https://i.imgur.com/dAnRTXn.jpg [https://i.imgur.com/dAnRTXn.jpg]

The slick black sedan raced down the deserted highway alongside a beautiful orange colored bay, the sunset dipped low into the horizon. The clouds above the bay resembled long slender arms that almost seemed as if they wanted to reach out toward the young woman seated in the passenger side as she gazed at the clouds in a trance. Shades of brilliant orange, reds, and pinks, light up the slender arm-shaped clouds as if the gods were mourning something that mortals, in their selfish, busy lives, were too ignorant to pay attention to or to understand.

Already late to the party and dreading the teasing nature of his mother, the man gripped the steering wheel in frustration as he flicked his cigarette out the window. Sonia watched through the side mirror as the red glow of the still lighted cigarette skirted helplessly along the road and couldn’t help but to compare her own life as she skirted helplessly along the bumpy road of life. Sparks from the cigarette as it hit the pavement complimented the orange colored atmosphere.

“God, I hate cigarettes. Could you have possibly developed a worse habit?” Sonia said, leering out the window toward the bay. Thick black sunglasses hung large on her face, covering the bruising on her eye from the night before. Sonia couldn’t count the many times her eyes held that color, and she began to think of it as a permanent part of her. Of course, John, her boyfriend, apparently couldn’t remember inflicting the bruise.

The man glanced at his passenger before huffing in anger, pulling out another stick and lighting it up, he puffed its smoke in her direction.

“Deal with it. It’s your fault we’re running late to begin with.”

“Oh? I thought it was because you picked me up late. My bad, and besides, it wasn't my fault my heel broke. I hate wearing high heels anyway.”

The man twisted his grip on the steering wheel, making a leathery creaking sound from the friction.

“Just remember to mind your P’s and Q’s around my mother and her guests. This is not like the backwater events you go to.”

“Right, I forgot that I’m some backwater peasant. I’ll keep that in mind. Should I bow like a moron or curtsy?

The man sighed and said no more.

The rest of the trip was mostly silent, amidst the hum of the engine and roar of the wind from the open windows.

They were on their way to some gala event that John’s mother firmly invited them to attend. It was not something they were able to refuse. The thought made Sonia’s stomach knot up with worry. Sonia wasn’t good at meeting new people. Her anxiety, developed through many years of abuse and neglect, always got the better of her. It didn’t matter how she rehearsed it, she was sure to choke on her words and humiliate herself infront of his mother and her family. Why did she decide to date a man with such a lavishly rich family? Actually, how she ended up with him at all was an even bigger mystery. She never saw herself as someone that could attract such a person. Unfortunately, every week spent with him made her question her taste in men.

When she had met him, he was a gentle and good natured man, and he seemed, at first, to be exactly the kind of man she had always wanted. Not to mention his gorgeous blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. She had to admit to herself that his looks might have possibly made him seem better than he was. Love is blind, they say. She certainly felt blind. It wasn’t long after she moved in with him, that she started to see his true nature. He was a rude, angry, and violent man. At least he was when he was drunk, which was often.

Sonia was deep in thought for quite some time and hadn’t noticed that they had already passed the large iron gate to the multi million dollar estate and were slowing to a stop in front of the mansion.

Sonia’s jaw dropped at the sight of it.

My god! Your family live here?”

Taking the key out of the ignition, John turned and spoke quietly to her before stepping out.

“Don’t touch anything, and don’t talk to anyone. Do you understand?”

“What?” She said with a slight astonished giggle.

“Don’t open that stupid mouth of yours. Do not embarrass me.” He said firmly.

“Wow, okay I won’t.” She conceded. “It’s not like I have anything to say to them anyway.

Sonia stared at him incredulously, open-mouthed and exasperated as he left her in the car.

“Why am I even here? Why do I even bother with this man? Oh, that’s right, because I have nowhere else to go. Yay me.”

She got out of the car one weary foot at a time and sighed before closing the door. Her dress, with which the shoes didn’t match, was simple black. Business casual was what he had recommended and she hoped that he liked her choice. She didn’t have many options, and she wasn’t exactly a fashion guru. The shoes and the other hand, was a quick decision after the heel of one of her shoes had broken. One foot out of the door and it snapped. It honestly didn’t take her that long to put on a different pair, but he used that moment to blame her for their tardiness. She knew he was under a lot of pressure, so she didn’t want to argue with him that much, but why should she have to put up with someone else’s mistakes? It was annoying, honestly.

