I paced back and forth of my new bedroom. It's huge, and open, and I feel exposed. I missed my room back at home with its broken closet doors I could never close, it's cracked ceiling, it's jammed shut window that leaked cold air in the winter and warm air in the summer. I miss the broken stovetop, and the chipped corner in the marble counter. I grew up in that house. This house was a million times bigger and I'm not joking, I just wanted my broken, rundown home back.

"You're going to wear a rut into the floor." I looked up to see Miles, I couldn't help but run into his arms for a comforting hug.

"Miles I hate it here!" I mumbled into his chest. He patted my back,

"It's not that bad Em, think about it. No more freezing winters, or deathly hot summer."

"That's not the point Miles."

"Well honey we know that." I looked around Miles's shoulder to see Ariel, Jazzy, Ethan, Sam and Khira.

"Lena brought us up here." Jazzy smiled and I went to give my friends a hug.

"Common Princess, sit down." I glared at Sam as he smiled. I sat on the floor far from the bed, as Jazzy, and Ariel sat on the bed. The others sat on the floor or brought over a chair from the table. A table! I had a fricken table the size of the bed in here, and the bed was pretty big! Miles sat next to me, and I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"I want to go home." I pouted, Ariel decided to give me the pros of living in the castle as I gave her the cons.

"Bigger room."

"Too open and exposed."

"Can hide in one of the rooms in the castle."

"I'll get lost on the first floor alone."

"Your mom will leave you alone."

"Not until I become a proper princess. We both know that will never happen."

I heard a knock on the door interrupting our debate, Lena.

"Whats up Lena?" she looked at me with a sad look.

"Time for training." my face fell.

"What?! That's real?" oh, dear lord I was doomed. She gave me a sad smile and nodded.

"Michael says to dress in a gown, gives the full effect."

"The butler?" she nodded.

"Kill me now!" I growled, Miles laughed at me so I pushed his shoulder sending him falling sideways.

"He also wants you to get ride of the lip ring. Not proper jewelry attire." she bit her lip, she knew when certain things ticked me off to certain point. This was one of them.

Before I could start rampaging Miles covered my mouth with his hand.

"He's going to have to live with the ring." he told her and she nodded.

"I'm sorry guys but you have to go, she really needs to train for the ball that takes place in under a week."

"Ball!?" my cry was muffled by Miles hand still covering my mouth.

"Calm down Em. It won't be that bad, we'll be there too. Considering its a ball mainly for you."

I started to yell and rant with Miles hand on my mouth muffling the words I was saying. Which was good considering they weren't pleasant especially with Lena around.

After about 30 minutes of arguing and having Miles and Ethan restrain me from chasing down my no good dead man walking mother the girls had finally gotten me into a gown.

"I feel dead inside." I muttered as I walked out of the closet. It was a dark blue strapless dress that started to poof out at the bottom of the corset. The beadwork on the corset was well intricate, and pretty.

"Oh you look gorgeous!" Ariel shrieked with joy.

"Oh bite me. You don't have to lie." I grumbled.

"She's not though. You do look stunning." I turned to look at Ethan, he called me stunning?

"Uh, um thanks."

"Emma-bear we have to go now." Lena held her hand out for me.

"I'll escort her down with you my dear Lena." she smiled at his offer. Miles offered his arm, I slowly slipped mine through his and we followed Lena down the flight of stairs.

"I hate dresses." I growled as we continued down the stairs.

"Hey Lena, will our Em here ever get to wear her sweatpants again?" Lena kept quiet, I took that as a bad sign. I started to panic and freak on Lena. Miles went to cover my mouth when I spoke the words I'd never thought I'd hear myself say ever.

"Quit Miles your going to mess up my make-up." Lena smiled, and Miles stared at me in shock.

"Oh crap."

Michael, the butler at least I think he is, stood in the ballroom.

"Why is she still wearing that hideous ring on her face?" I started to clench my fists, and grind me teeth. Thankfully Miles took this as the time to keep me from talking.

"Um , Emma must wear her lip ring. It's just who she is, you can't take it from her. That's just one of the conditions she'll go by if she must listen to you." I frowned at all three of them, Miles, Lena, and Michael.

"Is this true Princess Emma?" Michael stared at me with his glassy blue eyes and pointed expression.

"Yes, it is true."

"Very well. Now you boy begone, I need to work on her. Out now." Miles hugged me bye and left back up stairs to my room, and my friends.

"Princess Emma, you shall not be allowed to come into physical contact with a young man unless it is while you two are dancing." I glared at the old man, his balding head, and pointed nose that looked like a beak.

"Michael what are we going to start with first?" Lena asked, she stood facing the both of us with her shoulders back and head up high. You can tell when her attitude changes from princess snob to 12 year old child, maybe I can be that skilled soon. Oh god what am I thinking!?

"Princess Emma were you listening at all?" I looked back at Michael.

"No, I wasn't." he frowned at me.

"Well at least you're honest. Now Princess Emma-"

"It's Emma, just Emma."

"Emma, first thing is to learn how to have the posture of a princess." I looked at Lena and she smiled at me to give me confidence. This was going to be agonizing.

"Emma! Quit slouching stand up straight and tall!" I glared at the man, he was testing my patience.

"What is wrong with you child? Are you a bumbling, slobbish oaf?"

"Look here Michael, I didn't ask for this. I don't want this, so leave me alone I'm done with this!" I growled.

