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diva-1-online · 1 year ago

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The Obsessive Mind of Carter Harris

One thing about Carter is that all of his projects are perfect. No matter how long they may take.

Poor Carter had terrible luck when it came to the ones he loved. He had focused all his time and energy into Henrik so every lady had no choice but to turn their attention to someone who would provide. The woman he once pined for had chosen the energetic model and he had no choice but to accept it. The closest he ever got with a girl was when he was ten and learning to aid for Henrik with his grandparents. He met a girl who fit right into high society life. She was, in terms of their lifestyle and expectations, perfect. Of course, with his luck, she moved away and he hadn’t seen her or heard of her in fifteen years.

Then again, he wasn’t looking for her ever. He was too busy with the leopard and with keeping Henrik in line. He never once bothered to simply look up her name online. Had he truly wanted to, he could get another worker to find her. He simply had forgotten Miss (Y/n), the perfect doll for the elite to shape. Well, he still remembered when she kissed him and he couldn’t stop turning red. It was the day she moved.

No, he hadn’t thought of her in years. Every so often she would come to mind for a minute or two, then the thought would pass and Carter would continue to order the other workers around.

Well, he did wonder how she turned out. Hoping for the best, of course.

On a day where he did ponder her for too long, he felt immediate repercussions. He felt his body hit that of a lady. He blinked before piecing together the image below him. She had fallen and hit her head on the cement.

“Fuck.”

He winced. He wasn’t used to hearing that language. Ever. He quickly apologized for bumping into her, helping her up, and gathering her groceries.

“Carter?”

“How do you-”

He recognized the same (e/c) eyes and (s/c) skin. He recognized the very physical fragments that pieced together her skull. It all seemed to rush back.

“(Y/n)?” Carter immediately dropped a package he had picked up and went to retrieve it once more.

White Claws.

“I haven’t seen you in ages, how’ve you been?”

“I’ve been. I’ve,” he cleared his throat, still staring at (Y/n), “been fine. I’ve continued work at the castle.”

“Ooh. Yea, I’m sad we had to leave but, well, mom was the only one keeping us there really. Once she died all my dad wanted to do was go back to the countryside.”

“Your mother-”

“Did nobody tell you? Huh.” She interrupted. It wasn’t until now that Carter stared at her hands, noticing an item he frowned upon.

“When did you vape?”

“Oh,” she looked the other way quickly and laughed, clearly trying to hide her embarrassment. “It’s just a habit I guess. A friend of mine had me try it a few… years back.” She shoved it into her pocket carelessly.

Carter couldn’t believe this. The perfect doll that was the role model all parents used for their children was replaced by a… Well… Someone who could never survive in that environment. He looked at her once more and saw a tattoo on her wrist. What even was it? A smiley face. And her eyebrows were studded and she had a septum piercing.

Working with Henrik so much, Carter had immediate caretaker instincts. He needed to fix her, to bring her back to how she used to be.

He needed to give her some sort of punishment for vulgarity. He needed to remove the piercings and hide the tattoo and-

“Dude?” She waved a hand in front of his eyes. “You good? You like, totally zoned out there for a second.”

“What…”

“Oh,” she must have noticed his staring. Finally, some answers for him on what happened to her. “Yea, that weird bump under my shirt,” she lifted up her tight crop-top recklessly, “that’s just my belly button piercing.

The only thing Carter wanted to do in that moment was push her inside of his car and demand answers. Who he knew, that girl, she would have never done something like this.

He wanted to take off her gaudy eyeliner and eyeshadow and have her makeup properly done, not the vibrant colors that she clearly took comfort in.

No, this girl wasn’t anything that he ever thought she would become.

Carter had such a bad luck with women indeed. Henrik almost felt bad for him when he cornered him and asked what made him spill his tea earlier. Of course, Henrik could only feel worse for (Y/n). He had seen Carter zone into projects and she would be nothing less than that.

He watched Carter find her address online and learn everything that happened to her through social media since she left. Her father’s Facebook account, her Instagram and Twitter. He even created an account to follow her “finsta.” Henrik found it humorous at first, the amount of time dedicated to this girl from fifteen years ago, but after a month he worried. It became obsessive.

“I’m going to invite her to an outing.”

“Carter, did you think this through-“

“Of course I thought it through!” He raised his voice but tried to remain calm. He took a few deep breathes. “I’ll make sure she fits in. Once she does, she’ll realize how much she misses her old life.”

“Her old life? When she was what, ten?”

“You don’t understand. She was the perfect member of high society.”

Ah, Henrik thought. Perfect. He knew just how much of a perfectionist Carter was. If he’s calling her (well, who she was) perfect, she must have been someone special. He wondered just how she changed from perfection to… who she is.