He waited for her at the bottom of the stairs leading to the entrance. The look on his face was telling her to hurry the hell up, so she picked up the pace and together they greeted the attendants and stepped through the front door.

The house that Sonia grew up in wasn’t necessarily poor, but wasn’t necessarily rich either. They were successful enough to get by comfortably, but supposedly they were counting on having a boy in which to groom into a successful heir to their business, which is why they mostly ignored her. They tried again and got the boy they wanted, leaving Sonia to be treated as an afterthought.

Sonia’s childhood house was a nice one, but this residence, if you want to call it that, was more like a shiny museum than a house. It was no wonder why she was told not to touch anything. Everything seemed like it was worth millions, just sitting on display, as if to brag to anyone visiting of their success. Small statues, busts, and paintings were all made and set in gold. Some were placed in cases of glass and some sat on hanging shelves and small polished wooden tables.

A woman approached them, and Sonia recognized right away the blonde hair and blue eyes that John had inherited. She wore a maroon colored silken dress laced with gold. She also wore a matching gold bracelet and necklace. Her name is Margaret, and she is known to be shrewd and cruel, and Sonia didn’t like her. But then, she didn’t like Sonia either.

Margaret grabbed her son and kissed him on the cheek, her earrings chiming as she moved from one cheek to the other before pulling him along, leading him down the hall by his arm, chatting happily as she led them to a large open dining room, all the while, paying Sonia no mind.

“My estranged son, you never call, write, or text. Am I that unbearable?”

“No, Mother, of course not. I’ve just been busy. How have you been?”

The woman’s sharp eyes took on a teasing expression.

“You would know the answer to that if you visited more often, my dear boy. Oh, do you remember Charles, the Chief of Staff at your Father’s business? His son just recently scored a striking deal with a foreign competitor, creating a billion dollar partnership. Isn’t that wonderful? That’s why we’re celebrating tonight, and here you arrive late. Honestly, I couldn’t be more embarrassed, but I’ll let it go for now, for the sake of the guests.”

She took an empty glass and poured a bottle of wine and handed it to her son.

“I asked you to come here tonight so that we could discuss a possible position in this deal. Wouldn't that be nice?” She asked him. Even though the words she spoke to him were polite and nurturing, it was her body language that spoke something else entirely. Something about the way she held herself. The sharp eyes and crooked lips said something like, You don’t have a choice in this.

“God, this woman is scary.”

Turning toward Sonia, a look of shock flashed across Margaret’s face. “Oh my goddess, where are my manners? I’m so sorry.”

“Oh, that’s okay, ma’am, I…” Sonai started. The woman brushed past her without a second thought , totally disregarding her as she took the coat of the woman behind her. Sonia stood there, blinking in confusion and embarrassment.

Should I be upset about this? I mean, I was told not to talk to anyone. I shouldn’t complain if they make it easy. But on the other hand, would it kill her to at least nod at me, or look at me for that matter?

Sonia followed behind, using her best smile and did her best to giggle at the right moment and tried her very best to support her boyfriend all without speaking as much as she could. The evening went smoothly for the first couple of hours, to her surprise.

The main dining hall was full of family members and guests eating, chatting, and sipping on expensive wine. She would have tried some of the food if she could identify what they were. The cheese and crackers were the only things she could confidently eat, which she did.

She found herself a tiny plate on which she collected various varieties of cheeses she had never tasted before.

She decided that the best way to enjoy her time was to step away and allow the awful people to have their awful conversations.

She snatched an abandoned bottle of wine and took a seat at a little table nestled away in the corner where she quietly nibbled at the cheeses she neatly placed on her plate. The wine was dry and bitter, which made her mouth pucker and cough.

“This wine is awful.” She said as she choked on the bitter drink. “ How can anyone drink this? Do they drink it just because it’s expensive? Rich people are weird.”

A stifled, snorting laughter interrupted her thoughts, which came from the direction of a short, fair-skinned girl with flaming red hair, tied back in a ponytail.

“Oh, I’m sorry, ma’am.” The redhead said quickly. “That was rude of me. Is there anything I can get for you?” She said with a sudden expression of worry.

