Sofia the first: Mean Princesses

Gooseberry Bars

The next morning on our way to school, Amber looked very pleased with herself. I wanted to wipe that impudent smirk off her face, but I remembered that I had to control myself if I wanted to carry out Clover's plan.

It was only me and Amber in the coach, which was super uncomfortable. James wasn't coming to school today because his extreme fits of laughter had given him some health issues. He's in bed at the moment and Cedric was ordered to watch over him and find a magical cure.

I tried to avert my eyes from Amber and distract myself with the sight of the palace down below, but it had seemingly lost all its grandeur after what Amber had done at the ball.

"Sofia," she said.

I kept a relaxed expression when I faced her. "Yes?"

"Look, I know you really liked Hugo, but he begged for me to take him back. I told him to go with you instead but he was really persistent."

Yeah right.

"You're not mad, are you?"

"No, of course not. I'm perfectly fine," I said through clenched teeth, masking my hellish, boiling anger.

"Okay. Good. Anyway, I just wanted to give you this."

Amber wrapped her arms around me and I returned the hug awkwardly.

"I'm sure you'll find someone special soon," she said.

The coach came to a halt at Royal Prep. We stepped down with the chauffeur's assistance.

The school bell rang shortly after we arrived.

"Sofia, what's your first period?" Amber asked as we walked to class.

"Dance class."

"Wonderful! We're in the same class!"

"But how? I didn't see you there the first day."

"Well you see, I just started the fan club, where princesses can design and create fans with their own style. Then, the fairies told me they'd have to make a few adjustments to my schedule so I could maintain my club."

"I see," I said miserably.

"Oh! We're here!" Amber exclaimed.

We entered the dance room. Everyone was buzzing on about the ball Hugo had hosted last night, while Amber checked herself in the mirrors and adjusted her tiara.

"All right, class, shut your stupid traps and listen up," Professor Popov grumbled. "Today, we will be doing ballroom dancing again. Last time, you did a terrible job. I expect better performance from you! Your parents didn't raise you to be stupid, lazy sloppy pigs. Now go ahead and dance, stupids!"

Everyone quickly attached themselves to a partner. I was going to run up to Hugo, but Amber beat me to it.

"Oh, Hugo! I didn't know you were in this class too!" Amber squealed. She threw her arms around him and smothered his cheek with kisses.

I watched them dance enviously. Once again, I was alone.

I sat on the bench, searching the room for a partner.

"Hey, Dunwiddie, wanna dance?" a voice said.

I looked up. It was the prince with the turban. He held out a hand to me.

"Sure," I said half-heartedly.

I took his hand and we began dancing.

"My name's Zandar and I already know you. You're that new girl Sofia."

"Yeah."

"So, have you heard of the flying derby team?"

My expression brightened up. "Oh my gosh! Yes! I loved reading about the races in the newspaper back in the village!"

"I heard Prince James is gonna be absent for a while due to some medical issues and now I guess he's off the team."

"I guess so."

"We've never really had a girl player before and none of the princesses are interested. Since you're from the village, don't take this personally, I figured you probably won't mind getting a little rough."

"Chin up and stand up straight, Khalid, you stupid prick!" Professor Popov yelled from behind.

"Hey, why is he acting so uptight today?" I asked Zandar.

"Oh, there's this rumor that he and Miss Flora just recently broke up."

"Oh."

"Anyway, if you're interested in joining the team, here's my card."

He hand me a strip of white card stock.

On it was printed in pencil:

Prince Zandar of Tangu, flying derby athlete

Zandar watched me in anticipation.

"Uh, well, I'll think about it," I stuttered.

He nodded.

The bell rang for lunch and I grabbed my backpack. This time, Clover, Mia, and Robin didn't come along.

In the cafeteria, I ordered a small lunch of salad.

"Yoohoo! Over here, Sofia!" Amber waved to me from her big table. I noticed she even brought Hugo along to sit with her.

I sat with Hildegard and Clio on one side of the table and Amber and Hugo sat across from us.

"Oh, Hugo. Your hair looks so hot pushed back," Amber remarked.

Hildegard and Clio watched them with dreamy eyes.

"Sofia, can you tell Hugo that his hair looks hot pushed back?"

Amber was dangling Hugo in front of me on purpose. I knew how this would be settled in the village world--with knives, pitchforks, and torches.

But this was princess world and all the fighting had to be sneaky...because the teachers would send us to detention for bad manners.

"Your hair looks hot pushed back," I said.

"So, I see you've finally found a boyfriend, Sofia," Amber said.

Hildegard and Clio gasped.

"Who is it?"

"Is he hot?"

"Wow, Sofia, I'm happy for you," Hugo said, smiling, but his smile hurt me.

"Amber, I don't have a boyfriend!"

"Don't be ridiculous. I saw you getting close with Prince Zandar."

Hildegard's mouth gaped.

My face became red as a tomato. "It was dance class! What do you expect me to do?"

"Oh, look, Hildegard. She's blushing. She must really like him. Isn't that fetch?"

"No, it is not fetch! Zandar's mine!"

Amber laughed. "Just kidding, you guys. Calm down."

She looked down at her stomach. "Ugh, I really want to lose 3 pounds."

"Amber, why are you worrying about that? We're barely in elementary school. You should save that for middle school," Hugo commented.

"Shut up."

A brilliant idea struck me. I rummaged through my backpack and took out a gooseberry bar.

"Here try this," I suggested. "It's a gooseberry bar. It'll make you lose weight. Mom told me she ate them all the time after she gave birth to me. She said my huge head had really stretched her skin."

Amber snatched the gooseberry from my hands and instantly began chewing on them like a monster.

"This tastes great, Sofia. Thanks," Amber said.

"It's only my duty as a stepsister," I said, laughing sinisterly beneath my calm demeanor.