Then again, it wasn’t really his right to know. The noble life was petty to live in, so he assumed she didn’t want to deal with any of that. He did worry about her though, if she did come to the outing.

(Y/n) was worried about going to the outing too.

“Uhm, thank you for the offer Carter, but I’m not very comfortable being reintroduced into that lifestyle.” She kindly turned him down, laughing insecurely.

“It’s just for an evening.”

“I know, but these things last forever,” she whined. “Plus, I’d just make a fool of myself.”

“I would never let you do that.”

“Mm,” she groaned, contemplating. In a desperate attempt to rekindle with a friend, she agreed. “But we better leave the second it ends.”

Carter smiled for a second, then, returning to his usual self, he began listing everything she would need to do for the event. (Y/n) sat down and smiled softly, reminiscent of her younger years. It’s not that she was dying to get back to high society, but she did enjoy all the dressing up, going to events, and being treated gently by everyone around her. She somewhat missed the attention of being a poster-child prodigy.

She enjoyed the personal aspects of growing up around there, but people were so… rude. They were all social darwinists and she, even as a child, couldn’t understand why they looked down on anyone who wasn’t raised like they were. She can imagine that if she stayed any longer than she did, she would have been just like them. That would have killed her dad.

Her dad grew up on the countryside, somewhat near her mom’s spring-time vacation home. Her dad worked on a farm, learning to shoot at six, learning to drive a truck around twelve, and drinking at thirteen. He was driving back from selling their meat the day after a rain. Her mom was on a walk in a pretty white dress. He drove a bit too close and mud splashed onto it. He got out and immediately apologized. Mom said he was too charismatic to turn down when he offered to make up for it on a date.

Her dad always hated living with their society. Partly because everyone there treated him like literal garbage, always letting her mom know that they had a great divorce lawyer. When her mom died, he had no reason to stay (especially when they told him if he had only been a better husband she’d still be alive). So they went back to the farm, though he couldn’t keep it running with just him and a child who knew nothing about farming. So he worked at another farm, not caring about money since he knew The Will secured them.

(Y/n) stood outside of the dressing room he told her to meet at, meeting a few ladies who were told to “help” her.

“Oh… that’s… nice.” She looked around the room, seeing dresses and makeup littered in every corner.

“Let’s get you ready!” The shortest one shoved her into the seat, spinning her around and holding foundation. (Y/n) glanced to her side and saw Carter sitting down, waiting for her to be done.

Now this, this was his project finally coming true. Watching her tattoos become covered in makeup, no longer visible; her piercings removed, except for a single pair on her ears; the hoops removed and replaced with emerald studs. She knew she would have to have her tattoos covered, but she really thought they would let her keep her earrings.

“Now for the dresses!” The short girl said again. She must have a high job satisfaction. “I think this red one would look super good on you!” She agreed but before she could put it on, they pulled something else out of the closet.She was given a corset and immediately dropped her jaw slightly.

“It’s not bad,” one of the ladies reassured her.

“I believe you, but I’ve never worn one. My parents thought I was too young to start it.” A bit of a lie. Some of the other girls had worn them for short periods of time so her mom was fine with the idea of her wearing one occasionally (but her dad immediately protested).

They were right though. It really wasn’t that bad to wear for the outing. (Y/n) just couldn’t eat as much as she had liked, but she supposed it was for the better. Not many people talked to her, thankfully, but a few of the older women recognized her and asked about how she was doing. She kept it simple and short: “I’m an E.R. nurse at a the Kaliedo New Hope Hospital. I’ve been doing amazing, what about you?” And then she would insert a compliment.

After the party, (Y/n) pulled Carter to the car so she could get home and into some more comfortable clothes.

“You were natural out there.” He told her matter-of-factly, glancing over at her while driving.

“Yea but it wasn’t natural.”

“I disagree.”

“Then you really don’t know me,” she tilted her head back and laughed a bit. “I just wasn’t meant for all that.”

“You grew up with it.” His voice was a bit sterner, pressing harder on his opinion.

“Yea but that’s when I was a kid. I grew up. I grew. I changed, Carter.”

He sighed. “I know.”

(Y/n) bristled and side eyed him, “What’s that sigh for?”

“I can’t understand why you live the way you do.”

“Excuse me?” She immediately sat up, glaring at Carter. “The way I live? I live how I want to.”

“Or do you live how your father wants you to?”

“If I lived how my dad wanted me to live I would’ve gone into agriculture,” she snapped. She turned to look at the road when she suddenly put her hand over his on the wheel. “You can pull over. I’m walking home.”