“Rude? I didn’t think you were rude. It’s only natural to laugh at something silly, especially at the expense of rich people. By the way, I don’t suppose you have a bottle of wine that doesn’t activate my gag reflex, do you? The wine here is terrible. But maybe it’s just my peasant tongue that doesn’t appreciate the expensive stuff.”

The redhead grinned. Her buck teeth protruding just passed her bottom lip. She was an adorable young girl that clearly stood out from the rest of the people in the room. Her green eyes held a kind expression, and Sonia was compelled to hold her gaze.”

“Why, yes. I have just the thing. I’ll be right back.”

The girl turned on her heel as she grabbed hold of her black dress and twisted it aggressively as she spun, like a dancing stage performer, her dress flung out. The girl giggled at herself as she skipped merrily toward an open door.

Sonia was reminded of the girls from school that loved girly things, like Barbie’s and fashion. The kind of girls that would later become cheerleaders in highschool. Sonia never fit in with them, but then again, Sonia didn’t fit in well with anyone.

Just before the girl reached the threshold of the door leading into another part of the mansion, an angry shout attacked her from across the room.

“Rachel!”

The cheery look she had just moments ago melted into a frown.

“Yes, Aunty?” She said wearily. The green eyes that were once vibrant and happy were now darkened and scared, like a wounded bird, or a deer caught in the headlights.

John’s mother walked over to the young woman, holding an empty wine glass, which she held out.

“These wine glasses are not the ones I had asked you to prepare, are they? I believe I asked for a clean, clear crystal. Does this look like clear crystal?

“No, ma’am.” Rachel said with a whisper.

“What color is this?”

The angry woman thrusted the glass at her, which broke against the girl's chest, causing what little amount of wine still in the glass to stain her white blouse. The girl took the chipped glass and held it.

“It’s rose pink, Ma’am.” She whispered.

Sonia looked down at her own glass. It was indeed rose pink. The glass sparked beautifully in the ambient lighting of the dim chandelier.

“Why, my dear child, have you chosen to disobey me?”

The girl looked down at the glass in her hands.

“I thought it looked pretty. I thought the guests would enjoy it.”

The angry woman snatched the glass from her hands.

“You stupid girl! Who cares about what you think is pretty?What do you know, anyway? You stupid, filthy girl. I have half a mind to throw you out right now, you good-for-nothing.You and your father are nothing to this family if it wasn’t for your mother! What do you know about fashion or proper etiquette? Forget about what you think, and learn to do what you’re told, fool!”

Sonia put her hands to her mouth and turned away from the awful scene that played out for all to see, hiding her tears and her anxiety.

The woman looked like a demon in her anger. And no one dared to intervene.

“I’m sorry, Aunty. I’ll go get the proper glasses.”

“What’s done is done, you twit!” Spit flew onto the poor girl's face, which she dared not wipe away.

“I suggest you go to your room at once. I don’t want to see you for the rest of the night, lest you cause further trouble.”

“Yes, Aunty.”

The girl turned away and headed for her room, embarrassed and ashamed. She stopped as she passed the small table where Sonia sat and saw that she had turned her back to her.

So much for making a friend tonight. She looked like a nice girl. Now, she must think of me as a fool. I am a fool.

She ran and fled to her room, leaving Sonia to wipe her tears and gather herself.

Not moments after the incident had passed had Margaret and her guests began laughing and drinking once more, like nothing had happened. Sonia’s mouth hung open in astonishment. What an evil group of people. Sonia looked around the room and saw no change in anyone. Most of all, Margaret went right back into whatever stupid conversation she was having with a tall English gentleman. He must have said something funny, because she smacked him playfully on his chest.

“Ewww, suddenly the wine doesn’t seem so bad.”

Sonia abandoned her spot at the table and quietly left the room in search of Rachel, who was undeniably better company, and in need of a friend.

The sprawling halls of the mansion were long and numerous, and every one of them looked the same. Sonia feared leaving the familiar dining room to venture into the unknown parts of the mansion she wasn’t familiar with, but the guilt of remaining quiet during that awful display propelled her forward. She spent several minutes walking on the same red carpet lined with paintings framed with the same gold paint. She was about to head back when a butler flung open a door behind her.

“Umm…Excuse me sir. You wouldn’t happen to know where Rachel’s room is, would you?”

“Rachel, ah yes. Turn right at the end of the hall. There should be a set of stairs in the next hall that leads to the second floor. Once there, you can’t miss it. Her room is the only one with a silly sign on it.”

