Chapter Nineteen: Hugo

                                    

                                          
Chapter Nineteen  
Hugo
We are mere minutes from my castle. Sofia is passed out on the seat across from me, her cheek pressed against the window of the carriage. I suppose it's good that she's asleep. That means she's too tired to do anything but sleep. Just sleep. I'll bring her to our room. Holy shit we share a room now. I'll place her on the bed and let her sleep while I take the couch. At least for the first night, I hope eventually I'll earn the ability to sleep next to her. I can already imagine waking up to her next to me, her hair splayed out on the pillow, her eyes puffy with sleep. I look at her now all curled up on the seat and imagine she was curled up on me instead.
 I push those thoughts down. 
Just like I pushed down the thoughts of what most couples do on their wedding nights. We aren't most couples though. She is my childhood best friend. I've seen her when she had that phase where she had bangs, I've seen her when she thought that it was cool to pretend to talk to animals, or when she would always talk with an accent; I've seen her through it all; but I have always seen her with all of her clothes on. And thinking about her any other way makes me feel like I'm doing something I shouldn't. That doesn't mean I haven't. I most certainly have but I feel guilty about it after. There is so much more to Sofia than her amazing body. That's just a bonus. 
I get to live the rest of my life with the girl I've loved since I was nine years old. I smile at the thought. I don't even notice we have pulled up to the castle until my butler opens the carriage door. I wrap my arm around Sofia's back and the other under her legs and hold her bridal style, how ironic, as I step out of the carriage. I try my best not to wake her especially when she curls into my chest. I would give anything to stay here like this forever. When we arrive at our room I step in. The room is dark but perfectly clean. I walk over to the bed and place her down. I bend down to take off her heels, they are a creamy white. She stirs awake. She slept through our ride here, me carrying her through the castle, me putting her down, but when I take off her shoe she wakes up? What shit luck. 
"Hugo?" 
"Princess?"
She props herself up on her elbows. 
"You were taking off my shoes?" 
I smile. "Well, I wasn't going to let your shoes dirty our brand-new bed was I?" 
She laughs. It's the best reward, seeing her smile. I love it. 
She bends down to take off the other shoe before standing up. She looks at me for a minute but doesn't say anything. I'm confused for only a moment before she says, "Turn around please."
I turn around so that Sofia has the privacy to change. She could have gone to the bathroom I think; because what she's doing now feels as if she's playing with me. But that's so not Sofia. All thoughts leave me when I hear the sound of her dress hitting the floor. You are a gentleman. You are a gentleman. You are a gentleman. I repeat to myself. This is your childhood best friend. Think about all the things that could go wrong if you turned around. My eyes begin to burn from staring at the picture frame hung on the wall across from me. 
"Ok," Sofia says. I turn around slowly. 
She's curled up on the bed dressed in her sleep dress. It's a white piece of silk that has straps that are so small they are barely there. I imagine how easy it would be to guide them down her shoulders and let her dress pile at her feet. I shake my head. This nightgown is very distracting. The rest of her is covered by the fluffy white duvet. 
"I'm tired," she tells me. 
"That's ok princess. Just go to sleep." I'm not disappointed at all. This is exactly how this night was supposed to play out. Sleep. We should both sleep. I walk over to the bed and grab a pillow before walking over to the small couch in the center of the room. I can already feel my neck hurting. 
"You're not sleeping in here?" She asks. 
"No, I am. Just on the couch. I want you to be comfortable." 
"Oh. Well, I'm comfortable with you sleeping in the bed. We are married now Hugo and you're my best friend." Damn, the rejection stings. I've been friend-zoned plenty of times before I understand she's trying to let me down gently, but well I suppose it could be much worse. I return back to the bed and lie down. On top of the covers so that me and Sofia won't be sharing the same blanket. I fear what my body might do on instinct overnight, and I'm not taking the risk of ending up cuddled up next to her. Though the thought is tempting. James told me about him and Vivian ending up in a knot of limbs after they spent that night at the bakery, and they seem to be fine still. No awkwardness. However, Vivian actually likes James back. 
I look over at Sofia, but she's already curled up in a ball, her head against the pillow. She's out. I can't help myself from leaning over and pressing my lips to her smooth forehead. I don't know if I will be able to hide my feelings for her for the rest of our lives. If we are married it's going to come out sooner or later. I just hope she'll be ok with it.