not a fairytale

eight

 "I need to know how to beat this bitch," I snapped as I came back to my room after the tea was over and Anthony followed me back to my room.

"Wow," he laughed, "Territorial, are we?" 

"I really like him Anthony and I know he likes me, but I'm not some member of high society. I'm not noble, the Royal Council has no idea who I am," I replied.

"But Queen Maria does," he replied, "And she likes you, she took you aside today, not Cheryl."

"I just need an edge Anthony," I said.

"You already do," he said, "Logan is into you, when he realizes you can be a part of this world nobody will hold a candle to you."

"I need to be the clear frontrunner and I can't be right now with Cheryl coming back," I sighed, "I can't blend in, I can't be like them because I won't be as good at it but I can't be me, I can't be the foul-mouthed hot head I always have been. I'm fucked." 

"Be both," he said, "You've said you're the best of both worlds for Logan, so be it. Follow their rules, learn their mannerisms and culture, but put your own personality into it. Be the bold person you always have been, but in a good way, not in a sleep with guys my dad hates way." He said.

"Low blow Anthony," I laughed, "But you're right."

"Always am," he grinned.

###

We all laid low for the rest of the night and I got to catch up with Tessa. It was nice to have familiarity here amongst all the new stuff I was trying to soak in and learn. I stayed up way too late talking to Tessa and Anthony rudely woke me up way too early the next morning.

"Go away," I groaned, pulling my blanket over my head as he opened the curtains.

"Come on, you've got breakfast," he said, "Alessia's picking out your outfit."

"I don't care," I groaned.

"Logan's gonna be there," he remarked, "Telling us where we're headed next."

"Fine," I groaned, pushing the blankets aside and rolling out of bed.

"There's a dress hanging in the bathroom," Alessia laughed as she packed a few trunks in the closet.

"Thanks, Alessia," I remarked as I went to the bathroom to clean myself up and found a pink dress with tank top straps that fell a little before my knee. It was soft and comfortable but still nice looking enough to get away with.

I braided my own hair in the bathroom mirror after brushing my teeth and changing and slid on a pair of nude-pink flats and grabbed a sweater from the closet on my way out the door.

"Hey Tessa," I greeted as I met Tessa outside the dining room, "You should sit with Kate and me and her friends, they're actually kind of normal."

"I'd love to," she smiled as we walked into the room and found Kate, Meghan, and Alex.

"You must be the trash from Italy," Cheryl's voice remarked as I got up to get a drink, "I thought Jeanne was just being crass but I see your outfit today and see she was right."

"Nice to meet you too," I smiled, trying to be nice because I knew she would get pissed about it.

"You were wearing that horribly garish dress at the tea yesterday afternoon," she continued, "Yellow? Really? You add the slit and the straps and it's obvious you don't belong here, that you aren't meant to be a part of high society."

"You know, the more I hear that, the more it makes me want to win," I smiled, "Have a nice day Cheryl," I added before walking away.

"Good morning ladies!" Logan greeted as he came through the doors and to the front of the room, "Today we are getting ready to travel to the mountains of Meldeva and to the home of the House of Malitous where the Duke and Duchess so kindly agreed to host us. We set out in an hour, I hope you are all excited to see the beauty that is the winters in Meldeva."