The ball prep

Claudine seemed to think the adage "third time's a charm" proved true as she slipped out of the house again.

Unbeknownst to her, Arielle had keenly observed her departure. Upon Claudine's return with Lumos by her side, she found Arielle waiting in the outhouse, nestled in her small bed, arms folded, and wearing a petulant expression.

"You, where are you coming from?" Arielle said without standing up.

"I-I-I..." Claudine stuttered. She had never thought that she would be caught.

Arielle and her parents always seemed heavily engaged in the evenings.

They had never summoned her or asked about her during those times, so she concluded that it was perfectly safe to leave the house at that time.

She had not anticipated her elder foster sister sitting on her bed. Her face squinched so that she looked like an owl, asking her of her whereabouts.

"Ohh, please, Claudine," Arielle said, rising to her feet.

"Spit it out. I don't have all fucking night. The ball is tomorrow, and I need to get enough beauty naps to relax and ease my facial muscles to look like the princess I truly am."

She said the last sentence with a sort of dreaminess — her head lifted in what would be a graceful pose and her hand extended — that made Claudine momentarily forget her precarious situation and let out a chuckle.

"Ohh. She's laughing. Aww, won't you look at that — I'm so funny. I should probably become a fucking comedian, eh?"

She moved closer to Claudine, her steps menacing, grabbed her by the throat, and, in a not-so-gentle manner, shoved her to the wall. Claudine struggled to breathe as her elder sister, her breath tangy, spoke to her.

"Look, you little shit," she began,

"I honestly don't give a fuck what you do with what little free time is available to you. You can go fuck yourself and die if you like. But what I will not take from you is this impudence, okay? I'm your elder sister, and when I speak, you should show deference. And that means no chuckling, or giggling, or smiling. Do you understand me?"

Claudine managed to nod, her eyes fearful and red with a lack of oxygen.

"Good," Arielle said, promptly releasing her. After raking her eyes from her head to her feet with unconcealed disgust, as if she was a thing that had been pulled from the trash, she left the room, leaving Claudine alone with Lumos.

Claudine, relieved, sank to the bed, and Lumos crept up to her lap, where it lay snugly. Claudine turned her neck this way and that, observing, for the first time, the unnatural strength with which Arielle had lifted her. She thought about it for a while and soon became drowsy and slept off.

The next day, Claudine anticipated a summons and a scolding, but it never came. They all left early, neglecting to assign her any chores.

Seizing the opportunity, Claudine boldly entered the main house, completed her tasks, and grabbed a meal. She felt a sense of pride in her courage.

Later that evening, upon their return laden with shopping bags, Claudine warmly welcomed them, offering to assist.

However, Arielle rejected her help, expressing disdain for Claudine's perceived filth on her new dress. They continued chatting amongst themselves, abruptly shutting the door in Claudine's face.

Claudine's shoulders drooped as she trudged back to the outhouse, but in defiance, she exclaimed, "Forget it!" and dashed into the woods. The brisk air brushed against her face, and the forest resonated with the symphony of buzzing insects, birds finding refuge in their nests, and rodents hurrying to their homes. Claudine settled on the ground, where a small cloth had been laid, her back against a rock. Nearby, Ezrianna perched on the rock, swinging her legs.

As usual, Ezrianna provided her with food. Claudine savored the satisfying meal that left her ecstatic, the lingering taste of the delicious food still dancing on her taste buds.

"I wonder what I'll do when they're gone," Claudine said, almost absentmindedly.

"I don't think you need to worry about that, my dear," Ezrianna said.

"Huh? And why is that?"

"Because you'll be here with me, of course," Ezrianna said, her voice high-pitched with playfulness. She gently nudged Claudine with her foot, and the latter looked up at her with dewy eyes.

"That's right. You're right," Claudine said.

"You don't seem too happy with that," Ezrianna said, her voice low with concern.

"Yeah," Claudine said.

"Come on, talk to me," Ezrianna said, and she descended from the top of the rock and sat near Claudine, wrapping one hand across her shoulder.

"It's just ... my foster family," Claudine said, her voice shaky as if she would soon burst into tears.

"I just feel in my guts that they will try to make things difficult for me tomorrow. Since Arielle knows I leave the house in the evenings, she might try to lock me up. Arielle would do anything to make me miserable."

