"He's cute."
"He is?" Alexander asked, surprised. "I've never heard you talk about him that way."
"But I want to meet new guys. And Mother and Father keep me studying too much of the time."
"Well, your education is very important," Alexander said.
"Ugh," she said. "You would say that. You all want me locked up forever."
"You are not locked up," he said. "Quit being so dramatic."
"I am; you don't even know. You don't mind painting in your room for hours. But I want to be out and seeing the world."
"Well, you are here, now," he said. "This is getting out into the world."
She made a face at her brother. "I know. I'm glad I'm here."
"So what do you like to do for fun?" I asked.
"Uh... I read and write poems."
"And try to sneak out of the house?" Alexander teased.
"Just sometimes," she said with an impish smile.
"I do that, too," I said.
"You do?" She gazed at me skeptically.
"Well, I really sneak in more places than I sneak out of. In fact, that's the first time I saw Alexander face-to-face. Right there - " I said, pointing to the bottom of the staircase.
Alexander cleared his throat again.
"It's no secret," I said.
"Secret?" she asked eagerly. "Tell me!"
I leaned forward. "I snuck into the Mansion."
"You did?" Again she was skeptical.
"Yes," I answered proudly. "And it wasn't the first time."
"Maybe she shouldn't hear all this," Alexander said.
"No, tell me." Stormy was keen to hear more. "I must know."
"I used to sneak in here when I was younger."
"Why would you want to sneak in?" she wondered.
"I wanted to see what was on the inside."
"Funny, I've always wanted to see what is on the outside," she said.
"Well, we will get to that tomorrow," Alexander said as we finished our desserts.
It wasn't long before Alexander was preparing to take me home. I was grabbing my coat in the foyer when I overheard the two siblings talking in the kitchen. I knew I should let the two of them talk privately, but I couldn't help myself. It wasn't like me not to eavesdrop.