Royal's Academy: Cinderella

Chapter 2 ~ Dresses, Battle Armor and Good Reasons

My friends looked at me like I had finally lost it when I told them of my plan. It was simple really, just get enough followers to go against Hayley. That’s how they over threw the queen in the olden days. It wasn’t a perfect plan but it was the best one I had.

“Are you sure?” Belle asked.

“Yeah, no one has ever gone against Hayley and her crew.” Rose brought up. I got a knot in my stomach, pushing my food away from me. Every time I thought about it, I felt less sure about my plan. My friends questioning just made it worse.

“Well, now that I think about it, maybe it’s not such a good idea but something needs to be done.” I mumbled holding my stomach.

“What’s not a good idea?” Snow asked sitting down next to me. The round table made it hard to do that but we had become accustomed to it. We just turned our bodies so, we could see everyone. Form where I was I could see the whole cafeteria, its walls were a dark blue, having windows about every two or three feet. I looked towards Snow and looked down at her plate. She buys school food and usually it looks okay but today this just looked like it was still alive. Rapunzel filled her in and Snow looked at me wide eyed. “Whoa. I know you don’t like them but that is really daring.”

“Exactly, that’s why I’m not going to do it. I change my mind. I’m a girl, it’s completely okay for me to change my mind. I don’t even know what I was thinking.” I looked down at my untouched food.

Belle put her hand on my shoulder, “You were thinking of the right thing. Doing something… truly memorable.”

“Thanks but I don’t think I am going to.” I said honestly, “I don’t really have a good reason, anyways. I may also think of something else you never know.”

All my friends looked at me probably wanting to say more, but not sure what to say. Snow lit up, “So, does anyone want to hear something very interesting that I bet Ella didn’t bring up.” She wouldn’t I thought, no she would. That’s why I call her my best friend. Rapunzel, Belle and Rose brightened up as well, knowing Snow usually has romance gossip, if any. Snow told them how I ran into Andrew and then ran off. I blushed and hid behind a wall of hair. Everyone went, “Ooh!”

Rose teased, “Oh, so that’s how you get cute guys to talk to you.”

“No, that’s how you embarrass yourself in front of a cute guy.”

“Aha!” Snow exclaimed, “You admit it, you think he was cute.” My blush deepened as an answer.

Belle asked me, “So, does he really have no idea of who you are?”

“Yeah but he certainly knows who Hayley is. I saw them talking on my way to gym.” I revealed.

“See, this is a good reason to fight back to Hayley,” Rapunzel mentioned.

“No, it isn’t and weren’t you just against me doing it,” I asked curiously.

“Well, yeah. But the more I think about it the more I think she deserves to go down.” She said fiercely.

“Look, I regret even revealing my plan but unless she does something that proves she is truly evil and doesn’t deserve to be “queen” I won’t do anything.” I said stubbornly. I wasn’t going to embarrass or “dethrone” her unless she did something unforgivable. The topic was dropped and not mentioned again during lunch.

I saw a girl at the other end of the lunch room, cowering. I assumed she was new because Hayley was bullying her. I felt defensive of her, no one should be treated that way. Not her, not me, no one. I knew, privately, that as soon as I came up with a plan I would stop Hayley. She would learn not to be a jerk and that people only like nice people. This time my intentions were clear: to stand up for the little guy- metaphorically speaking.

I decided my food looked edible and began to eat, clearing my plate in ten minutes. We began to talk about the dance. None of us had dates but who needs dates when you have friends? That’s what’s important, friendship and sticking together. However, we all agreed we would separate if we found dance partners than join at the end. We continued to talk about the dance and Belle brought up, “So, who do you think will be crowned King and Queen?”

“Well, obviously Hayley and whoever her date is.” I stated simply.

“Yeah and we all know that could and most likely will change, every day.” Rapunzel grumbled.

“While that is true, we know Hayley will be crowned…queen.” I said, pausing as I realized something, “Meaning, if someone were to, oh I don’t know, become queen instead, Hayley would be ruined.” My friends saw where I was getting at and smiled mishcheivously. Now we were set, with a motive and a plan, we were unstoppable. All I had to do was become queen at the dance but that is easier said than done.

***

So, after lunch we went to our electives. Snow headed to gym while the rest of us trudged off to Teen Living. I was really excited and yet super nervous as well. I wondered if this was normal though now that I think about it, none of this is normal or sane! We were going against “her majesty” as we were now going to refer to her as so, we could avoid another situation like during gym. It wouldn’t be hard for me to adjust, Hayley thinks I should call her so anyways.

We walked into the classroom and I looked around, there were 3 parts to the whole thing. On one side there were 4 mini kitchens and on the other side was the sewing room then, there was the middle room which acted more as a classroom. The kitchens were 4 different colors blue, green, yellow and red, so whatever the color was on the walls was the color of the appliances. In the sewing room, it reminded me of seamstresses in the old days, all lined up in a row.  We were learning sewing first so, we sat near the sewing room but still in the middle.

Today was the day we started sewing, we spent the first week going over sewing safety yet we didn’t know what we were making until Mrs. Ranches walked in and explained, “Okay class, today we will start learning to sew! Since this is a group of girls, I have decided what we will be making… dresses!” Everyone started to talk excitedly, we were making our own dresses!

Maybe, I thought to myself, just maybe I won’t have to wear the really crappy dress my step mother gave me. It was an ugly shade of blue that was faded and then someone had tried to die it pink which made it look like cotton candy threw up on it. Though it was either this or I not go, considering I had no other dress. My stepmom knew this, so I guess that’s why she chose such a horrendous gown. I shivered at the thought of wearing it. Well you must wear something in order to go to the dance, so you can beat Hayley at her own game. My mom said in my mind.

I wondered about that, how do I defeat Hayley? It’s plain to see I have to take the crown but how? Hayley would know what I was up to and try to stop me. Even if I did manage to become queen, who would listen? No one knows I exist and if they do it’s because they tease me. I actually wasn’t going to even try but that girl in the cafeteria was the last straw. Hayley was going down and if this dress would help me become queen, then it would be my armor into battle.