*FLASHBACK*

"Raven, you have a fever,' I heard Mrs Helston tell me with a concerned voice as I squinted my eyes an inch open to look at her.

She covered my eyes again with her hand 'You need rest now,' she insisted.

I could feel the warmth of my bed making it hard for me to get up. But I had to; I had a dance lesson today.

'Don't worry, dear, I've informed the dance studio if you could take today off. Everything is alright,'

'But Ayesha and Connie!!' I whine 'They need me! We have a performance today and I'll miss it!'

'I'm sure they can manage without you for today.' She told me, holding my shoulders and pushing me back into my bed because I had gotten up. 'I'm actually busy with work today and can't get out of it right now so I can't take care of you right now.'

'Its fine,' I say  blowing my nose with a tissue 'I'm 14, I can take care of myself.'

'On the other hand,' she continues, ignoring me 'Claude is here so he can take care of you.'

'What? Why him?!' I complained 'Doesn't he have, like, school or something?'

'It's Saturday, sweetie,' Mrs Helston laughs.

I scoff loudly as Claude walks into my room, with the same annoyed and unhappy face I have on.

'Mom, why do I have to do this?!' He protests, not even looking me in the eye.

'Because,' she snaps at her son 'You are response for Raven as much as we are. She's part of your family, Claude. Don't make me repeat myself.'

'Fine,' Claude murmured as he sat down at the edge of my bed. I cringed.

'Alright then. That's sorted,' Mrs Helston said, leaving the room 'I'll see you both at 7!'

'Great,' I mutter under my breath 'I'm stuck with this idiot for the rest of the day.'

*****

'What do you want?!' Claude groaned, getting back to his book.

'Excuse me! I'm sick! And hungry!!' I yell at him before coughing

'So what am I supposed to do?!' He yells back 'Go get your own food!' He sits back down on the edge of my bed.

'Fine...' I mutter, throwing the thick duvet off of myself and walking out of the room.

I stumble down the stairs to the kitchen. Then I try and open the cupboard where I know the cookies are but it's too high.

So I get a charge and try and reach for it but struggle.

'Come on!' I shout to myself, stretching my arm out as high as I could 'Stupid childproof cupboard!'

I finally open it, look up and feel around for the cookie jar. But as I tiptoed higher, I felt my foot slip and loose balance.

The chair started to wobble and I started praying it wouldn't fall.

Too late.

I felt the chair start to tip over; I closed my eyes, hoping I wouldn't break any bones if I fell. I held my breath.

'What?!' I open my eyes again, wondering why I hadn't hit the floor yet. I felt arms fasten around me. 'Claude? Let go!!'

He lets go, scoffing 'I just saved you, ungrateful twat,'

'Whatever,' I roll my eyes and then sneezing.

'Bless you,' Claude said, clutching his hand. I looked closer; it was bleeding.

'How did that happen?' I held his hand, bringing it closer to examine it.

'The cookie jar fell with you. My hand hit one of the broken bits,' he tells me, looking away 'Its fine. Go back to your room and I'll make you something to eat.'

I follow his request, going back to my bedroom and wrapping myself with the duvet again.

A few minutes later, Claude comes back to my room, holding a bowl of hot soup.

'Thanks,' I whisper as he hands it to me.

I take a sip and sigh.

'I'm sorry,' I say, look at his hand that was now bandaged 'And thank you... For catching me,'

'Whatever,' Claude scoffed 'I would have gotten in trouble if I just let you fall like that.'

'Weren't you upstairs?' I remember 'When did you get to the kitchen?'

'Uh,' he hesitated 'I was hungry, too.'

I continue sipping my soup, feeling the head ache I had a few minutes ago slowly dull away.

*FLASHBACK END*

'Hey, are you alright now?' I ask Claude, who's wrapped himself with the duvet.

'No, my head really hurts…' I hear his muffled voice from under the duvet.

'Are... Are you hungry?' I ask again, and he grunts, shoving his head under the pillow 'Fine, I'll shut up,'

I sit there, silent, watching him just lay there, not even moving. He must have fallen asleep. I move the pillow from his head and rest him against it instead.

I decided to leave, seeing that I wasn't need anymore and go downstairs. I've worked out where the stairs are now so that I won't get lost that much anymore.

Then I sit down at the foot of the stairs, my head in my lap as I close my eyes. I just felt so empty in this huge manor, even with Claude. I know he tried his best to make me feel at home here, but I still feel so alone.

I guess he wouldn't understand that. And I definitely don't want to hurt him now with him being sick too.

My head slowly lifts up because I felt someone else's presence.

'Are you alright, ma'am?' Virgil asks, sitting down on the bottom step of the stairs.

'Yeah,' I lie 'Fine,'

'Do you want me to give you a tour of the town?' His eyes light as he spoke.

'Town?' I turn my head towards him.

'Yes!' He exclaims, pointing to the front door 'Lets go!!'

'But Claude...' I point instead towards the too of the stair case.

'Dante will take care of him!' Virgil gets up and pulls me up with him. He rushes to the front door, dragging me with him and the to the gate until we were finally out. 'We just have to follow that path into town.'

'What's in the town?' My curiosity gets the better of me.

'Oh, you know, town stuff. Shops, pubs, other town stuff...' I follow him down the path way.

'Why is everything so old timey?' I say.

He shrugs his shoulders, continuing to walk.

A few minutes later, we arrive. 'Lets go to the bakery first!' Virgil suggests 'The bakery is my favorite place.' He opens the door and as soon as I walk in I could smell this warm, sweet aroma wafting through the air. 'Hi, Rachel,' he smiled at the person behind the counter.

She looked like a young girl, about my age. She had short, brown and curly hair with these big hazel eyes. 'Hello, Virgil,' her voice was as sweet and warm as the smell that was floating in the room 'Who's this with you?'

I snap out of my trance, suddenly nervous. 'Um...'

'Miss Raven Simmons, new owner of the Helston Manor.' Virgil introduced me to her instead.

'That old place?' Rachel giggled 'But didn't you tell me only Helstons can live there?'

'Claude,' I quickly interrupt 'I live with Claude Helston.'

'Oh, okay,' she smiles 'Do you want to buy anything from here?'

I think for a moment. 'Do you make cinnamon rolls?' I ask and she grins at me.

'Sure do, Raven!' She returns with a tray of freshly baked cinnamon rolls.