Claire noticed that Julius changed lanes often. Whether from boredom, or restlessness she wasn't sure. “Uniforms?” She asked, confused by the plural. How many would she need?
Julius nodded, his eyes on the track. His body was relaxed. Driving this slow was too easy for him. “There are different styles, or I should say versions, of the same uniform. The winter and summer versions, of course. Long and short sleeves. Sweats for Physical Education and the bathing suit for swimming. I was thinking half a dozen of each would do for now, until you outgrow them.”
Claire did some math in her head. Six of each uniform. And there were four of them... She stared at Julius in shock. “Twenty-four uniforms?” She asked him. She didn't own that many different outfits and dresses, period. She didn't think she ever had.
Julius frowned at the track in front of him, changing lanes again. He was puzzled by her reaction. “You don't think that will be enough? We could get ten of each.” He offered.
Claire shook her head. “No, six each is fine.” She said quickly, blushing. She turned her head down, looking at her hands, which were still folded in her lap.
Claire had never owned much in her life, that she could remember, so the concept of possessions was a foreign one. Even after two weeks in the Manor, she had a hard time acknowledging her quarters as belonging to her. Her bed, her closet, her desk and sofa, it just didn't sound right in her mind. It was too strange. It was more comfortable thinking of all those things as still belonging to Julius, that he was merely letting her borrow them.
The furniture had all been there already, since it had belonged to Julius' mother. But now, they were going out and buying things specifically for her, a lot of things that belonged only to her.
She waited patiently for her mind to stop whirling around. “What else are we getting?” She was curious, but she wondered if she could handle knowing.
“You'll need a bag, to carry supplies in. I'll get you a few, so they don't get too worn. The school provides a fair bit by way of notebooks, pens, and textbooks, but I will get you a set of your own anyway. The school's notebooks are not the most advanced. You might want to use them for advanced studies outside of class. I want to make sure you have the resources you need.”
Claire nodded silently. Julius glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “Feeling overwhelmed?” He asked with a hint of amusement.
“Just a bit.” Claire said a little shakily. “It's a lot to take in.”
“You miss your old things.” Julius said sympathetically. “It must be highly uncomfortable, everything being new and unfamiliar. But don't worry, you will get used to your new things, and they will become familiar to you.”
“Yeah.” Claire said quietly. Her fingers curled into her hand, not quite a fist. She felt awful deceiving Julius like this. She wasn't outright lying to him, but letting him make his own assumptions and not correcting him was hiding the truth from him just the same.
She wanted to tell him. But that might make him angry. And she really couldn't tell him the truth anyway. She couldn't remember it. She only remembered the few weeks she had spent in the junkyard, remembered her parent's vaguely as being with her, but nothing before that.
She could have been anywhere before that. She might actually be noble born and not realize it. So, she really wasn't keeping the truth from him, because it was being kept from her as well.
When she remembered everything, she would tell him then. Even if she discovered that she had been poor all her life. Once she knew for certain, then she would tell him.
Because, really, wasn't she lying to him enough as it is? She had dutifully kept quiet about Beast staying with her, at Beast's request. But she was surprised at how easy it had been.
She felt sure that Julius would feel the unknown presence in his own house, even one as impossibly large as the Manor. But Julius didn't notice a thing. He never spoke to Claire about it, anyway. And Beast continued to avoid the Manor's cameras and other security measures with ridiculous ease.
Claire turned her attention out her window. She watched a bright red sports car pass while she mused. It stood out among the other plain cars. Just like her hair. Claire frowned lightly. Maybe it was something about the color red in general. Maybe it was just a flashy color. Was she a flashy person? She didn't feel like she was.
Julius drove into a parking garage. The attendant didn't even look up from his e-paper when Julius handed him his card. He just swiped it through the computer and handed it back. The back of the car was tagged and Julius continued on.
He found a spot and slid into it, cutting the engine. He exited the car and walked around to Claire's side. He opened her door for her.
Claire exited the car, looking around. She was confused. What was this place? There were cars parked all around, so she guessed they were keeping the car here for now. She wished she had been quick enough to read the sign on the way in. Julius obviously felt comfortable leaving the car here. She didn't want to appear strange to him.
“Ready to go?” He asked her, already turned away from her.
She hurriedly followed. “How far are we walking?” She asked, picking a question that wouldn't be too odd.
“Not far.” He said easily.
Claire peered up at his profile as they walked. She felt suddenly nervous. She had never been so completely alone with Julius before, in such a dark place. Even in the garden, there was a Manor full of servants just fifty yards away.
Her heart was beating faster now. She breathed shallowly, trying to calm it.
Julius half turned his face to her. “Are you all right?” He asked.
What was wrong with her? Why was she reacting like this? Julius wasn't menacing to her in any way, so why wouldn't her heart calm down? Why did her hands feel so clammy? Maybe it was her surroundings.
“I'm fine.” She said. “It's just... dark.”
He raised an eyebrow in amusement. “You're afraid of the dark?” He asked.
Claire didn't like his tone of voice, it got her back up. Her hands curled into fists and she straightened up. “Of course not.” She said a little too forcefully.
