you treat me with respect and remain faithful in your emotions, I'll stay by your side forever!"
Her expression turned slightly wicked, her usual mischievous nature peeking through.
"But if you ever betray that trust and treat me like a outsider, then this beautiful woman will put something very interesting in your food! HOHOHOHO!"
What had started as genuine concern had shifted into her usual playful antics by the end.
Oliver didn't mind it at all….he was long accustomed to her personality. In fact, he adored this side of her: the way she could be fiercely protective one moment and carefree and playful the next.
But hearing her defend him with such raw, heartfelt conviction stirred something deep within his chest. The sincerity in her voice, so honest and unfiltered, filled him with a warmth he hadn't expected.
For a brief moment, his eyes lit up with a quiet brightness, awakening a feeling he hadn't experienced in a very long time.
A hope.....A hope that a girl can truly accept him just the way he is, not look at his failures and judge him behind his back, not judge his personality from his words, and truly love him just the way he is.
He asked with barely contained emotion threading through his voice, "You don't find it weird when I talk like that? Flirting and being charming with everyone? You really think I'm normal? You don't want me to change who I am? You don't find me like some brat acting stupidly? You truly love me…. despite everything you saw over the years?"
His voice cracked slightly on the last question, revealing just how vulnerable he felt in this moment.
Gracie, still riding high on her passionate rant and not fully registering the intense hope in his eyes, just proudly held her head high. She spoke with absolute confidence, like she was stating an undeniable fact.
"Of course you're fine just the way you are, Young Master! Why would I ever want you to change?! I love the way you are right now! I don't find it weird at all…..whether you're acting like a playful kid or being serious, I know you well enough to understand what you mean and what you don't mean. I truly love you!!!! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU!!!!!"
She smiled warmly, her eyes soft with affection.
"You've grown up to be such a good man. Well, your childhood version was also adorable, but I definitely like this version of handsome Young Master much better. I even have a comparison notebook where I documented your growth over the years. Do you want to see it? I have sketches and everything, and I wrote down.....huh?"
PUFF!
Suddenly, Gracie felt her entire world shatter into a million glittering pieces.
"TH-THIS! THIS!" she stammered, her brain short-circuiting as she processed what she'd just seen.
Oliver had been staring at her with very strong intensity while she spoke…..his eyes had been drinking in every word, every gesture, every expression on her face like she was the most precious thing in the entire world. And the look in those eyes..... it was pure and something only few people can see it!!!!!
Gracie immediately put her hand over her face, trying to hide her burning cheeks. She attempted to pull her other hand away from his grip, but Oliver held it tightly, refusing to let go.
"Young Master, you... you... what are you doing?!" she managed to squeak out, her voice getting very low and breathy. "I think... I think I'm fine the way things are! I can't... I can't handle this!"
But even as she protested, her eyes couldn't help but keep staring into Oliver's eyes. The more she looked, the deeper his gaze seemed to become…..like a bottomless ocean that she was willingly drowning in. And in those depths, she could only see herself reflected back, see could see how much he treasured her, how much he started to …..
AGGUUAAAA KKYYAAA WHAT WHATTTT WHAT IS HAPPEENINNNGG!!! Gracie mind raced in panic
"Gracie, thank you," Oliver said softly, his voice rough with emotion. "I think I can give you my answer now. I think I…."
THUMP!
Gracie suddenly put both her hands over his mouth, cutting him off desperately.
"NOT NOW!!" she practically shouted, breathing hard as she felt her body getting hotter and hotter with every passing second. "I'M NOT READY YET!!"
Her heart was hammering so hard in her chest she thought it might burst right out of her ribcage.
There was a long, heavy silence. Only their eyes spoke now, having an entire conversation without words. Their gazes never left each other, locked together in an intimate battle of wills and emotions.
"Gracie, are you treating Young Master properly?"
Gracie's mother's voice suddenly called out from down the hallway. Her footsteps echoed as she approached the room, getting closer with each passing second.
Oliver and Gracie each other, suddenly shy and awkward finally stopped their intense staring contest. They both stood up quickly beside like teenagers caught doing something they shouldn't be.
Mother's footsteps grew very close to the door.
"Young Master, why did you ca…GAHHH!"
Gracie suddenly noticed with absolute horror that her hand was still being held tightly by Oliver's. Their fingers were still intertwined intimately.
"MY MOTHER WILL KILL ME!! RELEASE MY HAND, YOUNG MASTER!!" she roared inside her head, her internal panic reaching critical levels.
She struggled and yanked her hand away forcefully.
"OW! OW! WHAT?!" Oliver laughed embarrassedly as her mother came inside carrying a tray of freshly prepared snacks.
"Geez, Gracie, how many times have I told you to clean your room properly?!" her mother scolded, looking around at the hastily tidied space. "And now you made Young Master wait for so long! I raised you better than this!"
