My Name is Rapunzel(59)

“Rapunzel. My dearest Rapunzel.” Gretta used a fake motherly tone, spreading her arms, welcoming me to her, but I refused. “I have always cared about you. I've never wanted any harm to come to you. I've treated you like you were my own daughter.”

That was a lie. She'd never done anything for me except give me heartache and tell me what I could and could not do. She'd only ever cared about our agreement, one that could not be fulfilled, since I was cursed. How could I forgive her for what she'd done to me, and what she'd taken away from me?

“I promised your father that I would take care of you and watch over you like you were my own. I don't break promises I make. Unlike someone I know.” She turned around to stir her smelly brew.

“Promises? What is a promise when you ruined my life? You cursed me.”

“Ruined your life? Cursed you? I see it quite differently, Rapunzel. You have lived over 250 years now, and you say that you are cursed?” Gretta laughed. “What people wouldn't give to live as long as we have? What people wouldn't give to live as long as you have with your youth and beauty intact forever?”

“Beauty without love is nothing but empty vanity. It never satisfies. All I want is more…I’m empty. Dead. Eternally dead.” I pounded my fists on the wall and wailed. What could she possibly want from me? “It’s not my fault that my hair is cursed too. It’s not my fault that you can’t cut it off and use it for whatever it is you do. I don’t know what you want from me anymore.”

Gretta lifted her face to the moonlight streaming through the window, and cackled. “The dragon is holding us back.” Gretta kept her back to me. “We could leave this place. Think about it.”

“You could leave anytime you want. No one is stopping you.” I spat out the words and glared at her.

Gretta simply laughed, her back still turned to me. But it wasn't just any laugh. No, it had an evil edge. She refused to leave this place without me. I knew it.

What was there to think about? I thought she'd finally lost her mind. “You'd better not hurt the dragon. If you do, then I'll leave, and you'll never find me. Ever.” It was a good threat. I was too afraid to think that far ahead, not knowing where I'd go, how I'd live. It was too much to process at this moment. But I was surprised I even said it at all. It felt good.

“Besides, you've had 250 years to reverse this curse. What have you done in all that time?” I raised my voice, but I couldn't take it anymore. My heart pounded in my chest and my head was starting to ache. I had to leave this room to rid her from my sight. I stormed out of the kitchen to seek comfort in my tower.

I slammed the tower door, and then made sure it was securely locked. As I lit the candle and placed it on the windowsill, I watched the dragon fly through the night sky. I traced my finger on the window over the dragon as it was flying. For a moment, I forgot all other things, except for this creature I had grown to love in some way. My heart rate slowed. My labored breathing stilled. My anger faded.

He was such a beautiful creature—mystical and magical at the same time. He flew with such grace it left me in awe. I wished I could fly alongside him. I wished I could fly away from there. But I couldn't let anything happen to the dragon. I was his only family. I was more than likely the only person in the world who cared about him, and I had to protect him, just like he protected me.





CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT




No breakfast for me. I had way too much to do. John Jenkins was right, even if he was annoying. If only I hadn’t kissed him. I threw the covers off my body and strode to the armoire. I was done. Done with the hiding. Done with moping. I had a life to live…at least for a little while, until I’d tuck myself away and wait out a new generation.

What day was it? Tuesday, right? Perfect. I would go to town and surprise Pepper at Starbucks. What was the worst that could happen?

But did I really want to do it alone? I chewed on my lip. Well, I didn’t have to go parading through all of town. Just to Starbucks and back. What harm could come from that?

Now. What to wear? This was important. These girls were stylish. They knew exactly what to wear for any occasion, and they wore it well. What should a girl like me wear to a coffee shop?

Oh! I knew just how to find out. I raced to the stack of magazines on the floor by my bed. I shuffled through the mound until I found one that would do. I flopped on my bed and poured through the pages. I flipped past the red carpet pictures—those certainly wouldn’t help for an outing like this. I looked beyond the worst dressed lists and the bikini pictures. Weren’t there any normal people in Hollywood?