The next morning, Le Toad called for Rita. She entered his chamber.

"Maria and I were talking." He lit his cigar and placed it in his mouth.

"You're always talking." Rita stated.

"She said you really want to go to the St. James Ball. Why?" he released a puff of smoke in Rita's face.

"Because I want to meet new people." She said waving the smoke out of her direction. "You really should quit that."

"Ah… anyway I took time to think it over. And I think you should go."

"I beg your pardon? Are you sick? Let me get you a cold pill."

He chuckled. "I really mean it." He said. "But there's a catch… you must work extra hard. When I give you a command, do it immediately. And I'm not responsible for getting you a dress. That is your problem."

"Thank you sir." She left.

"Wait! Did I dismiss you?"

"No."

"Don't be immature young lady. Things can be a lot worse. You could be up top in a laboratory suffering with a vaccine in your body. Now, take the boys to the seamstress for a fitting and make sure they get some fine suits. You and I will be talking on the phone. I need to approve of what their wearing."

"Where did you get a cell phone this small?" Rita asked, surprised to see that it fit in her hand.

"I'm rich. I have everything." He said. "I'll be watching the whole time, so stay on task."

"Yes sir."

After he finally dismissed her, she found all the boys and told them to come with her. As she drove a regular boat this time, she made her way back to town.

"Now why does he want to approve of what his sons are wearing?" she asked herself. "It's both he should be watching. The girls more than the men."

It was the same as the girls, only she was in the shop the whole time. As the men were fitting she showed Le Toad who was on the screen of the phone what they wanted. Two hours passed.

"Alright Rita. It's finished. Head back to the boat now."

As Rita was walking back to start the boat, she continued to speak with her master.

"I'll be in and out with the suits." She said. "I'm just starting the engine to make sure it's not frozen."

The screen went blank.

Rita walked into something soft but felt something hot splatter all over her chest. She was humiliated as the Toad boys laughed. She had vanilla latte all over her only sweater.

"Oh goodness, Rita I'm so sorry."

The culprit was the Prince. She never believed that they'd meet up again, but here they were.

"It's fine." She said in a black tone. "I'm used to it." She turned away to pick up orders.

"Stop. What do you mean?"

"Why would you care?" Rita bolted. "I have coffee all over my only sweater, rich kids are laughing at me and I don't have anything to wear for the ball."

"You're going?"

"Yes. But I don't find it possible now!"

She walked into the shop and walked out with five boxes. When she returned, Roddy blocked the door.

"Excuse me." She sneered.

"You know, all the dancers on the show I'm on have a private seamstress. Maybe I can take you in for a fitting."

"And why would you do that?" Rita questioned. She crossed her arms to warm her cold chest.

"Well because I feel sorry for you."

"Why? Don't you feel bad for the servants at your place?"

"No." said Roddy. "Their respected and treated with care."

"Well I'm not."

"That's why I want to help you."

Rita was very surprised. Who knew a prince would feel sorry for her? It seemed so ridiculous. Prince Roddy part time danced on his sister's show. But when he wasn't, he took care of poor, sick and old people. He'd sing to orphans and visit dying people in the hospital. He didn't imagine Le Toad being so careless. He only saw him once at the ball every year.

"Look," said Roddy. "I want to help."

"Well you can leave."

Roddy put both hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry about the coffee stain. I wasn't watching where I was going. And I think it's great that Le Toad gave you permission to attend my dad's party. How about you and I have some dinner and then I'll take you to the seamstress for the gown you dreamed about. Meet me at the bakery at eight?"

Rita was pretty angry but he wouldn't stop. She nodded, even though she had plans.

"Fine. I'll see you there."

"See you later darling." He winked at her before he left. She went inside the shop, feeling her pulse skip a couple of beats.

Another knock was heard in Le Toad's chamber.

"It's Whitey sir."

"Proceed."

The giant albino rat walked in.

"I want you ask you a favor." Said Whitey.

Le Toad looked up from his War and Peace novel.

"You asking me a favor? I believe you forgot that I'm the dictator here."

"It's about Rita."

"Good God!" Le Toad burst. "I heard enough of her! What are going to tell me? Her voice is perfect? Don't you remind me of how 'brilliant' everyone thinks of her. I heard enough!"

"I want to marry her."

Le Toad's mind went off.

"Your thinking marriage eh? Well isn't that the fathers decision?"

