the necklace ⇢ z.m

Chapter Six

"I fall asleep, hoping I'll forget."

-------

I was awoken the next morning by an obnoxiously loud alarm. I groaned and put my pillow over my head, trying to block out the noise. I looked at the clock above the door and saw that it was six am. Why do they have us get up this early?

Once I realized that it was probably a better idea to get up and get ready, I reluctantly got up from the bed. The cold air slapped my skin and it took everything in me to not run back under the covers and stay there for the rest of the day. 

I couldn't remember if Niall had told me a certain time that I had to be out of my room. I was wasting time trying to think of it, so I just went into the bathroom to get a shower. My hair was a mess by this time. It was greasy and pointing in every direction. 

It took me about fifteen minutes in the shower, once I got up I hurriedly got dressed and did my hair. When I was dressed and ready to go for the day, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. They never really specified to me. 

My stomach was rumbling with hunger. I didn't know if I should go to the dining hall or wait here for someone to tell me to do something. Much to my relief, my thoughts were interrupted when Niall came barging in my room. 

"Good, you didn't leave." He said with a sigh of relief. "I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do, so I just kind of waited." I said and he nodded, slightly panting. He looked like he was exhausted. It's six in the morning and he probably has had to run around the palace all morning.

"Yeah, that's fine. What time is it right now?" He said and I glanced at the clock which read twenty till seven. "Almost seven." I told him and he nodded. "You don't have to be upstairs until seven, so are you hungry?" He asked and I nodded.

"I'm starving, actually." I chuckled and he smiled at me. "Let's go then." He said and opened the door for me. I thanked him and walked out the door. I followed him down the hall, still not exactly sure where everything was, even though he gave me a tour. 

Once we got to the dining hall, it was kind of crowded. He led me to a table near the door and I saw two other girls sitting there. I was guessing they were Annette and Sasha. "I'll go get your food." Niall said and I nodded.

I sat down and made sure not to make eye contact with either of them. "You're the new girl, right?" I looked up and saw that the voice belonged to a girl with bright green eyes and blonde hair. I nodded my head in response.

She rolled her eyes at me and the girl next to her elbowed her. "Sash, be nice." She whispered to her, but I could still hear her. "I'm Annette, and this is Sasha." The girl said and then gestured to the girl who had just rolled her eyes at me. 

"I'm Crystal." I said, feeling a kind vibe coming from Annette. Annette looked a bit older. Maybe late twenties, where as Sasha looked early twenties. After our introductions to each other Niall came back with a plate of food in his hand. 

He sat down next to me and set the plate of food in front of me. "Thank you." I said and he smiled. I started eating what looked like blueberry pancakes. "Why are you here, Niall?" Sasha asked, rudely. "I need to clear some things with Crystal and if you have a problem with that leave." He said and she looked shocked.

"Fine." She scoffed and abruptly stood up and marched out of the room. "I'm sorry about her." Annette apologized and followed Sasha out. "She's a piece of work." Niall sighed in exhaustion and frustration. "I've realized." I chuckled. 

"Okay, so today I think you're scheduled just to take care of the pets from the upper quarters." Niall said while looking at a piece of paper in front of him. I nodded while I continued to eat. The portions weren't very big so I was finished quickly.