Time flies, in the blink of an eye, January is gone. The cold days run one by one in the Dream House, there's always something to do, somewhere to be or someone to help. I've grown so used to this place, this new home that I'm sure I'll miss so much when I have to go back. A part of me is whispering in my mind, so softly I barely hear it, but it's there, asking me: do you really have to go back? Wouldn't it be easy to stay here? But as soon as I hear those thoughts I shake my head. That is not a possibility, I can't just run and stay here living a life that doesn't belong to me. I have responsibilities, I have a future my father paved for me that now I need to follow in his memory. And if that wasn't enough, I need to make the people who did this to me pay. I need to push Laura from a place that doesn't belong to her and clean all the corruption in BEEB Group.

I can't stay.

Even if I love everyone here and sleeping in the same bed with Nora every night isn't a problem, I love our crowded and loud meals with everyone at the table. I love helping with the animals, playing with them or understanding them better. I love escaping with Will at some point of the day to a place warm and quiet where we can cuddle, talk and just enjoy each other's company. I even love getting up early and going to pick up eggs, even if I always end up running screaming and Will laughing on the floor because I'm scared of chickens.

I love it here.

Furthermore, I think everybody's content with our presence here. We help the kids, the place and have fun together. It's so funny when we all team against Will, like when we were trying—and failing miserable—to learn one of EXO's choreography of Growl and Will tried to join us, but we would only mock him and tease him. I even told him he had no jams, quoting one of the members of another band, my favourite one, and then asked Nora to hit me for using such an old joke. Eventually, he ended up watching the video of the one we were learning and quickly walked away mumbling: "They multiply and there's no human who could do that."

The funniest part of that day was when later I found him sulking. It was hard to figure out what was wrong, considering it had been a while already, but I managed to put the pieces together and realise he was jealous, again.

"Do you really like men like them?" he asked casually, looking somewhere else as if this was such a normal thing to ask.

"Well, have you seen Jimin from BTS, for instance? How he dances? When he hits that high note? His chocolate abs? Should I show you a video of them?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I like someone like him who can dance, sing and act on stage while looking flawless, sexy and cute all at the same time?" His expression looked so devastated and I knew I was making things worse and probably making him feel self-conscious. "But he's an idol and he isn't even allowed to date," I sighed, defeated. "Furthermore, that's just like an ideal type, but in reality I like a boy who's a dreamer and so optimistic it's hard for me to understand, who's kind and righteous, and has no problem apologising for his mistakes and rectifying his conduct." His expression softened as I spoke, my smile warm and reassuring for him. "So even if I have such a long list of bias, I kinda like you more."

"Kinda?" he asked, although he looked good-humoured and his smile was back.

"Don't push it, I might just run to South Korea and stalk one of the labels until I get a boyfriend. I can pay for their contract breach," I warned him and he laughed out loud, reaching out to grab my hand and pull me towards him, until I ended on his lap, cuddling.

"I like you so much, you know that?" he whispered in my ear, stroking my hair and keeping me close. "So much."

So Will and I are doing great, and even if we've expressed each other feelings, we haven't talked about this between us. Are we dating for real? Is this just for as long as I'm here? What happened when I go back? When he goes back to uni? I have not brought it up because I'm scared, I guess. I'm not sure what I want to hear and how I'd deal with that. Either it's just temporary, a fling or something serious, I don't really know what to do with it.

What if it's a fling and once I go back Will and I never talk or see each other again? My feelings for him keep growing, becoming stronger and even if I don't want to, I'm becoming attached to him and his warm presence, and how he challenges my views and makes me start to consider a different perspective

What if he's serious about it? Can I even think of a relationship when I have such big enemy back home, willing to do anything to get rid of me? Can I even fathom the idea when even if I succeed I have a whole empire to take care of and clean? There's such corruption, deep rooted and infecting everything else, a corruption I wasn't aware or perhaps I was ignoring, but I can't do that anymore. Can I do all that and still think of a relationship?

It is not that I can't ever have a relationship, but shouldn't I worry about the business and fixing everything with the company before dating? Once that is settled and I get the hang of it I think it's possible, but now? What's ahead looks bigger than me and I'm not sure I can handle it even if I give it my best.

Perhaps I should deal with this and ask Will exactly what we are doing instead of just enjoying the ignorant bliss of our current situation. I should also put my priorities in perspective and make a decision, but that makes me reluctant. My heart doesn't want to stay away from Will but I objectively know it's not wise to get distracted now, and no matter how efficient you are, relationships will get in the way of your goals because they demand time and effort, even the best and easiest relationship demands those things. It wouldn't be a relationship if you don't have time to see each other or talk, right?

And here I am, thinking of relationships when I don't even know if what we have can be called one, in the official sense of the word.

Yet, it is not me or Will who brings the subject up. To be honest, I never considered this possibility because I thought aside from Nora, no one else knew about us. I guess I was wrong, because one day Liam, innocently, asks while we are having lunch:

"Blanca, are you and Will going to get married soon?"

Needless to say, I choke on my food, almost spitting it across the table and hitting Michael. Nora rubs my back and offers water, doing her best to keep herself form laughing. I steal a glimpse at Will who is covering his mouth not to laugh as well. My eyes are so wide as I scan the table, meeting everyone's eyes but nobody seems surprised about the little kid asking that. I even meet Clarisse's eyes and she has this knowing smirk that makes me remember of a time she suggested something like that, back then when Will and I were about to rip each other's heads off.

"Wh-what?" I stutter, patting my chest to help swallow and calm down.

