"Without knowing the present, how could I understand the past?"
17-year-old Charlotte De Loughrey was living the typical Cinderella life, until something made her snap... releasing a part of her she didn't even know existed until now.
She was a wit...
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I woke the next day with a pounding headache. I blinked a couple of times, trying to remember why my head was pulsing like the arteries in my arms.
There had been someone in my room. No, it had been a hallucination. I was going insane, and I hallucinated. There had been no one in my room- I had made it up?
It's easier to believe than face the truth.
Annie would probably give me a cup of something hot and tell me to get on with life. She wouldn't believe me. No one ever does.
I sat up and groaned as I stretched my arms above me. Pushing the blanket off myself, I walked over to the window and took in the view. The sun had risen and was covering the entrance to the manor in a golden light. Tiny sparkles littered the wet grass, while the flowers were opening for the day.
A sudden crash from outside my room turned me away from the picturesque view. It sounded like someone had tripped over something. It was strange to hear a noise in the usually quiet area as no one came up here except myself.
I strolled over to where my dress lay discarded and quickly pulled it over my undergarments. I ran my fingers through my curls, hoping to flatten them enough to be presentable. I looked in the mirror as I slipped on my shoes. That was as good as it would get.
I twist the key in the look and open the door to find Annie pacing back-and-forth in front of me.
"Oh, thank heavens you're here!" she says, a hand paced on her heaving chest and deep breath escapes her. Her lips form a thin line and her eyebrows crease together. She reaches over and grabs my arm and pushes me towards the ladder. "Down. Now."
What have I done now? "Why? What's wrong?"
If looks could kill, I would be six feet under from the one Annie just gave me. I bow my head and climb down the ladder with Annie right behind me. When we reach the bottom, she grabs my arm again and pulls me behind her down the stairs.
"What's wrong! What's wrong? What's wrong is that you slept in and weren't there to help me prepare and serve breakfast! I had to endure your step mother yelling profanities at me in my own kitchen about how useless and ungrateful you are," She says breathlessly and throws a hand in the air. "She obviously didn't believe me when I told her I had no clue where you were. Of course she didn't. "
"Wait. Why are you here then?" It was not unusual for my stepmother to say things like that about me. So why did Annie look like she was on the verge of a heart attack? Why was this morning different?
"As she threatened me that if I didn't find you within the hour, she would fire me."
"What! She wouldn't do that would she?"
"Yes. She would you silly girl." She quickens her pace, pulling me along with her. She turns back to face me. "Just be glad I found you so quickly otherwise that wouldn't be my only punishment." Her eyebrows knit together and I realise how serious the situation was. My stepmother would not be above hitting another and with what Annie has seen her do to me... no wonder she was anxious.
