"Sorry sorry sorry,"

Kilin rushed back home, her heart pounding as she realised she was already late. The clock struck past two, and her mother, Mary Lee, stood outside, tapping her foot impatiently. They were having so much fun at lunch that she lost track of time. By the time she left, there was already afternoon traffic as some of the roads were closed for repairs. She was destined to be late.

"Sorry sorry sorry," she blurted almost out of breath. Mary Lee wasted no time. She grabbed Kilin's hand and pulled her hastily into the house.

"Hurry, go take a shower," she instructed, her voice tinged with urgency. Kilin dropped her small suitcase and sprinted upstairs, feeling the weight of her tardiness hanging over her. She quickly jumped into the shower. Through the door, she could hear her mother on the phone trying to reassure whoever it was that was calling. This undoubtedly intensified her guilt.

After a quick refreshing shower, Kilin entered her bedroom and her mother threw a comfortable dress to her. "Wear that for now. Your dress is at your aunt's house," she said and Kilin caught it before changing into it.

When she came downstairs she found that her mother's friend, Aunt Hazel, was waiting for her in the living room. Aunt Hazel, ever cheerful, greeted Kilin with a warm smile. As they chatted, Aunt Hazel skillfully began working on Kilin's nails and toes, while Mary Lee attended to her hair.

Kilin was trying to be calm but she couldn't but lose her patience a little.

"Mum, isn't it a little too much? I am not going to the dance or something. Is this all necessary?"

Aunt Hazel was eager to respond on Mary Lee's behalf. "Sweetie all the rich people are going to be there and we can't have you looking a mess," she said Kilin couldn't help but sigh deeply causing her hair to

Meanwhile, Kilin's mischievous younger brother, Raylan, watched the flurry of activity unfold. Sensing the chaos, he decided to make a swift escape, fearing he would be the next in line for grooming. Uncle Marcus, seizing the opportunity, mischievously grabbed a pair of cordless hair clippers and gave chase, sending Raylan darting around the house in a frenzy.

"Stand still... Uncle Marcus will give you a nice haircut," he said and Raylan ran upstairs while screaming for his life.

Amidst the laughter and commotion, Aunt Hazel meticulously finished Kilin's nails ensuring every detail was perfect. With a gentle touch, she applied light makeup accentuating Kilin's natural features.

Mary Lee removed the hairpins pinning up her hair and brushed it out. It looked so gorgeous that Kilin couldn't help but admire herself in the mirror.

As they wrapped up, the Branson family car, which had come to pick up both Raylan and Kilin, honked impatiently outside. The driver's frustration was evident, and the urgency in his honks heightened the tension in the room.

Kilin glanced at her mother, reluctance clearly written on her face. Mary Lee sympathised with her daughter but neither of them had a choice.

"Watch over your brother," she said and Kilin nodded her head before taking Raylan's hand. When they entered the car Raylan smiled and said, "Hello," being polite to him but the driver glanced at them through the rearview mirror.

Raylan felt sad being ignored. His mother had always told him great elders but he didn't expect he would be ignored.

Kilin squeezed his small hand and Raylan looked up, his eyes a little moist. He felt a sense of comfort having his sister around but that sense of comfort was soon taken away from him because when they reached the Branson family mansion they were separated.

Raylan put on a brave front and followed the family butler away. Kilin was very uncomfortable especially when she had promised her mother that she would take care of him. A maid led her upstairs to a room down the corridor.

"Miss, you can change here. I will come get you once it's time to leave," she said before closing the door. Kilin saw the shopping bag on the bed and a box with shoes so changed into them.

Five minutes later she sat on the edge of the bed, her gaze fixed on the ornate mirror across the room. The reflection staring back at her seemed unfamiliar. She had been initially excited ready to wear the dress Mrs. Ainsworth picked for her but her heart dropped when she saw it. It wasn't the dress that she expected but an old-fashioned dress that clung to her body in all the wrong places. The fabric was a dull shade of grey, embellished with frills and lace that only accentuated her awkward figure.

It was a garment straight out of a bygone era. She didn't need anyone to tell her that this was the work of her aunt. She had swapped her dress for this and now she was forced to wear it.

That wasn't even the worst part. Her feet were now confined within the torture devices passed off as shoes. The thin stiletto heels threatened to betray her with every step, and she could already feel blisters forming on her delicate skin. If she didn't fall tonight then she would consider herself lucky. Kilin sighed, resigning herself to a hellish night. 

As she sat there, a mix of anger and sadness welled up within her. She couldn't stop thinking about her little brother who had been whisked away to some unknown part of the mansion. She wondered how he was coping in this unfamiliar place, surrounded by strangers and hidden agendas. Kilin wished she would go find him but the maid told her to wait and she didn't want to get lost in this massive house.

She absentmindedly looked at the room. It was lavish, adorned with opulent furniture and delicate artwork that seemed to mock her current predicament. She felt like she was trapped within a gilded cage, forced to play a role that she never asked for.

Out of pure boredom, she took out her phone and swiped down the notification panel. There were multiple messages. One was from her mother telling her to keep her head down and try not to draw attention to herself, the other one was from Keele who was cheering her on for tonight and the others were several pictures from Arwen.

She replied to Keele with a sad cat gif but she was still upset with her mother so didn't reply to her. She opened the pictures and her lips cracked into a smile. The pictures looked so good that she couldn't even recognise herself.

Arwen: I am still working on the rest but this is what I edited so far.