A Twisted Tale: The Night Is Done (GillianCobbler's Writing Contest)

Right?

This has not been the best day so far. Today is my little sister's birthday, and instead of celebrating it with her, the rest of my big family, a nice homemade cake (and possibly a present that I snagged earlier today), I'm stuck in the office of the Wicked Stepmother at some villain reforming school, which I do not need because I am not a real villain! All I did was take a dragon tooth clip at Combing the Sea from a snobby royal who won't even care!

The Wicked Stepmonster just stormed out of the room (maybe because I called her that name) and now I'm in here all alone. This room is nice. Unreasonably nice. That gold quill on Flora's (the Wicked Stepmother's) desk could feed my family for a week! I'll find my way out of this joint fast, so I might as well just take it. It's not like Flora will even miss it. I stuff the quill in my overalls pocket and wait a moment. No one is here to care.

No one at all...

After a few minutes of doing nothing except thinking about ways to get out of here, a clock on the wall begins to chime. I quickly sit back down in my chair as the doorknob turns. The door then opens, and Flora walks in again.

"So Gillian," she says. "Do you want to try having this conversation again?"

Please. "Only if you want to hear the same thing," I snap back. I'm not afraid of this Headmistress. What can she do to me?

Flora scowls deeply and I feel a lump form in my throat. I may be a little afraid of this Headmistress, but she can't push me around.

"It is this behavior that you are displaying that is the reason you're here," Flora calmly reminds me. "You will want to shape it up as soon as possible, or your stay here will not be as comfortable as you make it. Now, we must go walk Pete and Olaf out. It's only proper to see a guest off." Seriously? You want me to be proper to the people that had me arrested? Not gonna happen. I stay in my seat against Flora's best wishes.

"Gillian, now." Flora is getting impatient. I stay in my seat. "Gillian, I mean it." Still seated. "So that is how you want your time to go here, huh? Your stay had just been extended by one month. Keep up this behavior and that month can increase." Geez! I roll my eyes slightly and push myself up out of my chair. Sorry family, I let you down.

But don't worry, I'll be out of here soon enough. Right?

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After Pete and Olaf left, Flora took me back to her office to find me a roommate. Miri, the magic mirror, is currently reading off my options.

"We have limited choices," Miri says grimly. "There's Sasha, the sprite who keeps chopping off her roommate's hair while she sleeps."

I cringe. I may not love my hair, but I do like the length. "I'm not due for a haircut for a while," I tell Flora.

"Who else do we have?" Flora taps her foot impatiently.

"How about Tara? Her roommate will be in the infirmary all semester because that illegal spell she cast went awry."

"Any other options?" I ask. "I do not make a good guinea pig."

Flora runs a hand through her salt-and-pepper hair and exhales. "Miri, who do we have left?"

"Those two are the only two available in the girls' dormitory," Miri says sympathetically. Great. "Tara really is a sweet girl once you get to know her, though. Maybe give her a chance?"

With a deep sigh, I shrug my shoulders. "Yeah, sure."

"Great!" Miri exclaims. "Now, I must go. I'm getting a call to the castle by Rose." Oh wow! Sleeping Beauty? Not that I care about that sort of thing.