“Silly?” Sonia asked.

“Yes, silly. You wouldn’t know she was twenty two from her childishness. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He said with a bow. The man turned and left, walking briskly down the hall toward the party.

“Childish, huh? Now I’m curious.”

Sonia had spent many years being thought of as childish, but all she wanted was a friend, when none came for her, she resorted to “childish ways”, which were simply games of imagination that kept her from feeling lonely. This, of course, never worked. But, what else did she have?

It honestly didn’t take much for Sonia to decide that she liked Rachel. She was nice, adorable, and a delight to behold. The few seconds she had with her was honestly the best part of the night. The look on her face when she was being humiliated brought back memories of Sonia’s childhood, and it broke her heart.

Sonia never could keep her nose out of other people’s business, especially when others were suffering or being bullied. She hated bullies. Something inside her stirred at the site of something so unjust. She just couldn’t help it.

After much walking, she found the stairs and made her way to the second floor. The man was right, however. All of the doors on this floor were exactly the same, save for a single door that was decorated with glittering sparkles and a sign that read

“Only magical princesses and dragons may enter”

“PS - Gnomes are welcome too”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

There were stickers dotting along the siding of the threshold. Stickers of dragons, gnomes and princesses. Rachel was definitely a dreamer, and that was okay. A girl as adorable as her deserves to be treated like a princess. She knocked politely.

“Rachel, are you in there?” Sonia asked. The sounds of rustling could be heard before a muffled voice answered.

“It’s okay, Aunty. I’ll stay in my room for the rest of the night. I won’t bother anyone.”

“Hey, I don’t sound that old, do I? For your information, I’m only twenty four years old.”

“Sonia?”

“Yes, it’s Sonia, although I’m not going to ask how you already know my name, but yes, it’s Sonia. I would’ve asked for your name if I hadn’t found out in such a terrible way. How are you holding up?

Rachel approached the door, but didn’t open it. She only rested her head against it, hesitating.

“You must think I’m a loser, don’t you?

“I wouldn’t say a loser, but maybe a little weak. I certainly wouldn’t let anyone talk to me that way. I’ve been talked to like that my entire life. I’m used to it. And I’ve become somewhat calloused to it now. But sometimes, certain things trigger me, like the look in your eyes. It stirred something in me, and I couldn’t bear to watch. I’m sorry that I didn’t stand up for you. I should have.”

The door opened, and the teary-eyed girl revealed herself.

“You would've stood up for me?” She asked.

“Well, in retrospect, I would’ve liked to. But in the heat of things, I just couldn’t bring myself to move from my chair. I’m sorry. I guess I’m a little weak too. But if it’s okay with you, can I make it up to you by keeping you company for the rest of the night?”

The girl was silent for a time, contemplating.

“You know, I was sitting alone with not a single friend before you came to speak to me. You made my night so much better in just the short time I had with you. Trust me when I say that you are far better company than the rest of them.”

“Thank you for saying that. If you’re sure, then you are welcome to come in.” Rachel said, opening the door, she gestured to a small table, where a single glass of wine sat.

“Why, thank you.” Sonia said as she stepped into the room. She smiled. “Does this make me a princess or a dragon, since they’re the ones that are allowed to enter.

Rachel laughed with a snort.

“A princess, of course! I’ll be the dragon. What colored dragon should I be, though?” she pondered.

Sonia’s memory tingled in her mind.

“I’d say, an ivory white dragon with beautiful golden yellow eyes.”

“Ooooh, I like it!! Where did that come from? That was oddly specific.” Rachel said. Her eyes twinkled with amusement.

“I think it was a dream I had when I was a child.”

Sonia said, trying to recall the details.

“Oh, that’s right!” Rachel exclaimed. “The wine that I was going to share with you, I have some here if you still want some.”

“That would be awesome. We both could use a drink.”

“Amen to that.” She said, slumping down onto the pink carpet next to her tiny pink table. She poured wine for both of them into cups of rose pink crystal.

Sonia took a moment to observe her surroundings. The room was filled with the pastel shades of pinks and blues, with the bed and curtains laced in white.

“Wow, it’s…pretty in here.”

“I know it's childish, isn’t it?”

Posters and drawings of princesses and dragons filled the walls and hanging shelves held figurines of even more princesses and cute dragons.

Everything sparkled.

The poor girl bit her lip and fidgeted with her hair as she watched nervously as Sonia scanned her room.

