Chipped Tea Cup

Tea Parties

We didn't have much of a chance without each other. Our little islands were prime real estate for the insatiable mainland nations. And so, it logically followed that in order to stay alive we must stay together. So here I was, leaning against the bow of a ship, heading towards our neighboring island to negotiate a treaty.
A hand touched my shoulder, "Are you okay?" It was my mother.
"Yea," I said with a smile as I turned my head over my shoulder to look at her. She shouldn't be so worried. I can take care of myself just fine, always have always will.
They used to call me stubborn, obstreperous, a born contrarian. By they I mean my governess, and everyone else who sought to civilize me. But now I am their crown jewel. Obedient, quiet, witty- but not too witty. If I hadn't been so wild as a child then they would not be able to wear me with as much pride as they do now, showing me off at balls and dinners. Bragging to their friends, ambassadors, royals. But it wasn't their lessons that matured me, no- it was myself. I discovered that I could be anything I wanted- do anything I wanted. I just had to appear how they wanted. So I sat and I studied and I watched and I learned everything they wanted me to learn. I drew a blueprint of the perfect princess and then I become her.
I am not obedient out of respect for my elders, I am obedient because I have no cause not to be. In fact, I am not obedient at all. I just happen to agree with what I am told to do, like how I agree with what I am doing now.
I am not quiet, I am shrewd. I am always listening, always eavesdropping. Always aware of what is going on around me. Calculating my every move and my every word to best please my situation. It's like a puzzle, trying to figure people out like that. Looking in their eyes, reading their minds. People are like books, easy to read once you get the basics.
I am not witty. I am careful. It's is this care that makes me so good at what I do.
This may all sound like a torturous existence to you, but I love it. It's my favorite game. And I like to make them happy. If I can bring them joy by playing the part of a trophy they earned then I will. It's also freedom. It gives me time to cultivate a rich world inside of myself, always busy and buzzing.
But don't get me wrong, this is a lonely life. I always hope that someone will read me and see all the clues I've been dropping, All the things that fly over everyones heads, and laugh with me; a good hearty laugh. Laugh at all the jokes I've played over the years that no one appreciated but me. Laugh at how ridiculous it all is sometimes. I just want to be real with someone.
Sometimes the thought of a thing is enough. And thinking thoughts of companionship is enough for me. At a time they weren't. Those were my aforementioned stubborn, obstreperous, contrarian years , when I relied on other people to keep me company. Now I am happy by myself. In my shrewd silence I have friends, I have ideas I should say. And I entertain these as you would old acquaintances at a tea party. We had cakes and tea and used my fancy China set inherited from my grandmother on my mother's side. And this specific idea, the one about the laughing, was what I was thinking about when my mother asked me if I was okay. Hence the smile.
I knew I would be okay as long as I had my tea parties.