Princess

All her life, she'd been taught to be a lady. Sit up straight, chin up, always be polite, chew slowly, and never forget to smile. Emily's list could go on, only if she remembered the rest of it. She was not exactly the perfect daughter that her parents wanted her to be, but that didn't stop them from trying.

Beautiful, they said when she played her cello in front of everyone. She poured her heart and soul into her playing. Little did they know, with every note that she played, her whole being was screaming, help. Today like every other time, her cries and pleas were drowned out by the music, the laughter, and her radiant smile. Wealthy families greeted her parents, congratulating them for having such a fine daughter. Absolute perfection, one of them said. Emily stood beside her parents with a small smile playing on her lips, tilting her head down slightly to acknowledge their compliments, doing as she was told. It was the night of her 18th birthday, and the friends of her family were all gathered there to greet her.

Emily was used to this. This was her life, after all. Events like these were tiresome for her, but she did it anyways. And every single time, she had to put on a mask to portray the perfect daughter her parents so desperately wanted her to be. It was her 18th birthday, but the people here were not her friends. Being that she was home-schooled her entire life, her only friends were books and movies that she read and watched when they all thought she would be studying.

As she walked into the ballroom where she was celebrating her birthday, she heard them whisper about her:

Unfortunate girl, she will never survive without her parents.

I pity the man who will have to marry her.

She's a bore.

Emily had known ever since that in front of her parents, they praised her. But behind their backs, they whispered about her and the lifestyle she was forced to live. This was the life she had always hated. While everyone was enjoying themselves, Emily sneaked out into the garden and sat by the fountain. The books she'd read had filled her mind with fantasies she could only ever hope for to happen. This is the perfect time for a fairy-godmother to come to her rescue, or for her to meet the man of her dreams who would sweep her off her feet. 

Who was she kidding? In real life, none of that can happen. She was not beautiful, nor was she very intelligent. She was only a cold, hard shell, programmed to act and reply properly, intelligently, and much like a lady.

She looked around the garden. The lights were supposed to be bright and colorful, but all she saw was black and white. Her life had no color; it was so utterly dull. She wanted to pity herself and cry for all the hurtful words as well as for her sad and lonely heart that only ever wanted to feel something other than pain. But the tears never came; they cannot, for she knew that her tears would only go to waste. She'd still be Emily Gray; so dull, so boring.

"Anything wrong?" A voice startled Emily from her thoughts. It was a boy from her party, probably the son of another wealthy family.

"No, sir. Please, return to the party. The night is still young." Emily raised her head and smiled slightly, just as she'd been taught.

"You can stop pretending to be polite." The man's words startled her. 

"I don't know what you mean?" 

"Ms. Gray, I know that you have always been careful with how you carry yourself. Clearly, you've misjudged your ability to conceal what little emotions you have left. I have been watching you ever since you were young. You were everything I wasn't, but don't you get tired of faking smiles?" Emily suddenly remembered him. The boy who always got to do whatever he wanted. She could feel irony of this encounter. "You made a mistake tonight, that's all I wanted to say." 

Emily wanted to feign ignorance, just as she'd been taught, but she was curious. What had she done wrong? What had given her away? 

"What mistake?" Then it hit her. He set her up. What she should have said was I do not understand. The boy smiled mischievously. Her curiosity got the best of her and by asking that question, she had accidentally admitted to everything he had just accused her of.

"Allow me to introduce myself. Aiden Hart, at your service." He said bowing, mockingly.

"What do you want." This is what one would call self-preservation. This life is all she had; she cannot lose it. She must protect her reputation. She must uphold their teachings.

"Relax, Princess." He continues to mock her. "I only want you to have a taste of freedom. Think of it as my gift to you."

Emily could only think of a single word. "Why?" 

Aiden's face suddenly lost every bit of mischief in it. "Because you don't want this kind of life. Your eyes, they tell me of your pain and sorrows."

"I have done everything I was told perfectly." Emily was trembling. She was offended by his words. It's true, she wanted a better life, but he spoke as if her life was an abomination of sorts. Maybe it is.

"And are you happy? Are you contented with this kind of life?" No, she wanted to say. Emily thought about it. Indeed, all her life she had been trying to become perfect. It's because she wanted to prove herself and live up to her parents' as well as society's expectations. And  because of it, she had to give up the one thing that she so desperately needed: her happiness.

"So, Princess. Do you want to experience what it's like to live?" Emily was about to protest, but then it  had started raining. Nothing had gone right that night. Maybe this was the world giving her permission to do whatever she wanted.

"Better hurry. I'm taking you to see the sky at it's prime; the moon and the stars will return to you your heart and soul and they'll show you what it is to live. It is time for you to witness the beauty of life ." He spoke with so much passion that Emily was moved. At that very moment, she felt her own heart pounding. Aiden Hart. Out of everything that occurred that night, he was the only thing that did not make sense. 

He took out his hand and looked at her expectantly. Emily eyed his hand. After everything that had happened, she had never been so sure of anything in her entire life.

She took his hand. Together, they ran away from the party, away from the whispers, and away from everything she had ever known.

"Wait." Emily said panting. Aiden stopped running and looked at her. "What's wrong?" Emily's feet had been hurting from running while wearing high heels. She took them off and took Aiden's hand again.

 Tonight, she was running hand in hand with the boy who was everything she wasn't. Her heart was pounding on her chest. She was completely terrified and she was alright with it.

They reached the city, every inch of it alive. The lights were so bright, the sounds were too loud, and there were too many people, but in this moment, she was at peace. She walked barefoot on the cold, hard, and wet pavement floor in a sea of strangers with Aiden Hart. The whispers could not follow her here. She was free from the castle that she trapped herself in. And with each step, she gained newfound strength. And with each step, she would be one step closer to truly living.

Emily would probably never hear the end of it from her parents and tutors. She wanted to think about the consequences of her actions; about Aiden Hart too and what would become of them. But none of that mattered to her at that moment because this night was hers, and that very moment was perfectly imperfect.

If Emily learned something that night, it was that a lady doesn't always have to be perfect, or polite, or force a smile even when she is down. No, the measure of a true lady is her strength and confidence. She let go of his hand. Hopefully, this will change something in her life. Anything, she wished.

"Look up, Emily. Look, and live." Slowly, she saw a million colors appear, blending into the night sky. 

Yes, Emily thought to herself,

this will change everything.

THE END