Chapter 1, Snow White:
It was the day before the first day of her freshman year. Today should have been a happy occasion, but Snow White didn't feel happy. Her father had died over the summer making it hard to enjoy this ordinarily joyous occasion. Her father's death wasn't the only thing bothering Snow White. Her step-mother, Queenie, wanted to talk to the principal to make sure her expectations for her step-daughter were being met. Queenie had taken a tight hold of Snow's shoulder to remind her of her power over her.
"Ow, Step-mother, you're hurting me!" cried Snow. Her step-mother's grip on her shoulder tightened.
"What did you say to me?" growled Queenie through gritted teeth and a smile, "You mustn't talk back to your mother."
"Yes, Step-Mother" replied Snow. The grip on her shoulder tightened. "M-m-mother," Snow corrected.
"Better," said Queenie. The pair walked in silence into the school and then into Principal Ratcliffe's office. Queenie led Snow up to the receptionist's desk.
"Queenie White, here for Principal Ratcliffe."
"Ah, yes, I'll let him know you're here" replied the secretary. She pressed the intercom button. "Principal Ratcliffe, a Mrs. Snow is here to see you."
"Send her in." said a long drawn out voice with a British accent.
"Mr. Ratcliffe is re-" started the secretary.
"I heard," interrupted Queenie. "Come, Snow, we must talk to you Principal." The pair walked into the Principal's office where they were greeted by a large, garish man with an interesting choice in facial hair.
"Please, sit," said Principal Ratcliffe. The pair sat in the leather chairs facing Ratcliffe's desk. "Now, why are we here, today?"
"As you can see," replied Queenie "my daughter, Snow, is quite the beauty, and because of my want for her protection and our religious beliefs, I keep her covered from neck to toe. I have noticed, that your school's uniforms, " she sneered, " do not cover enough of the girls' bodies. If it were up to me, I would homeschool her where she is kept away from the male gaze, but my late husband's wishes were that she attend this school. So I must ask, do you have anything less revealing for my beloved daughter."
"I hear your concerns," replied Ratcliffe, "and had you looked closer at our uniform catalog, we have options like pants and broomstick skirts, for those of more… conservative faiths."
"I saw that." Said Queenie through a fake smile, "What I'm inquiring about, is the possibility of her wearing a turtleneck under her school uniform, I do not want her neck to be visible. I also want her excused from P.E. for even the most 'modest' of gym clothes are far too revealing for my Snow."
"She can wear a turtleneck," replied Ratcliffe, "but I don't know about her skipping P.E., it is a mandatory part of our curriculum."
"Make it happen!" snapped Queenie, "I will not have any boy stare at my daughter! Come, Snow, we must go home." Queenie and Snow once again stood up and left the room. As the pair were walking out towards the car Snow broke her silence and asked her step-mother
"Mother, why can't I participate in P.E.? Isn't it separated by gender?" the grip on her shoulder had become unbearably tight.
"Snow," started Queenie through a grimace, "You know you are far too beautiful to show any skin, and we can't risk any boys looking at you instead of me." The pair reached the car and got in
"But, mother, they won't even see you." retorted Snow towards her stepmother.
"Excuse me?" screamed Queenie, "You are not to speak to me like that. I am your mother!"
"Step-mother" corrected Snow under her breath.
"Get out', fumed Queenie, "If you're going to be so ungrateful, you can walk home."
"But, mother, it's 15 miles from here."
"I don't care, now get out and walk." spat the step-mother. Snow got out of the car and watched as her step-mother drove away. Instead of walking home, Snow sat and cried four about an hour before beginning to pray
Snow sat on the curb of the school for hours until a handsome young man with dark brown hair and blue eyes walked out of the school and came up to her. He sat down next to her which startled her and caused her to recoil away from him.
"Hey, it's okay, I didn't mean to startle you. I'm Florian, what's your name?" said the handsome boy.
"I-I-I shouldn't say," stuttered Snow "I'm not allowed to talk to boys."
"Really?" scoffed Florian, "That's a bit ridiculous, don't you think?"
"But just talking to a boy could make me un-pure," replied Snow through her sniffles.
So she's one of those people he thought to himself, "Can I ask why you're crying?"
"My step-mother got mad at me, left me here, and told me to walk home, but home is fifteen miles from here," mumbled Snow.
"Is that so?" replied Florian, "As it just so happens, I drove here, so I could maybe drive you home. That is, if you'd like." Snow nodded and got up and followed him towards the car.
"So, where do you live?"
"About a block away from the Pentecostal church," replied Snow, "but you can drop me off there. I don't want my stepmother to see me with a boy."
"You think she'd care that much?"
"I know she would. She was very loving for a while, and then she became cruel, and then my dad died, and she got even worse. I know it's my own fault for not seeing the light of God." Snow began to cry again. Oh my God thought Florian.
"It's okay," he said awkwardly, "everything will be alright." The rest of the drive was Snow sobbing and Florian sitting there awkwardly.
"We're here," said Florian. Snow thanked him and then ran into the church and prayed for forgiveness.