"Yeah. You two are always together and are dating now, so when are you getting married?"

I blink and blink, unable to utter a word. I look at Will, asking for help but he only shrugs. Maybe it was a bad idea he sat next to me, but it's been the norm for a while already.

"Oh, oh, oh! If you get married you can adopt us all and we can be a real family!" Sammy exclaims then and that gets a reaction from the other kids, their energy rising as they fidget, looking at us.

"Don't be stupid," Graham says, barely looking up from his plate. "If they get married they'd want to have their own children. Why would they adopt you all? You're far too many. Besides, none of them is a secret millionaire."

Nora coughs and I have to elbow her, while Will just gives me this knowing smirk.

"Adopting just one of you is too unfair, so it's better if they don't adopt anyone," Graham continues.

"But I don't want them to leave once they marry!" Sammy protests, looking close to tears.

"Hold on!" I finally find my voice to speak up. "Why are we even talking about that? No one is getting married anytime soon. We are far too young!" I have to fan myself because it's suddenly too hot and I'm honestly too embarrassed.

"But why not?" Liam questions then. "You two are always together, holding hands. I've even seen you kissing. Don't couples do that?"

Nora can't hold it this time, she laughs and I look at her betrayed, but then Clarisse laughing catches all my attention. She doesn't look surprised, at all, just incredibly amused.

And then Will makes it all worse when he wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer. I struggle, trying to escape but his hold is firm.

"Liam, don't make my princess blush like this. That's my job," he adds, winking at the little kid who chuckles happily while I just want the earth to open up and swallow me whole. "It's too soon. Before marriage comes dating, and we're just starting to date. People date for years before getting married, they need to have jobs and stable lives before marrying. I haven't finished my degree and Blanca needs to find her home, remember?"

"So you two will leave us?" Sammy asks then, once again looking close to tears.

"We all will leave one day," he replies to her. "That doesn't mean we can't come back and hang out all together. Didn't I leave a few years ago? But I'm here again. And I'm sure Princess over here will come back, too."

Will looks at me, the question hanging and heavy with meaning. Am I really coming back here in the future or will I get too busy for that? Are we going to continue seeing each other?

"Of course I'll come back," I reply although I can only stare at him, holding his gaze.

"See? Even if we can't adopt all of you, we'll always be a family," Will concludes, looking away to meet the kids' eyes again, reassuring them that we'll always be together somehow.

But what about just Will and I? I can't stop thinking about that now, what happens with us in the future and I can't help being absentminded the rest of the day, so much even Will gets worried and has to ask what's wrong.

"I just... I'm thinking," I reply and the look in his eyes tells me I should keep talking and explain things better. "I mean... I know I'll do my best to come back here in the future and see the kids, but I can't be sure how often that will be. I'll be so busy and I have just so much to do... and you... I don't know what will happen with you."

I don't want to sound so insecure, so fragile when I'm talking about this, but I can't help it and Will notices it, because he steps closer and wraps his arms around me in a comforting hug. I lean on him, trying to draw strength from him while taking deep breaths.

"Isn't that something you should deal with once you've crossed that bridge? The future hasn't come yet, the future doesn't exist, there's only today." I sigh because I don't need a philosophy lecture, I need some peace of mind. "And even then, I just know I'll do anything in my power to make it work. We'll both be busy, and it's going to be so hard for you, but I want to be by your side. I want to protect you, help you."

"I don't want a knight in shiny armour, Will. I don't want you to be there just to help me or protect me," I tell him. "That's not fair. I don't even know exactly what I want and it scares me to think about what I have to do, what I have to sacrifice."

"Well... in that case tell me one thing: Do you want to be with me? Sure, it won't be like now but do you want to still be my girlfriend even when you go back there? Or is it incompatible dating an activist like me when you go back to being the only heiress and owner of BEEB Group?" He stares in my eyes, intently and I feel my heart racing in anticipation.

"I..." I begin, but the answer isn't so clear in my mind. "I guess I want to, I just don't know if I should."

Will sighs, closing his eyes for a few seconds and leaning forward, his forehead against mine.

"I'm satisfied that you still want to be with me, even then. Tell you what, let's deal with that later. When you go back, when you deal with your stepmother and everything else, let's see then if it works, if we can make it work. What do you say?"

"What if I can't? What if even if I want to, I can't make it work?" I ask, fearing that all this will get ruined because I have a kingdom to take care of, too many people to look after, and I can't be selfish and just think of my own happiness.

"We won't know until we try. And even if it doesn't work, that's in the future. It's working now and it's better if we enjoy every second of it, don't you agree?"

His nose brushes against mine, softly, lightly and somehow that is incredibly reassuring. I smile because his optimism is warm like him, his hopes want to wrap me tight. I can't help being pessimistic and realistic, but I want to be a bit like him. I want to have hopes for us and dream of a future together.

Just a bit, I think. Just a bit of his optimism to believe in a future together.

❅ ❅ ❅

Once again, I'm sorry. Having Fridays to update is hard when there's always something that comes up D: anyhow, here's the update and just a piece of advice: enjoy the fluff for now :))))

Dedication to HMWhite for being the first to catch the change in the epilogue of Call Me Ella. Indeed, Charlie's girlfriend's name was dropped, and also the circumstance of how they met. Before it said they met during their volunteering time in Rwanda... now that has changed because our lovely Charlie will be... chan chan chan... the love interest in the seventh book (based on Sleeping Beauty). I'm considering a half Indian female character for that one.

That bing said... I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Bel, xx

~updates every Monday and Friday~