Julius laughed and her cheeks flushed in anger and embarrassment. She was relieved to see the exit up ahead. She breathed deeply once they were out in the sidewalk, the damp, cold air on her face. She shivered a little, envying Julius his jacket.
Julius lead her down the street. The buildings were very tall here. The first few floors of nearly all of them was devoted to huge windows. There was a wide array of displays behind the glass. She couldn't help but stare, even knowing that Julius would find this strange.
But Julius' attention was elsewhere. His phone was ringing. He pulled it from his jacket, placing it to his ear without checking the ID Caller. There was only one person who would call him now, and if she was, then it was important. “What is it, Jacqueline?”
“S-sorry to interrupt, Sir, but I know that you'll want to hear this right away.” His secretary's nervous voice answered him. He waited patiently. “W-we've just gotten Miss Claire's evaluation results.”
He felt a shiver of excitement go through him. He had been waiting for this very news for the last week. “What class will she be in?” He asked.
“T-top class, Sir. Her marks were off the chart.” He could hear the smile in Jacqueline's voice. She so rarely gave him good, cheerful news. She was enjoying it.
Julius felt his lips widen into a triumphant smile. “I knew it.” He breathed. “What was her score?”
“One-oh-eight, Sir. Th-that is three points higher than your old score, I believe.” She replied.
Julius' eyebrows shot up. “Is that so?” He mused, more quietly. “Interesting...” Claire gave him a questioning look. He ignored her, stopping in front of a store and opening the clear door for her.
“You'll have to give me all the details later.” Julius told Jacqueline as they entered the store. He pocketed his phone, and looked down at Claire, smiling. She continued to look perplex
ed. “You are a smart little girl.” He said smugly.
Claire blinked a few times, trying to decipher his tone. Why was he the one who sounded triumphant? “Uh, thank you.”
Julius laughed. “I should be thanking you.” He said.
Claire's red brows pulled together. “What do you have to thank me for?” He had given her so much already, how could test scores compare?
“Agreeing to live with me.” Julius answered. His dark eyes were warm. He smiled at her in such a way, she felt her heart pause in her chest. Then he walked past her, deeper into the store. She hurried after him.
Her uniforms were tailored exactly to fit her, which meant that she had to be measured. While Julius decided between cloths, Claire stood on a small white square in the floor while an attendant took pictures of her from all sides, the pictures were entered into a computer which then calculated her measurements.
The school was fairly specific about the uniforms. White dress shirt, gray vest, gray and black plaid pleated skirt, white, gray or black stockings, and black penny loafers. The materials weren't specified, so Julius carefully picked out the best. Claire stood with him and ran her hand over the samples. The texture of the shirt sample was the softest, it whispered under her fingers. Julius caught her admiring look. “Dura-silk.” He told her.
“It's very soft.”
“Strong too.” Julius said. He decided then, ordering her uniforms. They would be delivered to the Manor when they were finished.
He turned to her. “You've done well on your exams, so I should reward you.” His eyes sparkled as he smiled at her.
“How?” Claire asked. She recalled the exams Julius had her take the day after she moved in. They hadn't been tough or troublesome. Why was he so excited about them? Didn't people usually get rewarded after achieving something difficult?
“The weather has been rather cold, perhaps something to keep out the chill?” He was already eying a display. He walked over to it, one hand on his chin. The mantle was long and black. It had a deep hood lined with dark red faux fur.
Julius pulled it off the mannequin in one deft movement, inspecting the lining. He ignored the attendants surrounding them, silently offering their assistance.
He carried it over to Claire and wrapped it around her shoulders. He tied it for her, then took a step back, scrutinizing. “How does it feel?” He asked. “Is it heavy?”
Claire shook her head. “No, it's fine. It's warm too.” She lifted up the corner, inspecting the faux fur. It was luxuriously soft. “I love it.” She said, slightly awed.
He pulled the hood up. It cast a deep shadow over her face. “It's a little big on you. We'll have to get it adjusted.” Claire held out her hand to stop him. “It's fine.” She said earnestly. “I'll grow into it.”
He frowned. “I'll buy you a new one before then.”
“But I like this one.”
He looked down at her. She stared up at him, her blue eyes wide and calm. He sighed, thinking that she was being very silly. “If that's what you want.”
Her smile wasn't the wide, radiant grin from before. This was smaller, but full of so much more warmth. “Thank you, Julius.” She said, and her voice was full of that warmth as well.
“You're welcome.” He said graciously. “It's time to go now.” He pulled his card from his wallet and paid for the uniforms and mantle. One of the attendants wore a small scanner on her wrist. It was tied to the store's main computer, eliminating the need for a register.
Claire pretended to adjust her hood as she eyed the attendants. There were four of them, all female. Surely only one would have been enough. They were all staring at Julius with blatantly wistful expressions on their faces.
Julius' attractiveness wasn't potent to just her then. She felt uncomfortable, she didn't like they way they stared at him. Impulsively, she reached her hand out, placing it in his. “We're leaving, right?” She asked plaintively.