“Childish might be one way of describing it, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. This mansion is filled with way too many adult arrogance to the point of suffocation. This room, however, is comforting. I like it.” Sonia said, sitting on the carpet adjacent to the innocent fiery-haired Rachel.

There were bookshelves lining the walls that were filled with comics and fantasy novels that were, no doubt, tales about princesses and dragons. Sonia had to admit, she also liked Dragons and princesses. She was a girl after all. And tales about a knight in shining armor rescuing a damsel in distress was every neglected girl’s favorite escape, it seemed.

“You know, when I first heard about you,” Rachel started. “ I wondered what kind of woman you were, to have attracted a high-standing man such as John. I thought you might be like them. You surprised me, though. You’re nothing like them.”

“I’ll toast to that.” Sonia said, holding up the glass Rachel had prepared for her.

Rachel laughed.

The two girls raised their glasses and clanked them together in agreement. Sonia sipped the wine and her eyes went wide in delight.

“Wow! This wine is delicious! What is it?”

“It’s a sweet Italian red wine called Lambrusco. It’s a cheap wine, but it’s my favorite. I’m glad you like it. Want another?”

“Absolutely!”

“You’d better be careful, missy. It’s easy to get drunk off this wine.” Rachel said, pouring another serving for the both of them.

“Although, I’ve never had a drinking partner, so I’ll have to practice extra self control.”

The two girls sat in silence, sipping on they’re sweet wine and enjoying the silent company with one another. Company, that doesn’t judge or persecute. The sparkling room was a place of safe comfort, but the company of Rachel’s new friend was something far more magical than any of her books could allude to. The girl couldn’t help it. She cried.

This was the first time she’d had company in her room. No one cared to visit her in any normal circumstance. Sonia was her first guest. Sonia actually cared. She watched as Sonia’s face scrunched with worry.

“Hey, what's wrong? Don’t tell me that what the awful woman said to you is still affecting you. Let’s not dwell on the bad things, let’s enjoy the moment we have. Surely it won’t last, but let's make the most of what we have now.” Sonia said, crawling over to Rachel and embracing her.

“Ouch!” Rachel screamed, clutching her chest where the wine stained her blouse.

“What is it?” Sonia asked. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“It's okay” Rachel said as she eased over to her vanity mirror and tore open the blouse to examine herself. She stood silently in front of the mirror for a long moment and cried.

“Rachel? Are you okay?”

“My family doesn’t love me. I’m so alone in this house. Just one girl in an entire mansion. I know I should be thankful, but I’m so lonely. Would she love me if I wasn’t so clumsy and stupid?”

Fits of sobs interrupted her thoughts as she fought through her tears.

“Since my mother died, I’ve been nothing but an unwanted, pathetic, subservient niece, who can’t do anything right.I’ve tried so hard. My own family doesn’t care about me or my pain” she cried, turning around to face her new friend. Sonia saw the shard of glass that protruded from the skin above her breast, and cried aloud. The red stain on her blouse wasn’t from the wine.

“Memories flashed in Sonia’s mind. Memories of her childhood, where no one loved her, not even her own parents. They hit her and they neglected her, and there was no comfort for her, save for the dreams she had at night, where a beautiful stranger claimed her as her own.

Sonia got to her feet. She couldn’t take her eyes off the shard of glass. It stuck out of her flesh like a testament to her lonely life.

Margaret stood right in front of her. She was even the one that broke the glass. Are you telling me that she didn’t even know that she hurt her? No, that’s impossible! She had to have known. She just didn’t care!

Sonia wept for her and remembered a voice she had once heard. The words resonated in her soul.

“Never stop loving others.”

Her lips quivered as she spoke softly. whether she spoke to Rachel, or whispered it to herself as a vocal thought, was unknown, but it was surely a subconscious action.

She took a step toward Rachel.

“I claim you.”

The tiny redhead looked at her, not knowing what Sonia was trying to say. She was going to ask her what she meant, if the color of Sonia’s eyes hadn’t distracted her first. Sonia had dark features like that of a Hispanic woman, with tan skin and dark brown eyes, but for a moment, Rachel could have sworn Sonia’s eyes turned blue. The sudden flash of color made the girl forget her pain as she started questioning her eyesight. She stood there, and watched Sonia as she approached her.

“What did you say?”