“No you are not.”

“Carter,” she stared straight at him, “pull over or I’ll make you swerve off the road.”

Not one to question her truthfulness to her threats, he pulled over and watched as she got out.

It began to rain.

Hard.

Carter sighed, not driving away as (Y/n) messed with her heels so she could walk more comfortably.

“Get back in.”

“No.”

“Stop being so stubborn and-“

“-And get your seats wet? I’m like half a mile home dude. I’ll give the girls their stuff back tomorrow.” And with that, she started walking away.

Of course, Carter didn’t just let her walk home alone, no no. He followed her from a distance to make sure she was safe. She was so eager to just get into her house that she never once looked back to see a car following.

After a few days, (Y/n) went back to work but was called to an office by her boss when she finished her twelve hour shift. And (Y/n) was immediately shocked.

“You’re firing me? What did I do?” She was panicking over remembering what she could have possibly done wrong to any of her patients.

“Nothing, you’ve been great to work with, (Y/n), you really have. We just think you’re better suited somewhere else.”

“Where?”

(Y/n)’s boss fell silent after that, pursing her lips.

“Please just go home. I’ll be happy to do any recommendations for a future job.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” (Y/n) raised her voice, but it wasn’t quite a yell yet.

“(L/n).”

“Yea… well, thanks for letting me know,” she told her. She finished her sentence as she exited the building though. “After I did my shift.”

She called Carter when she got in the car and he suggested they meet up at the harbor. Thankfully, (Y/n) had a nicer set of clothes in her car. Good thing she didn’t clean it out.

“And she told me I was fired AFTER my shift. Who does that?” She crossed her arms and huffed.

“I don’t know where I’m going to work. Or if anywhere will hire me, I mean would someone really hire a nurse who doesn’t even know why she got fired?”

“The castle needs a nurse.” He offered.

“Carter, I don’t-”

“They need someone who can work twelve hour shifts and stay on their feet. They need someone who can work under pressure and think quick. You worked in an E.R., I’m sure you fit all of those requirements.”

“Pfft, who knows.”

Carter stayed silent, knowing that he was the one who called the hospital, demanding for them to fire her.

Quieter, she added in, “do you really think they’d let me?”

He nodded. “I’m sure of it. In fact, I can get you an interview by next week.”

“Thank you,” she smiled meekly, upset at the loss of her job but hopeful about bouncing back. Not like she necessarily wanted a job at the castle, but she did need to make money.

She made sure to cover her tattoos for the interview and dress professionally. While she took out her septum and eyebrow piercings she kept her triples in her ear. Her makeup, to Carter, was still a little gaudy but much better than her usual makeup.

She walked into the office to see a tall woman with long and thin brown hair greet her.

“What are your connections with us?” The lady, stiff and stern, asked her as soon as she sat down.

“My father worked as a gardener of the castle for about twenty five years, eight of those I was also living living at the castle. My mother-“

“Stop.” (Y/n) was petrified at what she had already done wrong, but the lady suddenly smiled at her. “Don’t tell me, your mother was (M/n)!”

“Yes,” she breathed out in relief, “how did you-“

“I was one of her friends growing up. I remember you when you were a baby,” the lady seemed like she was going to reach out and take (Y/n)’s hand but stopped herself. “Oh, you look just like her. She’d be so proud of you being a nurse… and your father is-“

Now it was time for (Y/n) to cut her off. “-alive and well. He moved back to the country side.”

The lady gave her a sweet but faux smile, continuing, “I’m glad to hear that. Now,” she placed down her hands over (Y/n)’s resume. “Are you ready to hear the news?”

“Yea,” (Y/n) fake smiled and laughed a little.

“You got the job! Oh, I can’t wait to work with you!” She leaned over the table to give her a hug. “Congrats! Here’s a binder with a few questions about the job!”

(Y/n) wished she was back to seeing the stern lady because she just couldn’t understand what qualifications she had that would lead to her immediately getting a job at a castle. No way could this be a serious job if it’s up to whether or not the interviewer liked someone’s parents. Actually, she thought, that made sense here.

“(Y/n)?”

“Yes?” She turned around to see Mrs. Kaudry, her new boss, approaching her.

“I decided that you should move departments.”

“Wha-“

“-You know that with higher society comes different social norms and manners, I’m sure. Much different than the countryside your father is from.”

“Yes.” Damn, she’s always getting cut off here.

“Well, just to help you get a better hold on them, Carter offer- ahem, Carter is going to be your tutor.” Mrs. Kaudry remembered that he insisted that she doesn’t say he offered to be her tutor.