She set the tray down on the floor beside a low table and shook her head with maternal exasperation.
"Sorry, Young Master. She's a hardworking girl, but she doesn't know how to take care of herself despite getting so big. Sighhh... sometimes I don't understand whether she's taking care of you or you're taking care of her."
Mother spoke with worry in her voice, realizing how her daughter has been over the years.
"MOTHERRR!" Gracie pouted cutely, her face turning red with embarrassment.
Oliver somehow found himself staring at her again. The pout, the blush, the way her eyes sparkled with indignation…..everything about her was so unbearably adorable that he couldn't look away.
Gracie, feeling the weight of his intense gaze burning into her, turned her face bright red again. In a panic, she reached over and physically turned his face away from her with both hands.
CRACK!
"OW! OW!" Oliver felt a sharp pain shoot through his neck from the sudden, forceful movement.
Fortunately, Mother was looking down, carefully arranging the plates and cups for them on the low table, so she didn't notice the intimate interaction.
Oliver laughed embarrassedly and quickly moved over to Gracie's mother. He spoke sweetly as he gently hugged her arm with affection.
"Mother, for how long are you going to keep calling me 'Young Master'? I've been coming to this house ever since I was little, and I practically grew up surrounded by your love and care. I think you should call me 'Son' instead, don't you?"
He smiled warmly, his affectionate eyes trying it's best to speak something.
"And don't worry about making me wait. I can wait for Gracie for eternity if I have to, since she's the most important person in my entire life. Hehehehe."
Oliver's face practically glowed as he turned to look at Gracie. He winked at her playfully.
And then FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After a long time he used his hand to flick his hair back in that signature move he loved so much to do, the gesture as always smooth and effortlessly charming.
"Hmm, my hair seems to have gotten a bit damaged lately. I really need to take better care of it," Oliver thought to himself, running his fingers through the silky strands.
Gracie, hearing his sweet words to her mother and seeing that devastating hair flick, froze completely where she was standing.
"WHAT?! WHAT?! WHAT?!" she screamed internally, her brain melting. "THIS IS TOO WEIRD! GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS VERSION! THIS UPDATED VERSION IS GOING TO KILL ME! I CAN'T SURVIVE LIKE THIS! NOOO!!"
Gracie felt simultaneously incredibly happy and extremely uncomfortable…..like her heart was going to explode from too many emotions at once.
"Oh my, such sweet words," Mother said, her voice going soft with emotion. "Fine, fine….I won't stand on ceremony anymore then." She smiled warmly at Oliver with the same affection shining in her eyes. "Son, here, eat some food and talk amongst yourselves."
Then she turned to Gracie with a completely different tone.
"Hey, stupid daughter! Don't just stand there like a statue!!! Serve him properly!"
"Humph!" Mother spoke softly and sweetly to Oliver, then immediately roared at Gracie.
"Mother! Are you on my side or his?!" Gracie pouted in pure frustration, feeling utterly betrayed.
"Of course, Mother is on my side, hehe," Oliver said with a mischievous grin. "But sorry, Mother….I actually have to leave now. You see, I need to punish someone who made our cute Gracie cry earlier today. So, I'm going to go kick his ass and get proper revenge for her. Is that okay with you?"
Oliver smiled sweetly, then took a huge bite from one of the plates. He chewed and swallowed quickly, making exaggerated happy sounds and signalling with his expression that the food was absolutely delicious.
"Oh, is that so?" Mother's eyes gleamed with approval. "Then go, my son! Make sure you make him cry even more than she bawled! I'm counting on you!"
She reached up and patted his head affectionately, like he really was her own son.
Oliver stood up, and before Gracie could process what was happening or say anything to stop him, he grabbed her hands tightly and pulled her toward the door.
Gracie's mother watched them leave together, hand in hand, and just smiled knowingly while shaking her head. "Young love is always so chaotic and beautiful" she muttered softly under her breathe
"WAH! YOUNG MASTER, WHAT…..WHERE ARE WE GOING?!" Gracie shouted in confusion, not understanding a single thing that was happening.
She just let him lead the way, trusting him completely even in her bewilderment.
But as she looked down at how firmly he was gripping her hand…..his warm fingers wrapped securely around hers tightly making sure she is protected, her heart slowly began to realize something profound.
From this day forward, everything was going to change.
She put her free hand over her racing heart, trying to calm it down, and then ran behind Oliver with determined steps. She watched his profile as he pulled her forward…..his handsome face was now devoid of any worries, his beautiful hair shining brilliantly in the sunlight streaming through the windows.
And for the first time in a very long time, Gracie felt that she is not really running behind him trying to reach out to him... but right now HE IS BEHIND HER TRYING TO CATCH UPTO HER!!!!!!
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END OF CHAPTER
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Author Blabbering
Who do you think have harder life... A man or a woman?? ..... The answer is BOTH!!! ... End of discussion.
BYE!
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