Sonia took another step, trembling. She felt something that she hadn’t felt since she was a child. Like an energy that flowed within her. She told herself countless times that it was all just a dream, but this is the first time in so many years that she had felt this way. It was the feeling of authority, like that of royalty in which all laws are firmly set, like a queen. Authority that needed to be proclaimed. It was almost as if her body moved on its own, but Sonia didn’t fight it. She wanted this. She wanted it so much.

Sonia reached out and grabbed Rachel by the hand, and with the other hand, placed it over the girl’s heart, over the protruding glass.

Once again, Rachel was about to say something, but it was Sonia’s eyes that stopped her, leaving her frozen in place while Sonia’s eyes changed. Her eyes shone brightly, a divine blue that shone brighter than even the lamp that lit the room.

When Sonia spoke, it wasn’t just a voice, but a booming proclamation that echoed in the large sprawling room.

“I claim you, you are mine. You are not a fool. You are not stupid. You are not a nobody, and you are not alone. You are amazing and far more valuable than any gold or trinket in this mansion. You are mine and I love you.. From now on, you are my family, forever.”

Rachel sobbed as she heard the words. No one had ever said such wonderful things to her in all of her life.

“Sonia, do you mean it?”

Sonia’s eyes returned to normal, and, as she came back to her senses, began to sway with fatigue. As if the energy had somehow drained from her body.

“Sonia? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I think. I’m just tired. Give me a minute.”

Rachel helped Sonia into a chair before kneeling beside her.

“Sonia, what was that? That was…Something.”

“I’m not sure, honestly.” Sonia said through heavy breaths. “Something just came over me. I’m sorry about that. That must have seemed super awkward. That was weird, wasn’t it? I probably looked like a crazy person.”

“Well, that definitely was crazy, but lovely at the same time.”

The door to Rachel’s room crashed open, and Margaret came stumbling in uninvited.

“What was that racket? I heard it all the way from down stairs amongst the racket of the drunks!”

“And you just assumed it came from this room? Honestly, there are hundreds of rooms in this mansion, and you didn’t even think to check the obvious one first, like the kitchen, for example. What would we be doing that would cause any kind of racket loud enough for you to hear?”

Sonia’s words came out in a slur as she tried her best to sound normal despite her rolling fatigue. The room spun and blurred to such a degree that Sonia had to grasp the vanity to steady herself. Margaret stepped closer with accusing eyes.

“Yeah…I tried, but I just can’t function well enough in my current state. It all sounded great in my head, but I have no idea how it must have sounded out loud in my tired stupor.”

Margaret’s eyes fell upon the bottle of wine and the two rose pink glasses on the table.

“You’ve been drinking. Look at you. You’re drunk!”

“Oh, I only had a glass, or was it two? Wait, was it two?”

Rachel giggled at her confusion.

“Yes, silly, we had two glasses.”

“You don’t even remember how much wine you drank!” Margaret screamed. “I invite you to such an important event, and this is how you act?!” The woman roared.

“I knew it from the moment I met you. You’re nothing but a lousy gold digging beggar!”

The woman grabbed Sonia by the arm and dragged her over to the door. Her grip was so tight. The strength of this woman was astonishingly strong.

Holy crap!

“Ouch! You’re hurting me.”

Sonia stumbled and tripped as she struggled to walk.

“Let go of me! What is wrong with you?” The woman didn’t listen. She whipped Sonia around and out the door where John was waiting, embarrassed. He spoke to her through clenched teeth.

“What are you doing up here screwing around with the likes of her? I thought I told you not to embarrass me.”

“How do I not embarrass you when it’s too easy to do so? From what I’ve seen, you’re just like your mother. Are you two ever happy?”

He slapped her, causing her to stumble and fall. Rachel screamed at the site of the violent act.The strike didn’t neccessarily hurt her. Her body was still recovering from the event that took place just moments before they entered. She felt drunkenly numb. She laughed.

“Momma’s boy! You claim to hate her, but you’re so much like her, it’s hilarious. What else are you going to do to me, Momma’s boy? Not even man enough to have the decency to introduce me to your family and colleagues. I’ve been here over four hours and you’ve failed to introduce me to anyone. No one even knows who I am. I’m literally a stranger here. What am I doing here, John? I should have just stayed home. What was the point of bringing me out here, to humiliate me? You’ve ignored me the entire time we’ve been here. Now you give me attention?”