"Well you are the new princess act like one."

"I don't want to be a princess! I want to sit in my rundown classroom back in Chancellor high school!" I whined at Michael.

"Oh good, a rebel that will prove high for the rebellious students in the surrounding areas in the kingdom." I let out a groan and placed my hands on my head.

After a few hours of our arguing and a few more lessons Michael sent me off with Lena.

"We now have to get you make-up done, and hair styled for the dinner tonight for your mother."

"Dinner?"

"Yes, you get a ball for your welcoming. Your mother gets a lavish dinner party."

Lena and I made our way back to my room just I time to see my friends leaving.

"Your stylists are kicking us out." Jazzy explained with a small smile.

"See you tomorrow Em."

"Yeah, see ya princess."

"Bye Emmers."

"Bye Emma." they left down the hallway as Lena pushed me into my room.

"Lena kill me now."

~{^.^}~

The stylist had managed to make my hair longer with extensions and curl it so it flowed down my back. I was changed into a new gown this one was black with sleeves that mimicked my black tanktop, the corset was vinyl and started just at my lower chest and expanded a little past my waist. The rest of the skirt was light and layered out puffy, but not so it was overwhelming.

Lena snapped a picture before I could realize what was going on.

"Who are you sending that too!?" I growled, she looked scared and put her phone away.

"No more pictures." I warned and she nodded. After about an hour we headed down together to the dinning room for my mothers dinner.

The dinning hall was huge, it held a table that could seat around 100 occupants. The dance floor was larger them the ballroom, most of the guests has already been seated. Lena lead the way, she say next to her father and I sat next to my mother.

"Why Lena don't you look adorable." my mother smiled at her and Lena bowed to her response.

"Emma, you look, nice." she gave me a half grin.

"Thanks mother." I mumbled.

"Emma manners." she warned, it was weird, it wasn't one of her raging bear tones it was actually... gentle. That kinda scared me.

Halfway through the night after the dinner, and everyone was out dancing on the floor Lena and I excused ourselves to head to bed. I walked into my room, it was empty and quiet. There was a sofa the size of my bed back home, so I changed into my sweats and baggy shirt and laid on the couch. I preferred it here on the couch, it was comfortable and I knew I wasn't going to get lost in the sheets while I slept.

I dreamt of dancing, everyone was wearing masks. I couldn't understand any of it, I was being tossed off to other dancers as we waltzed. First to a red headed boy, then to a dark haired man, and so on. They kept spinning me in circles and handing me off to another partner. I saw Miles, Ethan, and Sam at the edges of the dance floor. Every time I tried to reach for one of them they'd disappear or I'd be switched to a new partner.

"Miles!" he stared at me, as I tried to reach for him I was so close this time! He just stepped away from me.

"You've changed Emma." his tone reflected disappointment, and he didn't use his nickname for me. I started to get lost and turned around as more dancers appeared on the floor. Blocking my view of the three boys who meant something to me.

I woke up sweating, and in the giant bed. I looked over at the couch, how did I end up in this bed? I crawled out of the bed and back onto the couch. I hated this place, I had nightmares since we moved here. I always ended up on the bed instead of the couch when I awoke from my dreams. I want to go home.

~{^.^}~

"I appreciate the thought but I don't want a ball."

"Emma the invitations have already been sent out, everything is planned for it. The ball is our way of welcoming you to the castle like the dinner was for your mother."

"I don't want to be a princess. I want to go home, to my home. I understand all your patience and thought about me but this isn't where I belong." I was in the Princes study arguing about canceling my ball, let's just say the odds weren't in my favor.

"I'm sorry Emma but its final."

"Yes sir." I turned and walked out of his study and back to my room. They have had me parading around in gowns all afternoon and I was getting sick of it. I want my jeans and shirts back, not these dresses that suffocated me.

The ball was tonight, and I still didn't know how to dance to save my life. I heard a knock on my door, it must be Michael.

"Go away." I called out.

"Well your not nice." Miles, I ran to the door to open it. Sure enough he was standing on the other side smiling.

"What? No hug?" I started to pour.

"Michael said I'm not allowed too. I can't make physical contact with anyone unless I'm dancing." he frowned, he did like the news either. He was my friend it's impossible not to push the guy over when he's being idiotic.

"Since when have you started listening to authority?" I frowned, he's right, I don't know what's going on with me. I shook my head and went to sit in the couch, he followed and I looked at him.

"Where's your lip ring?" my hand flew up to my lip, I had to take it out because of Michael. He made a complaint to the prince.

"It's on the nightstand." I mumbled, I didn't want to look at him. I felt like I've betrayed myself, he must feel it too. He stood up and went to my nightstand, he came back with it in his hand.

"You can't be Princess Emma without your ring. Wether they like it or not." he slipped my ring back in my lip.

"Thanks Miles."

"No problem Princess."

"I hate it when you call me that." he smiled

"I know."

"Then why do insist on calling me that?"

"because it bugs you." I laughed and pushed him over.

"See I can get you to smile." I chuckled lightly.

"Now common Emma you have to get dressed." I frowned and pushed him out my bedroom door.

"Aww I can't stay?" I laughed.

"Absolutely not! I'll see you later tonight now out." he laughed and shut my door on his way out. I collapsed on the couch again, I lifted my hand to feel my lip ring. It belongs there, he's right, it's part of me. Who I really am, not a Princess, but Emma Emeal from the 'dirty' side of town who just wants to go home.