Chapter 2
Arden gasped as the voice came out of the shadows and looked at her with dead eyes. The disturbed sixteen year old mouse just stared at her for a little while longer before speaking.
"Cameron?" she asked.
Teenaged Cameron Kitty looked at her with anger and resentment. Believing her to be the cold murderer of the queen, he showed her just by the way he looked at her that this new journey would not be easy.
"What's up, bitch?" he asked without a single trace of sympathy. Arden's eyes widened, fearing the absolute worse. She was afraid this would happen. She had a feeling that one of these days, the past would come back for her. Her foolish choices, attitude, and words would come and take her. More or less, this has come to be.
"Cameron, what's going on?" she asked with irritation in her voice.
"We're finally going to give you what you deserve," said a different voice. Arden and Cameron turned to where the voice came from. The mouse with tan fur with the shirt and black pants stepped forward. Then a mouse with brown fur appeared, then another, then another, until Arden was surrounded by who used to be her circle of friends.
"Arden, it's to stop this," Alana stepped up and said.
"You can't keep hiding from the law," Daren stood and said.
It's over," continued Chad.
Arden sat on her knees and buried her head in her paws. Tears fell from her eyes, to her paws, and finally to the ground as they rolled from them.
"Why?" she mumbled to herself. "Why is it that every time there is something good in my life, it must be taken from by something I try to control?"
She looked up at her adversaries, not bothering to hide her falling tears. Arden wanted to say so many things, but whenever she tried to speak to them, nothing came from her mouth. The only comment that came out was a simple one.
"I was framed. I did not kill the queen."
"Don't try that! We know what you did!" cried Angel.
"Everyone knows the real tru-" started Matthew.
"NO THEY DON'T!" Arden finally got the courage to cry out. "I WAS FRAMED BY OLIVIA FLAVERSHAM AND THEN ARRESTED. SHE FRAMED ME BECAUSE I MADE HER MAD LIKE THE IDIOT THAT I AM AND NOW SHE'LL DO ANYTHING TO BRING ME TO MY INFINITE DOOM!"
Arden began to wail, thinking that no matter how hard she tried, they would not believe her.
"Arden, nothing you say will change our minds. You murdered Queen Mousetoria, and therefore, you must pay," Chad said coldly. Arden lowered her head.
"How about this: if you surrender willingly, we will leave your family and whatever friends you have left alone. We won't bother them, or lay a single finger on them. They'll be safe, and everything that was affected by that can still be changed can go back to the way things were," Beatriz said to the accused teenager. Arden looked up at Beatriz, feeling even worse than before.
So this is what it all comes down to. My bitchery and foolishness have all come down to this one single option. If I give up, the lives of everyone around me will go back to normal. Well, not entirely, but at the same time, my precious family and my dear sweet Nathan will be safe. I love them all dearly and I want to be with them all the days of my life. I want to be happy, but how can I knowing that any hope of turning things around is undoable. Nathan wants to marry me, and as much as I want to say 'yes', his life would be much easier without me. Hell, everyone's life has been easier without, despite what other may say. However, I deeply care for Nathan and I want to be his wife. I want to have his children and start all over. I want to forget everything. Forget everything? How can I? The whole world hates for things that I have both done and have not done. My ex-friends want me dead and I know that they will do anything to stop me. I have brought this on myself and I cannot undo it. I love you, Nathan, but…
Arden stood and sighed.
…it looks like the wedding is off.
She looked at the friends around her.
"You will keep your promise, correct?" she asked in a low voice.
"Yes," her ex-friends all said.
"Very well," Arden replied.