Good thing (Y/n) didn’t catch that slip up. She was way too busy being pissed off at how, even when it has nothing to do with him, they still find a way to bring down her dad. Jeez, how could her mom even be friends with these people?

“Mm, wait, how does me learning manners correlate with switching departments? And where am I going?”

“Well, not doing twelve hour shifts will give you more time to be tutored daily.”

Daily? Jesus.

“And you’ll be switching to the schooling nurse for the sick children here.”

“Oh… okay.”

After four days, she sat down with Carter for another tutoring session.

“How’s work?”

“Boring. Easy. So easy. Carter, these kids have fevers. That’s all I’m treating. A fever and maybe a bruise.”

“That sounds better than the E.R.”

“I enjoyed the work there. I enjoyed feeling useful. At this rate my dad could fill in for me and no prescription would change.”

“Enough complaining.” He told her and began to teach. (Y/n) had begun to become a very diligent student under his care. Mrs. Kaudry had begun to plan to move her back to the E.R unit of the castle. Which, honestly, didn’t get many patients either. But when they did (Y/n) was always right on it.

There was a party later that week that Carter had insisted she come to, but she was still stubborn. He understood part of it, the parties really did last a while, but still, that was no excuse. Not anymore.

He walked into her room and almost had to do a double take at her. She was in no way dressed for a royal party. Instead of immediately announcing his thoughts, he (being so considerate of her feelings) opted for a different way.

“You need to dress more modestly.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not wearing it to the party… Because I’m not going.” She added.

“Where are you going then?” He eyed up and down her tight shorts that cut off right as her thigh began and a tight hot pink crop top.

“One of the clubs I used to go to. When I still worked at New Hope.”

“Don’t you know how men can act. You represent the castle now, you cannot-“

“-I’m an adult Carter. I’m wearing what I want.” She turned to him for another quick second. “And we both know the only man I’ll listen to is my dad.”

“Perhaps that’s the problem.” He began walking towards her swiftly.

“What?” She was somewhat shocked but mostly frightened as she was backed into a corner with the tallest man she knew staring her down.

“You were meant for this lifestyle. He is a farmer-“

“-he is my FATHER. And I’m meant to be a nurse. It doesn’t matter where. But I’m not meant for the dresses and glamour.” She tried to get out of the corner but was stuck with Carter not budging. “Look, if this is you wanting to hang out we can do that anytime, I just don’t want to go to this dance. Just stop being so damn pissy-“

In a sudden moment, she was lightly slapped. She stared wide-eyed at Carter. Not like the slap necessarily hurt, but it was more in shock than anything.

“Language.”

“What?? You don’t control me-“

“-last time I checked I was in charge of teaching you etiquette. By the way you act I might as well take care of you. Now come,” he tightly held onto (Y/n)’s wrist and dragged her to the couch.

“I’m not going to the party.”

“You’re right. We aren’t going,” he made sure to emphasize the we part. “Now, let’s go over manners.”

“Jesus,” she placed a hand over her forehead but quickly went to a perfect posture and lightly smiled expression, suddenly under criticizing eyes. After the brief, but harsh, session, Carter asked a few more questions.

“What remains covered?”

(Y/n) was confused at first before realizing he was talking about her outfit. “My… chest. And stomach.” He wanted her to continue on. “And thighs?”

“Correct. How should you speak?”

She looked down, embarrassed to be treated this way. “Softly and kindly.”

“And?”

“I will not act this way again, Mr. Harris.” God, she wanted to kick herself for doing that.

But he was quite pleased that she didn’t need to be reminded to call him professionally during lessons.

A few weeks later, she was in trouble with him once more. As she began to become more and more comfortable with high society life, she seemed to get in trouble for smaller and smaller things.

“All I did was tell her that her son having a bruise wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. He could’ve twisted his ankle!”

“And,” she kept going, “it was one little

slip up. So why am I locked up in your room missing out on visiting Mrs. Kaudry for tea?”

“I’ve already informed her. She understands.” That didn’t answer her question, but she didn’t care too much about answers. She just wanted to have tea with Mrs. Kaudry, honestly.

“This isn’t fair.”

“What isn’t fair is how you expect everyone to accept your negative attitude and poor mannerisms.”

“Well,” she hung her head slightly, feeling ashamed of her actions. “I’m sorry.”

He smiled. Progress. The old her would never apologize without him pressing.

He sat down on the couch next to her, about five inches from her. (Y/n) looked at him from the side and shyly moved closer to him, resting her head on his arm.

“I’m really sorry.”

He reached out with his other hand and lightly patted the top of her head.

“I know.”

He let out a quiet sigh of relief, knowing his project was almost complete.

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