"She's still your property." Whitey reminded him. "So I came to ask you."

"What do I think of Rita and you? I don't see a connection."

Whitey's head dropped in disappointment.

"I'll make you a deal." Said Le Toad. "If you can tell me why the servants are tired when they work, you can have her hand. Remember, you have until New Years. Don't waste anytime."

"I'm on it! Detective Whitey at your service!"

"Good. Now get out."

Whitey bowed to his master. As he was walking into his bedroom, Rita was sneaking in the dark avoiding as many toads as possible. There was a gigantic hole in the palace wall that Le Toad was too lazy to get fixed. It was in an abandoned closet. She hopped the fence and walked across the bridge. All the water was frozen. Rats and Toad's were using sleighs to get around. Ferrets pulled them around. Rita went straight to the bakery. She saw a man leaning on the wall reading a jewelry catalog.

"Diamonds for Sharpay?"

Roddy closed the book.

"Glad that you could come." He said. "Let's eat."

Rita thought he was going to take her inside his father's castle for a feast, but instead he brought her to Pete's Diner, a cheap, quick place with great quality. Roddy got a burger and Rita got soup. She never had it served hot before. She burned her tongue the moment she had her first spoonful. She spit it out into the bowl and drank form her hot chocolate.

"Are you alright?" Roddy asked. Rita nodded.

"Never had soup hot before." She explained. "The reason why I work for Le Toad is so my family can have food."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's fine. Nobody's dead yet. I'm excited because Le Toad is letting me go after New Years."

"Going on eighteen?"

"I was actually born on the stroke of midnight."

"So basically when everyone yells 'Happy New Year' you get older? That's pretty cool."

"Exactly." She ate her soup. This time is was fine enough to eat. Rita never had vegetable soup with snake in it and she really enjoyed it. "So I have a question. I hope it don't offends you. I shouldn't ask."

"Go right ahead."

"This might be the millionth time you heard this…"

"You can tell me."

"What attracts you to Sharpay?"

Roddy sighed.

"Are you jealous?"

"No." said Rita. "I just heard from a friend that you may purpose to her and a lot of the girls I work for tell me she's really rude to them."

"Well, she can be rude sometimes." Said Roddy. "I know my sister and mother don't like her too much. They keep telling me that she's loves my money, not me."

"They may be right. Maybe, maybe not. Believe me, I dealt with girl's like the way you described her. They want to marry rich guys only for their money. One of them, Taylor married a senior and she's fourteen, for his money. When he die's its going to be hers."

"That's a little creepy."

"Listen, I didn't want to upset you. I don't like you like other girls too. I like you as a friend."

Under Roddy's skin were sad thoughts. 'Just friends' was the one term he hated. By every second, he felt stranger all because of that girl.

As they walked down the street, choirs were singing, children were giggling and lots of shops were passing out free candy. For a second she was worried that Le Toad noticed she was gone. As the two were walking, she heard a deep voice say to an old man, "Have you seen a red head wearing Union Jack pants and an aqua sweater?"

"Oh my God." Rita mumbled. "He found out!"

Rita began to run. Roddy chased her into a tight corner of two buildings.

"Why are you hiding?"

"It's Ted. Le Toad must have found out that I'm gone."

Ted turned the corner. Rita took the bungee cord out of her pocket and swing it on a hook attached to the roof.

"Excuse me sir," said Ted. "Have you seen a red head around here without a coat?"

"Me?" Roddy asked. "No. I'm sorry but I never saw her."

"Have a lovely day your highness." Ted bowed and left. Roddy rolled his eyes.

"Rita it's ok! You can come down now!"

Rita pressed the 'lower' button but it wasn't working. She tried several times to safely get herself to the ground. At another attempt she pressed the 'release' button on accident. She fell off the roof. Roddy was surprised to hear no scream come out of her. She thought she'd hit the ice coat below but a pair of arms saved her. She took a deep breath.

"Why didn't you scream?"

"If I screamed, people would hear and they'd see me. And then I'd lose my tail." She explained. She stood up. "How much farther?"

"Not too far. Let's get a sleigh. We'll be there in five minutes tops. Are you alright."

"Of corse. I've been doing that for years." Rita bragged. They walked to the frozen water. Impatient, Rita put her fingers in her mouth and whistled. A sleigh pulled over and they got on.

