Cinderella || A Modern Story [Wattys2015]

Chapter Six

CINDERELLA

Chapter Six

"This room is horribly small."

"Yes, and the decor is hideous."

Claire's stepsisters roamed the bedroom, touching and misplacing anything their hands could reach. They glanced disapprovingly at Claire as they did so, making her shift uncomfortably.

Somewhere deep inside, Claire expected Katharine and Mariana to actually try and bond with her, and vice versa (at some point), but all they did was mock her. In English, and in their own language. It was aggravation, but Claire tried not to let it show.

"The room...seems a bit messy, I know." Claire was resisting the urge to frown. "I didn't have a lot of time to prepare. I hadn't know you were coming until earlier this morning."

Claire could tell by their sighs and dramatic eye rolls that neither of them cared. Despite it, Claire tried to change the subject. "So, where exactly are you girls from?"

"Ilona." They replied in unison.

"It's a small kingdom on the east side of Estonia, in northern Europe." Mariana clarified. Claire raised her brows. A kingdom?

"Oh, then I assume your rooms back in Ilona are better?"

"Oh, truly they are," Katharine chuckled.

"My room is three times the size of this," Mariana grimaced, her eyes soon landing on Claire's bed. "And both of our beds are queen-sized. Your room is a closet compared to ours."

"Yes, we've already established that my room is small," Claire wanted to say, but held her breath. It was clear that they were just exaggerating to intimidate her, so instead she asked jokingly, "What, are you a pair of aristocrats or something?"

She'd said it with a giggle, half-heartedly thinking that the girls would join her. But whenthey didn't, and turned to her with serious, un-kidding stares, Claire stoppedlaughing. "Are you?" She asked again.

"Yes," said Mariana. "Our mother is one of the most honorable and respected noblewomen in the country. Your father did not tell you?"

Claire shook her head, her jaw slack with shock.

"I was so sure that he would gloat about it," Katharine huffed from Claire's dresser, inspecting a framed picture of her and Gia. "It is his fault that our mother is going to renounce her title when we return."

"Renounce her title...?"

Katharine turned to Claire fully, her eyes shut as she shook her head. "In our country, women are not considered as the head of a noble household. They have to be married to a man of their status," she explained.

"And now that our mother has married a foreigner, we will no longer be able to present ourselves as nobility. We're going to become...," Mariana shivered with disgust, "...commoners."

The sisters glared at Claire, their eyes piercing through her very soul. Claire felt as if they would pounce across the room and attack so she took a step back, avoiding the sure-to-happen. "Surely you're not blaming my father completely," she asked timidly.

"Of course we are!" Katharine shouted exasperatedly. "He is the reason why we're in America in the first place—"

"And why mother insists that we move here," Mariana added with equal frustration.

"He's turning our world upside down, and no one's even asked how we felt about it!"

Katharine turned away from Claire, her shoulders shaking like...like she was crying. Mariana went over to her and brushed her shoulders, shutting Claire out completely. There was a moment of pressuring silence, and Claire backed up far enough until she reached her bedroom door. "I'm...going to go check on our parents," she said to them.

She left without waiting for their reply—as if they would have one—and rushed to the staircase. At least now she knew the reasons for their actions, but the chances of them having somewhat of a pleasant relationship—even an acquaintanceship—were slim to none.