Echo [11] (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 29

"Teresa Panzer! Where have you been?" ah, shit. I turned around, faking a smile as I stared down my mother.

"I was out with my friends. Martha told you as such," I responded coolly.

"Martha's been gone the entire day," just on cue, Martha rounded the corner.

"Ah, Fraulein Teresa. I see you've returned from your little outing. Did you have a good time?" Martha asked kindly.

"Yes, but we're quite tired. I think we'll go to sleep for the night," I turned away from my mutter and started heading up the stairs. My friends started following, and I could feel her eyes boring into my back.

"This conversation is not over," she said shrilly, but I ignored her.

"Let's go find some rooms for y'all," I suggested, leading them down far too many hallways for my liking. "Please, before I rip someone's head off." That put a skip in their step and soon enough we were in the hallway with all the bedrooms. A room was selected for each of them, while I claimed the room I used as a hideout.

Breakfast came far too early when the dawn was just peeking in through my windows. A sharp rap echoed from my door, and I grumbled as I pulled myself out of bed. All my luggage had mysteriously gone missing so all I had to wear were prim and proper dresses evidently selected by my mother.

I pulled on the simplest one, going to my friends' rooms and rousing them. They were just as unhappy, but if I had to suffer, they did too.

Today was the second day of our vacation to hel--I mean home. It was also more preparation. Yay.

How exciting and completely original and like nothing I've ever done before.

To be honest, I completely blocked out the next three days in an attempt to preserve my sanity. Not that anything interesting happened. It was just preparing and preparing and preparing and preparing.

We found small moments to slip away and hang out, but they were few and far in between. Now, tonight was the night I'd been dreading--the ball.

Carol had been given a silver dress, and Tanya had been given a burgundy dress and heaps of makeup to lighten her olive skin. I found it a shame since she looked great without any makeup but my mother insisted.

Loki and Steve had both been given suits--I can't wait to see how that goes down.

If I let the objects blur around me, I could pretend the servents fluttering around me were just very peculiar birds pecking at my feet. It worked, and I smirked as I glanced at my friends being given the same treatment.

After what felt like an eternity, we were all done. It felt odd being so dolled up and it made my skin crawl, but as long it kept my mother off my back, it'd be worth it.

"C'mon, let's go see how the boys are faring," I led them to the room where Steve and Loki were sanctioned and given clothes to dress up.

"Why won't this blasted thing work?" Loki growled, fighting with a tie as we entered, Steve watched with an amused smirk from the corner.

"Because you're not tying it correctly," Tanya crossed over, fingers working quickly as she secured the emerald-colored tie.

"Why do you know how to tie a tie?" Carol asked, and Tanya blushed slightly.

"Well, I, uh, I, I worked for a hotel and my male coworkers didn't know how to tie their ties, so I did it for them," she admitted, taking a great interest in her shoes.

"Are you guys ready for battle?" I asked.

"As we'll ever be."

a/n Well, this chapter is a day late. Apologies about that, it completely slipped my mind! Also, I don't have the time to write a second chapter, so I think there'll only be one for this update. Again, sorry about the delay, it's completely my fault. Have a good day/evening/night!