Starlet

37. Done With Today

The next day, I go to theater practice. I sit in my spot alone like always. Lynn is back to sitting by Leo. I guess they got everything worked out. They get up on the stage to go through a scene. Lynn over flirts with him the whole time. She says something and his eyes go dark at the end. Then she smirks at me. I smile and write down what Bayden says. I'll never be his girlfriend. That's her job. All I can do is be his friend.

I concentrate on Bayden as they get off the stage holding hands. I guess they love each other. Nothing I can do about that. It's good really.

Then Collin sneaks in and sits by me. I snuggle into his side and lay my head on his shoulder. "What's wrong?" He seems uneasy.

"Something happened over by your house. I guess that magician came back. I wanted to sit with you. I feel better like this."

I pull his hand into my lap and hold it. I lightly touch his fingers and palm. He relaxes and kisses my head.

He takes me to dinner, then we sit on my porch and drink a glass of wine. I don't know what happened earlier. But everything seems fine now. I snuggle into his side.

Everything goes well for a few weeks. I make it to all my classes and practices.

This weekend I'm going back on the SeaSpa with Nadine and Thora. They want to test out a dance class on the boat.

Friday, right after theater practice, I get summoned to Dipak's office. I sit in my seat beside Thora. There's a bunch of people here now. All my servants came. I think they are planning on getting on the boat with me.

Dipak stands up. "There's a big storm over where the boat is. You're not going anywhere. We can try again next weekend."

"BUT."

"Do you want to sink?"

Nadine shakes her head. "Not really."

"Ok then. Issue 2. We have a ball coming up next weekend. We need dates, woman."

Nadine rubs her eyes. "Am I walking as queen?"

"Yes."

I throw a piece of cooked pineapple in my mouth.

"Then we need a princess." She looks at me.

I spit the pineapple out and catch it. "I'm not that. I don't want to dance with princes."

Thora jumps up. "I'M THAT. I'M THE PRINCESS. I GET A PRINCE."

I nod and toss the pineapple back in my mouth as she sits down.

Coral rubs her eyes. "YOU'RE ALREADY A QUEEN."

"NOW I'M A PRINCESS."

"Do you want to go, Star?"

"No."

Marcus looks at me. "It'll be good for you. You don't have to walk as our princess. But you can go."

I roll my eyes.

Thora shakes her head. "Do not put her with Marcus. They'll argue about everything all night."

"Well, he says I'm too young for everything."

Nadine nods. "Ylle with Marcus. Dorseti with Mason. Star with Tre. Thora with Tye. Elkie with Nik. Tanny with Frode. Ask Ylle to bring a couple of friends for Elek and Johen. I need to fix the titles too. I'll be in all black. Thora will be all red. Everyone else do a mix of black and red. Use our clothes' maker for the dresses, so none of them are exact. You'll get 2k for the dressmaker. 500g for the shoemaker. 5k for jewelry. Keep it all in black and red."

My servant jumps up and down. She gets everyone's attention. I put an eyebrow up, and she runs over to me. She tries to be quiet but yells more. "We need to get your jewelry."

I shove some pineapple in and point to Nadine. The servant pulls me over to the door frame that's still randomly in the middle of the room.

Nadine shakes her head. "The jewelry will be made by our jeweler."

"8 vaults of jewelry." She pushing me to the door.

"It's probably all rubble." I nod. Still have a mouth full of food.

Another servant runs at me. "BLACK DIAMONDS."

I make the door and swallow hard. Me and all my servants fall through. Mason, Dipak, Tre, and Marcus come in while we're picking each other up.

Then Tye, Nadine, and Thora fall through. Johen, Elek, Nik, Kane, and Omar come in laughing their asses off. Kane tries to stop. "They tackled Tye's ass in here."

"WE'RE HERE TO HELP." Thora brushes herself off.

The girls decide not to help when we go to the dungeon. So, a bunch of them tour the castle. The servants lead me to the jewelry vaults. I open the first 7 for the boys, and they direct brains to move it. I go in the final vault with the servants. The royal vault.

