Evermore

II

I'M PULLED OUT of my peaceful sleep the next day by Ana opening the blinds, sunlight flooding the room and making my eyes burn.

"Oh, good, you're awake." She chirps, ever the morning person, and walks over to fluff the cushions on the untouched side of my bed.

"You say that like you didn't purposely wake me up." I grumble, my voice gravelly from sleep, and she smiles.

"It's almost seven, Everly, and you've got to get up and bathe. You're going to have a room of admirers waiting for you."

Groaning, I hide my face in my down pillow, shielding myself from the stabbing pain of the sunlight and the thought of having to deal with people so early in the morning.

"Come on, up," Ana pulls the heavy cover off of me, exposing the bare skin of my arms and legs to the frigid morning air.

The thin nightgown I'm wearing doesn't do much for warmth, so, with a pointed glare at my friend, I clamber out of my four poster bed and pull on a robe.

"I think it's hardly fair I'm forced out of bed at this unholy hour in my own home." I trudge to the bathroom, dragging my feet as I go, and hear her laugh again.

Stepping into my bathroom, the marble floor chilling my bare feet till their tinged blue, I glance at myself in the large mirror and frown.

My blonde curls have tangled themselves while I slept, making an array of knots, yet the darkness under my eyes doesn't show I've slept a wink.

Paired with the lines from my bedsheet imprinted onto my cheek, I'm a sight to behold.

My eyes still half shut, I twist my still extensively tangled hair into a braid, before tying the end with a soft ribbon that Ana left out for me last night.

"So, what color scheme are we going for today?" She hums as she walks into the bathroom with me, going across the room to fill my clawfoot bathtub.

"You always pick the best ones, Ana, just tell me what to wear and I'll look perfect." I insist, turning the faucet on, splashing my face with cold water to wake me up.

"Green compliments your complexion beautifully, but it's kind of a sad color, don't you think?"

"I don't think green is sad, I think it's very spring-like." I pat my face dry with a soft towel, quickly moving it aside to gauge her thoughts.

"I suppose it depends on the shade." She decides, standing at her full height again, the bathtub slowly filling with warm water.

"Maybe we'll go with a sage color, similar to your ring, so you could wear it again. It looked so beautiful on you last night."

"Are you sure that I won't ruin it?" I ask, setting the towel on the vanity and tilting my head at her in our reflection.

She just smiles, shaking her head.

Unlike me, she's already dressed and ready to start her day. Her dress is clean and freshly ironed, her hair has been pulled back in a neat low ponytail, the brightness on her face says she's been awake for hours.

I wonder how she functions so well.

"Now, brush your teeth while you wait for your bath to fill, and I'll pick out your dress." She says, sounding like a proper mother hen, and I giggle.

"I know, Ana. Thank you."

She leaves the room with a smile plastered to her face, muttering something about me being too independent.

As if. I don't think I could function without her, she's the only reason I'm presentable half the time.

After brushing my teeth with water and a powder made up of different herbs, I'm left with minty fresh breath and a slightly agitated Ana.