"You and Will are getting on quite well lately, wouldn't you agree?" Nora asks the moment I'm changed and in warm clothes. She's waiting on the bed we share, with two mugs of hot chocolate.

I groan softly. As I was in the bath I knew she'd mention this and I didn't know how I'd answer. I still don't know. There's a look in her eyes, like she knows something I don't and is immensely amused because of it, but it scares me.

"I told you, we're in a truce. That's all," I reply, sitting in front of her with my legs crossed and holding the mug she offers me. "You know he still calls me princess and I call him Guillermo."

"Those are pet names," she comments offhandedly, holding her smile as my eyes widen in horror. "But seriously, you two looked really close today and were having fun. Not to mention the other day when the... the article about you... you know." I look away at the memory about my death and the heavy burden of that body back home, pretending to be me. "He was the one who held you and made you calm down."

"It was just because he was there! It could've been anyone else!" I refute ardently, not wanting anyone to believe it made any difference to me that it was Will.

"Are you sure?"

Why does she make it sound like she knows better and I'm the slow one who hasn't realised? Why does it seem like she is right and I'm the one making excuses?

"Yes!" I shout, almost spilling my drink. "Will and I are two opposite sides of a coin. Why are you insinuating it's different?"

"I agree, you two are like the two sides of a coin," Nora finally agrees and I sigh relieved. "But still, you're one coin. You made the analogy, not me."

I can't even reply, I only stare at her as I feel my cheeks flaming. I feel so frustrated and embarrassed of what I've been saying, not realising how it could be interpreted. And I can't help thinking of Will, of all those times I've felt my heart throb and how things have indeed changed between us. I was so certain I hated him at first, I couldn't stand even the mention of his name.

Can I say the same now?

"Look, Blanca, I'm not forcing you to accept anything, but I'm trying to make you aware. You don't hate Will and you two can actually get along. Maybe you should talk to him and get to know him better so he can get to understand you. I honestly think you two have a lot to learn from one another."

"Why?" I ask in a whisper, feebly and hesitant.

"Why not?" she asks back, smiling. "This whole situation is messed up but we can't do much for now. Why not trying to get the best out of it? Will represents a side of the story you don't know and have been looking down ever since. Maybe this is the chance to open your eyes to what they preach and at the same time teach them about your side."

"You speak as if he's interested in learning that," I roll my eyes, focusing then my gaze on the drink in my mug. My hands are wrapped around it and they are too warm, it's almost burning me but I don't move them. The conversation feels surreal, so this helps me remember it is happening.

"Yes, I think he's willing to learn." She chuckles at her own word choice.

"That's why I call him Guillermo," I mutter to myself, making her laugh harder.

"But honestly, I think he'll listen to you. Would you listen to him?"

"If he doesn't diss me while he speaks, yes, I would," I have to agree and the words feel bitter in my tongue. I guess that's my pride that I'm chewing on.

"I'm sure it's the same for him. So make use of this truce and try to understand the people who fight against you."

I sigh deeply. I feel this is very ironic, Nora telling me what I've thought Will has to do if he ever wants to succeed in his fight. But I didn't realise I was being as stubborn as him, not giving him a chance to explain his point of view.

It really sucks when your words come to bite you in the bum.

❅ ❅ ❅

The next morning, I'm awake before anyone else. Even with the new medication to sleep, I can't stay asleep for many hours. And instead of staying in bed, I decide to go down and find something to do and kill time until the kids get up. Anything to stop me from thinking about the nightmares that are just a normal occurrence in my life now. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever have a peaceful night of sleep again.

However, I'm surprised to find out I'm not the first up in the house. There's noise coming from the kitchen and when I go there, I find Will, making breakfast. I must make some noise, because he turns around and smiles when he sees me standing there.

"Good morning, Princess. Aren't you awake early today?" he asks, going back to his task.

As he already saw me and greeted me, I walk up to where he's standing to check what he's making. It's a mix and considering what's around, it looks like he's making pancakes. Loads of pancakes.

"Did you sleep well?" he asks me then, but his eyes are focused on the mix and he's not paying attention to me next to him. "How are your nightmares?"

"I managed to sleep a bit," I affirm, still watching him work. "And they are still terrible. The medication helps me fall asleep apparently, but it doesn't knock me down until the next day."

For the briefest moment, he turns to look at me with compassionate eyes that make me uncomfortable, so I break the eye contact.

"You dream of the girl pretending to be you?" I only nod. I know that girl isn't doing that willingly, but I don't know any other way to refer to the situation. It's just too messed up. "I don't know what to say to make you feel better. I'm sorry."

"Me too, I'm very sorry for her," I mumble, taking deep breaths.

"I'm sure you'll find justice for her, too."

"Oh, you suddenly have faith in me, uh?" I try to light the mood, I use a teasing tone and a smirk, but his expression barely changes.

