Queens

2.3: Melanie

Today is a good day for me. Being interviewed and questioned feels natural to me. It's in my blood. I glide from interviewers to businessmen to celebrities, feeling confident. I am Princess Perfect without even having to try.

I talk to cameras and anyone who will listen about my cause of getting toys to underprivileged kids, specifically educational toys that will help children with their cerebral, fine motor, and gross motor development. I smile wide, showing off the gap between my teeth that I've always hated, but my publicist told me people think it's cute and I should display it proudly. Everyone listens to me intently and, after the cameras turn off, every reporter says I did well and tells me how well spoken I am.

I walk up to one of the last reporters I haven't talked to yet. After I'm done with everyone in the room, I'm going to relax a bit. I get tired out very fast.

The reporter is an old man wearing a tux and holding a microphone. Not too old, probably between 40 and 50, although the tux somehow looks older than him. I float over to him say hello, asking if he'd like the chat. He nods excitedly and asks the cameraman to start rolling.

He does the typical introduction of "I'm here with Princess Melanie, how are you?" and I reply with the typical answer of "I'm doing great, thank you." He asks about my cause, and I tell him, "I am currently working towards getting developmentally appropriate toys to children in need. I think this is very important because-"

"Woah, Princess," he interrupts, "I just needed a short explanation." I bite my lip, feeling slightly upset that interrupted me, but I smile. "I think what people really want to know is if there is anyone special in your life?"

I know what he's getting at, but I've gotten around this question before, and I'll get around it again. "Well, my friends and family are very prominent in my life and they are incredibly special to me."

The man frowns. "No, Princess, I meant anyone romantically special. Any special boys?"

I sigh, and pretend to be deep in thought. To tell the total truth, there aren't any special boys. I'm not even sure I'm straight. Boys kind of repulse me. Does that mean I'm gay? I don't really want to date girls either. I mean, girls are pretty, I just don't think I'm attracted to them. But who knows. I might be gay.

I look back to the man, realizing that if I don't talk soon, people will get suspicious. I put on my biggest smile. "Nope, no one romantically special right now."

He rolls his eyes and sighs, but continues on. "Now, what I and everyone else, I'm sure, has been wondering, is how royals stay in such good shape? You obviously have a rocking body, how do you maintain that?"

I clench my teeth. By starving myself, you twat. "You know," I begin politely, "I promise you there are much more interesting things about me than my love life and my weight."

"That's what people want to hear, Princess."

Stay calm, Princess Perfect. Stay poised, Princess Perfect. Stay elegant, Princess Perfect.

"Plus, how can we talk about anything besides that young body of yours?"

Stay. Poised. Princess. Perfect. I hear in my head. Ah, fuck it. "Excuse me, Sir, but if all you're interested in during this interview is dehumanizing me by asking about men and weight, which you for some reason think determine my worth and dictate who I am-" to be fair, you do believe that about your weight, but that's beside the point "-then I honestly have no business staying here with you, and you have no business coming into an important event set up to help the less fortunate than you and I. All you're doing is trying to spray your misogynistic ideas all over this special gathering, and I won't have it. I'm getting you thrown out. Good day." I look to the closest security guard and wave him over. After explaining to him what happened, he widen his eyes and grabs the old man's arms, removing him from the building.

I feel tears rising, as they always do when I confront someone (I'm such a crybaby), so I rush myself to the bathroom. I see Ashley right behind me. "I just heard that whole thing, Mel. You fucking rock!" She highfives me.

I force out a short laugh. "And you're freaking drunk, Ash."

"Not drunk, just buzzed," she reminds me, repeating what she always says.

I nod. "Sure, Ash," I say and leave her behind to get to the bathroom.

Once I lock the door, I feel something coming up my throat, so I lean over the toilet, my knees pressed against the cold tile, and let out the small amount of food I've eaten today. Once I'm done, I flush and lay myself flat on the floor, the frigid ceramic refreshing against my back. Tears pour down the sides of my face in a constant stream.

It's okay, I think to myself.  You are strong, Princess Perfect.

Well, I'm trying to be.
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Dear reader,
I seriously love Mel. Just so you know, I know she's not as well spoken irl, irl she talks like a regular 20 year old woman, but for the purpose of this story she is like a well spoken child. Thank you for reading! Love y'all
Love,
Lo <33333
Ps. I've been thinking a lot about doubles. What would you're evil twin be like?