"Mmm," Ezrianna said. She was deep in thought.

Claudine raised her knees and buried her face in it, sobbing quietly.

She did so sometimes; her emotions fluctuated between periods of ecstasy, often when she was with Ezrianna, and the darkness that came with remembering her condition, that of being with a family that not only seemed to detest her but also would do anything to make her life worse.

"I'm sorry," Ezrianna said. She rubbed Claudine's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Claudine, I'm here."

Claudine raised her head, tears and snot running down her face.

"Besides, I have an idea," Ezrianna said.

"And what is that?" Claudine managed to say as she blew her nose.

Ezrianna explained it to her:

Although Ezrianna always followed her home when leaving the woods, she did not know exactly where the house was.

She told Claudine now that she would watch her as she walked home, and then the next day, if she waited for her for long and still did not see her, she would come and break her out.

"Really?" Claudine said, becoming excited.

"Sure. It's nothing."

Claudine turned around and hugged Ezrianna, and Ezrianna hugged her back.

"Thank you, Ezzy, for all you do," she said.

"Really. I would not have made it past the first week if it wasn't for you. You're such a sweet soul."

"Um, yes," Ezrianna said, freeing herself from Claudine's hug.

"I'm glad to help. But maybe call me Ezrianna. Okay? Ezzy is just ... too much."

Claudine giggled to herself.

"Ezzy," she said under her breath mischievously, and Ezrianna lightly smacked her upper arm.

They spent the evening together, and at the end, Ezrianna saw Claudine off. But this time, instead of returning immediately, she lingered and watched as Claudine crossed the road and turned towards the house.

"Excellent," she said to herself.

***

"All is set for tomorrow," Arielle declared.

"Well, almost. I ordered a bracelet I found online, which will be delivered tomorrow morning."

The Zaynaders had just had dinner and sat around the table.

Matt had, throughout dinner, grouched about a coworker making his work more difficult for him. He had spewed insults and invectives between mouthfuls, flecks of food flying from his mouth to Janey's horror.

Arielle, more interested in how she would look the next day, had paid her father no mind, and almost immediately after he was done talking, she launched into a tirade of her own.

"I'll be the belle of the ball," she said with girl-like excitement.

"Of course, baby," Matt said.

"I mean, come on, who else in this town can compete with your astounding beauty!"

"Thanks, Dad," Arielle said, giggling, placing her hand gently on her father's.

Janey said nothing, preferring to stare at them blankly as if she were a stranger who had been invited to eat.

"So, what about you guys?" Arielle said.

"What do you mean, baby?" Matt asked.

The expression on Janey's face changed from that of blitheness to a stiff focus.

"I mean, what are you guys going to wear tomorrow?" Arielle asked.

"Mom, you."

Janey dropped her head.

"Ohh, you know, I'll find something in my wardrobe, I guess," she said.

"I have clothes enough to take to a million balls, so that shouldn't be a problem. And I'm sure your father, too, has—"

"What?" Arielle said in horror.

"Ahh, come on, mom. You can't just wear any old dress to the Founder's Day ball. I mean, it's the Founder's Day Ball! Who knows, maybe you guys have been putting off my potential mates. Please, wear something else, something classy."

Matt turned his face away from his daughter, and Janey bristled at her words. She wanted to say something in return but thought it was best to leave it.

"Arielle, you know we want what's best for you, right?" Janey said.

"Well, if you do, please make yourselves presentable tomorrow evening," Arielle said, rising to her feet.

"At least, enough to match how gorgeous I'd look. Good night."

She brushed her parents' cheeks with kisses and disappeared into the house.

"What are we going to do, dear?" Janey asked her husband.

"What? I don't know," he said in mock innocence.

"Your loving daughter has almost left me bankrupt with the expensive dresses she bought. Not forgetting all of the accessories."

"Well, she's our loving daughter, Matt," Janey said genially, her face relaxing into a smile.

"And we love her and would do anything for her, wouldn't we?"

"Yes," Matt said.

"But I just wish she would get a mate soon and leave this house, you know."

"Me, too, dear," Janey said.

"The ball is tomorrow, so let's keep our fingers crossed. Hopefully, someone will notice her."

"Hopefully," Matt repeated.