Human

Strawberries

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Gabby

I really don't know how I feel about all this. The ball. Having a stylist. It's a lot.

This isn't how a young girl from Ohio is treated. Not with diamonds. Not with special parties.

But anyway, Theresa is my stylists name.

The walk to her office is long, and so I asked her if we could just run there, and her dark eyes looked at me and all she said was, "I don't run."

Looking back at the ground I quickly change the subject, "So...what is this ball for?" I ask her.

"It's to...introduce you girls to other politically important people. So they get to know you." She says.

I nod my head. "So...do you know anything that's going on? Because I don't really know much. My friend Katie, the um...Empress has read these books that-"

"Predict all the events that will be happening now in the present and the future. The books that have determined the fate of the human race. Determined the fate for Smurfs. Yes, I know all that happens."

I pause for a second, taking this information...and not knowing what to do with it. Has she read the books? How does she know about all this? Does everyone know now? "So...is all this stuff like...in the news or something?" I ask her, looking down at my feet. "Does everyone know about it?"

"No. Televisions aren't working. A lot of things aren't working right now. For some reason phones still work, but not much else."

"So...how do you know a lot of things from the books? Have people been talking about it or-"

"No, my...my brother is Tony." She says in a whisper.

My body stops at his name. If she's Tony's sister then she's also a Smurf! So of course she knows all this information, because she must be helping him. "I didn't know Tony has a sister." I say, trying to keep my voice from cracking.

"Yeah, most people don't see us as siblings, cause we look nothing alike. We don't have the same mom. I look like my mom, and he looks like our dad."

"Are you guys close?"

"Not really. I didn't even know he really existed until I was ten. And then we never really talked. Now we just...talk sometimes."

"What do you guys normally talk about?" I ask.

She pauses, as though she doesn't want to tell me what her and her brother talk about. I bet they talk about undercover Smurf stuff- "A lot of times we just talk to each other about work. Sometimes we'll pick at each other on needing to hurry up and find a boyfriend or girlfriend." Her lip comes up in the corner, forming a slight smile. "He's actually planning on bringing my friend, Spencer to the ball, which I kinda saw. I mean he talks about her, but I only really saw them as friends."

"Why is that?" I ask, hoping I'm not pushing it to far.

"Because...he also talks a lot about your friend...Katie. The Empress. But, his mom really doesn't seem to like her."

Changing the subject I ask her, "So, what are you planning on making my dress look like? And how fancy is this party? Is it like fancy, fancy? Or is it like a prom type of fancy?"