"Well, I know how driven you are and yes, I believe you'll do the right thing. I'm sure you worry more about her situation than yours. You surely feel worse for her." I can't hold his stare as he's saying that, so I have to look down.

I feel his fingertips on my chin, lifting my face and forcing me to look at him again. My heart races at that and I freeze, too shocked with his actions and that serious look in his eyes.

"You know my opinion about you has changed, right? I'm really sorry for the things I said before, and I'm sure there's more about you I don't know." I gulp as I hear him say that, he's still holding my chin in his fingers, keeping the eye contact as my heart beats faster and faster. "You're a good person and you'll do the best for her. For now, you just have to be patient until you can play your cards."

I can only stare back at him, somehow trapped. I can't look anywhere else, I can't move, I just look in his eyes as I feel my pulse in my ears, deafening. When he smiles, my heart throbs and my breath gets stuck in my throat.

"So hold on there. They are playing their cards and if you wait for your turn and evaluate the situation first, you have better chances at winning."

I barely nod my head, I can't do much else. His smile widens and he finally releases my chin. I think he'll go back to his task but instead he pokes his finger in the mix and then rubs it on my cheek. My eyes widen in surprise and disbelief, but he starts laughing then.

"You got me into this whole facial things," he laughs but I'm still staring at him, flabbergasted. "See? You look even cuter like that. Should consider it as part of your daily makeup routine."

I recover from whatever spell I was trapped in and step forward, aiming for the bowl with mix but he grabs it and steps back, away from me.

"Hold on, Princess! This is the breakfast for the kids. You can't start a food fight now," he warns me so I just glare at him, trying to think how else I can get back at him. It's easier to focus on that rather that on what he just said.

I spot an egg lying there, one he didn't use and grab it faster than he can move. We stand face-to-face and his expression isn't as amused anymore.

"You said no to the mix," I remind him, taking a step towards him, holding the hand with the end high, ready to shoot. Carefully, without breaking the eye contact, he puts the bowl aside on the first surface he finds and continues retracting. "You know, it's wonderful not being in casts."

"I said no food fight, Princess," he reminds me but I shake my head.

"I didn't hear that part, Guillermo."

He actually chuckles at that and I use that chance to charge against him, as fast as I can, but he's fast too and although he steps back and tries to keep the distance between us, I reach him. He has to hold my wrists to stop me from breaking the egg on his head.

We struggle, and he's not going easy on me so this is actually really hard. He raises our hands so it's even harder for me to get near his head and in the struggle we've gotten really close. I think my only chance is letting the egg drop on his head so I try that, but with the struggle, this falls on the floor instead.

"Ah, por la chucha!" I curse in Spanish, annoyed and glaring at him. He raises one eyebrow, clearly not understanding my frustrated scream, but somehow interpreting it.

I try to set free, I don't have a weapon anymore, so he lowers our arms, chuckling to himself. I, however, step on the egg and slip. Before I end up landing on my bum, he grabs me by the waist and pulls me against him, but the motion is too sudden and it startles me, so I instinctively push him with a little scream, which makes him lose his balance and drags us both to the floor.

We land with a groan, luckily for me, he softens my fall with his arms around me, but I still hit my knee and hip. Not terribly, but it still hurts.

"Ah, Princes, why do I keep falling for you?" he asks and my whole body freezes when he says that. I stare at him with wide eyes and once again, a racing heart. That really doesn't sound good. "You're like a clumsy princess and always drag me down with you."

"I didn't ask you to help me," I mumble, looking away because I'm too embarrassed of my own thoughts. I didn't go for the literal meaning and I can't even look in his eyes, I'm scared he'll realise what went through my head when he said that.

"Yeah, but it seems whenever I see you in danger, I act before I think," he continues, his arms still holding me against him, his breath touches my temple as I'm looking at our side. "If things continue like this, I'm going to end up all bruised up."

"Well, maybe you should stop reaching out," I suggest, still not able to meet his eyes.

"And let you get hurt?" he retorts. "Not a chance. You got hurt enough already. I'll save you even from a small bruise now."

I gulp and hesitantly look at him. His eyes are serious, he really means those words and that makes my heart hammer in my ribcage. Then he finally loosens up one arm but instead of letting me go, he brushes away the hair falling around my face, pulling it behind my ear and ends up cupping my face.

I can't breathe, I can't move, I'm once again trapped and I have no idea what the hell is going on here.

❅ ❅ ❅

Did you like this chapter?  *smirks* hehehehehe I have so many cute scenes for these two to show how the fall for each other I want to cry at night. This is my life. #Willca forever!

Anyhow, I'm so happy you were all so excited for the next book. I respect the opinion of those who won't read because of religious/personal opinions. It's valid and I appreciate you tell me that respectfully. 

By the way, I received this fan art by SophieKarim so the dedication goes to her. If you want to share fan art, there's always tumblr, twitter or a message to my inbox and I'll share it.

Bel, xx

~updates every Friday and Monday~