Once Upon a Miserable Soul

Chapter 5: Preparation

When Rita awoke the next morning, she felt sick. The next day would be Christmas Day but it wasn't as exciting for her as it was for other teens. They got presents when she on the other hand got a worthless meal. The thought of being dressed like a lady in public didn't please her. She peeked out the window and threw up.

"Hey!"

Rita looked down in shock. Spike had vomit on his head. Rita was laughing until she realized she was in her Union Jack lingerie. She stepped back to dress.

"Good news." Said Remy. "The toads are so overexcited so not many ordered breakfast."

Rita and the others were satisfied. They probably wouldn't have to do as much work as usual.

"So Rita, I heard Le Toad's letting you go." Said Mercedes. "Not like him."

"Not at all." Rita agreed. "But Maria talked him into it."

"But he hates you." Said Laura.

"Laura!" Her mother burst.

"It's ok Maria. I knew that since the day we first met."

"What are you gonna wear?"

Rita scanned the room with her eyes then whispered.

"I snuck last night and saw a seamstress. This nice man actually offered to buy it for me and we went out to dinner. I saw Ted walking around and I almost got caught."

"Who was the man?" Laura questioned.

"You won't believe me. It was the Prince."

"But he's not single!"

"Keep your voice low." Said Maria. "Walls have ears too."

"I'm not lying." Said Rita. "I'll show you the dress tomorrow."

Since the hours of work have been greatly reduced, they decided to watch the Maggie St. James Show, their version of the Corny Collins Show. All the dancers on the show were royal and rich. There was a part in the opening song where all the dancers would line up and say their names.

"I'm Sharpay!"

"Al!"

"Yasmin!"

"Erik!"

"Violet!"

"Dash!"

"Ella!"

"Andre!"

"Belle!"

"Raoul!"

"Aurora!"

"Phillip!"

"Maria!"

"And I'm... Roddy."

"Will you turn that racket down?" Mercedes snapped. "My ears are not garbage cans!"

"But it's the Maggie St. James Show." Said Laura. "The best show ever."

"Yeah well underground here we don't have too many channels. The humans take everything away from us including our own lives." Said Remy.

"Their lives are a lot worse than ours." Said Maria. "With animal testing, predators and those cruel traps."

Rita turned off the TV. Laura stopped dancing and looked at her best friend.

"Mercedes." She began. "The baby is due any day now. You should rest."

"Oh my dear, I'll be quite fine."