" Gabriella, hurry up and put on the dress I laid out for you. Your Grandmother's sending a car to take you to her hotel." Maria said, not looking up from what she was doing.
" What? " Gabriella asked.
" I laid out a nice dress for you." Maria waved a hand. " Just go." Gabriella frowned but started upstairs. Who did this lady think she was? Fist she splits up Gabriella's parents and expects her to be all happy about meeting her, now she won't even come to their house. It's a nice house. Maria had done a lot of the interior design and she was good.
On the bed lay a lavender dress with a white cardigan and on the floor were lavender flats. Gabriella changed. The dress wasn't very fancy, just a casual dress. It hit just above her knees and the cardigan was soft. She slipped on the shoes just as her mother called her name, yelling that the ride was here.
Gabriella hurried out, expecting to see a taxi. She nearly had a heart attack when a stretch limo sat waiting for her. She got in and without a word the driver left.
They stopped in front of a very expensive hotel. Gabriella reached out to open the door but the driver beat her to it. She slid out.
" Thank you." She smiled. The driver nodded and she walked into the hotel. A man was waiting with a sign reading Montez. He reminded Gabriella of the guys at the airports. She walked over.
" Gabriella Montez?" The man asked.
" That's me… unless my mother's been lying to me." Gabriella joked the man didn't laugh; he just turned and walked off. Gabriella hurried to follow.
He led her out to a small patio. It was empty except for one woman and the man next to her. The woman sat very straight and had a proper look about her. She radiated elegance and sophistication. Her blonde and gray hair was in a bun and a hat sat on the table in from of her. She wore a peach pencil skirt and matching blazer with a white button up silk top. On her feet were peach flats.
Gabriella walked over. The man opened his mouth to speak but the woman raised a hand, silencing him.
" Gabriella?" She asked, she had a slight accent, like a mix of English and Italian.
" Yes Maim." Gabriella said.
" You don't have to call me Maim darling. Go ahead and sit. You can call me Grandmother, or Contessa." Gabriella took a seat. " Would you like anything to eat?" As Gabriella was about to say no her stomach grumbled.
" Umm… maybe." She blushed, looking down.
" That's what I thought. Max, would you go get my granddaughter a menu?" Contessa asked the man who nodded and walked to the front, bringing back a menu. Gabriella was shocked at the prices.
" Order whatever you like." Contessa smiled. Gabriella bit her lip; she didn't want Contessa to think she was spoiled.
" Umm… just a soda. That's enough." Gabriella started to close the menu.
" Nonsense. Waiter, we'd like the appetizer tray to start with. Thank you." Contessa nodded. " Gabriella, how old are you?" Contessa asked.
" Sixteen." Gabriella shifted uncomfortably in her seat; she didn't like it when people stared at her like Contessa was.
" Perfect." Contessa smiled. " So Gabriella, Tell me a little about yourself, your interests and hobbies." It was more of an order than a suggestion.
" Umm… I was in the school Play last year, Twinkle Town. I'm also on the scholastic decathlon team." Gabriella shrugged.
" What about friends, a boyfriend perhaps?" Gabriella shifted again. It felt weird having this woman, whom she'd never met before, asking her all these questions.
" My best friends are Taylor, Kelsi and Sharpay." Gabriella answered. Contessa looked up to Max.
" She's uncomfortable being put on the spot." She said to him. He pulled a notebook out of a pocket and wrote something down. Gabriella frowned.
" What are you doing?"
" She looks at her feet when she talks." Contessa continued then turned to Gabriella. " Didn't your mother tell you why I'm here?"
" I thought it was that you wanted to see me!" Gabriella said, not caring how whiney she sounded.
" Oh of course I was here to see you darling, but Gabriella, I thought your mother told you. I'm here because Now that you're sixteen your old enough to take your rightful place." Contessa shook her head.
" Rightful place as what?" Gabriella asked.
" You know your father and I are from a country called Vineland correct?" Gabriella nodded, she remembered her mother saying something about it. " Gabriella, your father died three years ago, did you know that." Gabriella felt her eyes tear up as she nodded again. Her mother had told her. " Well, You're as his oldest child, now that you're sixteen, it's time for you to take your rightful place as Princess of Vineland, to take over as Queen when I die."
No Princess No Princess No Princess
" Why didn't you tell me?" Gabriella cried that night. When she got home her mother had been out. The second Maria walked in the door she pounced.
" Tell you about what?" Maria asked, avoiding Gabriella's eyes.
" About what? How about the fact that I'm a Princess, or that my dad was a King, or that I'm going to have to take over as Queen when Contessa kicks the bucket?"
" Actually, your father never was King. He died before his father did." Maria said setting the groceries down on the counter in the kitchen.
" That's not the point!" Gabriella cried following her mom. She had changed out of the dress and into her pajamas.
" I was just trying to protect you baby." Maria said.
" Protect me from what?" Gabriella asked.
" People."
" That makes no sense! But it doesn't matter. I'm going to Vineland." Gabriella said.
" What?" Maria asked, snapping her head up.
" Contessa is going back to Vineland tomorrow and in a week I'm going. She just wants to make sure everything's going to be ready.
" Are you sure you want to do this Baby?"
" Completely sure." Gabriella nodded.
"Okay, but remember, if you change your mind, you can always come home." Maria smiled. She thought about fighting, but knew it would do no good. Once Gabriella decided something that was that.
A/N Okay… no reviews. Either you didn't like it or you didn't review… Okie…