Dear Ocean

Chapter 3: Anatasia

I do not want to be here. I would rather be almost anywhere else, but the crown princess of Warriarcia is expected to be here. It's kind of ironic that almost every girl where I come from wishes to be a princess, but lately I'm getting tired of it. Tired of going to meetings like this that don't accomplish anything besides heated insults. Even the opening speeches are hard to watch. The tones and ideas of the speeches are almost warring for attention. The Decican speeches are businesslike and the tone makes me wonder if the dignitaries and even Decica's current president hope that whatever consensus the three countries may or may not come to will be easy and possibly profitable. Warrarcia's speeches have an almost aggressive tone and refer to climate change as if it doesn't exist. The Nova make speeches that are optimistic and refer to climate change as an urgent problem. I'm not even sure what I believe anymore. I've been taught all my life that the Nova and all people in Celestia have everything wrong, but I'm not so sure now. If it becomes known that I'm siding with them, I don't know what my parents would do. All I can do is to survive is smile, wave,and be a princess. Do whatever's expected of me. Including scowling at the Nova girl named Ocean Estrella sitting next to me. She didn't seem to get the memo that we're supposed to hate each other. In fact, she's smiling at me. It's almost like the people of Celestia are incapable of hate. Maybe that's not a bad thing. "I like your outfit," Ocean says

"Uhh,thanks. Yours is cool, too,"

"Thanks."

Our awkward half-conversation ends, a girl with brown eyes and curly brown hair sits next to me. She's Francesca Gold, the daughter of Decica's current president. Her brother, Brandan, who has short dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes, sits next to her.

"Whatup?" She says

"Nothing much." I reply

"God, can you believe how much of a nerdfest this is?"

"I know right! Everyone here from Celestia is all 'science,numbers,big words,change the world.' When do they have fun! At all!"

"I know right!"

"Right!"

"And can you believe how tragically unstylish they are," Francesca looks at Ocean, "Some of them wear jewelry that's completely dingy. Some of them don't even wear makeup properly. Some of them wear...flat shoes. The horror! It's completely sad."

Ocean starts to look annoyed.So does her brother, Dylan.

"So, we're stuck at the kids table.What do you guys think we should do while our parents fight?"Dylan says

"I brought some cards,"says a Nova I don't know.

"Great idea,Hannah. What game should we play?,"Ocean says

"I'm up for poker," Dylan says.

Hannah starts dealing out the cards and the game begins. Ocean is doing surprisingly well. I never would have pegged her for the calculating type. I guess she's more complicated than she seems. Just as Ocean reveals a royal straight (a "broadway" as some call it), a hooded figure walks up to the table.The stranger takes off the hood and reveals it is a boy, somewhat handsome, with brown hair and brown eyes. "Deal me in," he says dramatically. After all the cards are revealed (Ocean won), Hannah hands him cards along with everyone else. "What's your name?" Ocean asks the mysterious boy

"Jack"

"Did you get to come here through the speech writing contest?"

"Uh,yeah."

The first card that Jack gets is an ace. He doesn't bother to look at his three down cards. Ocean's first card is a queen of hearts, and she seems happy with her down cards. She really wears her emotions on her face. None of my cards are good. Jack's next card is another ace. Wow. Talk about luck. "I'm out,nerds,"Francesca declares after looking at her cards. "Me too. I have junk," I say. Ocean's next card is a seven of hearts. Complete garbage, yet she doesn't even blink. Jack's next card is a third ace. "I have nothing.I fold," says Dylan. "I can't beat Jack.I fold," Brandon says. Ocean just stares right at him. Her eyes turn deep violet for some reason. She gets a one of spades. When Jack and Ocean each get their final cards, Jack smirks slightly. Ocean bites her lip slightly. Jack reveals a full house.

"Good,but not good enough," Ocean says. She reveals a flush of spades. Jack laughs "Wow. You've got game, girl."

"Thanks."

"Guys, the food's here," Hannah says,taking back all the cards. When the food is put on the table, everyone quickly cuts in. "So," Jack says to Ocean between bites "What do you like to do?"

"I like theatre, video games, books, T.V. Normal stuff."

"Me too!" Jack says, grinning.

"What's your favorite subject?"

"Science."

"Me too!"

Jack and Ocean chat like that all through dinner. It's annoying, frankly.

After dinner, the dance floor begins to fill up. "Do you wanna dance?" Jack asks, extending his hand to Ocean. "Yeah," she replies, taking his hand.