Chapter 19
Michelle had felt a bit uneasy since her old enemies the quartet had arrived at the palace. when the report started that night, count Neilson announced that he had hired confidants for his daughter.
Emily enjoyed the attention on the report. Saying that when she found the add, she wouldn't have missed a chance to be in the palace and amongst royalty if she tried.
What made her even more nervous was when she was called up and Timothy asked if she went to school with Emily since they were from the same state. Michelle calmly answered 'yes.' He asked if they were friends. And Emily trying to look like she was a nice girl replied that they were 'best friends.'
Michelle was looking a bit down the next morning. Her maids had given her, her morning bath and she was now getting changed. Chloe was putting on her dress, Maci was spraying her with perfume and Alexis was doing her hair.
"Is something wrong?" asked Alexis noticing the unhappy face on Michelle's face.
"You know those girls count Neilson hired?" asked Michelle. Chloe, Alexis and Maci nodded.
"That's the same Emily I go to school with!" declared Michelle upset.
Her maids were surprised for a minute, but then understood the whole thing.
"Can you talk to the servants?" asked Michelle. "I'd like to have a lock put on my door. So, Emily and her gang doesn't try to sneak in here."
"Of course, lady Michelle" replied Chloe.
Michelle thanked her maids and then left the room; she went to ladies' room. There she told the other girls about Emily. The only girls who weren't there were Giselle and Cindy.
"She's really that mean?" asked Bluebelle.
"Not just to me," sighed Michelle. "She's mean to all castes under four, because she thinks ones to fours are superior and that the lower castes aren't special. She's always doing mean things to the lower castes."
"She's just jealous because we're all in the selection and she's not" huffed Whitney. A lot of the other girls had to agree with her.
"She won't really do anything to people like me or Kemi," said Gem. "She only picks on the lower castes."
Michelle knew Gem was right.
Just then Cindy came in wearing a silvery grey gown with tulle trimming on her sleeves.
"Guess what!" cried Cindy. "Prince James is taking me riding today!"
"How nice Cindy" said Kasha.
"This is the third date he's taken me on!" cried Cindy happily.
I think he hangs out with me more said Michelle to herself not wanting to sound boastful to the other girls.
"He took me to the movies on Monday" muttered Bluebelle.
Cindy didn't listen. She just left the ladies' room.
Later Michelle was lounging in her room. Her maids had gotten a lock installed on her bedroom door. Michelle felt safer with her door being locked wherever she was. She had a key to her room and her maids had a spare. The door was currently locked. When suddenly she heard a knock on the door.
"It's Holliday!" called the voice.
Michelle unlocked the door and answered.
"Hey," said Holliday. "Wanna hang out?"
Michelle stepped aside and made the 'after you' gesture.
After entering, Michelle left the door open, she felt more comfortable with a friend in the room in case Emily came by.
"Are you reading?" asked Holliday.
"In the change of Jesus by Amelia Bonet," replied Michelle. "It's about a young adult named Danial who has a bad boy personality and a criminal record and he starts to turn his life around when he meets a religious girl named London."
Michelle and Holliday sat on Michelle's bed reading and acting out parts in the book. About half an hour later, they saw Cindy walking down the hall, she looked like she was crying.
"What's wrong with Cindy?" asked Michelle.
Holliday shrugged and then went back to reading. Another 25 minutes past and they saw a male servant pushing a trolly with dozens of bags and following was Cindy she felt more relaxed, but still sad.
Kemi had been following them and stopped to look in Michelle's room when she saw Michelle and Holliday watching and she could see the confused looks on her face.
"She's been eliminated" she answered simply.
"Why?" asked Michelle.
"She admitted to me that during the date, she told James some unkind things about the lower castes. James didn't like that especially since our queen was an eight, the lowest caste in all of Illea! So, he dismissed her," explained Kemi. "We certainly all know this, he wants to marry a girl who doesn't look down on different castes and treats them all with kindness, generosity and respect."
Michelle and Holliday were surprised that Cindy Mora would say unkind things about the lower castes. She had been a gossip girl, but didn't necessarily seemed mean. But after a minute of thinking, she did seem to show signs of that nature as she was so boastful about the dates, she had been on with James.
I may not have known this, Michelle thought to herself. But I've been in the selection with the newest member of the quartet, even though Cindy is a three and their all fours, Emily would've loved having Cindy in her posse if she really thinks about the lower castes like that.