He looked down at her. “We're all done here.” He noted her hand in his and that amused look came back into his eyes. He turned and led her out of the store.
Claire itched to turn her head back, to see the expressions on the attendant's faces. But she resisted. She was really being silly now, reacting this way. Just because someone was looking at Julius like that...
They walked down the street, and he didn't release her hand. He was enjoying this. With one physical display, anyone watching could see that this amazing little girl belonged to him.
This whole thing had been easier than he thought.
Claire went back to looking at all the store windows. There were a lot of people walking around as well. She saw a lot of couples holding hands.
“I've been wondering about something.” Claire said suddenly.
“What is it?”
“You're on television a lot.” She stated.
“Indeed I am.” He assented.
“Then how come no one outside recognizes you?” She asked. The attendants in the store had, obviously. But no one on the street was stopping to stare at him the way they had.
Julius laughed easily. “It's not that they don't recognize me.” He told her, then clarified. “They don't notice me.”
Claire's brows furrowed. “Why not?”
Julius shrugged. “Most people are too busy with their own thoughts to pay attention to their surroundings.” He gestured around and Claire could see that this was true. There weren't many people who looked around, gaping at everything like she was.
She frowned. “Still... not everyone is like that. At least one person should recognize you.”
He nodded. “That is true, and they probably have, but we are walking, so we would be gone from a person's sight before they thought to take a second look.”
“But, it's bad right? If people recognize you.” She pressed, looking up at him worriedly. “You told me you had... enemies.” She said the last word in a furtive whisper.
He nodded again. “I do indeed, more than I know about. But I am fairly capable of taking care of myself.” He smiled confidently. Then he dropped his voice to a whisper, like he was letting her in on a secret. “Usually, bodyguards follow me wherever I go, but I decided I didn't want to be bothered with them today. This is a family outing, and bodyguards would ruin the mood. Always shadowing you, watching every thing you do.” He grinned at her and she giggled.
Claire relaxed. Julius was comfortable, so she was too. She went back to looking at the various stores lining the street.
There was an excitement in the air that was almost tangible. Most of the stores were decorated lavishly in red and white. There was a profusion of hearts as well. “Is there a holiday today?” She asked Julius, without thinking that her question was probably odd.
He blinked at her in surprise and gave her a strange look. Then he laughed heartily. “And here I thought every girl knew this day instinctively, ingrained in their hearts since before they were born, plotting their various strategies while still in the womb.” He was teasing her.
Claire frowned, looking down at the pavement. She grumbled to herself a second. Julius chuckled. She looked back up to him with a scowl. “Are you going to tell me what day it is, or not?”
He shook his head. “No, I think I will not.”
“I'll just ask someone else.” She pointed out.
“But until then, I get to enjoy your grumpy expression.” He smiled at her enchantingly. This time the expression made her more grumpy, instead of enthralling her like it normally did. She was being made fun of, and she definitely did not like it.
A sudden gust of wind swept under her mantle and made her shiver. The sky overhead was being obscured by thick black clouds. Julius glanced up at the sky, his cheerful expression souring. “We'd better get indoors quickly, or we'll get rained on.” At that moment a fat drop of water hit Claire's upturned cheek. She pulled her hood up. Julius had no protection from the rain though, so she backed up under an awning, pulling him with her. Julius' hand tightened around hers. “Th
e store we're heading for is on the corner. Want to make a run for it?” He asked her as more drops fell.
Claire looked down the street. The corner didn't look too far away. She nodded and they hurried down the street. Fat drops fell all around them, hitting the pavement like tiny missiles. The had just reached the awning of the corner store when a flash of light blinded her. She turned around quickly, startled, but the light was gone, followed closely by a loud clap of thunder. She shrieked, falling backwards into Julius.
He caught her shoulders. “Scared of lightning as well as the dark?” He teased.
“I was just caught off guard.” She corrected him with a frown.
His face turned solemn. “Ah, of course. Pardon me.”
Claire's expression turned suspicious. He still sounded like he was making fun of her. He opened the door for her and she huffed and stepped into the shop.
This shop wasn't high class like the clothing store had been. It was large, and filled with all sorts of things. Boxes were stacked high up to the ceilings, some rather precariously. There were displays for toys, bags, key chains, jewelry, phones, stuffed animals, kitchen implements, electronics, and many more things than Claire could take in at one time.
“This place is... different from the other store.” Claire said to Julius, raising her eyebrows. “Not as flashy or expensive looking.”
“The best things are not always in the most expensive stores.” He told her sagely. “Let's go get you a schoolbag or two.” He led her through the store, weaving through the narrow aisles.
Claire picked out one black schoolbag and one brown one. They were both made from leather with a sturdy square lining, and a flap going over the top. The pockets were interesting. Stiff cardboard lined with felt divided the different sections. She noticed a small square section on the side, it seemed too small for an e-paper or a micro computer. “What's this pocket for?” She asked Julius.
“Your phone.” He answered. “That's our next purchase.” He took her to a counter against one wall. Inside of the display case were dozens of phones. Julius began speaking with the clerk, going over the pros and cons of each model.
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