Royalty

0.2

0.2

After doing some much needed food shopping with the money I'd gotten from Jax and Roselyn, I go to a dollar shop and bought a long chain necklace that has crosses on it. I don't want to waste any money on buying expensive clothes when I can easily make something at home, true, it doesn't compare to any ASOS dress anyone could buy but it's the best I can do.

It was eight pm when I finally arrived back home. I had to walk home with six heavy bags on my arms so a walk that normally takes twenty minutes took thirty.

"Hello?" I call out and drop the packets of food onto the kitchen counter.

I hear a groan come from the bedroom I share with my little sister Ava so I rush in to inspect, "What's wrong, sunshine?" I ask concerned.

"She's just hungry, that's all," Tris informs me.

"Well when did you guys last eat?" I ask biting my lip.

"We had a class party on the last day of school so we stuffed our faces and then took some stuff home so we finished it off last night... But we only had a cupcake each so we're both kind of starved," Tris moans and Ava groans again.

I hate seeing them like this, I hate that I can't do anything about it. I worked as a waitress at night and I'm trying to get a new job because being a waitress earned me nothing (and I was fired for missing too many days). I don't have to pay school fees luckily; dad covered all that with their school before he left but the money I earn goes to tax, rent and stuff to keep our house maintained. All the rest goes to food and material so I can make clothes but I never earn enough to last a full month.

"Well you're in luck," I tell them biting back a smile, "I came into a bit of money today so I was able to do some shopping."

We all run to the kitchen and when they see all the food they squeal with delight, I'm never able to buy so much in one go, so seeing the amount of food I bought is very new to them.

"So I bought mostly canned goods considering I want this stuff to last a while, but I also bought some noodles, fruit and bread so tonight you can either have a sandwich and an apple or some noodles and an apple," I say and grin when they hug me.

"Ava, why don't you have a sandwich and I'll have the noodles and then we can half them and share them so we each get a bit of both?" Tris suggests excitedly.

Ava narrows her eyes contemplating before she nods vigorously and gets the bread out. As they make their dinner I pack everything away and then make my mother a sandwich.

"I'm going to give this to mom," I say putting the sandwich on a plate and walk to her room. "Mom? I've got a sandwich for you."

When there's no reply I put it on the floor outside her door and walk back to the kitchen to find that Ava and Tris are just about finished with their food. My mother is 65 and has just about the worst memory in the world. She once thought Ava was her little sister Jess. She was 32 when she had her first kids, my brother and sister - Kieran and Kiera who are now 33, 48 when she had me and was very surprised when she had Tris and then a couple of years later Ava.

"Alright little ones, bed time," I say seeing that it's 8:45.

"But Paige, we're on vacation!" Tris complains with a frown and Ava nods her head in agreement trying to fight back a yawn.

"Well you can stay up until 9:30 as long as you can keep it down because I need to sleep. I have a job interview tomorrow that I need to look good for so I need my beauty sleep," I say and they dance around in joy.

I make my way to our room and fall asleep as my head hits the pillow grateful to have Ava and Tris happy again.

/ / / / / / / /

The next morning I wake up at 9:30 to find Ava snoring loudly on top of me. Fighting back my laughter, I make my way to the bathroom and take a shower and I almost cry when I find that there's no hot water, I quickly shave my legs, wash my hair and pee before walking back into my room. I call a cab company and organise them to pick me up and luckily I have enough money left to cover the cost. Tiptoeing to my closet I get out a grey dress I made a couple of nights ago. It's quite short and has spaghetti straps that tie together at the top. I pair it with a black pair of 'Creepers' that I won in a competition, I have no clue what's so special about them but they're my special occasion shoes and I guess today counts as a special occasion.

I take my stuff and go back into the bathroom to change clothes and then I wring out my hair and attempt to dry it because Ava broke our hairdryer a couple of weeks ago by sticking a Barbie head into the back of it (no idea how she got it in there but she did).

I take out my makeup kit, something I also won and only use on special occasions, and apply and bit of mascara and some lip gloss. I'm extremely lucky and have completely clear skin so any sort of cover up isn't needed. I brush through my waist length brown hair and decide to leave it down because actually doing something with it seems like such a hassle.

When I'm done I skip to the kitchen and heat up some premade pancakes for Ava and Tris and then grab an apple for myself to eat on the cab ride.

"Tris I'm going for my interview now, I'll be back later. I heated some pancakes for you guys, leave two outside mom's door and you can each have a sandwich or whatever for lunch, I'll be back later," I say as I head out the door, Tris nods before continuing to read her book.

I rush towards the cab that's waiting outside the apartment block and once I'm in we set off across town. I pay him as I get in and twiddle my thumbs nervously and wonder what the hell I'm getting into. What if they want me to model nude? I won't have to do that, right? And if they want me to dye my hair it's a definite no, I love it the way it is.

After a painful forty five minutes of me creating scenarios in my head and the driver hooting at bad drivers in the traffic we finally arrive at the address written on the card.

"Are you sure this is the right address?" I ask confused. We're outside the Jarrett Hotel, which is one of the most elegant and expensive hotels around here.

"Yep, now skedaddle, I have places to be," He says and indicates for me to get out.

I get out feeling anxious and slowly make my way inside once he's driven away, no going back now. I walk into the lobby feeling completely out of place, everyone here is rich as fuck and wearing earrings that cost more than my rent for the year. I slowly edge my way to the receptionist who looks very busy.

"E-excuse me?" I ask her nervously.

"Yes dear?" She responds and gives me a once over, obviously judging me.

"I'm here for the Royalty castings," I say and she points towards a door across the room before answering the phone.

Rude.

I rush towards the door and knock into somebody in my haste to get away from all the rich people that are clearly staring at me. We both topple onto the floor in one big heap.

"Hairy ball sack, I'm so sorry," I say to the person as I get up. I look over and see it's a boy around my age.

"No problem, I shouldn't have been on my phone," He says dusting himself off with a smile.

"Well as long as you're okay, good bye," I say and hurry off into the room.

When I get in I find a lady behind a desk on her computer and a couple of other girls sitting on chairs with stickers on their chests with numbers on them. I sigh and walk towards the lady on her computer.

"Hi, um Roselyn and Jax sent me here," I say unsure, I have no idea how these things work or what I'm getting myself into.

This sucks I know sorry ily

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