Sonia slowly got to her feet and glared at him, seething.

“You’re not a real man. You’re a child just like the rest of them. How did I ever think that you could make me happy?”

“Rachel, never forget the words I’ve spoken to you tonight. I meant every word.”

Rachel gave a weary smile and nodded.

Sonia pushed past John’s slender frame and walked hurriedly down the hall, stumbling a little as she went.

She was starting to recover a little from her stupor, but still managed to bump into every wall and corner on her way to the stairs.

“What in the hell happened to me? Was it really because of the wine? I know I’m not much of a drinker, but damn. I didn’t think I was that much of a lightweight.”

Sonia stumbled ungracefully down the stairs to the first floor and through the throng of people still drinking the night away. Laughter filled the dining hall as haughty drunken guests divulged their money making secrets, which always included ripping off the lower class. Their type made her sick. With so much power and position to help people, they still choose to crush the ones that need it most.

Once she reached the familiar front doors, she pulled them open and stepped out, resting on the top step as she caught her breath. The night breeze felt great on her tired shoulders. From the top step, she spotted the car and headed toward it. Once inside, she quickly undressed and fumbled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

“Boy am I glad I brought these.”

She changed into a pair of old sneakers before grabbing a wad of cash stashed away under the seat, money that she had been saving for this very purpose. She wasn’t necessarily deciding to leave him permanently, but needed some time away. If he loved her at all, he would allow her some time to herself. She stuffed the money into an inside zipper pocket and headed off down the winding, rocky drive. She heard angry screaming from the building’s main entrance and decided that it would be best to keep moving without looking back. What more did they want from here, anyway?

She said to herself that she wasn’t actually leaving him, but was it so bad that she did? After all, she wasn’t happy. But then, when was she ever? Only when she was dreaming. She dreamed that someone loved her and enjoyed her company. That’s what she wanted for Rachel, for someone to enjoy her company. She promised herself that she would make some time for her in the future. In the meantime, she needed to find herself a place to stay the night.

“What time is it? Like, ten, maybe? It’ll probably take a while, but I’m sure I’ll find a hotel somewhere. If I stay here for another minute, I’m certain to do or say something I’ll regret.

The winding gravel drive was loud to walk on, which was good in a way. The loud crunching sound jumbled her thoughts and allowed her to focus on the task at hand, which was to get away from the evil arrogance of the rich snobs which she would have to call family if she ever decided to marry into it. The thought of it made her laugh, surprised that she would even entertain the thought at all. Seriously, was she really happy with her current life?

The drive was a little too long and winding for no practical reason that Sonia could understand.

“Would it kill them to make a straight road?”

Although, she understood that the terrain here was treacherous, with sheer cliffs that dropped off several hundred feet into the surrounding forest. It would take a small fortune to rearrange the surrounding landscape, which the family was definitely capable of.

She could hear people yelling for her again. During the whole time she was there, she was ignored. Rich people only care about the people or things that make them rich, and anything else is regarded as unimportant, like her and Rachel. Sonia was sick and tired of being treated like she was unimportant. John only showed value in her when he didn’t have her, and then as soon as she accepted his invitation to be his girlfriend, he pulled a one-eighty and changed his tune completely.

Certain things in the business world lose their value upon obtaining it, or through normal use. A car, for instance, loses its value the moment it's purchased and driven off the lot. But love shouldn’t be that way. Love is not a commodity to be bought or sold. It’s unconditional and priceless, with an infinite value, or at least it should be. To her, love is something that is meant to be treated as sacred, Kept and honored. But was this concept also a dream, like the rest of her imaginary happiness?

A car pulled up beside her, and Margaret quickly jumped out of it.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“What do you mean, where are you going? Do you honestly care where a lousy gold-digging beggar goes? Are you going to drive me to the nearest hotel?” Honestly, that would be nice. If I wasn’t disgusted by the site of you.”

“You watch your mouth, young lady!” Margaret spat.

“ Wow, I’m a lady now? When did I get promoted?” Sonia’s sarcasm left the woman’s eyes twitching in silent anger, speechless.

“You ungrateful bitch.”

“Ungrateful?” Sonia gasped. She was no longer able to contain her thoughts as she laughed hysterically.

“Look, woman, I can’t with you right now. I just can’t.” Sonia said as she continued down the road, laughing and yelling into the night.

