Embellished With Lies

Chapter Eighteen

"When exactly is this going to happen?" I asked as we walked out of the armory. "We at least have to have time to plan, don't we?"

The women looked amongst themselves, trading facial expressions instead of words.

I never really realized how much that females conversed through facial expressions. Yeah, Tessa and Mom were able to translate through a couple looks and a minimal amount of dialogue, yet I had never seen anything like this before. I could recognize when Caitlyn was upset or extremely happy, but I was nowhere near able to read her mind and tell what she was silently trying to tell me.

Why do women have to be so challenging?

"You and Tessa have to undergo training, yes," Lady Tremaine began, her voice low and steady. "However that will begin tomorrow."

"May I ask why?" I glanced around at the four of them.

"You may. Training will begin tomorrow because you both need your rest."

I didn't argue; I was growing incredibly tired, but I was sure that the tiredness could be cured by a good night's sleep.

"What time is it?" Tessa asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "I think it's passed my bedtime."

Anastasia chuckled. "It is very late in the evening, I'd say." She turned around and peeked at the wall clock behind her. "Nine-thirty."

My sister leaned into my side, her eyes drooping. "I'm very tired."

"Drizella," Lady Tremaine started, "would you please help Tessa get ready for bed?"

She nodded in return. "Of course, Mother. Shall I draw her a bath as well?"

"Tessa, would you like to take a bath?"

"Nope. I'm too tired." She shook her head, her hair falling into her eyes.

The only time I could even remember Tessa being this tired was on New Year's Eve a couple years ago. She was three years old at the time, and Mom had reluctantly agreed to let her stay up to see the ball drop. Anyway, Tess had absolutely freaked out and went berserk. She was insane, sneaking my cousin's pop and taking off all of her clothes and running throughout the house like a madman. Dad had actually put her in her bedroom twice before midnight, but she had hopped back out and rejoined the party. She had only made it until ten forty-five before she crashed - right there in the middle of the living room floor - due to a ridiculous amount of sugar and usual exhaustion. Tessa ended up sleeping over fifteen hours, and our parents had to wake her up because they were afraid that she wouldn't sleep that night.

But she slept the whole night through.

Once Drizella and Tessa had left and headed towards Tessa's room, there was a loud knock at the door.

Anastasia shot up, her face being overtaken by a wide and cheeky grin. "Sorry, but I must excuse myself. I talked to Quinton at the market yesterday, and he said that he's going to swing around a bring me some of his homemade cherry pie." She giggled and rushed towards the door.

"Who's Quinton?" I asked, looking back and forth between Lady Tremaine and Molly.

"Quinton is Anastasia's fiancé." Lady Tremaine stood up from her stool, letting her arms fall at her sides. "Now, I must retire to my bedroom while I am still mildly pleasant. Good night, Molly, Matthew." She moved towards her bedroom - slowly but surely - leaving Molly and me alone in the dimly lit kitchen.

"So," Molly began, her lips curving into a smile.

"So... What now?" I asked, sitting down in one of the wooden bar stools.

She studied my face for a moment, her eyes sweeping across my features. "What is it like?"

I stopped, staring right back at her. "What is what like?"

She tilted her head to the side as if I should be aware of what she was speaking about. "You know what I'm talking about, Matthew."

"No, actually, I don't."

"You don't?" She questioned sarcastically as if she didn't believe it.

"If I did, I would've answered your question by now," I defended myself, a laugh dripping from my lips. "Just sayin'."

Molly laughed with me. "I guess that would make sense," she agreed before explaining herself. "What is it like, living in an entirely different world?"

"Oh, that." I fidgeted in my seat. "I should've guessed." I paused, examining her expression. "Let me guess. You're one of those curious girls, aren't you?"

She replied with a hint of a smile. "You never actually answered my question, you know."

"I know," I replied, looking down at the ground with a grin on my face. "I know." I paused before I looked back up at her. "It's different, I guess; I've never known anything else. This world, however, is completely weird to me."

"Is your world really futuristic?" Molly asked, her eyes wide in inquiry. "Or is it more of a sixteenth century-type dimension?"

She looked like a puppy, and I couldn't help but chuckle and roll my eyes playfully. "It's much more futuristic, yeah. We have lots of technology around. I have a cell phone, but I didn't have it on me when I, uh, left."

"Cell phones are devices that let you talk to someone if they aren't there?" she questioned, and when I nodded, she continued. "So they are real. I thought that they were just a myth. I've read about talking devices - under a different title - before, but personally I never believed that they would ever be invented because the idea just seems so bizarre, you know? I figured that we would always have to resort to writing letters and-"

"They were invented," I cut her off. I never would have pictured Molly as a rambler. I mean, she had the whole classic smart-girl vibe practically radiating off of her. If she went to my school back in South Carolina, I could definitely have pictured her in the front of the classroom, a smile on her face and a readiness to learn. "We also have cars."

"No way!" Her jaw dropped. "Then what are horses used for?"

Over the next couple hours, I explained my world to her: current events, recreational activities, technology, the whole shebang. And afterwards, Molly explained her world to me. Not about Cinderella or how we're going to help take her down, but about newest clothes, and about the literary arts, and about the newest equine equipment.

It was midnight before I knew it.

"I, uh," I glanced at my shoes briefly before meeting Molly's eyes. "I better go to bed."

"Yes, I guess so," Molly agreed, standing up. "Your training begins tomorrow, you know."

I nodded. "Yeah, I did know that."

"I enjoyed talking to you," she told me, backing up towards what I assumed was her room.

Grinning, I replied, "I enjoyed it too. We should do it again sometime."

She concurred. "I would like that. Goodnight, Matthew."

"Goodnight, Molly."

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Hey! What's up?

This chapter was pretty boring and uneventful; I apologize for that but next chapter I want to be very action-packed and I didn't want to combine the two and... yeah.

Also- school has been very stressful lately and yeah.

Thoughts? What do you think is going to happen in the future?

Vote and comment!

I love you!

P.S. Does anyone even read the author's notes? I wonder... Comment if you always read the author's notes

'Kay bye