“No,” Heathan answered for me, and Eddie stepped back again. “She’s staying here.” Heathan held out his arm so I couldn’t get past him. “Go home.”
I slapped his hand and shook my head. “Silly Rabbit! You’re being so naughty and rude!” I giggled, then looked up at Eddie. “I’m staying here, Eddie. You know Papa doesn’t let me leave, yet you always ask.”
“Fine.” Eddie stormed away, arms crossed over his chest again. “Eddie!” I called out, seeing he was upset, but he didn’t turn around. I sighed and sat back down. I didn’t want Eddie to be sad or angry at me. It wasn’t anyone’s fault if he didn’t belong in Wonderland.
Heathan turned to face me. “I don’t like him.”
“Rabbit. Stop that. He’s my friend.”
“Friends?” he asked. “I don’t have friends.”
My mouth dropped open in shock. “You do now.” Heathan didn’t reply, so I pointed at my chest. “Rabbit and Dolly, remember?” I laughed again when his forehead creased in confusion. I, for one, loved the sound of our new names. “You wanna see my favorite things?” I asked, changing the subject.
Heathan still looked confused, but he eventually shrugged. “Stay here,” I said and leaped to my feet. I ran all the way back to my house and grabbed my sack of favorite things. I was out of breath by the time I got back to Heathan. He hadn’t moved. Not a single muscle.
I placed the sack on the ground and opened the pink string keeping it closed right up. I began pulling everything out. I took the pink picnic blanket and placed it on the ground between us. My heart raced in excitement as I set out the tea set. When it was all arranged between us, I stood up and spread out my hands. “There we go! What do you think?”
Heathan looked at me, then down at the tea set on the ground. I dropped to my knees and steadied his cup and saucer in front of him. “It’s Earl Grey,” I said as I lifted the teapot and poured the tea. “Mummy’s favorite. She always drank tea—six cups a day sometimes!” Once Rabbit’s cup was full to the brim, I filled my own. I brought it to my nose and smelled it, laughing as the steam hit my nostrils. “It tickles!” I snorted and wiggled my nose. “The steam tickles my nose every time I smell the essence of bergamot. But I always do it anyway because it smells sooo good.”
“You’re talking funny,” he said abruptly.
I rolled my eyes. “It’s afternoon tea. Afternoon tea must be taken with an English accent. It’s my favorite. When I talk like this I sound just like my mummy. My mummy always had afternoon tea. Every single day at four p.m. on the dot.”
I was about to take a sip when, over the lip of my cup, I saw Heathan watching me weirdly again. His cup was still on the blanket between us. I wondered if he’d ever had afternoon tea before. If he hadn’t, it was a travesty!
I leaned forward. “You need to drink it soon, Rabbit. While it’s hot. Just make sure you blow on it first. You don’t want to get a burned tongue. That’s the worst feeling in the world!”
Heathan leaned over his cup and then looked up at me through his hair. “There’s nothing inside it.”
My hand froze on my cup. I had to be sure to hold the handle and not touch the china. I didn’t want to burn my finger. “What are you talking about, Rabbit? I just poured you a cup!” My head dropped to the side. “You have never had afternoon tea before, have you?”
Heathan slowly shook his head. I placed my cup on the blanket. “I normally have cakes and treats too. But silly me, I haven’t brought them today. I wasn’t expecting new company. New acquaintances, as Mummy would say.”
Heathan frowned and stared down at his cup. The pink of the cup and blanket was bright against his black clothes. “Would you like me to teach you how to drink your tea properly?” I scooted around the edge of the blanket until I was sitting right by his side. Reaching down, I put my hand on his. I jumped when Heathan froze and snapped his head my way. I forgot he didn’t want me touching him.
I couldn’t help it. I always touched people. I was a touchy person.
I went to pull my hand back, sad, when he said, “No . . .” I could feel my heart beating faster in my chest. “You can leave it there,” he said. But he sounded funny. His teeth were gritted together, like he was in pain or something.
I leaned in closer, until my arm pressed against his. “You smell good,” I said. Heathan’s eyes looked into mine. “And you have the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen.” His jaw clenched, and he moved closer until his nose was near my neck. My eyes went wide as I wondered what he was doing.