“This woman has no clue. What a moron! Ungrateful? Does she even know? Her son can’t do anything by himself. He’s useless without a girlfriend, or should I call myself a nanny, because that's how I feel with him most of the time. Literally, I cook, I clean, I do his laundry, and I’m even the one that reminded him that he had a party to attend, but I’M ungrateful! That woman is a terrible mother, she couldn’t even teach him the basic skills of life. What a waste of good looks.”

Sonia ranted on and on. Not stopping for a moment to consider that the woman that she was offending was behind her, seething in blinding anger. A hand clasped onto Sonia’s shoulder and wrenched her around. Margaret’s face was the last thing she saw before she was clubbed by a large purse, sending Sonia tumbling over the edge of the sheer cliff.

____________________________________________________________

Rachel sat alone in front of her sparkling pink vanity, staring at her reflection. She was told her entire life that she was worthless and stupid. She believed it. She’d never really considered denying those worlds, until today. Why was she considered worthless? The answer to that was shockingly easy. Why was she just realizing it now? Why did it take the visit of a stranger to open her eyes to the truth? It wasn’t because of her abilities or intelligence that made her worthless. She was a half-blood. Figuratively and literally speaking. Her father was not of this family, he married into it. Once her mother died, her father was cut off from the family immediately, leaving Rachel to choose whether she should stay within the family or leave with her father. Of course, she stayed with the family by orders of her father, who insisted that she stay, reasoning that she would have a better life with them. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an easy life. In fact, it was quite depressing to say the least. She began to think about the possibility of leaving the family behind. Surely she would be much happier on her own, even if she struggled financially, wouldn’t she be more happy? This is what she currently struggled with.

Rachel stood and started pacing back and forth in deep thought, Sonia’s words echoing in her mind.

“You’re amazing.”

“You’re not alone.”

“I love you.”

A flood of tears rolled down her face uncontrollably. Sonia’s words wrapped around her like a blanket of emotion, and she wanted to hang onto the memory for as long as she could. For who knows how long it would be before she would see her again, if ever. Today’s events happened like a blur, both good and bad. And it was hard to make sense of it. The night seemed magical, and she didn’t know whether it was the wine or if the magic was real, but assumed it was just the wine. But nonetheless, it was a night to remember.

Rachel pulled out box after box of comics and fantasy books from under her bed, in search of the first aid kit. She had to do something about the shard of glass sticking out of her chest. She had forgotten all about it in the heat of events, but after spotting a random loose shard of rose pink glass on her carpet, reminded her of it. The realization of possible infection worried her, so she carefully placed the random shard onto her vanity and proceeded to search for the proper tools to not only safely remove the glass, but also disinfect the wound and clean it afterward.

How many more instances like this would she be willing to put up with before she decided that enough was enough?

When she finally found what she was looking for, she stood with the kit in her hands, the boxes of her favorite escape surrounded her. These books had helped her deal with a lot of depression, and she still loved them. Her favorite story was that of a princess who had been taken from her family and had gone through many hardships in order to be reunited with them. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a family like that for her? A family that would do anything for her, because they loved her? Again, Sonia’s words echoed in her mind, plucking on her heartstrings.

“You are my family, forever”

“Forever.” She repeated.

Rachel took a seat at her vanity and placed the kit in front of her. Her reflection in the mirror showed a white face with blotches of red spots from her crying.

“God, I look awful. It’s her fault, really.” She smiled.

“Now, how should I start this? Let me see. First, I should sterilize the tweezers before I use them. It’s a good thing I have rubbing alcohol in this kit.”

She took a thin cloth from the kit and soaked it in the alcohol, using it to polish the tweezers until she felt satisfied.

“Right, now all there is to it, is to…use…the tweezers.”

Rachel sat there, silent. Staring at her bare flesh, where the shard of glass should have been. It was gone, with not even a single clue that it was even there at all. No blood, no scar, nothing.

“That’s impossible.”

She looked down at the random shard she found on her carpet, and realized that it was the very shard that pierced her.

Rachel’s confusion sent her reeling into a spiral blur of emotions as the night’s events played out inside her mind in deafening volume.

The glass as it was angrily shoved into her. Sonia, who had made her smile and laugh, joined her for a glass of wine. All of it; all of the night's events played out over and over again, but the one thing that stood out the most in perfect clarity, was Soina’s striking blue eyes as she placed her hand over her bleeding wound. The moment when Sonia healed her.