Trapped in a Fantasy (Rewriting)

Chapter 2

"Patilda I can't talk now," Diana said in a hushed whisper to the phone, "I just got grounded and I'm not supposed to be on the phone. They can join our conversation at any moment."

"Yeah, I know," said Patilda, "but why did you get grounded again?"

"Wanna take a guess?" asked Diana.

"Your stepsisters?"

"Bingo."

"What did you do this time?" Patilda asked.

"Nothing!" Diana shouted. "I never do anything but I somehow still get the blame."

Diana flopped back on her bed.

"Well, it could be worse, right?" Patilda's voice echoed from the phone.

"How, Patilda? How could it be worse? I'm taken advantage of every single day at home and school, my family hates me, you are my only friend, and as of right now I technically have no way of contacting you. So how could things be worse?"

The phone remained silent. "I know you're right Diana."

She sighed. "Unfortunately, I'm usually right."

"You know you can always come live with me."

Diana sat up again and awkwardly flipped onto her stomach. "I know, I know. But there's no way I'd sneak out of here without them noticing. Besides, they'd know I would be at your house. You're the only person I talk to."

"True."

Diana stood up and peered down the hall. "I don't see them anywhere."

"Well, that's good, right?"

"No," Diana said flatly, "that's not good. It's actually worse than them being here breathing down my neck. This means that they could be anywhere. In my room, under my bed, on this line... anywhere!"

"Yeah, I get it. Your stepfamily hates you. They ruin your life, yada yada yada. So where do you think they are?"

"Hopefully off in a kingdom far far away," she trailed off.

"Any luck with Matt yet?" Patilda asked switching the subject.

"Okay. One, that was really blunt. Two, what do you mean luck? You know I don't talk to him. Come on, Patilda. Stop with the jokes," Diana laughed.

Matt Rowe, the most popular boy in school. Every guy wants to be him and every girl is in love with him, even Diana who is nowhere close to boy crazy. Diana and Matt are in some of the same classes, which made Patilda think there could be a romance blossoming. Diana denied it every time, though she secretly wished it would happen.

"I mean has he talked to you yet?" Patilda asked.

"Technically, yes. He asked to borrow my pencil and a pen last week. I didn't even respond. I was in too much shock to answer, so I just shoved them in his face," Diana said cringing.

"Yikes."

"Yeah, I know. Not my shining moment. To make it worse, he called me Delilah."

"Double yikes. Well, maybe he forgot. Is there anything else you guys can talk about besides pencils?"

"Um," Diana started, "I guess we could talk about homework, or a test, or another assignment, but that's all I got."

"What about things he likes?" Patilda asked.

"Yeah, but I don't know anything about football and that's pretty much all he cares about, besides his hair."

"Okay, fair enough. Maybe you can ask for help or something? I don't know. It's your love life."