A Million Mistakes

Chapter 10

"I don't want to go back to school," Kendallyn sighed.

I squeezed her hand. "Don't think of it as school, honey. It's just you and a tutor."

Celeste rolled her eyes. "Don't lie to her, America. It's school."

"Are there gonna be other kids there?" She asked.

I cringed. I don't want her to have to do private tutoring with Miss Silvia. There is no friends for her there. She'll find no joy in just sitting there and learning. But part of living in the palace, is going to school in the palace. And we have to live in the palace, because she needs a good life.

"No, Kendal. You'll be learning privately with Miss Silvia. It'll be good for you. You can learn at whatever pace you want. You always complain about how slow normal school is and how you wish you would learn more."

She stopped in the hall, her little hand pulling me to a stop too. Celeste stopped behind us.

"Yeah. But that's because everyone else is learning too slow. Now there isn't an everyone else," She said sadly.

I bent down so I was eye level with her. "But you'll be the smartest kid in the whole palace."

"I'm the only kid in the whole palace!" She sighed angrily.

"Girl, who cares," Celeste drawled. "When you get outta this place, you can tell everyone you grew up in the palace. You'll have all the friends you could ask for and all the guys you could handle."

I mentally smacked my forehead as Kendallyn giggled.

"Come on. We're almost there," I sighed, pulling her along.

"Is Miss Silvia nice?" Kendallyn asked.

I froze, mulling it over. "I wouldn't describe her as not nice. Shes very stern but she has a soft spot for children. I think. She's very...eccentric."

"Lady Kendallyn, your 2 minutes late," A voice called.

Silvia stood outside two open doors, staring at us as we approached. She looked as impeccable as always. Signature blouse and pencil skirt. Clipboard poised.

"I'm sorry. That's my fault," I greeted. "I would like to thank you for tutoring her."

"Being two minutes late is a great way to show your thanks," She snipped. "Lady Kendallyn, lets go."

She turned on her heels and strutted into the room. Kendallyn looked up at me in fear and I gestured for her to go forward. She gave me one last longing glance before following Silvia into the room, the doors closing behind her.

"That poor little girl," I sighed, shaking my head.

"Why don't you just teach her yourself?" Celeste asked.

"Well for one, I'm not a teacher! And two, we have to work!"

Celeste shrugged. " A good mom would make it work."

"I'm trying to give her the best life I can!" I yelled.

Celeste stopped walking, taken aback by my outburst. "Jesus, America. I was just teasing."