Prom Queen

Chapter 4

Walking into the dining hall, Rosie realized that she had been sheltered from so much her entire life. Music danced in the air as melodies rose from violins and cellos near the front of the dining room. Lights twinkled along the walls, while crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, reflecting the light like stars in the sky. The sweet aroma of fine dining floated towards Rosie like a magnet, and her stomach rumbled at the thought of getting food in her belly.

Jake and Bianca stood on either side of Rosie while they admired the dazzling atmosphere of the dining hall. Chatter filled the air as students conversed about their days. Waiters and waitresses walked up and down the aisles, taking orders and bringing the students hot towels and fresh bread. 

At the front of the room was a long table which sat Lord Robert, Prince Aaron, and a few other adults that Rosie could not recognize. She assumed they were the deans of the academy. 

"Well don't be shy," Jackie sang, coming up behind the trio of friends from the Barrows. "Take a seat."

"Anywhere?" Rosie asked, alarmed. 

"Yes," Jackie chuckled. She walked past them and took a seat near the center of the room, fitting right in with her bubbly personality and good looks. 

There were a few open seats at a table near the back, and Rosie wanted nothing more than to blend in with the corner of the room. She headed towards it, followed by Jake and Bianca and they took their seats gingerly.

Laying before them were silverware and fine china that looked as though they were all made by hand. A bouquet of flowers sat in the middle of the table, spewing both daises and lilies. Rosie was used to eating with just a fork, knife, and spoon, but there were three forks in front of her, two spoons, and two knives, and they were all different. She didn't know which one to use.

"Fresh bread?" a waiter asked, leaning over the three teenagers with a basket of a varieties of bread. Anger flickered in Bianca's eyes as she denied the bread. Jake and Rosie, however, took a few pieces.

Once the waiter was gone, Rosie turned to Bianca.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I spend hours a day making bread in my father's bakery," Bianca grimaced. She looked around at the amount of students in the room. "And they all just eat it like it's nothing."

Rosie glanced at the steaming bread on her plate, and gently pushed it away from her. Jake did the same. 

"I just don't understand why they're so rich and we're so poor," Bianca murmured to herself as she looked down in her lap.

Before either Rosie or Jake could say anything, Lord Robert stood at the front of the room. He hit his knife against his glass to make a loud ringing sound throughout the dining hall.

"Good evening!" he said. "Tonight is a very special night, and I want to thank everyone for being here. Tonight we welcome ten very unique students from the Barrows and the Mystics to our very own home of the Heartlands. From myself and the royal family, we welcome you to the Royal Academy of Wisteria."

Lord Robert was greeted with applause as he raised his glass. He sat down a moment later next to the prince as dinner was being served. 

"What do you think they'll serve us?" Rosie asked, glancing at the massive group of waiters that began flooding into the dining hall with silver platters in their hands.

"I don't know, a chicken made of gold?" Bianca muttered. Rosie and Jake chuckled.

The silver platters were placed in front of the three teenagers and they glanced at each other before the covers were lifted, exposing a fresh cut piece of meat that looked as though it were cooked to perfection, seasoned with a variety of different spices, served with a small portion of green beans cut diagonally, also seasoned, and a small side of mashed potatoes.