A Cinderella Story (Part 1)

Chapter 12: The Question (Sofinne's perspective)

I skipped down the stairs. Never had I ever been so excited for dinner!

But, as the memory of what Mother had said, or, more accurately, what I had to do, sooner or later, resurfaced, I felt a twinge of unease in my stomach. But Abigail could find someone else. It wasn't a big deal. Reassured, I pasted a hasty smile on my face. Soon, when I got there, it would feel real.

I fast walked the rest of the way there. I felt stiff and robotic, like I was being mind controlled. Finally, I reached the eating room, filled with clamouring people, and got ready to behold the tantalizing feast laid out for us.

I was disappointed, to say the least, when I found my way to my place card and saw one hors d'oeuvre, miniscule and pitiful.

I nudged the person sitting next to me. Lady Bancroft, her place card read.

"Erm, dear Lady Bancroft, when will dinner arrive?" I asked.

Lady Bancroft laughed as if I had said the most delightfully hilarious thing since someone had claimed three pigs to be competing in the task of building a house.

"Oh, Abigail, darling, dinner is already here!" She winked, as if she and I were just old pals laughing about an inside joke.

I nodded.

"Yes, of course," I said, forcing out a laugh.

I shoved the hors d'oeuvre in my mouth. It was actually quite scrumptious, although quality does nothing near any good for the lack of quantity. Then I turned my attention to the conversations of the people sitting across from us.

"How was hunting this year, Prince Demitrius?"

"Oh, just wonderful. I caught about a dozen hares and pheasants, but my most magnificent catch had to be the stag. It was a whole..."

I quickly lost interest. Partially from the topic, but also, didn't the name Demitrius sound familiar? I scoured my memories. Mother often complained about my dull memory. Of course, that was compared to Merellda, who dotes on her every word, but still, my memory isn't the sharpest, I must admit. Aha! His name must have been the one on my math quiz. Like, Demitrius runs 17 minutes per a day. If he runs every third day in August, how many minutes has he run in the month? I guess they use popular names in the questions now. Once, they used the name Emma. Ha! That's such a grandma name.

"Miss Abigail. Miss. Miss!"

I jerked my hand to my face.

"I-I-I... oh. Uh, thank you," I mumbled, my face surely the same red as the cherry tomato that had been on my hors d'oeuvre.

I accepted the teacup-sized portion of creamy soup. It filled the ornate bowl, which was gilded with gold at the edge, to the brim. It was also etched with what I assumed was the emblem of the Caelfall crown. After I was done inspecting the bowl, it was time to eat the soup. What a concept! Hesitantly, I sipped from the spoon. Immediately, I had another. And another. Soon, I lost patience and just slurped the whole thing from the bowl. Finished, and still starving, I looked up. People stared at me as if I were disgraceful. All except one. I looked into the eyes of Prince Demetrius. And, suddenly, I knew how I remembered him. The letter. His eyes were laughing, sparkling, almost... no. I couldn't think it. Couldn't risk getting disappointed, again. He pointed to my upper lip. Uh oh. I touched it, my fingers coming off with soup. Flushed, I grabbed a napkin and hurriedly wiped my mouth. What a disaster!

But after those first two horrific courses, everything was perfect, perfect meaning shorter. Everything zoomed by, even the sorbet. Eventually, it was over, and we all started leaking out of the dining room, like a drip in the roof. I had to wait while the door was crowded, but I was only glad that it was finally over. Two hours of awkwardness. I sighed.

Suddenly, I felt a nudge. I looked up from the table. Lady Bancroft was smiling at me.

"Well?" She said, a hint of mischief in her voice.

I looked up. Or rather, down. And, kneeling, on the ground, was Prince Demetrius. Smiling at me. No, smiling at Abigail. I felt a bead of sweat forming on my brow.

No.

It would break the real Abigail's heart though...

No.

Mother did tell me what to say...

NO.

It wasn't even my business...

NO!

I had no idea. I took off.

"Abigail..."

I looked back at the prince's sad face, just as I was at the door.

"I-I'm sorry," I sobbed.

Then I ran upstairs.