Tiara's and a few crowns are on the walls. The queen's scepter and the king's sword sit on the other. The king's rings and pins are displayed in a box. My momma's headpieces are in another. Nothing seems like rubble.

"It's all sealed. That's why it's as good as new. Even the capes are perfect."

"Let's put the headpieces on you."

I would argue, but I've always wanted to do this. I have only ever been here once.

The first piece sits fully in my hair. Strands of diamonds fall through my hair.

The second piece sits flat on my head. A diamond hangs down to the center of my forehead.

The third piece is the gold crown with diamonds.

The servants put the arm bands and bracelets on me quickly. It all matches. Gold and diamonds. Rings get placed on my fingers so easily. I know they did this for my momma. It's easy for them.

The cape gets tied around my shoulders. Deep red and gold.

The veil gets hooked to the back of the crown and drags the floor behind me. Never to be put over my eyes.

I take the scepter. Gold with a big diamond on the end. More gold bars wrap around it. Mine.

I step out of the vault. I'm going to wear this today. I motion the brain. "This vault too."

"Yes, ma'am."

I go to the throne room and sit on my throne. My servants all smile and watch me.

Then Marcus comes in. He puts an eyebrow up. Then he rubs his eyes. "Everyone else went back. You need to go too."

I shake my head.

"Ice cream will be there."

I do like ice cream.

"With chocolate sauce."

"FINE." I storm through his door.

Everyone at the table stares at me.

Mary stands up and her eye twitches.

Nadine stands up and points at me. Dipak nods.

Marcus finally comes in behind all my servants. They all start cleaning tiara's and jewelry.

"Where's the ice cream?"

"You need to take all that off."

"YOU SAID..." I slam the end of the scepter to the ground and a lightening bolt flies out the diamond. It hits the window behind Dipak and the window explodes.

Dipak looks at the window and then to me.

I shove the scepter at Marcus. "I'm too young for that."

Thora smiles. "I guess they can break. But take all that off. I found a village party. Since our plans have been ruined, we'll go to that. I'll get you some ice cream later."

"BUT HE SAID."

"Bring her some ice cream with chocolate sauce."

"Yes, sir."

"You can have it when that is all off. We don't want to mess it up with chocolate."

I hand Mary the crown because she's got a new shoulder twitch. Then my servants get the rest of it off me. I smile and eat my ice cream.

"OH THIS TIARA IS ALL BLACK. Will this 1 work?" A servant runs a tiara to Nadine.

"IS THAT REAL BLACK DIAMONDS?"

"All the royal jewelry is real, ma'am."

"Oh I have this 1. It has a ruby in the center. Smaller black diamonds on the sides. It's not all black."

"Will you eat that already?"

I shove the last bite of my ice cream in and Thora drags me out. We get to our house, and she changes into Lindsay, then we go to find this party. I'm kind of hoping Silvia will be there. Lindsay will start kissing boys and forget I exist. I guess I'll be able to sneak home soon if Silvia's not there. Either will work.

I fix my hair and wash up a bit while she sorts herself out. Then we walk around the village searching for the address she has.

Seems to take forever but we find it.

We walk around the side of the house and I see a fire in the backyard. "I wonder if they'll have fire snacks."

"I really doubt it. But you can probably taste some beer."

"Not sure if I want to do that."

We laugh, and she grabs my shoulders and spins me around to face her.

"What?" She seems all sorts of freaked out.

"I'm sorry." She spins me back around, and it takes me a second. But Collin is staring at me with a girl on his lap.

Something snaps in my chest and it hurts. "Perfect." I turn to leave.

She grabs me again. "Don't leave. He's leaving."

"No. I'm done with today. You stay and have fun."

I go into the house and make a door to my bedroom. I curl up in bed and cry. I don't like this pain. This is pain I've never felt. I eventually cry myself to sleep.