"Where to?"

"Home." Said Roddy. The driver recognized him and nodded. The black ferrets pulled the Barbie doll sleigh effortlessly. Minutes later, they pulled in front of the St. James Palace. Rita never saw it before, but she didn't believe her eyes. It's was absolutely gorgeous. In the center front stood a marble fountain of Poseidon. The walls were a glowing white with golden roofs and gates. The surface was completely clean without a single wrapper or piece of garbage. The towers were amazing with their countries flags on top. It was very unlike the one she was forced to sleep in

"I can't believe you live here."

"I'd rater have an apartment actually." Roddy confessed. "It's too much for us to handle."

"What do you mean?"

"My sister and I. We don't like what our parents do, so it's hard to get along with them. We have to go around through the back."

Roddy escorted her to the back. He used his fathers master key that he stole to unlock the door. The first room they walked in was the freezer. They quickly made their way out through the kitchen and into the elevator.

"May I ask you something?" Rita asked.

"Of corse."

"Why are you doing this?"

"As in what?"

"Taking me to dinner and helping me get a dress for the ball. I mean, I only met you twice."

Roddy was silent for a moment.

"I not sure. Maybe there's something about you that I like that I don't see in other women. But still, I'm not sure." The elevator stopped. They walked on a silk rug to a room at the end of the hall. "Tasmin?"

They went inside. It was a room full of sewing supplies and machines. On hangers were a bunch of beautiful gowns hung on them wrapped in plastic.

"Are you too busy?" Roddy asked. "Because I have a friend here who needs a dress."

"Does your friend have any money?"

"Well you see I cant af—"

"I'm paying for it. It'll be an extra fifty pounds if you keep this quiet." Said Roddy. "So don't worry. Tasmin this is Rita, a new friend of mine. Rita, Tasmin is the seamstress."

"Making friends on the street are you? I'll see what I can do."

"I'll leave you two alone." Said Roddy. Rita thought Tasmin would mistreat her. But she observed Rita looked at her hair color, her eyes and face.

"Nice eyes, a gorgeous face… your hair needs treatment though. Well that's not my job. Since the event is a Holiday, I highly prefer a holiday color like gold, silver, red, green, white and black."

"I'd like a red dress."

"Yes, I thought it'd be your color. Now let's think of a style. Do you have one in mind or do you need to see the book?"

"I'm not sure." Said Rita. "I'm not an expert at clothes. You're an expert. What would you prefer?"

Roddy arrived into the rehearsal room, where he and the other rich kids practiced all their dance routines. Sharpay was at her vanity mirror, spraying her glittery golden hair.

"Sharpay?"

She turned around.

"Roddy Bear! I thought you weren't coming. Where were you?" she gave him a long kiss on the lips.

"We need to talk." Said Roddy. Maggie, his sister was sitting on her desk on the set and listened.

"Please dump her." She prayed.

Roddy and Sharpay walked upstairs to his room. It wasn't like a regular princes room; the walls were covered with autographed posters and the TV was on a counted beside the bed whether than on the wall in front. His bed was messy with green bed sheets and no canopy.

"Is something wrong?" she asked concerned.

"Actually yes, there is a problem. It's us." He sat on his bed and Sharpay stood in front of him. "I'm going to get straight to the point."

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"Well, yes I am actually."

"What!"

Her expression changed in seconds.

"Why?" she choaked.

"Well, I just have a feeling that were not meant for each other. That's all. We need to see different people. Can we be friends?"

Sharpay took off her silver pump and threw it at him.

"Alright, maybe not close friends."

"Roderick Paul St. James, when your father finds out-"

"He doesn't determine what I care about."

"Well good luck finding a new partner!"

Sharpay stormed out. It didn't go as well as he thought it would. Sharpay always looked timid and shy. But at least he was finally free. No more Sharpay. The thought of that made him smile.

"Turn around." Said Tasmin. Rita stood on a platform facing a large mirror. Her strapless red gown fit her perfectly. She took time to admire herself as the seamstress made adjustments to the gown. The silk of the fabric was the finest in the world and the skirt bellowed out beautifully. Rita would look more gorgeous if she curled her hair and put on a little perfume. When Roddy came in to check on them, Rita gave him a huge hug, still in her dress.

"Red hair. Red dress. Very nice." He complemented. "I'll se you on Christmas Eve then."

"I'll be there."